Jack S. (jack1) reviewed on 3/26/2011 + 67 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

This is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in ages. The Bricklayer is an FBI caper that is plotted carefully and well written. It has no foul language that I can recall, and that is a mark of a good writerone who has the vocabulary to tell a tale without a steady stream of obscenities. Further, the dialogue is clever and reminds of books and movies of the 50s where nuance and suggestion take the place of graphic details of sex. Another real plus, the storyline is excellent, probably because the author is ex-FBI and is thus aware of the inner-workings and the bureaucracy of the agency.

The FBI is, as might be expected, stumbling around an extortion plot in which they are being extorted!! A former agent (now a bricklayer) is called back duty to catch the extortionists. He is a maverick, fired because he did his job rather than follow orders. He is a true anti-hero who excels as a superhero, reading the clues, chasing all the leads, and solving the issues to the pleasure of the Director of the FBI and the consternation to the bureaucrats in between the two. The author was an FBI agent for twenty or more years, now dividing his time between working cold cases and writing. I have already put Boyds next book on my wish list.

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