Another from the good folks as Simon/Schuster.
Michael and KC live the idyllic life outside to NYC. Of
course, their former lives as high end thieves helps. With friends Father Simon
and Jon Busch (retired cop/now bartender), Michael and KC try to keep on the
right side of law. Michael and KC agree neither will accept a job without
discussing it with the other.
Like that’ll last. Michael is sent to Italy to steal a
ceremonial box from the safe of an industrialist. When he arrives, he finds the
family all beheaded and the patriarch is next in line. He returns home empty
handed. And KC is so pissed she walks, headed back to her native UK.
Simon alerts Michael to a potential security contract for
their company, but Michael doesn’t get a good feel and backs out. When leaving
the Manhattan building, a purse snatcher robs a women right in front of him, so
Michael gives chase, cuz that’s who he is. He catches the perp only to see the
woman catch up, calmly pull a gun, and kills the guy right there on the
street. Obviously, Michael gets hauled in to the local precinct for
questioning.
KC packs her bag and heads to JFK. While waiting for her
flight, she and this other woman start up a conversation. When offered the chance
for a company jet flight to London, KC reluctantly takes it. Problem is, this stranger is
the woman who gunned the guy down right in front of Michael.
All this sets in motion a rapid chase for an ancient Chinese
map and the aforementioned ceremonial box. One is held in the depths of The
Forbidden City in Beijing and the other is in a vault five stories underground
in the most hi-tech security set-up ever, which is under a massive casino in
Macau, China. And Michael must rob said casino or KC dies. And KC must penetrate
The Forbidden City or Michael will die.
Twins separated at about 12 years of age are at each other’s
throats. One twin was taken from LA by his Chinese mother and grows up to be
the head of one of the Chinese Triads. The other, being raised by his Army
father, becomes an obsessed Colonel. Both seek the map to this ancient island
where untold riches await, but more importantly they seek the only antidote for
a deadly virus.
The gist of the story has some merit, but personally, I’m
not drawn to stories where the main characters have matinee idol good looks,
speak 5 languages fluently, are experts in a half dozen martial arts, can run
like the wind, hold their breath underwater like a pearl diver, can outsmart multiple
levels of security at The Forbidden City and an impenetrable casino. Me? I like
my characters a bit more flawed; Harry Bosch, Inspector Rebus, Bob Lee Swagger,
et al. And there seemed to be far too many fortunate escapes and close calls. For
me this was just OK. Too many fortunate conveniences happening to all-too beautiful
people.
(while uploading this, I noticed that one of my partners in this venture, West Coast Don, had posted a review of this on Nov 11, 2012 that you may want to read. We arrived at the same 'conclusion.')
East Coast Don
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