What would an average, normal reader think the book was about, going by the title? Well, someone familiar with the author would know he's generally writing about the world of legal entanglements, courts and cases, lawyers and criminals, wrongful deaths and damages awarded and class action suits; and that his works generally have roots in Mississippi and he is fond of pointing out just how easy it is for someone persecuted by dangerous guys to find sanctuary in Caribbean islsnds, and more. With the title indicating an island, but presumably not Caribbean, one might think its about a smuggler gang carrying on things slightly offshore, possibly just out of reach of U.S. law forces, but easy enough to carry on shady deals in U.S. nevertheless.
And as he does often enough, he smacks you awake with the first few words - an impersonation of a college professor to query about a manuscript of an obscure work of a famous writer, by a gang of art thieves and an internet security hacker, who carry out a theft from a famous university!
And FBI is right on their heels, too, as soon as they've done it.
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And Camino Island, incidentally, isn't an island at all, but a place on a beach in Florida.
" ... Florida beach on Camino Island, a ten-mile-long barrier strip just north of Jacksonville."
It's as much on Google maps as Ford county of Mississippi, often, but not always, the setting of Grisham works.
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Very engrossing, what with university professors, authors, people deeply involved in books, and a Florida beach ten miles north of Jacksonville for a setting where the young writer Mercer Mann walks at night to watch over turtles.
Mercer was let go after teaching for three years at Chapel Hill, and hired for a huge sum, by an agency looking for the stolen Fitzgerald manuscripts, to go live for a while at her grandmother Tessa's cottage on the beach in Camino Island, write her next book, and meanwhile find information on the quiet about the manuscripts, which they believe are in the Bay Books owner's possession.
Rumour was that a Boston bookstore owner bought them for half the sum Denny, the thief, asked for, and then getting cold feet, sold them on fast. Bruce Cable who owns the Bay Books bookstore in Camino Island has, the agency heard, bought the manuscripts, and Mercer is being paid to be herself and let them know what she hears.
"Now Denny was back in Georgetown, with Rooker, and looking for his treasure. Ribikoff had given him a good screwing the first time around. It would not happen again. As the gallery was closing at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 25, Denny walked in its front door while Rooker pried open a window to Joel’s office. When all doors were locked and all lights were off, they carried Joel to his apartment on the third floor, bound and gagged him, and began the ugly business of extracting information."
Denny has just appeared in Boston and threatened Oscar, the son of the original owner of the bookstore. There was meanwhile a mention of an art store owner in Georgetown, accosted by crooks.
"An hour later, a lawyer named Ron Jazik stepped onto an elevator in the federal building in Trenton, New Jersey, and pushed the button to the ground floor. At the last second, a stranger slid through the doors and pushed the button to the third floor. As soon as the doors closed, and they were alone, the stranger said, “You represent Jerry Steengarden, right? Court appointed.”
"Jazik sneered and said, “Who the hell are you?”
"In a flash, the stranger slapped Jazik across the face, knocking off his glasses. With an iron grip, he grabbed Jazik’s throat and rammed his head against the back wall of the elevator. “Don’t talk to me like that. A message for your client. One wrong word to the FBI and people will get hurt. We know where his mother lives, and we know where your mother lives too.”
"Jazik’s eyes bulged as he dropped his briefcase. He grabbed the stranger’s arm but the death grip just got tighter. Jazik was almost sixty years old and out of shape. The guy with the grip was at least twenty years younger and, at that moment, seemed incredibly strong. He growled, “Am I clear? Do you understand?”
"The elevator stopped at the third floor, and as the door opened the stranger let go and shoved Jazik into a corner where he fell to his knees. The stranger walked past him and left as if nothing had happened. No one was waiting to get on, and Jazik quickly got to his feet, found his glasses, picked up his briefcase, and considered his options. His jaw stung and his ears were ringing and his first thought was to call the police and report the assault. There were federal marshals in the lobby and maybe he could wait there with them until his assailant emerged. On the way down, though, he decided it might be best not to overreact. By the time he reached the ground floor, he was breathing again. He found a restroom and splashed water on his face and looked at himself. The right side of his face was red but not swollen.
"The physical sensation of taking such a blow was stunning, and painful. He felt something warm in his mouth and spat blood into the sink.
"He had not spoken to Jerry Steengarden in over a month. They had little to discuss. Their meetings were always brief because Jerry had nothing to say. The stranger who had just slapped and threatened him had little to worry about."
Alarmingly, Oscar gave the name of Bruce Cable after Denny and Rooker had threatened him, and one fears for Mercer's safety, what with her living alone in a cottage on beach in Camino Island.
