Crime Czar: A Hard-Boiled New Orleans Legal Thriller (2013) - Plot & Excerpts
"Crime Czar" is the next crime mystery novel in a series, following "Shelter From The Storm." The author is a New Orleans lawyer, like the protagonist. Tubby Dubonnet is a flawed figure, he has a drinking problem, but his ability to mix with a wide-ranging assortment of characters from all walks of life is colorful. The city has recently been hit by the ravages of tropical storm Katrina, where previously Tubby was held hostage in an insider bank robbery that resulted in the death of his good friend from childhood. Now we p ick up Tubby's personal crusade to find the mastermind of the crime. I like our protagonist's strong sense of commitment to a sense of right and wrong, and to the concept that criminal defense lawyers should be champions of justice for everyday people. Sometimes the interconnectedness of all the characters and events borders on a lack of realism, but dry humor and good story line trump picky criticism every time in my value system. As the last chapter unfolds, we are left wondering what is going to be revealed in a stolen video tape, and the seed of curiousity is planted, fertilized, and watered. I'm already curious about how the author proceeds in the next easy to read book.
Slow readNot the worst book I've read but not the best either, I always like to think of myself as a good day to day fast pace storyline reader get a book and jump in for two or three days of suspenseful reading.This book didn't do that for me, I could just as easily sit down this book as read it which I did several times and every time I did it always stayed in the back of my mind just enough to nag at my memory to get back into the book, so I guess I was hooked on the author and just didn't realize it. So as long as you are a just plug away reader you'll enjoy this author.So will I read another Tony Dunbar book?, I'll give it a try and let you know what I think!
What do You think about Crime Czar: A Hard-Boiled New Orleans Legal Thriller (2013)?
What a great book. I like his characters the best of any mysteries I've read to date -- colorful, quirky, witty and very funny. Dunbar's descriptions and details are lively and he's a master with dialogue.The story line seemed a bit slow, but the characters, especially Tubby, more than made up for that. I get the impression from reading his reviews that his other books are more fast-paced, and I'm looking forward to seeing the combination of his beautiful use of language with a tighter plot.I'm so glad I discovered this author. I've already bought another book in this series.
—Jacki Dilley
I'd like to know what this book looked like or felt like in Tony Dunbar's imagination. I suspect the published product may not have lived up to the imagining. The story was engaging enough. But it felt like a CliffsNotes version of a longer work. Maybe that's what happens when you're cranking out a series. You have to save some things for the next installment.If you have a day to kill, this is fun. If you want crime noir, the genre has better examples. I'm likely, however, to check out some of Tony Dunbar's other work to see how it compares.
—Mark
