George pelecanos the double epub

As he tries to track down the trio responsible for their own crime wave of scams and robbery, Spero is also working for the lawyer to find evidence that could clear a man accused of murder as well as poke around the death of a young girl who was a student of his brother. He also gets involved in a torrid affair with beautiful married women, but while Spero has tried to keep his romantic encounters casual, he begins to crave more than just sex with her.

Whether Spero is biking through up-scale neighborhoods or stopping by an auto shop to question a suspect, Pelecanos has a knack for casually imparting the bits of detail and history that make the city one of the characters in the novel. Spero seemed like he had a lot of potential as a character in the first novel, and Pelecanos adds the kind of depth to make him really special here.

On the surface, Spero seems to have his act together and knows exactly what he wants, but there are new layers of uneasiness added here. His relationship with the married lady makes him start to question the bachelor lifestyle he thought he wanted.

Worst of all is that it starts to seem like the war may have taken a bigger toll on his psyche than he previously thought. Spero learned how to kill overseas, and he was good at it. That skill is a valuable tool in his work, but as the saying goes, "When you have a hammer every problem starts to look like a nail.

View 1 comment. Jan 01, Scott rated it really liked it. A smart guy might have prioritized the work. But Lucas liked to honor his commitments, and. In the follow-up The Double the emotional drama, suspense and action are now cranked up to a much more involving and energetic level.

This time around, amidst a torrid but really heartbreaking love affair, P. Lucas' inquiries on two concurrent but otherwise not connected cases - investigatory work regarding a murder suspect AND retrieving a stolen painting for a duped lady - are pleasingly reminiscent but not derivative of both John MacDonald's 'retrieval expert' Travis McGee and Robert Crais' private eye Elvis Cole. By the appropriately melancholy ending of The Double I felt it was a damn shame that Pelecanos has thus far only featured Lucas in the two books - this character could carry a series.

Aug 17, Brandon rated it liked it Shelves: , fiction , gum-shoes. A friend of a friend, Grace Kinkaid, comes to Spero with a job: steal back a painting that a con-man recently walked off with.

In fact, I purposely put off writing this review for several days A friend of a friend, Grace Kinkaid, comes to Spero with a job: steal back a painting that a con-man recently walked off with.

That aside, I thought Pelecanos did a great job in having Spero begin questioning the lasting effects the war will have on him. While many are attempting to steer him toward therapy, his pride seems to always get in the way leaving him running in circles.

It all makes for a great, interesting character that I look forward to reading more of. Oct 17, Larry H rated it really liked it. I'd rate this 4. George Pelecanos may be one of the finest crime writers around, but for reasons I can't quite figure out, he's not nearly as well-known as a number of less talented writers in the genre.

While his work on the acclaimed television series The Wire has increased his name recognition a bit, it's a shame that more people aren't aware of the talent this man has to draw magnetic yet flawed characters, compellingly twisted plots, and crackling action. His latest n I'd rate this 4. His latest novel, The Double, is another example of Pelecanos at the top of his game.

Iraq War veteran Spero works as an investigator for Washington, D. Petersen asks him to find evidence that might exonerate his client, Calvin Bates, who is accused of murdering his girlfriend. All the evidence points toward Bates, but Spero has his suspicions, and will do all he can to track down the truth, or at least give Petersen enough information to raise reasonable doubt among jury members.

Meanwhile, Spero is asked by a friend to help Grace Kinkaid, a woman emotionally and sexually manipulated by her magnetically powerful ex-boyfriend. But the man also took something valuable from Grace—a prized painting—and she wants Spero to get it back.

Spero finds that this man is the center of a much larger scam—and he and his partners are just aching for someone to come looking for them. Spero will have his hands full—which is just the way he likes it. As his work is heating up, his emotions are working overtime.

When he meets an older, married woman, he falls hard, even though he knows their relationship has no future. And although he has always been tremendously active in working with and helping other Iraq War veterans struggling with PTSD and life after the war, Spero has never really experienced the side effects of his time in the military, but he is starting to find his mind drifting into places it shouldn't go.

