The Cardinal’s Sin is the third book in the Jake Travis series. I have not read the other two, and except for two sentences that seemed to reference one of the other books, I didn’t need to as this is a perfect stand-alone.

Jake and his girlfriend, Kathleen, are wrapping up a four-week European vacation. The last city they visit is London before they head home to Florida. Jake would like nothing more than to lose himself in Kathleen, but his duties as a Special Ops assassin call. It’s an easy hit: a Cardinal out for him morning stroll in Kensington Gardens. Jake carries out his duties and is back in their hotel room before Kathleen awakens. As the Cardinal lay dying, his last sentence is “Forgive me my sin.” Jake finds this odd. Shouldn’t it have been “forgive me my sins.” Plural, not singular. Jake frets about this as he and Kathleen head home.

But…and readers know there has to be a but…Jake learns that he has killed the wrong man. He didn’t kill a bad guy dressed as a Cardinal, but he killed a real Roman Catholic Cardinal. Oh brother.

Back home in Tampa Bay, Jake teams up with his partner, Garrett Demarcus, and a guy named Morgan, that I’m not really sure who he is, other than Jake’s neighbor. As the three try to figure out what happened to the real target, Alexander Partetsky, the regular formula for PI novels unfolds. I did especially enjoy the sprinkling of literary references.
The Cardinal’s Sin is a good read. I think Jake would make an excellent TV character (Imagine Travis, PI). It fits well into the genre, but it’s not a great read. And for that reason, I give it 4 out of 5 stars. ( )

The Cardinal's Sin has a dry, sarcastic wit and humor, along with an admirably noble, and utterly human lead, that will draw you in and hold you captive. Lane is a master of prose & parables, his use of figurative language and paraphrasing of other literature throughout gives new depth and creates a literary experience rich in intelligence. As a reader, I appreciate that, thank-you!
Don't blink, or you will miss an important detail, and even when you're reading attentively, you may miss what you're seeing anyway. Don't worry, that makes the journey all the more worth your while. Robert Lane has jettisoned himself to the top of my must read list with The Cardinal's Sin.

*I received an arc for an honest review ( )

More refreshing sea air

Whoo-hoo two good books in one week! Break out the champagne!

Two days ago on these very pages I opened a review complaining about the dreck I have been asked to read recently. It's still true. The past 3 months here in reviewerland have been dismal. Yet here is another ocean breeze, off Tampa Bay this time, to blow away more of the fug.

Jake Travis is sent to kill the man behind some very nasty revenge killings. Someone is murdering the families and loved ones of spies. But Jake kills the wrong man, a Cardinal of the Catholic Church. He knows he was set up and he knows that the Cardinal was in on it too. Assisted suicide. What the hell is going on?

Back home in Tampa Jake's handlers and colleagues are scrambling to find the killer and guard his next victims. An encrypted USB stick. Kathleen's name is on it!

This is all very good stuff. Tightly written, well edited. I am consumed with envy of Jake with his seaside bungalow where he can watch the boats come in off the Bay. His powerboat too, so long as my best buddy has one to sail. Let's go fishing.

I received a review copy of "The Cardinal's Sin" by Robert Lane (Mason Alley) through NetGalley.com. ( )