4 out of 4 stars
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Nobody Move is a sensational crime/thriller novel set in Los Angeles by first-time author, Philip Elliot. It has action, romance, a sadistic former hitman out for revenge, and an edge-of-your-seat car chase scene. From start to finish, it reads like a real crime/thriller movie, reminiscent of Pulp Fiction, with not a single dull moment in between. Kudos to the author on such captivating writing.
A midnight house call has gone wrong and ends in two murders, followed by a makeshift grave in the forest to dispose of the bodies. Thus, marks the beginning of the end for Eddie, a low-life thug and tortured soul, whose string of bad decisions ultimately spells doom for himself and the woman he loves. On his tail is his diminutive and merciless boss, Saul Benedict, who wants Eddie to pay for his mistake or die trying. Equally out to get him is Rufus Kane, a retired hitman with a terrifying fondness of daggers, whose brother Eddie killed by accident; and Alison Lockley, a determined Detective with the Los Angeles Police Department investigating the double murder. Who will get to him first? Can Eddie out-run them all?
For a first-time author, Elliot undoubtedly knocked it out of the park. The writing draws you in almost immediately, and the story flowed in a fast-paced yet engaging manner, culminating in a much-anticipated showdown at the end. Each character was so unique and colorful, they almost leaped out of the pages. The way Elliot wrote Rufus Kane reminded me of the character Chigurh, from No Country for Old Men. He was one mean, sadistic, and terrifying individual. I also like how the author wrote Eddie’s character. On one hand, you feel for him and the hapless situation he has put himself in, and on the other, you acknowledge that he must pay for what he did. I appreciate how Elliot was able to strike that balance writing Eddie’s persona. It is not necessarily an easy feat. In various places throughout the book, Elliot pays homage to classic movies and music which I believe inspired him in the course of writing this book. There’s also a bit of underlying humor to the story, which can usually be found in Eddie, Floyd and Sawyer’s banter, as well as the texts the author employed while describing certain characters.
Another aspect of the book I was impressed with was the way Elliot touched on a couple of sensitive and controversial real-life issues. From workplace sexism to homosexuality, from misconceptions about Transgender lifestyle and surgery to the irrefutably grim plight of Native Americans in the United States. It was shocking to learn that Native American women are two and a half times more likely to be raped than any other ethnic minority in the United States. I particularly like that Dakota was able to go back and give back to her community the way she did. Also, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that I found some on the nose remarks about a certain infamous United States President highly amusing.
My only grouse with the book was the way Detective Alison’s character was written. This is more of a personal issue than a general book issue. As a fan of strong, female characters, I had hoped she would be given a proper backstory than what was in the book. Still, she was a kick-ass Detective, and the book was an irresistible page-turner.
In terms of editing, the book was well-written and appeared professionally edited, with only one or two minor grammar errors which in no way detracted from the overall quality of the story. Considering all these, I award Nobody Move 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend the book to readers of crime thrillers who are in no way offended by racial slurs, curse words, mildly graphic violence, and mildly graphic same-sex sexual acts.
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Nobody Move
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