A Fistful of Rain

The biggest difference that I see from this book as opposed to the Kodiak novels is that this protagonist isnt in control of everything and doesnt have the same strengths as Kodiak. Atticus is cool and knows what hes doing. Mim is on a downhill drinking binge, has been kicked out of her band, and is facing a couple of horrifying issues back at home. There is a lot going on around here, but shes in no shape -- either mentally or physically -- to handle them. Yet she has a Never-Say-Die attitude that propels her through the events of the book towards its climax. Shes not a victim. Shes a survivor. In the end, this book is more a character study of a troubled woman than the more plot-driven thrillers of the Kodiak books.

If you cant wait the year or two itll take for the next Kodiak book to come out, give this one a try. Youll recognize the straightforward prose, but delight in something new outside the usual sphere of personal protection and natonal politics.

The story centers around Mim Bracca, a rock star who is temporarily ejected from her band because of her problems with alcohol. Upon her return home, she is kidnapped, forced to strip naked, and then returned home relatively unharmed. Things go from bad to worse, and soon Mims brother Mikel finds that there are pornographic pictures of her on the Internet. The police try to get involved, but Mim is rather pigheaded, and they find their help unwanted at best. I wont go further into the plot, and for one major reason.

The mystery isnt all that mysterious. Youll have it solved before youre halfway through the book, and the only reason its even remotely believable that Mim missed this rather glaringly obvious resolution is that shes drunk nearly the entire time.

One thing Rucka is famous for, however, is last minute twists, and boy, does this book pack one. He cleverly leads you on, making you believe that you have it all figured out, and reveals an accomplice (and I use the term loosely) in the penultimate chapter of the book. While the twist is surprising, it isnt very intelligent, as there is no possible way even the most hardcore mystery buff could guess at it. This may seem like a good idea, but it really isnt, because the accomplice isnt really given a decent motive even after hes unveiled, and so the whole thing comes off as rather stupid.

All in all, this is an action-packed book that reads incredibly quickly (start early in the day, because if you start in bed, you wont sleep until youre done), but with an ultimately unsatisfying conclusion. There isnt much to the book; if you want something that makes you think, try Neil Gaimans "American Gods", which requires quite a bit of outside research. Despite my gripes, this is truly an exciting book, and with a little more work and experience, I can definitely see Rucka becoming a premier thriller writer, moreso than he already is.