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Something different and exceptional
Book Review
By Derryll White
Ferrigno, Robert (2004). The Wake-Up.
One of the delightful things about Robert Ferrigno is that the reader never knows what is being served. You can trust that it will be well written, insightful, delightful and pack lots of action. You can assume it will have good servings of humour and strong characters, a wonderful touch of noir, but you won’t know what time period, what locale or what the focus will be.
Frank Thorpe is an ex-Delta Force Ranger; hard in every aspect of his being except his heart and soul. He likes for people to be treated honourably, and when they aren’t he takes it as a personal affront. In-between the violence and criminal intent Ferrigno weaves a funny thread of laughter and humanity that keeps ‘The Wake-Up’ on the forgiving side of nastiness and carnage. Look for Claire, the psychologist with great insights.
Robert Ferrigno’s language is tight, controlled, vibrant. It carries a charge that is always under control and keeps the reader on edge. The small details are magnificent – the gift bike, the Shelby Cobra. This is noir at its very best. For readers wanting something different, and really exceptional, give ‘The Wake-Up’ a try. You probably won’t ever wake up this way, but the read is a surrogate call – to action, love, whatever.
****
LOCATION – Holy Innocents was a small Catholic church in East L.A., cool and dark inside, the carpet worn, the stained-glass window of the crucifixion loomed over the altar. Red glass blood dripped from Jesus’ side and from his brow, while angels and saints watched from overhead, unwilling or unable to do anything about it. The church was empty at mid afternoon except for a few Hispanic women lighting candles in the vestibule, the women keeping up a quiet conversation.
– Derryll White once wrote books but now chooses to read and write about them. When not reading he writes history for the web at www.basininstitute.org.
