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Title: A GUMBO OF A PLOT
Review: What a great crime story! Burke weaves a complex plot that not only involves current characters but has historical roots in scenes that are gritty as well as true to life. The reader is clear about the bad guys from the start but suspense builds as the exact nature of the crime is a mystery until the last chapter. The lives of many characters are intertwined in interesting connections, revealing Burke's art as a story teller. The author is also an artist, painting word pictures that are sharp and descriptive while employing economy in his words. There is no fluff, reflecting the nature of the hard hitting, no nonsense main character. The descriptions of the treatment of Black prisoners is brutal and yet there is tenderness in the writing as grief over departed loved ones is explored. My favorite character was an IRA hit man who is presented in an almost likeable portrayal as he guards the decent people and eliminates even more dastardly beasts.
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