'There is nothing like early retirement to make a person feel dead.'
After 35 years of teaching, I finally stepped away from the profession at the end of October. It's an odd feeling and I'm still coming to terms with new routines and all of the empty space, but I suspect all will be well.
Which means I'm now full-time writer. How amazing. I have a couple of novellas, written in collaboration that I've very excited about, on the back burner, and I'm about to crack on with a caper that should be fun to put together.
As for the teaching, it was a lifetime and trying to distill anything worthwhile in terms of reflection is nigh on impossible. Though I won't miss the stress, I miss the children and my colleagues. What I can say is that I may not have been the best at what I did, but I did my best with the skills I had and always put the families first. I've never exploited anyone or tried to profit from others and that feels good.
But it's going to take some time, which explains the quote from the book at the head of this review.
Alice In Jeopardy is a whole lot of fun. As it was published in 2005, it's among McBain's last books and if it was his final effort, it's a hell of a way for him to sign out.
In terms of my 87th Precinct reads, I've only just reached the 1980s, so this has a much more contemporary feel to it. It reminded me a little of Linwood Barclay, extreme events happening to unassuming people, the jeopardy constantly being ramped up.
Alice has two children. Together, they're putting the pieces of their life back together following the death of their husband/father.
While working hard trying to sell property in order to pay the bills, Alice gets a call from an unknown lady telling her that her children have been kidnapped and that the only way she'll see them again is if she pays up the $250K ransom.
Under instruction not to call the police, Alice contacts a loyal friend, but things are complicated when the childminder does her job and informs the law.
What follows is an action-packed web of intrigue.
The cops set up a wire tap. The feds are sniffing close. Alice's brother-in-law considers muscling in and finding an angle that will allow him to cut a wedge from the ransom cake. There's a car accident and a broken ankle to deal with, the invasion of the press and the unwelcome attention of a widower who seems to want to help.
All in all, the pot is so full that stirring it any more would end in disaster for all involved.
I loved it. Even though I nailed some of the key points a while before revelation, it didn't matter one bit. The compexity of it all meant I never stopped striving to get to the next chapter and the denouement.
In the circumstances, the dedication feels touching:
I'm sorry, but she's the love of my life, you know. So this, too, is dedicated to my wife, Dragica.
The full 10 out of 10.
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