Slow Burn: A Leo Waterman Mystery (Hardcover)

Leo is a bit of that with a lot of Archie McNally and several other good 'laugh' series thrown in. Look close at the reality and it hurts. He comes across as someone who knows this and laugh is better than crying when faced with something that can hurt. Ford succeeds. The inherent gritty is what kept me reading along with the laughter. Other authors such Evanovich just doesn't take me there. Plum doesn't have that touch for me.

Leo is having what I called one of those days [years or lifetimes] starting with the first line setting the stage for the entire book. Do good just doesn't get the reward but does in the end. "If I don't laugh, I'll cry and if I cry I am done for." was my mantra a lot of the time when I worked in law enforcement. The ending with good being rewarded seemed bittersweet because you get the feeling Leo knew it was the exception to the rule and indications of that is in the book.

It isn't the usual funny detective fare, it isn't the usual gritty fare or bleakness but it all hangs in there. I bought it as a 'cheap when I get to it I'll read it for something to do' book and now I am looking for the rest of the series.

If you want a serious hard reality book. Don't look here. If you want a once in a while it works and a laugh, it is worth the price. I woke the Other Half, the cats and my cockatiels at 2 am howling because I wanted to find out what happened next.

The plot is confusing and depends too much on visuals; nice in a movie but a strain in a book. Leo is hired to protect the good name of the La Cuisine International who are holding their first non-European convention in a five-star Seattle hotel. Employer Sir Geoffrey Miles feels some of the member/participants are in "mortal danger." Two competing magnates of chain steak houses are briskly skirmishing in the courts, a food critic of enormous influence is playing a ruthless game of "who gets the five-stars." Except for the fact that all the characters in "danger" seem uniformly disagreeable, it is difficult to see a compelling reason to kill them. Leo employs his Army of the Homeless for surveillance purposes, much chasing around ensues, great efforts are made to keep one of the steak house owners from having a giant barbeque in downtown Seattle and the food critic is knocked off. The reader solves the mystery about 100 pages ahead of Leo leaving not much but a series of anti-climaxes.

There are some bright spots: Sir Geoffrey Miles is deftly characterized as a Nero Wolfe par excellence and is amusing and entertaining. Mr. Ford does Seattle very well, as I noted in "Fury." He makes it sound so attractive I have to keep repeating to myself "Remember the Rain, remember the rain!" The homeless characters and their lifestyles are interesting and handled with sensitivity.

Perhaps Mr. Ford just had a bad outing. I will try another book, probably without Leo, and hope it rekindles my enthusiasm for Mr. Ford's books. Give "Slow Burn" a pass.

Leo is hired to defuse a situation between two rival steakhouse chains whose actions might disrupt an international convention at one of Seattle's leading hotels. A side issue is saving Bunky (a prize bull) from being turned into pit roasted beef for the opening of a new steakhouse. Events start to explode when a food critic caught between the rivals gets a bullet in the head.

The action is confined to about one week as events rapidly develop. Along the way, you will obtain some sidelights on Seattle and an overview of the homeless who live their own lifestyle. I won't reveal the ending, but it could only happen in Seattle. It would make a wild motion picture.

The author is correct about the afternoon traffic jam developing at 2:30, as this reviewer discovered to his dismay during a recent visit. It extends from around Everett on the northside to Tacoma on the southern edge. Driving was easier before they built the freeways.