The Low Down
The Fall Guy
by Simon Wood gives us Todd Collins, a bit of a dead beat working a low wage job. He's going to be late for his dead end job and risking being fired when he backs his car into a Porsche Boxter. The Porsche happens to belong to small time drug dealer with big connections. And from this point of Todd's life becomes a roller coaster ride as he lurches headlong into a life of crime. A profession, as it turns out, he is quite suited to.The Good
I found the writing to be, fast paced, well written and the dialogue engaging. Wood introduces some humour as well, which doesn't distract from the story(though nothing like JA Konrath).
The Not so good
What I did find was that the book stretched my suspension of disbelief. Todd tends to be too good too quickly at the jobs/tasks he's required to perform. For a guy who can't make it in time to his regular day job I am not convinced he would have the discipline and foresight to manage being a "player".
I never felt that Todd was really in any danger at all. He seemed to me to fall into luck and out of danger too easily. I guess I like the realism in my crime fiction dialed up a little more.
I also got the feeling that the story was a little rushed. Now, it only showed up as 122 pages on my Sony and it has been included as part of a larger anthology previously. Perhaps a longer book with more room for characterization would have made a difference, I am not sure.
Final Verdict
If you enjoy a little fast paced crime fiction and you are not into gritty realism, then this book could be for you.
Available from Kindle
or SmashwordsDisclaimer: This review is based upon ebook provided by the Author at no cost to myself.
