From Publishers Weekly
Two minutes, in and out, that's the rule for robbing banks in this page-turning action ride around L.A. from bestseller Crais (_Hostage_). Break that rule, and you can end up like Marchenko and Parsons, dying in a violent shoot-out on the streets, the fortune from their string of heists deeply hidden. Max Holman certainly knows the time limit better than most. Dubbed the "hero bandit" by the press, he got caught during a robbery after he stopped to perform CPR on a bank customer who had a heart attack. About to leave prison on parole, the 48-year-old Max hopes he can establish contact with the son he never really knew, now a cop. When Max's son is murdered, suspected of being in a ring of dirty cops seeking the Marchenko and Parsons loot, Max needs to know the truth. The only person he figures can help him is Katherine Pollard, the fed who nabbed him, who's now ex-FBI and a struggling single mom. The perfect odd couple, they keep this novel personal and real as it builds to an exciting twist on the bank-robbing rule. 200,000 first printing; 15-city author tour. (Mar.)
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From
Most reviewers are slaphappy with praise for Robert Crais's 13th novel. While some critics note a preference for his Elvis Cole books, they find that believable, complex characters, the vibrant settings around Los AngelesΠ²Πβfrom the dive bars to the straitjacketed Los Angeles riverΠ²Πβand heartfelt emotions separate The Two Minute RuleΠ²Πβand CraisΠ²Πβfrom the bulk of crime fiction. The sharp note of dissent from the_ Oregonian_ only serves to reinforce the impression that middle-of-the road Crais is better than many other writers' best.
Copyright ΠΒ© 2004 Phillips & Nelson Media, Inc.