The Wild Zone [Hardcover]

 

 

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My wife, my daughter and I have been big fans of Joy's books over the years. Her last book, "Still Life," was absolutely riveting. "The Wild Zone" is a good read but not as suspenseful as some of her others. If I could have found something redeeming in any of the characters I might have been more shocked by the book's ending. But as always Joy knows how to put a surprise twist to her many wonderful stories. If you have never read a Joy Fielding book and you like to read great dialogue, no one does it better than Joy. So enjoy this book and find her many others. It's quite a collection.

The story opens in `The Wild Zone', a bar in South Miami, Florida where Kristin works as a bar tender. Three men are sitting enjoying a few drinks together: twin brothers, Jeff and Will Rydell, and their friend Tom. Will is a Harvard graduate in Philosophy waiting to complete his dissertation. Kirstin and Jeff have been living with each other for the past year.

Jeff and Tom have been best friends since high school, they enlisted in the army together and did several tours in Afghanistan. Jeff came home a decorated hero and Tom came back disgraced having been dishonourably discharged for an unprovoked assault on an innocent civilian. Neither Jeff nor Tom ever talked about it.

Will and Jeff hadn't seen each other in the nearly two decades Tom and Jeff were friends. Will had been nothing but a pain in Jeff's backside and they weren't real brothers, only step-brothers. They had the same father but different mothers. Ten days ago, Will showed up on Jeff's doorstep and since then it's been nothing but: "little brother this, little brother that." Secretly, Jeff wished Will would just pack his bags and head back to Princeton.

Sitting in `The Wild Zone' bar together, the 3 men notice a beautiful woman sitting alone drinking pomegranate martinis. They each bet $100.00 bucks that this mystery woman was going home on one of their arms. Kristin, Jeff's girlfriend, offers to chat with the woman first to see if she can at least get her first name. Kristin heads off to the woman's table, returns and reports to the guys that her name is Suzy, she recently moved Miami from Fort Myers and told Kristin she'd go home with Will. Needless to say, Jeff and Tom were not at all happy about the outcome.

Suzy Bigelow and Will chatted briefly over a drink before leaving the bar together. Tom was royally ticked that little Miss Suzy hadn't picked him and decided to follow them out of the bar just seething in anger! He spotted them, lost them, and wondered if they'd detected him and were now watching what HE was doing, after all he was dead drunk. Tom thought he'd show them a thing or two if they were hiding and watching him and pulled out a small handgun from behind the silver buckle of his heavy leather belt and hid it in his shirt.

Suddenly, Tom spots them again, follows them along the beach to an all-night movie theatre. They only lasted an hour watching the movie when Tom heard Suzy say: "That was too violent for me." Tom followed them back to Suzy's car where she quickly kissed Will goodnight and drove off.

Tom decided to follow Suzy in his car, although he knew his wife, Lainey, would be waiting at home for him at this late hour mad as a wet hen. But, too drunk, Tom didn't care. Finally Suzy pulled into a garage outside a house in a very exclusive neighbourhood at 121 Tallahassee Drive. Unbeknownst to Tom (who is very drunk and puking outside his car door), waiting at the door is Dave, Dr. Dave Bigelow, Suzy's notoriously heavy-handed, abusive husband and he will treat Suzy no differently that night. Stunned and feeling sorry for Suzy, Tom heads back to find the guys and tell them what he's discovered about their beautiful mystery woman but Suzy isn't as naive as she seems. "And she has an agenda of her own. Soon another challenge is born only this one proves to be lethal. With its dark secrets, hidden passions and a story filled with intrigue, The Wild Zone will keep you in suspense until the very last page is turned.

Love Joy Fielding's writing. This book? Not so much.

It's a complete departure from her usual style and voice. It's missing Fielding's signature wit, and the deep psychological portrayal of a sympathetic central character. Also, the "surprise" ending is pretty obvious.

If you're a diehard fan like me, go for it. If you're new to her work, read any one of her other titles, and enjoy.

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1.0 out of 5 stars The Wild Zone
It is not often I abandon a book before I am half way through it...but I did just that with "The Wild Zone". I kept hoping it would get better - but it didn't. Read more

Published 14 months ago by D. SMITH

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