Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #25534 in Books
• Published on: 2007-01-18
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

WOOD & VALE
'Crais is rated one of the best crime thriller writers around and fans of the genre won't be disappointed by this one'

Review
'Crais is rated one of the best crime thriller writers around and fans of the genre won't be disappointed by this one' (WOOD & VALE )

'[A] perfectly plotted gripper that belongs on the bedside pile of every thriller fan' (THE DAILY RECORD )

Verna Suit, MYSTERY SCENE, Spring 06
"Another great thriller from a master... reaches a point where it becomes impossible to put down."

Customer Reviews

A Con with a Heart of Gold
One of the most appealing characters in adult fiction is the sinner who has decided to toe the line. Mr. Crais has created a unique and interesting version of that classic role in The Two Minute Rule. Building from that strong foundation, Mr. Crais has succeeded in creating a memorable and appealing story of redemption.

Max Holman is just finishing up a long sentence for bank robbery when the book opens. Max has a job lined up, a place to live and a strong desire to make peace with his estranged girl friend and their son, both of whom have written Max off. That plan is quickly derailed when Max's son, Richie, is killed along with three other police officers in an unexpected place and in a very suspicious way.

Max can simply go on with his life, or he can try to make peace with the loss of his son. With few resources, Max has to find a way into the inside of law enforcement. But who will listen?

As the story develops, Max creates an unlikely and intriguing connection to former special agent Katherine Pollard of the FBI. The two explore Richie's death and find hidden depths that will draw you into the story in ways you don't expect.

Unlike many detective stories, this one uses the book's title as an intriguing theme. It seems that modern technology is such that anytime a branch bank hold-up lasts longer than two minutes, the police will probably be outside the front door waiting for the robbers. Smart thieves learn to clear the money out of the vault, leave the dye packets behind and skip the bravado in the process . . . all in the interests of time. When more time is spent, the consequences can be unexpected . . . and revealing.

If you like Elvis Cole, you probably also like Spenser. If you know Spenser, you probably also know Jesse Stone. Holman will remind you a lot of Stone with his flaws, except Holman comes from the wrong side of the law. There's an element of the vigilante seeking to do the right thing here that will fascinate all those who love old westerns.

The plot develops nicely, interestingly and not too predictably. Like the best fiction, the plot and dialogue add a lot to the character development.

If I liked the book so much, why did I grade it as four stars rather than five? The plot stretches implausibly thin in places, employing unlikely action that wasn't essential to telling a good story. As a result, the book reads more like a fable than action detection in several places. While that's fun, it takes away from the amount that you can imagine yourself as Holman or Pollard. That flaw costs the book a lot of its potential power and immediacy.

Heartily Recommended
This is another exceptionally well crafted book by a master writer. Robert Crais does just get better and better.

This is a one off story, of an ex bank robber Max who's son becomes a policeman while he is doing time in Jail. On his release he finds his son has been killed, and Max wants to know why and by whom. So he turns to the FBI agent who put him in Jail for help.

It has all the makings of a great Crais book with great characterisation, plot, suspense and build up to a tense finally.

Heartily recommended.

Another great story by Robert Crais
I've loved Robert Crais' recent books (Demolition Angel, Hostage, LA Requiem etc) and so picked up this book with great anticipation - and was not disappointed.

Max Holman is just about to be released from prison after a 10 year sentence for bank robbery. He's looking forward to getting to know his son who is a policeman, but on the night before his release his son Richard is killed in a shooting with three other policemen. Max is released and immediately starts to try to find out more about Richard's death - why was he killed, how did it happen, who was responsible. He ends up teaming up with Special Agent Pollard, formerly of the FBI, who was actually the person who caught him in his last bank robbery. The two of them get deeper and deeper into their investigation, discovering that the cops are not all honest and that people involved with a series of recent bank robberies are being murdered.

What's really interesting about this book is the vignettes on life that a freshly-released long-term prisoner might experience. Max is unfamiliar with the use of mobile phones, his general knowledge about life in LA is ten years out of date and he experiences all the fears and strangeness of the newly freed man. He also has to deal with the fact he has few skills and no knowledge except for that of a criminal and is crippled with the fear that his son has turned out bad, like him. Agent Pollard, too, looks back on her time with the FBI as the highlight of her life which has now gone downhill; is she getting too involved with Holman and who can she trust?

If you have liked any of Robert Crais' other books then you're bound to enjoy this one. It's not an Elvis Cole/Joe Pike book but it's still a great read with interesting characters and a fascinating new view - not that of a policeman but of an ex-criminal. Enjoy!