The Double is the story of a man who knows the difference between right and wrong, but isn't above crossing over to the dark side in order to protect someone or avenge a crime. It is also the story of a man who has always been able to hold his life together, until he finally starts to realize he might not be as together as he thinks he is. Like so many of Pelecanos' books, this is an excellent mix of character development, action, and suspense, and it hooks you from the beginning.

Spero Lucas is definitely one of Pelecanos' finest characters—a protector who can't always reconcile his violent and sensitive sides. I hope we'll be seeing Spero again soon, and I also hope that Pelecanos will go back on his one-book-a-year schedule, because I don't want to have to wait too long for the next one! Although I like Dion Graham as an actor the inner city dialect of this narration is not something that held my attention. I might focused on the story more had I read the book.

Oct 10, Jill rated it it was ok. The Double , the latest novel by George Pelecanos, features a decent plot and some interesting characters. It is fast-paced and rather suspenseful. Spero, just turned 30, is an Iraq war veteran who puts to good use his Marine training in his current occupation as an investigator for a criminal attorney in Washington, D.

On the side, he has a business finding stolen property, whether legal or not, for The Double , the latest novel by George Pelecanos, features a decent plot and some interesting characters.

On the side, he has a business finding stolen property, whether legal or not, for a forty percent cut of the value. Discussion: I felt many of the little details of the book were gratuitously contrived to cater to callow young males.

The result is closer to Marvel comics and farther from Raymond Chandler than I would prefer. For example, a climactic fight scene could have come from a Batman movie. In the same vein, the gratuitous titillation factor is a bit much. Both Spero and the principal villain have histories of great success with women. Pelecanos writes in a sentence that would surely have many women throwing the book that when Spero walks down the street or goes into a bar, "women noticed him.

Some of them got damp. Well, Spero Lucas, the protagonist, meets such a gal, and meets her often in the book. However, she plays virtually no other role in the plot than to flesh out, so to speak, this male fantasy. Gustav Flaubert was known for his realistic portrayals, which he accomplished largely by describing interesting details about the characters and their environment.

Pelecanos is also overly diligent about letting me know what color shirts, shorts, or pants yawn! The action is set in Washington, D. I can attest that Pelecanos excels at capturing the nuances of economic status and racial composition that precise geographical position provides. Oct 08, Charity rated it did not like it. Writing this makes me so sad, not liking this book makes me so sad, I was really looking forward to new Pelecanos and I am disheartened at how much I hated everything about this book.

Nothing worked right, the pacing was off, how the characters were developed was clunky and much of the information felt like page filler serving no purpose, there are sex scenes that could be in the running for The Worst Sex Scene in Books of , and nothing is gripping or page turning about it. View 2 comments. I am an avid fan of George Pelecanos and always look forward to this time of the year which holds the promise of a new book from him, so was as keen as mustard to read this follow-up to The Cut featuring ex-soldier and private investigator Spero Lucas.

Hence, a large part of the book is devoted to this mismatched physical relationship, while Lucas struggles with matters of the heart or in his case- the trouser department and endeavours to put his mind to what he should actually be doing. Where the book got back on form for me, was seeing Lucas in his tough guy role, with the references to both his former soldiering career and the interaction between him and his other ex-military cohorts, as the race to track down a nasty, violent group of con-artists got into full swing.

Additionally, Pelecanos is great on the socio-political side of his plotting, and the observations he makes on the US involvement abroad and the social decline of certain areas of Washington DC outside the corridors of power is as sharp and focused as usual. Lucas is commissioned to investigate a possible miscarriage of justice, seeking to try and prove a man innocent of a murder, but to me this plotline was slightly lost and unbalanced within the central narrative, as his other mission to recover a stolen painting from an emotionally unstable woman took precedence in the story.

I would have liked the book to have been concerned with one or the other, rather than producing a weakness to both strands in a relatively slim book so in short a rather mixed affair all round.

Although The Double does not quite fit this manifesto on some levels for this reader, it was nevertheless good to see the return of the entertaining Spero Lucas in a generally engaging, though slightly patchy read, from one of my favourite American crime authors. Nov 22, Richard Knight rated it it was amazing. Another Pelecanos classic. I even like this one better than The Cut. Wonder if he'll write another Spero book. Here's hoping.

