The Perk

I had never heard of this author, ashamed to say, since I read crime voraciously. Picked this up at the second-hand store, new condition for about $1.50, noting that it had been bought in India for 295 whatevers. The blurb was good and since Gimenez was being called "The next Grisham", I figured this would be OK. I am not a Grisham fan and only read him when I have to think about a problem or situation that needs solving. Grisham, to me, writes the same book over and over, giving only new names to his two-dimensional characters. So if Gimenez was supposed to be...Grisham in the making and I needed to think about a situation at this moment, I bought the book.

Oh, my. Why ever would one label Gimenez as ...? No way. Gimenez actually show more assumes his reader is intelligent, wanting to know reasons behind thoughts and actions. The characters are well-formed and always add to moving the story forward. I thoroughly enjoyed his descriptions of the area, the history behind the surrounding countryside. The book is a page-turner- I couldn't put it down; all 482 pages read in one day.

It got me to the next step in my problem-solving.... show less

A grieving widower gets caught up in the politics of his Texas hometown when he returns to make peace with his father.

The Perk has mystery, humour and history along with well-drawn characters that the reader will actually care about. As is often the case in legal thrillers, there is a mix of those characters that take the moral high ground and those who seem just out for their own good. Unusually, there are also a few comic and slightly caricatured figures here as well--but they all fit well together in the plot. Together with great characters and a strong plot there is also lots of interesting historical information.

Another terrific legal thriller from Mark Gimenez. I can't understand why this guy hasn't become more popular yet. In this story the protagonist becomes a local judge, although he may not remain one for long, since he is not from an old German family in Fredericksburg, TX.....a real place in the Texas Hill Country I knew nothing about, in spite of my Texas relatives. Very sympathetic characters and a page-turner story. Just slightly less riveting than his previous 3 books.

I really enjoyed the twists and turns in this, and the many facets to the story telling. There were a lot of side lines where you wonder what it has to do with the novel, but that actually works - it means you get to know the characters well and understand what life is like in Fredricksburg. The legal side of the novel has two main storylines, both of which I enjoyed, though I think the twists could have been better played.

Beck Hardin, after many years away, returns to his home town in Texas following the death of his wife. There, he finds a town riven by racial conflict, political corruption, and small town secrets. Beck becomes the local judge and has to navigate his way thru the minefield. The story itself is interesting but I found it too long and plodding. Just above average.

This is the author's third book and each one has been a treat to read. He is very much the next Grisham and his novels are just brilliant.

Back Cover Blurb:
City lawyer Beck Hardin hasn't been back to the small Texas town where he grew up for more than twenty years.
But when his wife dies, Beck decides to return to Frederickburg with his two young children. Leaving the rat-race behind, he comes back to a beautiful but troubled small town, simmering with old rivalries.
Then Beck learns of an unsolved case that has haunted Fredericksburg for the past five years. The statute of limitations on the case is fast approaching, and Beck has a race against time to try and solve it. But in taking it on he has made the most dangerous decision of his show more life.... show less

"Gimenez returns to the complex legal thrillers where he seems to be at his best. The Perk has mystery, humour and history along with well-drawn characters that the reader will actually care about. As is often the case in legal thrillers, there is a mix of those characters that take the moral high ground and those who seem just out for their own good. Unusually, there are also a few comic and slightly caricatured figures here as well—but they all fit well together in the plot. Together with great characters and a strong plot there is also lots of interesting historical information. The ending may not be what is expected but it is all the better for it and proves to be a good finish to an excellent book. As ever, Gimenez is highly show more recommended, impossible to put down and definitely not to be missed." show less