Sam Hill - Buzz Riff (2004)
Chicago area writer Sam Hill made a splash last year with his acclaimed debut novel Buzz Monkeys. Now he has returned with Buzz Riff, the second in a series featuring part-time mercenary and full-time researcher Top Kiernan.
This time Top is hired to recover a stolen Confederate battle flag supposedly used to staunch the wounds of a dying Stonewall Jackson. He pursues the flag up and down Georgia as it is sought by a diverse array of collectors, ranging from an auto mall heiress to a right wing preacher to the reconstructed Ku Klux Klan. At the same time, Top has to stave off foreclosure on the business he founded and the lovingly restored schoolhouse he calls home.
Despite a generally enjoyable plot and some good writing, Buzz Riff suffers from pacing problems and questionable character choices. For a certified tough guy, Top sure lets people walk over him a lot, especially his former lover who is determined to ruin his life.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
