Dangerous Minds

Out of Michael Connelly’s 22 novels, his latest, The Scarecrow, is the first that has come my way; this is also my first foray into the crime/thriller genre since an ill-fated attempt to read up the last John Grisham (awful). Not being an entirely enthusiastic reader of this variety of writing, it was only the protagonist’s profession — being similar to mine — and his situation in the world of news that initially caught my eye. Thankfully, this chance piece 
of luck led me into a world of intrigue and drama that was as enjoyable as it was chilling.

Jack McEvoy is a crime reporter still riding the wave of his former glories. His escapades with brutal serial killer The Poet made him a household name over 10 years ago but since then he and The Los Angeles Times, the paper he works for, have fallen on hard ground. Cutbacks are rife and the high-salaried veteran reporter is one of the final few to be given his marching orders with the proviso that a 14-day stay of execution be granted in order for him to train his replacement.

Taking the two-week opportunity to write a story that will make his bosses regret letting him go, McEvoy embarks on a seemingly innocuous investigation of a 16-year-old accused of 
murder — with the motive of gathering some Pullitzer Prize-winning material on the mindset of a teenage killer. Taking a closer look at the 
murder, Jack believes the boy is innocent, which means there is a sadistic killer on the loose, a highly organised, cruel murderer.

Enter Wesley Carver, the real killer and the highly secretive MIT graduate guardian of Western Data’s server farm where sensitive information from companies all over the US is stored. Able to access this information at will, Carver’s choice of victim is researched to the finest detail. However, not only does he know who to go after, being so technologically advanced, he also knows the instant someone is coming after him.

The Scarecrow is a highly entertaining read that does not pander to the chronically lazy yet does not make itself so exclusive. The dramatis personae (you may have met earlier in a previous novel, but they reintroduce themselves to the reader rather well) are all well fleshed-out.

The character of Jack McEvoy and 
his situation is worth mentioning in 
particular. This novel is up to date 
and contains references to the credit crunch and the tide of enforced redundancies that many are confronted with daily. His tenacity and will to succeed 
in a world that is quickly turning its back on him is an inspired inclusion where many would feel dejected and depressed. It adds relevancy to the story and an 
extra dimension to his, at times, flaw-
ed personality.

Even though the killer is revealed from the outset, the plot contains sufficient twists and turns to make the chase interesting. I would go as far as to say that watching Jack and his FBI companion Rachel Walling work out the mystery with an all-knowing eye heightens the excitement as they grapple with clues and use their skills to try and hunt down their target.

The violence in The Scarecrow is intermittent and not overbearing, as are the descriptions of the rather unsavoury crimes. If you are of the slightly weaker disposition, there are no more gruesome episodes here than one would find in a popular crime television series.

Taking everything into account I would thoroughly recommend The Scarecrow as a great poolside read. At just over 
400 pages, it will take you no longer 
than a week of rather slow-paced reading to get through. It delivers just enough traditional conspiracy theories to entertain the established thriller fans; but there are also plenty of popular, contemporary references to situations, technologies and character traits to get new readers interested.

david@khaleejtimes.com