Official Review: Four Pebbles on a Bench by Gary Slavin
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Official Review: Four Pebbles on a Bench by Gary Slavin
Four Pebbles on a Bench by Gary Slavin is a fast-paced novel filled with action and adventure. The story begins in Long Island, New York. George Price is a retired police detective who enjoys an early morning run in a nearby park. Every morning he notices various people park their cars and place four pebbles on a park bench. When he passes the bench again, the pebbles are moved. His detective skills tell him these pebbles are a message of some kind. When he discusses the issue with his friend, Neil, who is also retired from the police force, they conclude that it may involve drugs. When one of the women he sees often at the park ends up dead, the story takes a dark turn.
The drug ring that works in the park has a system for requesting drugs. It is an ingenious method that involves little contact between the drug dealer and the client. The order is placed with pebbles and the money is left in a designated place in the park. One day, a homeless woman, Maryann, sees the money before the drug dealer can retrieve it. Due to her desperate situation, she takes the money and leaves. When the drug dealer learns her identity, she is pulled into a world filled with murder, violence and rival drug gangs.
The book was suspenseful and filled with unexpected twists and turns. It examines various drug networks and how they compete with one another for territory. It is interesting to see the drug cartel from Mexico in competition with the drug dealers in Long Island. Eventually, drug dealers from China become involved and this increases the suspense in the story. There are so many groups competing for the same territory, I was anxious to see what group would prevail. It was also interesting to read about the lavish lifestyle of the drug dealers.
The character of Warren is memorable and written very well. He is the leader of the drug ring that includes the park in Long Island. His attention to detail and ability to anticipate the actions of the police and the rival drug cartel is fascinating to read. He is a multi-dimensional character and his quick thinking keeps readers engaged in the story. He has a close relationship with his brother and is more than a one-dimensional bad guy. Readers can see different aspects of his personality when he is engaged in business as opposed to interacting with his family or friends.
My favorite part of the book was the introduction of Maryann to the drug world. She is forced to work for Warren to pay back the money she took from him. She needs to learn everything about the business and we, as readers, learn along with her. It is interesting to hear him explain the details of his operation to her. I also enjoyed reading about the elaborate security system Warren uses to protect his home from police and rival drug gangs. The security system is described in detail. The author did an excellent job of creating and explaining the various systems used for protection. There was nothing I disliked about the story or the characters. Each character was well-developed and interesting.
I enjoyed reading this book. It included some profanity and violence that may not be appropriate for younger readers, but there were no sexual situations. I saw one minor error in the book, so I believe it was professionally edited. I give the book a rating of 4 out of 4 stars and recommend it to readers who enjoy crime novels filled with action and complex characters.
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Four Pebbles on a Bench
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