Pawnbroker by Jerry Hatchett

     Pawnbroker by Jerry Hatchet was published by Red House publishing. It would most align with the mystery/thriller tag. It would appeal to anyone who admires virtuous characters, good dialogue and a plot that keeeps you guessing, without seeming contrived.

One of the main reasons  that I enjoyed Pawnbroker was the characters and their development. They had reactions to situations that felt both real and relatable. I wanted to comfort them and berate them depending on which I felt they needed most. A prime example of a character that made me feel for them was Gray Bolton. Gray was a perfect portrait of a "good guy" archetype. He has grown a somewhat bitter in the entrance of the film from his career as a pawnbroker, but you soon discover he is still essential that fundamentally moral guy. otherever, fate seems to to have dealt him a bad hand. Despite the betrayal and trauma he faces, he maintains this air of morality. He is often faced with choices where temptation threatens to doom him, but always he fights back, and wins. It doesn't seem contrived,  because he is no "golden boy", just a man trying to stay on a narrow path against a relentless typhoon of trouble.Another intriguing character is his partner for the majority of the book, Penny. Originally set in as research for his lawyer, she is with him through thick and thin. A considerable tough woman that can hold her own a fight with words or fists, she admires the surprising goodness in Gray. She proves to be an interesting counterpoint as their banter and occasionally deep talk feels real and satisfying. These are not the only interesting characters, but by far the first developed and the most consistent focus of the book.

The plot was an incredibly sweeping plot. I felt it move and crescendo as it progressed. I could saw that reading it was like making a tapestry. You start out with the overall idea. Gradually, color and personality are added by way of interesting characters. Then, you add large detail, like the major plot turns which are surprising, but fit well into the overall picture. Finally, you tie together seemingly unrelated people and events to make this dramatic and comprehensive reveal. This book is full of Ah-Ah moments where you try and piece together the grand mystery of it all, aided by your omnipresent knowledge, all the while hoping the characters will discover the plot too. This scenario makes for a book that is immensely hard to put down.

On the negative aspects of the book, there are a few talking points to be considered. With all the broad sweeping lead up, it is quite easy to forget seemingly minor characters that turn out to be cataclysmic to the plot with a cast list as long as Pawnbroker's. Also, the writing style is conducive to skimping on character descriptions and location descriptions, so you never gain a clear mental image of anyone or place. The conclusion is interesting, but on whole felt to me cut short to soon.

Overall, it was a book that took its good parts and made a thoroughly readable book with intriguing dialogue, fast pacing and interesting characters.