Review: Where to Now by Rod Rogers

ISBN-10: 146200363X

ISBN-13: 978-1462003631

Page Count: 324 Pages

Copyright: 2011

Book Summary:

(Taken from book jacket)

Where to now? It is a question Len Arial repeatedly asks himself. As a personal injury lawyer, in the picturesque city of Charleston, SC, he is frustrated with his seemingly meaningless legal status. Once a dedicated prosecutor, Len is floundering in his own moral ambiguity, and sense of worth. Everything changes with one phone call. His closest friend, Detective TJ Jackson, informs him that their old nemesis, simply known as Billy Jack, is out of prison and back to settle-up. Murder, terror, and extensive world-wide felonious activities are a way of life, for this diabolical, sophisticated, and highly intelligent master criminal. Facing off with Billy Jack, in a frantic struggle, are Arial, and three very close friends. TJ Jackson, the superlative cop, who came through the projects and his own version of hell. Josie Jackson, noted microbiologist, who supports her husband against Billy Jack. Hannah Baktiar, also an extraordinary cop, escaped the repressive regime in Iran. All, of these lives, and many more are stories within the story, each interesting, and desperate, in their own way. In a tale of suspense, intrigue and terror, four people, battling their own internal demons, are in a turbulent cauldron, where the perplexity, of good and evil, intermingle in a clash of cultural values. Who will survive to redefine themselves? Where to now?

Charlene's Review:

I was slowed down, minimally, by unusually heavy use of punctuation. Commas and dashes seemed to pop up everywhere, and confused me at times. I am not a scholar, but it seemed a little heavy-handed. Also, dialect was a huge part of this book, and southern and African American dialogue was difficult to read fluidly. While this caused me a little pause, it is still a very exciting, suspenseful book, and shouldn’t be passed up on these merits. Just a warning that you may need to put a little more focus into certain aspects.

As a former prosecutor, Lenmore Arial has had his share of threats, but nothing compared to what he faces in the form of the criminal mind of Billy Jack. Arial teams up with friends and colleagues from ethnically varied backgrounds, all involved for different reasons, and all with personal demons that have shaped where they are now. An intriguing game of cat and mouse, thrilling scenes, and unexpected turns make this a real page-turner. Likable characters, along with relational subplots add to the story. There is something here for everyone.