Bombproof

Opening Sentence: "...Some days are diamonds..."

Sami Macbeth is not a major criminal, he is not even a minor one. He's not the jewel thief, or safe cracker, or explosives expert that people think he is. What he really wants is to be a rock god but keeps getting side-tracked by one disaster after another by consistently being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Three days ago, Sami was released from prison after serving time for a crime he didn't commit, the book opens just after his train blew up - again not his doing. Now he's carrying a back pack through London, and in order to escape has turned himself into the most wanted terrorist in the country by telling police he has a bomb in it. Sami Macbeth is a pathetic character with the show more uncanny ability to turn a desperate situation into a hopeless one. All he wants is to save his sister and live a normal life.

BOMBPROOF follows on from the colossal SHATTER of last year - not quite as good as SHATTER but a good read - a mystery version of a comedy of errors. Sami manages to get a reputation (undeserved) before he even arrives in jail. A reputation of being a skilled top level safe cracker (he does know what a safe looks like - but crack one - hell no). It is a reputation that he doesn't argue about as it keeps him safe on the inside. However, it is this reputation that follows him out of jail and drags him into a dangerous adventure that he doesn't want to have, but can't see a way out of. Retired London DI Vincent Ruiz is trying to help Sami but is one step behind for most of the book.

I enjoyed the story - was a lot of sub-stories all going on to keep track of - but the author didn't lose me which is very hard to do - I am always getting lost and mixed up when there is a lot going on. The ending was a bit cheesy and unbelievable, but everything was wrapped up satisfactorily. The only thing that grated on my nerves was the character's name - Sami. I think Sami is a feminine name, and I often had to remind myself that Sami was a man rather than a woman. It really threw me off on more than one occasion. show less

Bombproof is a stand alone novel by Australian author Michael Robotham, best known for his crime thriller series featuring London psychiatrist, Joseph O’Loughlin. First published in 2008, Mulholland Books has chosen to release this novel in the US in e-format.

Fast paced and action packed this thriller is a quick, entertaining read. The plot is fairly simple as the unlikely hero, Sami Macbeth, is caught between a rock and a hard place. Blackmailed by a drug lord, Tony Murphy, hunted by society criminal kingpin, Garza, with the entire metropolitan police force chasing him across London, Sami has nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Though frequently violent and often crude, Bombproof is also unexpectedly funny at times, as Sami’s life show more spins out of control.

Sami is such a likeable character, all he wants is to find his younger sister, Nadia and start over, but he is dogged by a talent to ‘turn a desperate situation into a hopeless one’. He reaches out to retired detective, Vincent Ruiz who has some sympathy for the kid, and no love for Garza, helping eventually to untangle the mess Sami is embroiled in.

Bombproof is a quick, entertaining read with a visual storyline that would make a great action flick. Though it’s quite different from Robotham’s usual crime thriller fiction it is a fun departure for this bestselling author. show less

This completes my Michael Robotham novels (other than Life or Death which hasn't been released in the US yet), I've read them all and I must say that I did not expect to find Vincent Ruiz in this book. Yay!

Sami MacBeth... one unlucky soul. You couldn't help but like this poor guy. At the beginning of the book he is released from jail after doing close to 3 yrs for a crime he didn't commit; the system failed him. When he gets out, the only person he wants to see is his sister, Nadia, but when he gets to her apartment she's not there, so begins the rest of the story. The hunt to find his sister leaves him with a list of charges so long that if they catch him, he'll be spending the rest of his life behind bars but he vows to never, ever go show more back. And that's all I'm going to say, you'll have to read it to find out what happens. show less

Did somebody say ‘free book’? Being a bookseller, my ears invariably prick up at phrases such as these. Following the success of last year’s ‘Books Alive’ promotion, my fellow staff members ordered plenty of copies of Bombproof, expecting that the 2008 selection would be a hit. I had never read any Robotham, but had sold plenty, and thought him to be quite a good writer. My disappointment, then, was twofold. First; that the 2008 Books Alive selection was a flop. Our bookshop was left with boxes upon boxes of undistributed copies of Bombproof. The second disappointment came when I grabbed a copy and started reading it. Alas; like the promotion that failed to sell it, Bombproof is formulaic, mainstream and uninspired.

I was show more surprised at first. Surely, I thought, this can’t be Robotham’s best work. Then I found the little note in the front that explained it all: “Bombproof was commissioned exclusively for Books Alive 2008.” That’s how this book started. Not with any great inspiration on Robotham’s part, but with a phone call from the Australia Council for the Arts, ‘commissioning’ him to write something conventional. Something fast-paced, please, with lots of violence, a bit of sex, and a nice, cheesy, happy ending. That’s what people like. And so, while this action-farce may fill all of the above criteria, it still makes for quite an average read.

