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A review by cjazzlee
California Fire and Life by Don Winslow
4.0
I've always liked Don Winslow since his earliest mysteries.
This one delved into the world of fire insurance and since it's a topic I know nothing about, it held my interest. The author educates the reader on certain topics as much as spins a good tale but does it in a manner that's not in-your-face annoying. I loved the link to Russian mafia as well. The main characters are pretty well drawn, not flimsy caricatures like with some writers (but I have to say I love his Neal Carey mysteries from his early writing career the best. There are some fleshed-out, interesting main characters to be found in that series). The other thing Mr. Winslow is very good at is capturing the sense of place, in this case, California and the American dream of fortune and endless opportunities. A good couple of hours recently spent.
This one delved into the world of fire insurance and since it's a topic I know nothing about, it held my interest. The author educates the reader on certain topics as much as spins a good tale but does it in a manner that's not in-your-face annoying. I loved the link to Russian mafia as well. The main characters are pretty well drawn, not flimsy caricatures like with some writers (but I have to say I love his Neal Carey mysteries from his early writing career the best. There are some fleshed-out, interesting main characters to be found in that series). The other thing Mr. Winslow is very good at is capturing the sense of place, in this case, California and the American dream of fortune and endless opportunities. A good couple of hours recently spent.