Blue Heaven
by C.J. Box
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Book Summary Information
Author: C.J. BoxEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2009-06-23
ISBN: 0312614837
Number of pages: 344
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Book Reviews of Blue Heaven
Book Review: Blue Heathens
Summary: 3 Stars
THE SETUP
Retired police detective Villatoros travels to Kootenai Bay, Idaho (known as "Blue Heaven" because of the large concentration of retired LA police officers) investigating the robbery at the Santa Anita (California) racetrack several years previously. About the same time Annie (about 12) and her younger brother William witness a murder in the woods. The children are seen, but escape, and find their way to Jess Rawlin's ranch, where he takes them in. That's the setup.
CAVEATS may contain spoilers
At least for the first 36 hours or so after the kids come to him, it is blatantly obvious that there are many solutions available to Rawlings (e.g., he can can easily take the kids to a police station in the nearest large town or just phone the State Police or FBI), instead, he just "messes around". He drives into town and back, leaving the kids alone (even though the "bad guys" know where they are). Ultimately, he drives into town, essentially kidnaps the kids' mother, and nearly killing a deputized retired cop in the process. Does any of that sound well though-out or plausible to you?
Conversely, for a period of two days, the "bad guys", who are searching for the kids, murdering anyone who crossed their paths, and knowing where the kids are, make no attempt to get at the kids. In the last few hours, with FBI helicopters theoretically on their way--we learn that the "bad guys'" new strategy is to wait for Rawlins to leave the ranch and kill him at the gate, and then kill all the others. Speaking of which, Rawlings had the time and manpower to convert the ranch house into a fortress, but does nothing.
Another plot element, crucial to the bad guys' strategy turns on the fact that 4 adults (and 2 kids) at the Rawlings Ranch have no working cell phones among them--but the bad guys have no way of actually knowing that.
Moreover, while the ranch is, de facto, under siege for a couple of days, Rawlings never bothers to post a watch. Finally 5 minutes before the choppers land, the bad guys launch an assault. Both Rawlings and Villatoros begin shooting while the bad guys are still outside and had not fired a shot. In most States, both would have been judged guilty of murder---particularly since the "bad guys" were deputized and actually did follow police procedures, knocking on the front door and demanding that Rawlings surrender himself.
THE VERDICT
In summary, "Blue Heaven" is an entertaining page turner, with well developed characters. Several "western" themes add interest. The plot however requires excessive "suspension of disbelief". "Suspension of disbelief" is like a rubber band, stretch it too far, and it just breaks, as it does in this case. From that point on, all the reader can see is the implausibilities, and can no longer enjoy the story. Finally, the ending of the story is unsatisfying. The novel is a good read, but not exceptional. C.J. Box makes it to my "good authors" list, but not to my "gotta read anything this guy writes" list.
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