Dead Line

by Brian McGrory

Book Overview

Lauded by critics and Washington insiders alike for his debut novel The Incumbent, and its national bestselling sequel, The Nominee, Brian McGrory returns with the third sensational thriller featuring... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743463668
• ISBN13: 9780743463669
• Release Date: December 2003
• Publisher: Atria Books
• Length: 374 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.6" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

How can you help but like Jack Flynn?

My favorite investigative reporter is back, this time solving the murder of a young Boston lawyer whose reckless one-night stand with the Mayor of Boston gets her killed. The senseless murder is linked to an old, unsolved art heist, which in turn is linked to the Mayor's fugitive crime-lord son. As Jack is drawn into the unfolding mystery, he helplessly watches as his personal life comes crashing down around him. Jack Flynn is as likable a character as any I have read. The intrepid reporter is dedicted to furthering the public good by exposing ugly truths to daylight. He seems to live in a world populated by a higher-than-normal percentage of beautiful, successful, intelligent women who are attracted to him. Yet the history of tragedy in his own life, coupled with a terrifically self-deprecating sense of humor make him a very sympathetic character. Through Flynn, McGrory takes us on a fast-paced quest for truth and justice with deft plot twists and a smooth, conversational narrative that makes all of his books a real pleasure to read. The only problem is that, just as with the other two Jack Flynn novels, you'll read it too fast and the fun will be over too soon.

The Best One Yet!

As a fan of Brian McGrory's books I eagerly anticipated the third installment of McGrory's character, Jack Flynn, and I was not disappointed! I think "Dead Line" is perhaps the best of the three books. Hopefully McGrory will write a fourth!

McGrory Hit HR - Red Sox Championship next?

This is, without a doubt, McGrory's best book yet. I can't tell you how much I laughed and could not put it down. I love Jack Flynn, who has quickly become one of my favorite literary heroes. I don't generally read book after book with one character, but Flynn is indeed the exception. He is charming, honest (to a fault?), and funny. McGrory even makes me feel deeply for Baker the dog and I've never owned a dog. Yet, the parts of the book that deal with Baker made me understand the love that dog owners have in a way that all the people I know in real life who have dogs never got me to see. Even more, the plot is more restrained. The first book, a good read, was too outlandish. This book was more believable. We spend a lot of time in Jack's pysche as he finally wrestles with his pain. The pain was honest and sad. My only complaint is that Jack spends too much time beating himself up over Hilary Kane (too much). However, the secondary characters are great. Mongillo, Martin, etc. I like the way he handled the relationship with Riggs as well. McGrory is growing and I can't wait for the next book...will be before the Sox win a World Series? Probably...

McGrory keeps getting better

_Dead Line_ is McGrory's third offering and he keeps getting better and better. I enjoyed his first Jack Flynn novel so much that I was inspired to root out his email address and correspond with him. McGrory writes with a cleverness and wit that reminds me of an early Robert B. Parker - only funnier - and his decision to tell the tale from a first-person perspective provides the reader with a unique insight into the character and motivation of Jack Flynn. I find Flynn to be the most likable protagonist in the genre. I highly recommend any of McGrory's books. They are an intelligent and fun read.

Jack Flynn, Better Than Ever

I'll bet there were at least a dozen times in this book when I laughed out loud, it was so funny. I mean, seriously laughed out loud, with my wife looking at me and asking what I was doing, but it never seems as funny when you have to explain. The strangest part is, Dead Line isn't a comedy or parady, and out of the three Jack Flynn books I've read, this one is definately the darkest of them all. It's not as dark as Dennis LeHane, but it seems like everyone has lost something big.Jack Flynn, the very likable newsman/narrator, is always right there with a quick aside that usually comes out of nowhere. He sees the world as I'd see it, always poking fun at himself and the situations he finds himself in. And Vinnie, his trusty sidekick, is the same way, only more cynical. There wasn't a character in this book I didn't like.I'll go so far as to say this was the best book I've read this year, and I had high expectations after the first two, The Incumbent and The Nominee. This one, though, had more of a believable plot that had to do with the real-life theft of millions of dollars in paintings from a Boston museum in the early 90s. You learn a lot about art, about Boston politics, and about news reporters and how they do their jobs. And you laugh. At one point, I cried too, but I don't want to give that away.I'll never look at a politician or a newspaper in the same way again, and now I'm already waiting for the next Jack Flynn book to come out.