Oct 17, Mal Warwick rated it really liked it Shelves: mysteries-thrillers. Few if any other American writers can capture the rhythms and speech patterns of inner-city streets as well as George Pelecanos.

The Double, his second outing with Iraq vet Spero Lucas, is his most recent book. The adopted son of Greek immigrants, Lucas is He is an ex-Marine haunted by his experiences of door-to-door fighting in Few if any other American writers can capture the rhythms and speech patterns of inner-city streets as well as George Pelecanos. However, he identifies himself as an investigator for a criminal lawyer — apparently, a lawyer who defends criminals, not one who is a crook himself — as the identity is useful even if the pay is meager.

White getting closer to the gang by working his police contacts, he becomes embroiled in two murder investigations, one for the attorney and the other for his older brother, a schoolteacher.

Lucas manages to resolve all three cases more or less satisfactorily but not without an immoderate degree of violence. The Double was not written for children or nervous cardiac patients, so be forewarned. Sep 07, J. The title refers to a painting, but it also links to the dual nature of man and, in particular, Spero Lucas, the protagonist of this novel.

Spero is a Marine veteran of Iraq who is trying to readjust to civilian life while continuing to live on the edge as an investigator and retriever of stolen property. When an emotionally damaged woman hires him to recover the stolen painting Spero is plunged into a maelstrom that will test both his courage and his opinion of himself.

Spero Lucas is a complicat The title refers to a painting, but it also links to the dual nature of man and, in particular, Spero Lucas, the protagonist of this novel. Spero Lucas is a complicated character and Pelecanos does an excellent job of depicting him and the world in which he lives. Pelecanos brings his characters, the setting Washington, D.

In an afterword he acknowledges his debt to some other writers, including two of my favorites, Charles Willeford and John D. This is the second novel featuring Spero Lucas. Nov 27, Melissa rated it liked it Shelves: i-shake-my-fist. I'm not giving this three stars based on my strong dislike for Spero Lucas, it's just that I didn't really find the story here as interesting as usual. It's a good, quick read, just not very griping. That said, can we talk about how much I'd like to shake my fist at Spero?

I find him so unimpressive. I think I liked The Cut as much as I did because he was getting played by the guy in prison the whole time. Jul 13, Wilhelmina Jenkins rated it liked it Shelves: mystery-suspense-crime. I love Pelecanos and I have read almost everything that he has written, but the new series with Spero Lucas as the protagonist just doesn't grab me the way his earlier books did. I suspect that one reason is that, in his earlier books, his setting was the Washington, DC in which I grew up and he wrote about it as well as any author I've ever read.

His depiction of the "new" DC just isn't as rich to me. In addition, Spero Lucas is a young man who is a Gulf War veteran who is, I would guess, inter I love Pelecanos and I have read almost everything that he has written, but the new series with Spero Lucas as the protagonist just doesn't grab me the way his earlier books did.

In addition, Spero Lucas is a young man who is a Gulf War veteran who is, I would guess, interested in the things that most young men who have come back from war are interested in - sex with beautiful women, independence, physical strength and appearance, and trying to regain some of the edge that his life had during the war.

These things are just not that interesting to me. Although I will continue to read whatever Pelecanos writes, I really just anted to go back and reread my favorite Pelecanos books of the past, especially the one I consider his best - Hard Revolution. Mar 15, Tim rated it really liked it. I enjoyed my first Spero Lucus read. This complicated character gets the job done in the best way he sees fit. The only negative was a bit of preachiness near the end that is best ignored. Sep 22, John McDonald rated it really liked it.

Reading George Pelecanos Double was like taking a walk through the mind of a criminal wanting to do good, but in the end, he was a murderer nonetheless, no matter how Pelecanos made him appear to be on the side of right and justice. But this is what Pelecanos does best: take us on a tour of the mean streets, the conversations of the habitues of the mean streets; and through the colorful and expressive language that Pelecanos uses to personify his characters, inform us of how virtue finds a path Reading George Pelecanos Double was like taking a walk through the mind of a criminal wanting to do good, but in the end, he was a murderer nonetheless, no matter how Pelecanos made him appear to be on the side of right and justice.

