Review: One good read
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 13, 2013
In the dedication, R.Doug Wicker mentions his agent -- his "long suffering" agent -- "who tried so diligently to find a publisher" for Decisions. Were I that agent, I would have, too, because this one deserves that kind of effort.  This is one good read.Even though I'm a seasoned reader of mysteries, I kept getting it wrong. I can truthfully say I suspected who the killer was long before the end of the story. That's because I suspected practically everybody at one time or the other. Sure, I puzzled out a thing or two, but as soon as I had a handle on "who done it," that one wound up dead. Bodies were dropping all over the place.I liked the main character, Donovan Grant, though I have to say he's one of the oddest characters I've ever met in a book. Is he hero or anti-hero?  It takes a while to figure that out.  One thing's obvious right off the bat:  He's a royal pain in the ass most of the time.I sort of agree with the reviewer who commented on how you want to reach in and slap Grant around a little now and then. I would've liked to shake some sense into the guy, myself, especially there at the end.  Why? Because he's such a male, with all his fragile ego hanging out around the edges. I mean what's a girl gotta do, for Pete's sake? Can't tell you more about that without giving too much away so you'll simply have to read it.Most of those who reviewed the book after reading only the sample or the synopses couldn't help but get it wrong. There's much more depth to this psychologically tortured Donovan Grant character than we're allowed to see right away. It builds, along with the almost non-stop action.The author allows us insight into the sadness of a wounded soul, the torment of PTSD. We watch Grant as he struggles under a burden of guilt and overwhelming sorrow. He is confused, yet clever like a fox; never quite sure of himself, yet cocky as they come. Think I can get away with calling it poignant machismo? If you've read it, you'll know what I mean.Is it funny? Oh yeah. I laughed out loud in places. Some thought of this as a light read and you could take it as that. Or, pay closer attention and discover many layers.