The Two Minute Rule
by Robert Crais
List Price:
Our Price: $0.01
You Save: $24.94 (100%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Robert CraisEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2006-02-21
ISBN: 0743281616
Number of pages: 336
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Book Reviews of The Two Minute Rule
Book Review: A Captivating Mystery about Personal Redemption
Summary: 5 Stars
The Elvis Cole novels by author Robert Crais have been recommended to me by several friends; however, it can be daunting to either read the latest work in a series without having all the background from the previous books or start at the beginning knowing that the central character has probably evolved considerably over time. Thus, when THE TWO MINUTE RULE was published, I realized that as a self-contained story it provided the perfect opportunity for readers such as myself to sample his work. I was mot disappointed - in fact I could hardly put the book down. The story is a combination of a journey of self analysis and redemption and a police procedural. The book is very well plotted and researched: it contains many interesting insights and several fascinating facts.
The central character is Max Holman, a habitual felon and ex-con just being released from his most recent prison stint for committing a bank robbery. We meet MAX on his release day, which is 86 days after the prologue describes in detail a violent bank robbery that results in the two perpetrators dieing in a hail of police bullets. Obviously, this event will somehow play a significant role in Max's life, but the connection is only gradually revealed as the story proceeds. Max's goal is to reconcile with his estranged son Richard, who has totally renounced him and was raised by his mother Donna. She and Max were never married, and Donna also stopped corresponding with Max after notifying him that his son had become a cop (perhaps as the final repudiation of his father).
In a terribly ironic twist, Max 's goal of starting a new life that would make his son proud is suddenly smashed by the news that his son was one of four cops gunned down in cold blood in Los Angeles the previous night. After the shock wears off, Max is unsatisfied by the official police version of the event as a revenge killing. In an attempt to dissuade Max from pursuing his own unofficial investigation, he is told by the official in charge f the investigation that allegations of possible police corruption concerning the officers might become public if the case is not closed quietly. Of course, despite Max's deep misgivings that perhaps Richie somehow was tainted by his father's legacy, he feels compelled to redouble his efforts to learn the truth. While he hopes to clear his son's name, that possibility appears increasing unlikely as the evidence trail is uncovered; in fact, Max's investigation into the secrets leading to Richie's murder eventually appears to places both him and his friends in great potential danger as well.
Max's character was very complex and very well developed, as was the character of Kate Pollard, the ex-FBI agent who had captured Max ten years ago and who is extremely skeptical when Max tries to convince her to aid him in his attempt to discover the truth. The majority of the other characters were developed only to the extent necessary to service the plot, although several of them including Perry Wilkes (Max's new motel landlord), his friend Chee from his life of crime, and the robbers Marchenko and Parsons as well all manage to come alive for the reader. The story has enough misdirection to keep it interesting, although the reader may well guess the general nature of the outcome before Max. (Even though I did, this fact in no way detracted from my enjoyment since the details of who and how still had to be worked out.)
Most importantly, this book is the story of Max Holman, and as the author states in his acknowledgment, during the course of his struggle to reform his life and redeem Richie's reputation, the reader watches as Max becomes a man of innate integrity. The commentary about the journey which an ex-con must undertake to integrate himself into society rang fascinatingly true; as did the resolve necessary for a former alcoholic to stay clean. (As someone who has friends with similar experiences, I can vouch for the accuracy of the portrayals in this book.) Furthermore, you learn a lot of fascinating trivia about the LA River Channel, the Hollywood Sign, federal sentencing guidelines and convict release procedures, police informant methodology, and the FBI bureaucracy, Of course, in several different contexts you also learn the details of THE TWO MINUTE RULE and other facts absolutely essential to the commission of a successful bank robbery. Finally, if you are patient and read carefully, you will even eventually discover the answer to how Kate Pollard captured Max and why the LA Times nicknamed him The Hero Bandit.
Highly recommended! Five stars - not because it is a perfect story but for the realism of its details, its well crafted plot, and the development of Max Holman's character.
Tucker Andersen
Action & Adventure Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Action & Adventure Books
Polar Shiftby Paul Cussler Clive & Kemprecos
Penguin; Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.30
The Call of the Wild (Children's Classics)by Jack London
Penguin Audio; Published: 1997-08-01; Audio Cassette; Book
Best price: $11.00
Pelican Briefby John Grisham
Trafalgar Square; Published: 1993-06; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.19
Price in other shops:
Stardustby Neil Gaiman
HarperCollins; Published: 2008-12-23; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.65
Price in other shops:
Quicksilver (The Baroque Cycle, Vol. 1)by Neal Stephenson
William Morrow Paperbacks; Published: 2004-09-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $3.50
Price in other shops:
Sandstormby James Rollins
Harper; Published: 2005-04-26; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $1.50
Price in other shops:
No Man's Landby G.M. Ford
William Morrow; Published: 2005-06-28; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $0.50
Price in other shops:
Forever Odd - Signed Proofby Dean Koontz
Bantam; Published: 2005; Paperback; Book
Preyby Michael Crichton
Harper Collins Pb; Published: 2003-08-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $12.95
Sharpe's Waterloo (Richard Sharpe's Adventure Series #20)by Bernard Cornwell
Harpercollins; Published: 1998-01-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.00
Similar books summaries and other product reviews
Chasing Darkness: An Elvis Cole Novel (Elvis Cole Novels)by Robert Crais
Pocket Books; Published: 2009-02-24; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.12
Price in other shops:
The Watchman: A Joe Pike Novelby Robert Crais
Simon & Schuster; Published: 2007-02-27; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $3.00
Price in other shops:
Free Fall (Elvis Cole)by Robert Crais
Crimeline; Published: 1994-04-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.15
Price in other shops:
Indigo Slam: An Elvis Cole Novelby Robert Crais
Fawcett; Published: 2003-02-04; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.15
Price in other shops:
L.A. Requiem (Elvis Cole Novels)by Robert Crais
Ballantine Books; Published: 2000-02-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.28
Price in other shops:
Demolition Angelby Robert Crais
Doubleday; Published: 2000-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $2.49
Price in other shops:
Stalking the Angel (Elvis Cole, Book 2)by Robert Crais
Crimeline; Published: 1992-03-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.09
Price in other shops:
The Last Detectiveby Robert Crais
Doubleday; Published: 2003-02-18; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $6.18
Price in other shops:
The Sentry (Joe Pike Novel)by Robert Crais
Putnam Adult; Published: 2011-01-11; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $5.34
Price in other shops:
Lullaby Town : An Elvis Cole Novelby Robert Crais
Bantam; Published: 1993-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.26
Price in other shops: