Killer Weekend

I'm enjoying my alphabetical tour of the US, and "meeting" a lot of new-to-me authors. The project should take me well into next year at least, since I just finished the Idaho book, Ridley Pearson's KILLER WEEKEND.

This excellent thriller, set in the Sun Valley-Ketchum-Hailey area, has some plot and structural elements in common with THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, but it is in no way derivative. A good author can make a fine new book out of an old plot, and that's what Pearson has done here.

Sheriff Walt Fleming has a lot of problems in KILLER WEEKEND, both personal and professional. Professionally, a part-time resident whose life Walt saved some years before is about to announce her candidacy for President. Walt has good reason to believe she show more may be the target of an assassin, but not all of the many other Federal and private security people around her are willing to believe him. The conference at which she's announcing is also the target of protesters, and cougars seem to be attacking dogs and people. Then there's a murder. Walt's personal life is in shambles too -- he's about to be divorced, his only brother is recently dead, his nephew is in with a bad crowd, and his drunken father is on the scene as a high-up in one of the private security firms.

As in THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, we also get to see the activities and plans of the assassin, but unlike in that book, the identity of those who hired him is part of the mystery, and in addition, he is not at all a sympathetic character.

Pearson is described on the dust jacket as a thriller writer, and this was indeed a thrilling book; it also had some of the hallmarks of the contemporary thriller, such as some very short chapters. But the characters of the sheriff, his team, and his family are more fully realized than in many thrillers, and the story also has many elements of the police procedural.

Of course, one of the main reasons I'm reading these books is for setting. Pearson doesn't go overboard on the nature writing, but you definitely know you're not in Kansas (or Maine) any more. Even more than the natural setting, I was fascinated by the descriptions of the social setting of an area where the super-rich and famous are such an important and visible part of the landscape. We have our rich and famous people in Maine too, but they tend to lie low and not splash money around quite so blatantly as the characters in this book (and from what I've read of the influx of celebrities and big money into the mountain West, it's quite accurate). Sheriff Walt has to walk a fine line when his investigations take him too close to the wealthy power-brokers, but he doesn't back down, and I like that.

I enjoyed KILLER WEEKEND a lot, and look forward to more about Sun Valley from Ridley Pearson. show less

The first time Walt Fleming met Liz Shaler was when he saved her from a man breaking into her home, wielding a knife at her. She's returning to Sun Valley eight years later as the keynote speaker of billionaire Patrick Cutter's world-famous media and communications conference, a meeting of rich and powerful business leaders. The controversial attorney general is expected to announce her candidacy for president. It's a security nightmare for Walt Fleming, now the county sheriff. Walt is informed of a horrible murder some distance away, and needs to determine if the killer is making his way to the conference with the intent of killing Liz while she's announcing her candidacy. As the conference gets under way it's soon apparent there is a show more real threat out there.

Pearson tells his story from Walt's perspective as well as the assassin's so you know from the beginning who he is. I thought one of the most interesting parts of the story was observing his painstaking preparations for the kill. I've enjoyed the Lou Boldt series by Pearson but this series just didn't grab me. It reminded me of a James Patterson novel. I think it has lots of potential but he definitely needs to fill in some characters development before I would go any further. show less

Ridley Pearson has written a love story to the people and town of Sun Valley, Idaho, disguised as a murder mystery. He fictionalizes real denizens of Sun Valley, including the sheriff Walt Femling (who becomes protagonist Walt Fleming in the book). Mark Aker of the Sun Valley Animal Clinic even gets to keep his real name in the book. Pearson loves these people and it shows. In fact, he must assume we know them as well as he does, since he doesn’t provide much character description.

In mostly very short chapters, Pearson guides us through a whirlwind weekend centered on a famous yearly conference for VIPs. New York State Attorney General Elizabeth Shaler is the keynote speaker and is expected to announce her run for U.S. President. show more Fleming knows her, since he saved her life eight years previously. Now she’s in danger again, and we all know that only Super Boy Scout Walt Fleming can come to the rescue.

A hired killer, who we meet right away, has several disguises. The plot is a race to see if Walt and other security agents will discover him before he can do away with Shaler. A potential romance between forensic photographer Fiona and the recently divorced Walt spice up the proceedings a bit.

I like Pearson a lot, but I’m glad I read his other books first, especially his Lou Boldt series. This book doesn’t show the same intelligence or depth as his others. Nevertheless, his love for the characters brings warmth to the story, and it was still diverting if not exceptional.

(JAF) show less

Walt Fleming saved Elizabeth Shaler's life eight years ago before she became the US Attorney General. Today she has returned as a speaker at a conference hosted by Patrick Cutter and rumor has it that she will announce her candidacy for President. However, there have been threats on her life. Sheriff Walt Fleming, Cutter's security and the Secret Service must keep her safe. The book focuses on Walt Fleming and finding the person who is trying to kill Liz Shaler. While in the midst of doing this you learn about Fleming's life and family. A really great thriller that has surprises all over. I will be reading the next book in the series.

A female presidential hopeful is about to announce her candidacy at a posh resort in Sun Valley, Idaho while at the same time a contract killer is going to try and eliminate her. This is headache enough for the local sheriff, Walt Fleming, but throw in the secret service, private security and some high profile media bigwigs and he has the makings of on disastrous weekend. Of course his previous connection to the future candidate and a troublesome past don’t help either.

This book covers a four day period leading up to the candidate’s announcement and the attempt on her life. I did find that the characters were lacking development but the book had lots of action with an intricate plot. Set in the beautiful Sun Valley area of Idaho, I show more found Killer Weekend to be a quick and easy read. show less

Poor Walt Fleming has all kinds of trouble in this book. Walt is the Sheriff of Sun Valley, Idaho. Recently divorced after difficulties following the death of his brother, he finds out his deputy is sleeping with his ex. New York Attorney General Liz Shaler is a part time resident of Sun Valley, and five years ago Walt saved her life. Now he be responsible for her life again, as part of the security surrounding a famous communications conference being held. Liz is planning to announce her candidacy for President, but someone is determined to silence her permanently. If only the entire rest of the security team wasn't actively working against Walt.

I found this first book in the series intriguing. I liked the character of Walt, a good man show more struggling through tough personal times while dealing with a most challenging villain. I found the sections detailing the villain and his preparation tedious however, and merely skimmed them. If the villain is not an interesting character in his own right (and this one wasn't), then I don't want to read about him. A relationship between Walt and Fiona had potential but only mildly touched on in this book. Although I wasn't hugely impressed by the book overall, I may in time read the next in the series. show less

New York state Attorney General, Elizabeth Shaler, has come to Sun Valley, Idaho, to attend a conference weekend and announce her plans to run for president of the United States. Local sheriff, Walt Fleming, learns of a credible threat against Shaler's life and he is determined to keep her safe. Eight years ago, when he was just a patrolman, Walt had saved Elizabeth from a knife-wielding attacker. Elizabeth knows that if Walt believes her life is in danger then she must take the threat seriously. An ingenious killer has taken on a nearly fool-proof identity and he will stop at nothing to carry out his mission - kill Elizabeth Shaler.

Honestly, I nearly gave up on this one about halfway through. Pearson is a little too cavalier with show more animal life in this story and I had a hard time getting past that. The thriller aspect is fairly good and Walt is a likeable character. I won't rush out to get anything else by the author. show less