................................................Very engrossing, what with university professors, authors, people deeply involved in books, and a Florida beach ten miles north of Jacksonville for a setting where the young writer Mercer Mann walks at night to watch over turtles.
Mercer was let go after teaching for three years at Chapel Hill, and hired for a huge sum, by an agency looking for the stolen Fitzgerald manuscripts, to go live for a while at her grandmother Tessa's cottage on the beach in Camino Island, write her next book, and meanwhile find information on the quiet about the manuscripts, which they believe are in the Bay Books owner's possession.
Rumour was that a Boston bookstore owner bought them for half the sum Denny, the thief, asked for, and then getting cold feet, sold them on fast. Bruce Cable who owns the Bay Books bookstore in Camino Island has, the agency heard, bought the manuscripts, and Mercer is being paid to be herself and let them know what she hears.
................................................................................................
Denny has just appeared in Boston and threatened Oscar, the son of the original owner of the bookstore. There was meanwhile a mention of an art store owner in Georgetown, accosted by crooks.
"An hour later, a lawyer named Ron Jazik stepped onto an elevator in the federal building in Trenton, New Jersey, and pushed the button to the ground floor. At the last second, a stranger slid through the doors and pushed the button to the third floor. As soon as the doors closed, and they were alone, the stranger said, “You represent Jerry Steengarden, right? Court appointed.”
"Jazik sneered and said, “Who the hell are you?”
"In a flash, the stranger slapped Jazik across the face, knocking off his glasses. With an iron grip, he grabbed Jazik’s throat and rammed his head against the back wall of the elevator. “Don’t talk to me like that. A message for your client. One wrong word to the FBI and people will get hurt. We know where his mother lives, and we know where your mother lives too.”
"Jazik’s eyes bulged as he dropped his briefcase. He grabbed the stranger’s arm but the death grip just got tighter. Jazik was almost sixty years old and out of shape. The guy with the grip was at least twenty years younger and, at that moment, seemed incredibly strong. He growled, “Am I clear? Do you understand?”
"The elevator stopped at the third floor, and as the door opened the stranger let go and shoved Jazik into a corner where he fell to his knees. The stranger walked past him and left as if nothing had happened. No one was waiting to get on, and Jazik quickly got to his feet, found his glasses, picked up his briefcase, and considered his options. His jaw stung and his ears were ringing and his first thought was to call the police and report the assault. There were federal marshals in the lobby and maybe he could wait there with them until his assailant emerged. On the way down, though, he decided it might be best not to overreact. By the time he reached the ground floor, he was breathing again. He found a restroom and splashed water on his face and looked at himself. The right side of his face was red but not swollen.
"The physical sensation of taking such a blow was stunning, and painful. He felt something warm in his mouth and spat blood into the sink.
"He had not spoken to Jerry Steengarden in over a month. They had little to discuss. Their meetings were always brief because Jerry had nothing to say. The stranger who had just slapped and threatened him had little to worry about."
Alarmingly, Oscar gave the name of Bruce Cable after Denny and Rooker had threatened him, and one fears for Mercer's safety, what with her living alone in a cottage on beach in Camino Island.
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Bruce Cable commands respect for more than one reason. A young man who inherits more than a quarter of a million dollars doesn't gambler away, doesn't drink or party it away, but goes and buys a bookstore, and then makes a success of it. Some shortcuts such as keeping what sells, moving inventory, doing book tours, but has much more valuable traits such as caring for rare books, and most of all, reading.
"Elaine Shelby was working in her home office late Saturday morning when Graham called from Camino Island. “Touchdown,” he announced. “Looks like our girl spent the night in the big house.”
"“Talk to me,” she said.
"“She parked across the street around eight last night and her car’s still there. Another couple left this morning, don’t know their names. Mercer and Cable are inside. It’s raining hard here, the perfect morning to shack up. Go, girl.”
"“It’s about time. Keep me posted.”
"“Will do.”
"“I’ll be down Monday.”
"Denny and Rooker were watching too. They had traced the North Carolina license plates on Mercer’s car and done the background. They knew her name, recent employment history, current lodging at the Lighthouse Inn, publishing résumé, and partial ownership of the beach cottage. They knew Noelle Bonnet was out of town and her store was closed. They knew as much as they could possibly know, except what, exactly, to do next."
Bruce Cable commands respect for more than one reason. A young man who inherits more than a quarter of a million dollars doesn't gambler away, doesn't drink or party it away, but goes and buys a bookstore, and then makes a success of it. Some shortcuts such as keeping what sells, moving inventory, doing book tours, but has much more valuable traits such as caring for rare books, and most of all, reading.
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"Elaine Shelby was working in her home office late Saturday morning when Graham called from Camino Island. “Touchdown,” he announced. “Looks like our girl spent the night in the big house.”
