Three Card Monte Paperback – November 29, 2011

First, let me say that I liked the way author James Timmins developed his characters in "Three Card Monte" even though some of them were less than lovable.I also enjoyed the fact this mystery was set in Portland instead of Boston, New York, or Chicago. Timmins obviously knows the city well and his descriptions of it ring true. Making Portland the scene of the crimes was inspired, I thought.That said, I found the plot to be pretty ordinary; a shadowy killer murdering innocent people to disguise the real target has been done so many times in the past that it's nearly impossible to make it fresh. I also thought that, given the killer's background, he would have been better able to avoid detection. Instead, he makes numerous mistakes that eventually lead to him being identified.I also had some difficulty with the romantic aspects of the story. Detective Claire Sanchez is a terrific character and the fact she falls in love with her partner is not beyond the realm of possibility.(Despite the fact that I found Detective Jack Chamberlain boorish, I'm sure that she sees him in a different light.)However, in any U.S. police force once their "situation" became known - as it does fairly quickly in this novel - their partnership would have been dissolved and they would have been re-assigned to other detectives. The reason: It's bad procedure to have lovers as partners who work dangerous cases together because they are prone to make mistakes based on their emotional attachment. That's just a fact of police life and, as someone who spent nearly 50 years as a reporter covering cops for a good share of that time, I can say with some authority that when romantic attachments developed between partners they were immediately split up.There were some typos that slowed the narrative down a little and some continuity issues that slowed the flow of the story. For example, Chamberlain and Sanchez work for a police captain in charge of a precinct. Twice during the novel, however, that captain is referred to as the chief of police. I don't know of a police department in the United States where a precinct captain doubles as police chief. Further, Portland doesn't even have precinct captains - or captains of any stripe. It has officers, it has sergeants, lieutenants, a major, a commander, an assistant chief, and a chief but no captains.Timmins has a good narrative voice and "Three Card Monte" moves along at a steady pace without "information dumps" about his characters. Instead, their histories are told as part of the narrative and that's a plus in my opinion.The verdict: An okay read with some interesting characters but an overused plot device.

Three Card Monte is the first novel by James Timmins of Maine. His character development and timing are both excellent. I usually breeze through novels but kept finding myself actually caring about the characters in this book. The plot is unique as is the setting. At 277 pages it's just right. Long enough to tell the story without all the added "fat" that some authors can't resist. Stephen King could take a lesson in telling a tale and ending a book. My God sometimes I swear SK still gets paid by the word, but I digress. Three Card Monte is a smart fast paced novel and you had better make sure you have plenty of time when you hit the middle because once you're there you won't be able to put it down until the very satisfying end.

Really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the next one. The author Timmins reminds me of one of Robert Parker books which I really miss since he passed away. Well now I have hope and am looking forward to lots more from this author. I loved the he developed the main characters and especially the romance involved in a crime fighting duo. Also I really enjoyed the setting taking place in Maine. I could actually picture the places he spoke about. I'll be purchasing more books from this guy!!!

James Timmins keeps the reader engaged in this fast moving story about a serial killer with a chilling end game, a villain you won't see coming.

Jack and Claire are a dynamic detective duo I fell in love with and can't get enough of! A perfect blend of work and play this story captivates you from the first page to the last! Thank God the next book Marketable is already out! Now I can jump right back in their world and be swept away into action as they solve their next big crime!

Was very surprised to learn that this was a first novel, written for "fun" by the author. It is really gripping, a non-stop run from cover to cover. The characters are well developed, and the scenarios believable. I would recommend this highly.

Really enjoyed the writing style, very descriptive! A really good story that kept me interested. I would definitely recommend it.

Three Card Monte "Three Card Monte" grabbed my attention on the first page, and never let me down. Nice character developement, and a matter of fact delivery that keeps you turning the pages. Great read!