Review of THE CON MAN'S DAUGHTER by Ed Dee

Warner Books, November 2003

When his daughter is kidnapped, ex-cop Eddie Dunne resolves to bring her back, not matter what it takes. He hears a rumor that a Russian mobster is involved and firebombs his Rolls Royce--and is completely unfazed when the FBI tells him that human remains were found in the car. For Eddie, his daughter matters and nobody else amounts to anything. Eddie thrashes around, beating up people, shooting them in the feet, and getting beat up himself, but doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. Until he comes across evidence of a Lesbian affair involving the Russian mobster's wife. That's when things really get nasty.

Author Ed Dee writes with a noire style. New York is gritty, dangerous, and filled with criminals--and the cops are worse. Although a kidnapped daughter is a potentially emotional event, Dee's writing holds the reader back from emotionally identifying with the character. None of the characters in the story are truly innocent and none engage the reader in anything other than horror.

Dee is a retired New York police lieutenant and clearly knows his law enforcement. The police procedural details make the story feel real. THE CON MAN'S DAUGHTER is an interesting story. Dee's writing makes you want to find out what is going to happen next--it just doen't make you care much about whether it happens to Eddie, his daughter, or anyone else.

Two Stars

Reviewed 2/26/04

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