But this is what Pelecanos does best: take us on a tour of the mean streets, the conversations of the habitues of the mean streets; and through the colorful and expressive language that Pelecanos uses to personify his characters, inform us of how virtue finds a path in the City. Pelecanos' books are weighted in the real world. The writing is clear and unpretentious, and each time, I get the impression that no matter how far Pelecanos wanders, he never is very far from the realities of his hometown, Washington, D.

I have been reading Pelecanos' books since his earliest works were published in the late s. In fact, one of my favorite expressions is one I read in his "King Suckerman", an early Pelecanos, the "be-back", someone who comes looking, isn't sure about buying, but the salesman is convincing and the customer walks out of the store but the salesman is sure he's a "be-back.

His style is that distinctive to me, and I have noticed subtle changes over the years which largely mark changes in how language expresses our thoughts and culture of the times. To my mind, he is one of the great underappreciated writing assets of our times. Sep 03, Jeffrey Mervosh rated it liked it Shelves: fiction , contemporary-fiction , american-fiction , series-fiction , mystery-crime. It's a lot of fun to read a crime thriller set in your city, and Pelecanos' eye for geographic detail is pretty great.

Many of the routes that Spero Lucas bikes to get to and from interviews or pass hours thinking through a case are familiar to any DC resident, but it's his visits to local establishments that are a lot of fun. Lucas travels between the lines of native Washingtonians and newer transient gentrification, offering views of both sides of the city's physical and symbolic divide. His s It's a lot of fun to read a crime thriller set in your city, and Pelecanos' eye for geographic detail is pretty great.

His setting is true Washington, the city, and not the nation's capital and its touristy monuments and museums. The city is a living, breathing, complicated character that adds depth and color to Lucas' exploits and makes the read all the more enjoyable. Which is much needed, since this is a book with some flaws. As in the past installment, Lucas takes a side job to supplement his work as a PI for a local defense attorney, running into some problems that require quick creative thinking and an easy willingness to resort to violence as soon as things get sticky.

There is some pretty discomfiting misogyny in this volume that isn't just limited to the bad guys, written off as a metaphorical exploration of Lucas' double nature that includes a dark side embodied in one particularly distasteful bad guy. It's a little contrived and doesn't do much to endear one to the protagonist or his efforts to seek vigilante justice while remaining whole.

Though the main narrative and protagonist leave something to desire, it's the city that shines here, as well as the miscellaneous cast of Lucas' veteran friends all male, unsurprisingly seeking their way in a society that has largely cast them aside. For those moments, this is a series that still shows promise for future installments. Dec 17, Tom rated it really liked it Shelves: books-read. Spero Lucas continues his good work recovering assets for people in need.

When he goes to recover a painting titled The Double, he walks into a dumb-ass criminal group, and instead of using his brain, he lets his anger guide his brawn into a dangerous situation. Note to Pelecanos: You are good on details all the way down to street level businesses and popular dub performers. That's beyond me, but you could research the Glock Model 17 to know it has no safety to disengage.

You made this mistake tw Spero Lucas continues his good work recovering assets for people in need. You made this mistake twice in The Double. Feb 06, Bob M. I get the feeling Pelecanos thinks of himself as part Chandler part Tarantino. Just like Tarantino writes some dialogue so that movie-goers will say "Wow, isn't he clever", same, I believe goes for Pelecanos.

If you take out the supposedly entertaining banter between Lucas and others, this is a short story at best. However, since I could not do what he and others do, my hat is still off to a pretty good plot with backstory. Aug 14, Jim rated it liked it Shelves: fiction , crime. A decent thriller, somewhat straightforward in presentation, no real twists for the most part.

I enjoyed the main character, but something felt off about him. Similar kind of style, perhaps. Basically bad guys doing bad stuff. For the most part I liked it. Oct 06, Craig Pittman rated it really liked it. A terse and effective thriller that slowly makes you aware that there's a lot more going on under the surface.

