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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Geoff Thompson (sp?) for Queensland Library. A very different, less engaging, style to Dorje Swallow who narrated the other Wyatt series by Garry Disher that I have listened to. Reminds me of how important the narrator is, particularly for a series of books.
Set in familiar Noosa, it was an enjoyable story that moved well.
Set in familiar Noosa, it was an enjoyable story that moved well.
2.5 stars. I loved the first Wyatt story, but this one left me not liking Wyatt much at all. The guy's a shell...yes, he's clever about observing, changing identity, keeping himself safe and anticipating danger but he is withdrawn. Emotionally withdrawn from us as readers so it's hard to really like him as much. Do we care about a guy who exists to be a shadow in society and live to steal?
The setting reads a little like a well-observed holiday to Noosa and the Sunny Coast. Nice. The other characters are suitably horrible, calculating and untrustworthy. Great stuff.
The setting reads a little like a well-observed holiday to Noosa and the Sunny Coast. Nice. The other characters are suitably horrible, calculating and untrustworthy. Great stuff.
The 8th in the Wyatt series, the resurgence of the best unrepentant, unapologetic and very demanding professional crook in Australian Crime Fiction is something to be very pleased about.
Wyatt is not a man who plays well with others, and his danger radar is on high alert after he’s pulled into early planning of a heist by some rank amateurs. A move to Noosa and a commission to steal a particular painting comes at a time when absenting himself from Melbourne and all chance of being connected to that group is particularly welcome. Not only is the intended heist a nice little earner, he can return to his comfort zone, working on his own, minimal exposure with the commission coming via a broker he’s worked with before. Which means he’s not at all happy to find himself having to work with his broker’s niece. Needless to say that leads to complications.
Taciturn, meticulous and cautious, Wyatt has always been a lone wolf. Comfortable in his skin, surprisingly moral in his criminal endeavours, Wyatt will not screw people who play fair, but heaven help anybody who crosses him. Everything about him is understated and controlled, almost emotionless. Which makes some of the aspects of THE HEAT particularly intriguing as there’s some unexpected connections showing here, even a little human longing. Not something you’d ever expect from Wyatt, and yet, in Disher’s expert hands, beautifully executed.
The plot in THE HEAT takes full advantage of the wide range of connections building up around Wyatt. The supporting cast move in and out of focus, in and out of Wyatt’s orbit and into or straight out of favour depending upon who he believes can be trusted. It reads like a slightly more complicated plot than in earlier outings as a result of those connections, and it works really well. Of course, this is not a mystery as such, it’s an out and out heist novel with some thriller elements. There’s love, sex, danger, idiots, money, honour and some careful plotting and planning by Wyatt. It’s interesting to see the comparison between the “professional thief” Wyatt, and the more opportunistic motives of those who work against him. It’s also interesting to see his response when somebody with some similar personality traits to himself moves into his orbit.
Wyatt is, however straight from the tradition of the anti-hero. He’s one for fans of the outlaw, the man who is always one step ahead of the law, and one step outside of social norms. He’s a hard man but in THE HEAT, there is just that hint that the man in there might occasionally break out. It made this particular outing of one my all time favourite characters just that little bit more intriguing.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-heat-garry-disher-0
Wyatt is not a man who plays well with others, and his danger radar is on high alert after he’s pulled into early planning of a heist by some rank amateurs. A move to Noosa and a commission to steal a particular painting comes at a time when absenting himself from Melbourne and all chance of being connected to that group is particularly welcome. Not only is the intended heist a nice little earner, he can return to his comfort zone, working on his own, minimal exposure with the commission coming via a broker he’s worked with before. Which means he’s not at all happy to find himself having to work with his broker’s niece. Needless to say that leads to complications.
Taciturn, meticulous and cautious, Wyatt has always been a lone wolf. Comfortable in his skin, surprisingly moral in his criminal endeavours, Wyatt will not screw people who play fair, but heaven help anybody who crosses him. Everything about him is understated and controlled, almost emotionless. Which makes some of the aspects of THE HEAT particularly intriguing as there’s some unexpected connections showing here, even a little human longing. Not something you’d ever expect from Wyatt, and yet, in Disher’s expert hands, beautifully executed.
The plot in THE HEAT takes full advantage of the wide range of connections building up around Wyatt. The supporting cast move in and out of focus, in and out of Wyatt’s orbit and into or straight out of favour depending upon who he believes can be trusted. It reads like a slightly more complicated plot than in earlier outings as a result of those connections, and it works really well. Of course, this is not a mystery as such, it’s an out and out heist novel with some thriller elements. There’s love, sex, danger, idiots, money, honour and some careful plotting and planning by Wyatt. It’s interesting to see the comparison between the “professional thief” Wyatt, and the more opportunistic motives of those who work against him. It’s also interesting to see his response when somebody with some similar personality traits to himself moves into his orbit.
Wyatt is, however straight from the tradition of the anti-hero. He’s one for fans of the outlaw, the man who is always one step ahead of the law, and one step outside of social norms. He’s a hard man but in THE HEAT, there is just that hint that the man in there might occasionally break out. It made this particular outing of one my all time favourite characters just that little bit more intriguing.
http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-heat-garry-disher-0
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoy the Wyatt series, and this one is very fast-paced and interesting
What to say. I have read all but one of the Wyatt series. One more to go. They are classic noir, with a bad guy protagonist who has a clear set of rules and will brook no interference with those rules. In this one, he is hired to steal a painting so it's returned to its rightful owner. Nothing could be simpler, right? Everyone double-crosses everyone else, but Wyatt sorts it all out in the end.