No tears were shed when the hunt went cold for The Saint -- an elusive vigilante who earned folk hero status after fatally pumping twelve bullets into a known pedophile. Now, a year later, in the blistering heat of the hottest Minnesota summer in memory, a priest has been executed in a church confessional -- a medal of Nicholas, patron saint of children, stuffed into his mouth. The Saint may be back -- and retired law enforcement officer Phil Broker is being called into service as a favor to a friend. Only an outsider can dig deeply enough into an investigation the police seem to have no enthusiasm for -- but for Broker, it means stirring up dangerous ghosts from his own haunted past. And once he himself becomes the hunted, there will be nowhere to turn for sanctuary. Because this time the killer might be a cop ... Vapor Trail (Phil Broker, #4)
Didn't like this book. Was sorry I wasted my time when it was done. Thriller, Crime My first time reading a Chuck Logan and with this being number four in a series (I didn't know it was a series) I obviously won't be reading in sequence.
The main character, Phil Broker, ex, I think, police officer is called back to duty to as a favor to assist in escorting another officer and old partner into rehab. They have a prior history which isn't all that warm and fuzzy so that's a number of events in and of itself.
Like Logan's writing and the plot was good. When the killer was identified, there was a final unexpected twist that made it even more interesting.
Not sure why I gave it three stars instead of four. It was good, ok; characters were well drawn, mostly; plot was pretty good; writing was ok, too. Just wasn't my cup of tea for some reason. Not to say I'll never read another, because I will. However, I'm not headed to the library or Amazon to pick one up. Maybe I would have liked it better had I read the first in the series, first. Maybe. Thriller, Crime Trigger Warnings: child SA and murder.
The SA got me. It was gut-wrenching in a bad way. But, it had a good plot and story line. The characters were well written. Thriller, Crime Ugh. Something happens, the main character meanders around a bit, something else happens…pages and pages go by as plot gets left behind while the author focuses on describing in precise detail the hair and clothes and body type of every character as they're introduced…okay some detail is good but gimme a break; no one needs or keeps a photographic roster in their minds while reading.
Ending too abrupt; after a revelation which is actually no such thing as the truth was clear far far earlier, the book just stops, with no exploration of how the perpetrator successfully fooled the other characters throughout the story. We're also given blatantly conflicting information on this character's behavior without explanation. Dumb. Thriller, Crime This is the prequal to Afteer the Rain and yes, I'm in a Minnesota rut, having read a ton of Logan and Sanford recently...this is the second to last of the Phil Broker series for me...there is something about these Logan books that suck me right in...yes, Broker and his wife are intriguing, but I think it is the secondary characters that appeal to me because of their utter flyover-state natures...I love 'em!!! Thriller, Crime
Never having read any Chuck Logan novels that I can remember, my first impression is that this author does a great job in weaving a tale. Vapor Trail involves a hard-to- find vigilante who has apparently struck yet once again. This serial killer is targeting specifically pedophiles and sex offenders.
Even having been written in 2003, the first victim for the killer / hero (?) is a priest who has been alleged to have abused a child. The killer, nicknamed the Saint, is know for stuffing a medal of Saint Nicholas in the dead victim's mouth.
A retired law enforcement officer, Phil Broker, is returned to service reluctantly but with the suggestion made to him that the killer may be a police officer. It's touch and go for Broker, but it is enjoyable to see that the police can make mistakes. I liked the book and thought the ending was a good one. I would read more books by Logan if I came across them.
Thriller, Crime Vapor Trail is a high adrenaline thriller. I have to start this review with that. Chuck Logan's books, his Phil Broker series, just gets better and better with each installment. And right now, Vapor Trail is my favorite.
After a police investigation, a pedophile is arrested. Charged. During the hearing --during what should be an open and closed case-- there is a problem. Ronald Dolman, the accused, walks free. It doesn't matter that he committed horrible crimes.
Unhappy with a lack-luster judicial system, the Saint takes matters into their own hands. This vigilante goes after Dolman. Kills him. And leaves a St. Nichols (the patron Saint for children) medallion in the vile, scumbag's mouth. The city goes wild. Everyone starts wearing Saints jerseys, and jackets, and hats. The police investigate the murder, but aren't really all that concerned with catching a suspect.
Until a few years later. A priest is murdered inside the confessional of a rickety, run down church. The St. Nicholas medallion is left in his mouth. It looks like the Saint might be back in town, back for another round. The police want to keep things hush-hush from the press, from the citizens.
Calling in a favor, Phil Broker is asked to assist on the case. Ex-cop, ex-military, Broker knows the ins and outs. Wearing a temporary badge he works at wrangling in suspended officer Harry Cantrell. Cantrell was always considered a suspect, that he could be the Saint. Never proven, Cantrell's alcoholism has hindered the man's work. Broker, maybe a guy Cantrell hates more than anyone, is sent to find his old friend.
A killer is on the loose. There are targets getting hit. Cantrell knows something about the new cases, he knows something about the Saint. The problem is he keeps alluding Broker. At any moment the press is going to catch on. Pandemonium is a given. Time is running out . . .
Vapor Trail was non-stop tension. The suspense built and built, and built. I am reserving my comments on Nina Pryce (Broker's wife) until my next review. I dislike her. . . lots!
Phillip Tomasso
Author of Absolute Zero
and Damn the Dead Thriller, Crime More in the vein of a murder mystery/thriller, Broker in his role as a cop is chasing a pedophile-killing vigilante. Logan can write a decent yarn and the ending is an enticing cliffhanger. Thriller, Crime No tears were shed when the hunt went cold for The Saint -- an elusive vigilante who earned folk hero status after fatally pumping twelve bullets into a known pedophile. Now, a year later, in the blistering heat of the hottest Minnesota summer in memory, a priest has been executed in a church confessional -- a medal of Nicholas, patron saint of children, stuffed into his mouth. The Saint may be back -- and retired law enforcement officer Phil Broker is being called into service as a favor to a friend. Only an outsider can dig deeply enough into an investigation the police seem to have no enthusiasm for -- but for Broker, it means stirring up dangerous ghosts from his own haunted past. And once he himself becomes the hunted, there will be nowhere to turn for sanctuary. Because this time the killer might be a cop Thriller, Crime Good story. I'm not that excited about his writing style. Thriller, Crime
Chuck Logan Ð 4 Read
