Canadian thriller
Ican’t remember the last time I read a Canadian novel — good, bad or otherwise. Doubtless they publish more than a few. But for some reason, none crossed my desk, until now. Come to think of it, the same applies to Canadian films. Perhaps their Chamber of Commerce needs a wake-up call.
The reason this reviewer brings up the subject is that a Canadian work of fiction did reach me. Its blurb informs us that it’s the 14th crime thriller by former Toronto Star columnist Linwood Barclay. He’s no James Patterson or Clive Cussler, yet Parting Shot holds our interest throughout.
The author captures small town life like Sinclair Lewis did in Main Street. Parting Shot, the title, is meant to be taken literally. The plot is original if not entirely credible, but that ought to be overlooked. Young Jeremy admits that he was drunk when he hit and ran over a teenage girl.
Though he doesn’t recall it, he was behind the steering wheel when the car (his own) crashed into a tree. A clever lawyer gets him probation, noting that he was pampered growing up and never learnt to accept responsibility. Prison would certainly kill him.
The public, led by the media, howl for justice. Cursed, harassed, threatened, Jeremy’s life, his mother’s, his aunt’s become a living hell. Private investigator Cal Weaver is hired to protect him. He persuades detective Barry Duckworth to assist as needed.
Barclay leaves us in no doubt that small towns have more than their share of major crimes. Revenge is a leading motive when the law is too lenient. Greed and jealousy are close behind. Needless to say, families have secrets, resulting in intimidation, blackmail, beatings, even death.
Weaver’s investigation turns up facts uncovered at the trial. Such as Jeremy never having learned to drive. Not averse to using his sidearm, Weaver kills in self-defence. Finding the man who sent his attacker — the owner of the car Jeremy was in — it’s a short step to learning what really happened that night.
It’s an exaggeration to call Linwood Barclay a master of suspense or a brilliant manipulator of twists and turns. Nevertheless, he provides both. Going 500 pages, Parting Shot is over by 100 pages for what it offers. I’d rank it with the detective stories coming out of Scandinavia.