FICTION

The Contractors

by Harry Hunsicker
Thomas & Mercer: Amazon. Feb. 2014. 514p. ISBN 9781477808726. pap. $14.95. F
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In his new stand-alone, the author of the Lee Henry Oswald PI mysteries (Still River; The Next Time You Die) takes as his realistic premise the proliferation of private military contractors and the privatization of law enforcement. Ex-Dallas cop Jon Cantrell, along with his partner Piper (with a penchant for orphan charities and a shoot-to-kill policy), works for a private contractor, intercepting drug shipments along the U.S.-Mexico border. But when they confiscate the wrong load, all hell breaks loose—violence, murder, revenge, and shootouts are here aplenty.
VERDICT Hunsicker has written a very good thriller, all the better for addressing serious issue of narco-trafficking and privatization of law enforcement. His complex story line is plausible, very well paced yet also easy to follow. Characters both major and minor are well drawn and memorable, and the action sequences are convincing and compelling. The only drawback is the rather inappropriate humorous tone that detracts from a well-crafted novel of suspense.
Reviewed by Seamus Scanlon, Ctr. for Worker Education, CUNY , Jan 31, 2014
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