Review of Money Faucet
Posted: 28 Aug 2021, 16:18
[Following is a volunteer review of "Money Faucet" by Joe Calderwood.]
Money Faucet by Joe Calderwood is a fast-paced crime thriller bound to delight die-hard crime fans all over. It is the second book in The Clint Kennedy Crime series.
The moment Clint Kennedy found the dead body sprawled over the chair, he knew he was in deep trouble. It didn’t help that he had made an appointment to meet with the dead man just hours earlier. Trembling, he punched in a number on his phone and screamed at the person on the other end. After exchanging a few curt words, the line went dead, but Clint knew what he had to do next…
On paper, Clint appears to be living the life of Riley. He owns a sprawling mansion in Mexico, is a major stockholder in a prestigious American bank and earns millions in dollars weekly. He’s also a philanthropist, having founded a school for less privileged indigenous kids. Yes, Clint seems like a promising uber-successful young man who is at the top of his game. In reality, however, he’s a criminal, laundering money for his drug lord boss, Pablo, in Mexico through the same bank where he's a major stockholder. The school he established for underprivileged kids is funded through the millions of dollars he makes from the money laundering business. Now, with the law closing in on the drug business and a dead man hanging on his neck, time is running out for Clint. How will he avert the disaster that is coming his way?
I like the catchy caption that came with the hardcover. I must admit this was what drew me to the book. It turns out that the author’s writing style didn’t disappoint. It is quirky, witty and has the right amount of excitement to keep me glued to the pages. The story unfolds and develops fast. The author takes his time to describe the scenes and events so well that one can visualise the entire plot in living colours.
However, I cannot say the same for the character development. I had a hard time trying to catch up with the many characters in the book. Some also didn’t quite fit into the narrative. An example of this is Eddie. His character wasn’t fully developed, and I don’t understand his grandfather’s part either. Laine Gordon's character is confusing too. I’m left wondering about her role in Clint’s life after popping in and out of the chapters. However, the confusion may stem from this being the second book in the series, so Eddie’s character might have been fully developed in the first book. This might also mean Laine’s character is being prepped for the third instalment. Therefore, I will suggest readers should get familiar with the first book in the series, Stained Fortune, and watch out for a third book as well.
The ending was also a letdown as it was anticlimactic given the intense build-up of the plot. I would say it ended on a whimper, rather than with a bang. Again, it might be because a third instalment is a possibility, but unfortunately, that didn’t decrease my disappointment at the lacklustre ending.
Hence, I’ll rate it 3 out of 4 stars. It started very well, held my attention for a while, but finished poorly. I will say it was professionally well-edited as I could only find one error. It does contain strong language, so perhaps it’s not suitable for younger/sensitive readers. Fans of the crime/mystery literary genre will enjoy the fast-paced thrill of the plot.
******
Money Faucet
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Money Faucet by Joe Calderwood is a fast-paced crime thriller bound to delight die-hard crime fans all over. It is the second book in The Clint Kennedy Crime series.
The moment Clint Kennedy found the dead body sprawled over the chair, he knew he was in deep trouble. It didn’t help that he had made an appointment to meet with the dead man just hours earlier. Trembling, he punched in a number on his phone and screamed at the person on the other end. After exchanging a few curt words, the line went dead, but Clint knew what he had to do next…
On paper, Clint appears to be living the life of Riley. He owns a sprawling mansion in Mexico, is a major stockholder in a prestigious American bank and earns millions in dollars weekly. He’s also a philanthropist, having founded a school for less privileged indigenous kids. Yes, Clint seems like a promising uber-successful young man who is at the top of his game. In reality, however, he’s a criminal, laundering money for his drug lord boss, Pablo, in Mexico through the same bank where he's a major stockholder. The school he established for underprivileged kids is funded through the millions of dollars he makes from the money laundering business. Now, with the law closing in on the drug business and a dead man hanging on his neck, time is running out for Clint. How will he avert the disaster that is coming his way?
I like the catchy caption that came with the hardcover. I must admit this was what drew me to the book. It turns out that the author’s writing style didn’t disappoint. It is quirky, witty and has the right amount of excitement to keep me glued to the pages. The story unfolds and develops fast. The author takes his time to describe the scenes and events so well that one can visualise the entire plot in living colours.
However, I cannot say the same for the character development. I had a hard time trying to catch up with the many characters in the book. Some also didn’t quite fit into the narrative. An example of this is Eddie. His character wasn’t fully developed, and I don’t understand his grandfather’s part either. Laine Gordon's character is confusing too. I’m left wondering about her role in Clint’s life after popping in and out of the chapters. However, the confusion may stem from this being the second book in the series, so Eddie’s character might have been fully developed in the first book. This might also mean Laine’s character is being prepped for the third instalment. Therefore, I will suggest readers should get familiar with the first book in the series, Stained Fortune, and watch out for a third book as well.
The ending was also a letdown as it was anticlimactic given the intense build-up of the plot. I would say it ended on a whimper, rather than with a bang. Again, it might be because a third instalment is a possibility, but unfortunately, that didn’t decrease my disappointment at the lacklustre ending.
Hence, I’ll rate it 3 out of 4 stars. It started very well, held my attention for a while, but finished poorly. I will say it was professionally well-edited as I could only find one error. It does contain strong language, so perhaps it’s not suitable for younger/sensitive readers. Fans of the crime/mystery literary genre will enjoy the fast-paced thrill of the plot.
******
Money Faucet
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon