Pamela Mckenney

More Than a Plot-Driven Novel!

Revisado: 03-18-18

What did you like best about this story?

For those unfamiliar with Gerry Boyle’s mystery series, Jack McMorrow is a free lance writer/journalist. In Straw Man he is investigating gun sales in Maine and their use to both prevent and cause violence. The gripping, twisted plot exemplifies the complications of this issue. Bullets fly at intended targets yet Boyle manages to communicate the tenuous balance between the necessity and the gravity of deadly force for keeping the peace.

The characters in Straw Man seem to step off the back roads of rural Maine—I know as I live in Waldo County—the setting of the latest McMorrow thriller. There are bad guys and good guys, but Boyle blurs the lines, demonstrating that his characters have the capacity for both.

What about Michael A. Smith’s performance did you like?

The characters in Straw Man seem to step off the back roads of rural Maine—I know as I live in Waldo County—the setting of the latest McMorrow thriller. There are bad guys and good guys, but Boyle blurs the lines, demonstrating that his characters have the capacity for both. Engaging and entertaining!

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

This is not just a plot-driven novel. If you are struggling with the issue of gun control, you are not alone. Those in favor of open, responsible gun ownership are sickened by the senseless killings and the misuse of an object that they see as a tool for sport and protection. While those who advocate for gun control are alarmed by the instability and our inability to prevent those objects—guns—from getting into the hands of killers. Don’t expect to finish the novel with a sense that Boyle has provided the answer to this tragic dilemma. Instead he acknowledges all of the stakeholders and portrays the tangled human need for revenge and desire for peace.

Any additional comments?

I found myself anxious to get in my car in order to continue listening to Straw Man by Gerry Boyle, but for me, a great book resonates long after the end. Author John Green claims that “Great books help you understand, and they help you to feel understood.” That’s what Gerry Boyle accomplishes with Straw Man. I will definitely make room in my reading list for more of his Jack McMorrow mystery series, I urge all listeners and readers who are looking for novels that stimulate our need to solve problems and engage our intellect to do the same.

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