Tuesday 28 February 2023

One Man's Opinion: THE WHEELMAN by DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI

 


What a firecracker. DS lights the fuse at the beginning and it explodes immediately. Then it explodes repeatedly until the final flame flickers and dies. Fast-paced, rollicking and highly entertaining. 

The wheelman aspect is done and dusted within a matter of pages. Planning, heist and outcome come hard and fast. The money from the bank is deposited into the boot of a car at a long-stay car park and the trio of criminals anticipate returning when things cool down. I don't think it's much of a spoiler to say that the plan doesn't come off. Our protagonist, Lennon, knocked out as they get away, becomes conscious at the point when he's about to be shoved down a pipe into the foundations of a huge building project that are soon to be filled with wet cement. 

Lennon doesn't fancy ending up calcified, fights back and finds himself naked in an unfamiliar city with an broken body and more questions than an Advanced Higher paper.

From then on the plot cuts between the key players in the scene. Lennon's nearest and dearest appears to be trying to save him. The Russian mob aren't happy at who Lennon has killed during his escape. The Italian mob have a gripe with the Russians and with Lennon and are about as fickle as politicians. 

There's a lot of blood spilled as things develop and players exit stage unexpectedly on a regular basis. 

DS revels in reveals. He hits with jabs from left and right when you're not expecting them and delivers the odd low blow. Wherever the punches come from, they come hard and it takes a moment for the world to come back into focus.

Tons of fun, then. Recommended for when you need pure escapism.   

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