PAYBACK

 5 stars out of 5

Simply not taxing my brain with flashbacks in time and

chapters that switch perspectives of a dozen characters I can't keep straight make this one a winner in my book. For once, I could sit back and enjoy a book from exciting start to exciting finish. On top of that, the characters are quirky but pretty much realistic (well, as much as in any of the cops-and-robbers TV shows that I love), and I'm eager to read about them again.

This is the second in a series, and alas, I did not read the first. That said, I never felt as if I'd missed anything (although I wish I'd read it just because I like this one so much). "Tank" Rizzo is a highly skilled former police officer who was seriously injured on the job and now handles special cases for the department. He's assembled a crew of helpers that includes his former partner, "Pearl" Monroe, who was injured along with Rizzo and now uses a wheelchair. A year or so ago, Rizzo's brother - who worked at an accounting firm that caters to the hoity-toity - died with his wife in an auto accident. Their son, Chris, now lives with Tank; a computer whiz, he's intent on finding evidence to prove his parents' death was not an accident.

Meanwhile, Detective Eddie Kenwood is still on the job, racking up confession after confession that has provided him with one of the highest case resolution stats of anybody in the department. But it's starting to look as if he isn't coming by those confessions honestly; thanks to Pearl, one case, in particular, has caught Tank's eye. Just because he hates dirty cops - and Eddie in particular - Tank agrees to take on the case. 

Almost from the start, it becomes clear that neither case will go down easily; in fact, just heading out the door can prove risky. But thanks to the special talents of Tank and his band of men (and a woman) and their friends - some of whom would make Al Capone's mob look saintly - they keep plodding along right to the end. I love Tank and Pearl, and the interaction among all the characters made the story all the more appealing. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for introducing me to this series by way of a pre-release copy. Now will you please add me to the list to get the next one? Pretty please?

Payback by Lorenzo Carcaterra (Ballentine Books, August 2020); 286 pp.