Sure, it has a great premise – but it dawdles for too long before reaching it, and lingers too long after finishing it. The result is that, apart from a tense and highly readable middle section, readers are left with a whole lot of gratuitous sex, violence and drug use. I am shocked to think that I gave this novel to purchasers of such children’s books as The Faraway Fairies: Quest for the Crown. To top it all off, sloppy editing has left disappointing typos in quite a few places, particularly in the second half of the novel. Bombproof may be funny, but I’ve read funnier. It may be fast, but I’ve read faster. And it may be sexy, but, (being only 17,) I am at least sure that there are sexier books out there.

Don’t believe what you read on the blurb – Bombproof is one novel you’ll put down and quickly forget. But, hey, it’s a free book. You get what you pay for. show less

'Bombproof' is a bit of a departure from Michael Robotham's typical thriller. It's a little more light hearted in a way and some of the action crosses the line into 'huh?' territory, but otherwise it's a fine thriller and a tightly plotted story.

Sami, the main character, is both the luckiest and unluckiest guy around. He's thrown into prison for something he didn't do (unlucky), but he's given credit by the other criminals inside for the safe-cracking caper that they thought he did (lucky) so they leave him alone. On his release he discovers his devoted sister has been kidnapped, he uncovers who has her (some really bad dudes, unlucky again), and begins to negotiate for her release. Unfortunately for him, they want him to help another show more bad guy break into a safe at the London criminal court to steal evidence, even though he has no idea how to do it. The team inadvertently blows up the entire area with an explosive he didn't know how to use. On their escape, the duo gets on an underground train where Sami's partner jiggles his bag with the remaining explosive a little too much, causing the train car to blow up. Sami survives (lucky!) but becomes a fugitive when he's spotted on CCTV leaving the scene (unlucky). However, in his rucksack he retained some of the spoils of his burglary that he can use for leverage later (lucky again).

Subplots abound, and they're woven into the main story seamlessly. The remainder of the story involves Sami's attempts to remain out of the grips of the police, his interactions with various criminals who are after him and each other, his attempts to locate and free his sister, his love interest, and so on.

The writing is fine, a little simpler than other Robotham novels I've read, and the action moves quickly. Retired detective Ruiz, who has a large role in several other of his books, is a pretty significant character in this one but Joe O'Loughlin, my favorite Robotham guy, unfortunately does not. Otherwise, Bombproof is definitely a worthwhile read! show less

I read a review of Robotham's latest work in the Australian recently and added him to my 'authors to be read' list. This one was available on Bookmooch and another Moocher was kind enough to send it on to me.

I picked it up from my postbox on the way to the airport - in the middle of moving house. I read this on the first leg of the trip; and picked up his new one at the airport in transit.

Sami Macbeth is a poster boy for consistently being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He is a pathetic character with the uncanny ability to turn a desperate situation into a hopeless one. What he really wants is to be a rock god, and to look after his sister - but he keeps getting side-tracked by one disaster after another.

Three days ago, Sami show more was released from prison after serving three years for a crime he didn't commit. He was the victim of circumstances: a man found in the wrong place at the wrong time "in possession" of goods he shouldn't have had. He is not a major criminal; he is not even a minor one. He's not the jewel thief, or safe cracker, or explosives expert that people think he is.

His reputation precedes him to jail, of skills as a safecracker (that he doesn't have), found in possession of stolen jewellery (that he didn't steal). It is a reputation that he doesn't argue about as it keeps him safe on the inside. However, it is this reputation that follows him out of jail and drags him into a dangerous adventure that he doesn't want to have, but can't see a way out of.

When he is released and can't find his sister, his search leads to his involvement in a robbery of the evidence strong room of the Old Bailey, and eventually to the detonation of a bomb in the London underground.

The book opens just after Sami is on a train blown up by an accomplice.

And now Sami Macbeth is a man on the run, again in the wrong place at the wrong time. He's carrying a backpack through London, and in order to escape has turned himself into the most wanted terrorist in the country by telling police he has a bomb in it.
What should have been a straightforward resumption of life outside prison becomes a nightmare, and Sami needs help.

Vincent Ruiz has connections with the now respectable villain whose son was Sami's last cell mate. Ruiz's ex-wife Miranda is Sami's parole officer. And so to a degree this story is also about degrees of separation and connection. Ruiz becomes involved in Sami's plight partly because his ex-wife gives Sami his number, but also because of his connections with villain, whom Ruiz hates and on whom he wants to wreak revenge.

BOMBPROOF is a mystery version of a comedy of errors. Sami is a likeable if hapless character and the supporting cast are all strong.

I’ll definitely be reading more by this author. show less

Bombproof was my first Michael Robotham novel, and it was quite an intense ride. Sam MacBeth has recently been released from serving time in prison for a crime he did not commit. Only, the bad guys don't know that. They think he's something he's not. As a result, he gets mixed up in a plot that can only lead to more trouble. On the run from the police who think he is a terrorist after the train he was on blew up, Sami must find a way to clear his name. Unbeknownst to him, he has a little help on his side. Retired police detective Vincent Ruiz is also on the case.

Bombproof is on the violent side. The author pulls no punches. It is dark and at times quite crazy. Yet, there is also a bit of humor mixed in, which takes some of the edge off. show more Sami is one of those guys you can't help but feel sorry for and want him to come out on top. show less