“January Justice” (Book Review)

Dickson, Athol. January Justice (The Malcolm Cutter Memoirs). Author, Author, Inc., Laguna Niguel, CA, 2012.

First, here’s the plot synopsis from Amazon.com: Reeling from his wife’s unsolved murder, Malcolm Cutter is just going through the motions as a chauffeur and bodyguard for Hollywood’s rich and famous. Then a pair of Guatemalan tough guys offer him a job. It’s an open question whether they’re patriotic revolutionaries or vicious terrorists. Either way, Cutter doesn’t much care until he gets a bomb through his window, a gangland beating on the streets of L.A., and three bullets in the chest. Now there’s another murder on Cutter’s mind. His own.

And now for my two cents: I’ve read only a few of his books, but Athol Dickson has already become one of my favorite authors. Though different in style from the others, this story did not disappoint me one bit. I really like and respect protagonist Malcolm Cutter… despite his checkered past. Tight storytelling, palpable suspense and the complex, unpredictable plot make most of the book a real page-turner.

January Justice has plenty of hard-hitting action scenes for the guys, but still offers enough heart for us ladies. No major character, from Cutter himself to his admirable friends and questionable allies, are exactly as they seem. Yet, as you find out more about them, they all ring true.

Dickson uses lots of detail to paint mood and setting, perhaps a touch more than necessary at times. The only place I got lost, though, was when Cutter figured out some nagging questions near the end, and I failed to follow his logic. However, that was probably because I was reading at top speed, knocking narrative details out of my way left and right, trying to rescue the victim. Dang it, somebody had to help Cutter–it was a matter of life and death!

And now I can hardly wait for the next book in the series.

January Justice is available in paperback and Kindle editions at Amazon.com. Or visit Athol at his website: http://www.atholdickson.com/. You’ll want to see his other books, too.

I’m linking up today for coffee with Rachel Anne and the Company Girls.

Thanks for reading,
Jan