"“Talk to me,” she said.
"“She parked across the street around eight last night and her car’s still there. Another couple left this morning, don’t know their names. Mercer and Cable are inside. It’s raining hard here, the perfect morning to shack up. Go, girl.”
"“It’s about time. Keep me posted.”
"“Will do.”
"“I’ll be down Monday.”
"Denny and Rooker were watching too. They had traced the North Carolina license plates on Mercer’s car and done the background. They knew her name, recent employment history, current lodging at the Lighthouse Inn, publishing résumé, and partial ownership of the beach cottage. They knew Noelle Bonnet was out of town and her store was closed. They knew as much as they could possibly know, except what, exactly, to do next."
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Bruce showed Mercer the manuscript in the vault, and she was shocked. She walked away, and agonised for hours before calling Elaine. They were shocked too, and informed FBI.
Bruce saw Jake who was working in Noelle's basement.
"After the pleasantries, Bruce said, “Our friend Ms. Mann will not be buying the table after all. Noelle wants it shipped to an address in Fort Lauderdale. Knock off the legs and find a crate.”
"“Sure,” Jake said. “Today?”
"“Yes, it’s a rush job. Hop on it.”
"“Yes, sir.”"
But when the agents went with the search warrant, it was missing. Bruce left for France.
Denny and his accomplice were, however, picked up a couple of days prior to this, since FBI had hidden a camera in the bookstore.
Bruce and Noelle went to her workshop at Nice.
"Bruce removed thick packing foam from the crate, and suddenly he and Noelle were staring at Mercer’s writing desk. Below its surface were the facings of three drawers that had been removed to create a hidden space. With a claw hammer, Bruce gently pried open the surface. Inside were five identical cedar boxes, all custom built to his specs by a cabinetmaker on Camino Island.
"Gatsby and friends."
A bookshop owner in Paris met a Princeton alumni U.S. lawyer in Paris, one with dual citizenship and degrees from both countries, and informed him that a friend of his knew someone who was willing to return the manuscripts to Princeton - for a price, four million per manuscript.
Thomas Kendrick, the lawyer flew to Princeton after having called them and met the intermediary again, with a single page for proof. Elaine was at the meeting with other officials at Princeton. The insurance was for twenty five million, and the CEO said they'd pay half of the twenty required to buy them back.
Bruce had a laugh.
Bruce showed Mercer the manuscript in the vault, and she was shocked. She walked away, and agonised for hours before calling Elaine. They were shocked too, and informed FBI.
Bruce saw Jake who was working in Noelle's basement.
"After the pleasantries, Bruce said, “Our friend Ms. Mann will not be buying the table after all. Noelle wants it shipped to an address in Fort Lauderdale. Knock off the legs and find a crate.”
"“Sure,” Jake said. “Today?”
"“Yes, it’s a rush job. Hop on it.”
"“Yes, sir.”"
But when the agents went with the search warrant, it was missing. Bruce left for France.
Denny and his accomplice were, however, picked up a couple of days prior to this, since FBI had hidden a camera in the bookstore.
Bruce and Noelle went to her workshop at Nice.
"Bruce removed thick packing foam from the crate, and suddenly he and Noelle were staring at Mercer’s writing desk. Below its surface were the facings of three drawers that had been removed to create a hidden space. With a claw hammer, Bruce gently pried open the surface. Inside were five identical cedar boxes, all custom built to his specs by a cabinetmaker on Camino Island.
"Gatsby and friends."
................................................................................................
A bookshop owner in Paris met a Princeton alumni U.S. lawyer in Paris, one with dual citizenship and degrees from both countries, and informed him that a friend of his knew someone who was willing to return the manuscripts to Princeton - for a price, four million per manuscript.
Thomas Kendrick, the lawyer flew to Princeton after having called them and met the intermediary again, with a single page for proof. Elaine was at the meeting with other officials at Princeton. The insurance was for twenty five million, and the CEO said they'd pay half of the twenty required to buy them back.
Bruce had a laugh.
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The final scene, Bruce accosting Mercer and her apologising, is pure patriarchical U.S. perversion. His being a crook is not relevant because hes a man and succeeds, her being employed as an agent to retrieve information about the stolen goods must be apologised for because she owes him - for what, exactly? Being used?
Just for that, reduced number of stars.
The final scene, Bruce accosting Mercer and her apologising, is pure patriarchical U.S. perversion. His being a crook is not relevant because hes a man and succeeds, her being employed as an agent to retrieve information about the stolen goods must be apologised for because she owes him - for what, exactly? Being used?
Just for that, reduced number of stars.
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January 21, 2020 - February 13, 2020 - February 15, 2020.
ISBN 978 1 473 66376 3
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