Matt McAvoy Book Review

Dennis Barger clearly knows his business, and in this book he makes a bold effort to combine it with some very credible suspense – up to a point.  It is certainly procedural and well researched, though delivered in a way which is simple and accessible to the most uninformed reader in the subjects of insurance and fraud investigation.  Adding an element of gritty mob activity and a touch of pretty realistic violence turns what might otherwise be something rather staid and officious into a pretty gripping crime thriller.  I won’t spoil it, but it does go off into high action territory and then digresses even further, to the highest levels of intrigue.  That said, I’m of the opinion that it may be the author himself who perhaps gives a touch too much away, by his rather revealing chapter titles, arguably diminishing some moments which might otherwise provide real surprise for the reader.

The story actually could have something of an epic quality to it, but it is delivered in a rather more simplistic style by Barger – perhaps to the extent that I do feel occasionally events might be explained rather too generously for the reader; whilst it is an often complex subject, it never feels it, which is a good thing, but at the same time I do feel that the readers could sometimes be entrusted to put things together themselves.

All in all, it’s a pretty decent and indeed rather interesting, if not particularly hard-hitting crime drama, which will probably appeal to a wide range of readers who like their thrillers a little more within the easy-reading category.  It is one which can be equally enjoyed at bedtime and on a lazy Sunday afternoon.  I won’t lie, it could do with a little polish and attention, I think, but don’t let that put you off; if this is the style and genre which appeals to you, you could do a great deal worse.  I’ve read previous work from this author, and I know what he is capable of; Dennis immerses himself fully into his project, and ensures that he is fully knowledgeable in what he is delivering – this is certainly among his greatest strengths.  In this case, I would like to see both him and the reader immersed perhaps just that touch more, and the tale more emotively delivered, rather than in its current rather matter-of-fact manner, but I definitely won’t let that put me off following his writing career with interest; I recommend that you might want to do the same.  I look forward to reading his next.