I've been a fan of Pelecanos' writing for quite some time now and have read nearly all of his other books my favorite is still "The Sweet Forever" but plenty of others are great, including "Drama City" and "The Night Gardener". He has a keen eye for the urban landscape around the District of Columbia and a knack for dialogue and action scenes. He's not afraid to tackle issues like race A terse and effective thriller that slowly makes you aware that there's a lot more going on under the surface.

He's not afraid to tackle issues like race relations and urban decay. And all of his books come with their own soundtrack as he makes solid, knowing references to music that helps flesh out his characters and their tastes and personalities.

This book is the second in his new series about private eye Spero Lucas, who by day runs down witnesses for a defense attorney but who has a lucrative side job as a locator of lost items. In this novel Lucas spends time at his VFW post bar and the VA hospital, and he calls on some of his other vet buddies for assistance.

He also checks in with his adoptive mother and his schoolteacher brother, who happens to be African-American. Those scenes, as well as snapshots of him out biking, kayaking or just walking the streets, help establish Lucas as a man who is comfortable inside his own head, in good shape physically and apparently on top of things mentally as well.

Spero likes to think he's in control, but Pelecanos' subtly shows that the Marine isn't quite as on top of things as he thinks. He begins an affair with a married woman who captivates him so much he veers into drunken stalker territory.

As his personal life deteriorates, work takes a bad turn too. There are several cases he handles in this book, but the main one involves his promise to a middle-aged lawyer to recover a valuable painting that was stolen from her by a vicious ex-lover named Billy Hunter. Hunter, a blond beast who takes delight in abasing women, turns out to be working with two other lowlifes, an slow-witted Eastern European scumbag and an emotionally fragile yet loyal African-American ex-con.

Lucas eagerly takes them on and before the book is over people get hurt and some of them die. But here's the interesting thing: The trio of bad guys that Lucas takes on are not killers.

They are far from saints, especially Hunter, who comes across as a classic sociopath. But they are not nearly as dangerous as some past Pelecanos villains. In fact, given Lucas' prior violence in "The Cut," you could argue that he's a bigger bad guy than they are, a vigilante following his own rules instead of following the law.

Pelecanos takes that idea all the way to its logical extreme, leaving Lucas poised on the brink of disaster, dizzy and shaken at what he's become. The author's unflinching staredown of the darker side of the classic "knight in tarnished armor" trope is what elevates this novel above more formulaic thrillers, and leaves you pondering its implications long after you've finished it.

Sep 30, Tim rated it liked it. Pelecanos is a great writer, and the book moves very well, but at points it's almost as if he's writing misogynistic porn Pelecanos is a great writer, and the book moves very well, but at points it's almost as if he's writing misogynistic porn Jul 26, Mark Stevens rated it really liked it. I come in praise of Dion Graham. To me, Graham is the ideal narrator for the gritty streets where George Pelecanos sets his stories, in the underbelly of Washington, D.

Graham is smooth and nuanced. He gives the stories weight and credibility. I see Pelecanos name on the spine and I think, dependable. Not always, but close. He likes a little weed and he certainly knows his way around the ladies.

Pelecanos, shall we say, keeps the lights on. Rated R, at least. But Lucas has a heart. When his apartment has too many books, he brings them to wounded soldiers at Walter Reed.

Lucas also has a woman, Grace Kincaid, who wants him to locate a painting. Berettas, rifles, knives and saps. And blood. It is fast-paced and rather suspenseful. Spero, just turned 30, is an Iraq war veteran who puts to good use his Marine training in his current.

Find many great new used options and get the best deals for Spero Lucas Ser. Free shipping for many products! Author Pelecanos has set the plot in the year in Washington DC. At the start of the story, a couple of young men named Joey Recevo and Pete Karras are shown coming out of war and trying to search for work.

The former Marine works part-time as a private investigator for a D. Pelecanos has in turn influenced other novelists. The second in a series featuring a new investigator represents an update for the veteran mystery novelist. Pelecanos The Cut, etc. His latest is Spero Lucas, who differs from his predecessors in terms of generation, experience and bloodline.