Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records Braille and Talking Books Division
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WELCOME TO BOOK TALK

This location presents Arizona Braille and Talking Book Readers
with book summaries and reviews suggested by our readers, staff, and volunteers.
Also provided will be recent library news.

(Writer’s note:) With Spring in the air and the promise of warmer weather, you might wish to revive your spirits with some good entertainment. Perhaps some escape lit to alleviate the lingering winter depression of world events and political scandals. So let’s settle back and pretend we’re seeking treasure. Not the kind found by pirates but by rogue cops in Los Angeles, some 17 million dollars never recovered from a series of bank robberies.

If this narrative treasure map doesn’t sound particularly exciting, note the X. Once the X is removed you will find perhaps the most thrilling contemporary mystery writer of our time, Robert Crais. This New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and USA Today best selling detective mystery novelist can literally spring you into the L.A. crime scene in less than two minutes!! But don’t get confused – this season’s selection by Robert Crais, The Two Minute Rule has nothing to do with the time realm of escaping from reality into a great mystery book. However, it does relate to escape and will reveal a lethal treasure hunt more thrilling and exciting than any you’ve ever encountered!

THE TWO MINUTE RULE
RC 62000
by Robert Crais
325 pages on two cassettes
Published 2006
Narrated by J.P. Linton

FROM THE BOOK JACKET

“Two minutes can be a lifetime.  Ask anyone on the wrong side of the law about the two-minute rule and they’ll tell you that’s as long as you can hope for at a robbery before the cops show up.  Break the two-minute rule and it’s a lifetime in jail.  But not everyone plays by the rules.

When ex-con Max Holman finally gets out of jail, freedom doesn’t taste too sweet.  The only thing on his mind is reconciliation with his estranged son, who is, ironically, a cop.  But then he hears the devastating news: His son and three other uniformed cops were gunned down in cold blood in Los Angeles the night before Holman’s release.  When the hit is exposed as a revenge killing and the question of police corruption is raised, it becomes a father’s last duty to clear his son’s name and catch the killer.  With all the elements that have made Robert Crais one of the very best crime writers today, The Two Minute Rule is gripping, edgy suspense from the author who sets the standard when it comes to surprising plot twist and powerful characters.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

If you can guess a mystery writer who says he was influenced by Raymond Chandler, Dashiel Hammett, Ernest Hemingway, Robert B. Parker, and John Steinbeck  and grew up in Louisiana on the banks of the Mississippi River in a blue collar family of oil refinery workers and police officers – then you already know something about one of the truly great contemporary mystery writers of our time – Robert Crais.

Robert first started out as an amateur film-maker and short fiction writer.  He soon realized his talents were well suited for the film making capital of the world – Hollywood, California.  In 1976 he quickly found work writing scripts for a number of television series such as Hill Street Blues, Cagney and Lacy, and Miami Vice.  His skills were quickly realized and he received an Emmy nomination for his work on Hill Street Blues.  However, Robert Crais is most proud of his four hour NBC miniseries, Cross of Fire, which the New York Times noted as “A searing and powerful documentation of the Ku Klux Klan’s rise to national prominence in the 20s.”

The mid 1980s marked a major career turning point as Crais quit a well salaried job as a contract writer and television producer to pursue a life long dream, becoming a novelist.  Much like one of the writers he most admired, John Steinbeck, Crais’ first efforts as an author proved unsuccessful.  However, upon the death of his father in 1985, he became inspired to create the private investigator Elvis Cole – using elements of his own life as the basis of the book.  The very first Cole novel - The Monkey’s Raincoat (RC 58159 on two cassettes and narrated by Gregory Gorton) won the Anthony and Macavity Awards and was a major nomination for the prestigious mystery writer Edgar Award.  This novel (that took readers into the private detective world of Elvis Cole as he searches into the activities of a philandering husband that ends up with a kidnapping and murder) was also selected by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association as one of the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century.

Crais’ world-wide bestseller that also won the New York Times ‘Notable Book of the Year Award’, The Hostage (RC 53022 narrated by Gregory Gorton on two cassettes that involves a house invasion with hostages taken after a failed robbery) was also released as a major movie in 2005 starring Bruce Willis.

Robert Crais currently lives in Santa Monica, California with his wife, three cats, and many thousands of books.

ABOUT THE NARRATOR

Usually in the Spring, especially in Arizona, we all worry about pollen in the air and maybe even in your nose and ears.  However, this narrator is guaranteed not to give your ears an allergic reaction!! With an honors B.A. in Theatre, an appearance on Broadway as Von Strack in Amadeus, starring as McBurney in the Royal National Theatre’s Not About Nightingales and also appearing in The Devil’s Disciple, plus having major roles in off-Broadway productions as well as 30 lead and recurring roles in feature films, Linton has what it takes to give you renewed listening pleasure!

J.P. Linton currently lives in Manhattan with his wife, Karin, and their 7-year old son, Bryant.

READER CRITIQUE

Four outlines of dead bodies belonging to police officers mysteriously murdered in the L.A. River, a page opener with crazed bank robbers on drugs being shot to pieces by responding law enforcement, East Los Angeles gang culture and an ex F.B.I. female agent with absolutely no fear – these are all elements of a mystery that will grab your attention in less than two minutes as you learn about the “two minute rule” in the world of crime.

Perhaps the above illustrates just why this is such a great mystery, for there is no better recommendation for a crime suspense novel than having it live on in your memory once the last sentence is completed.  From these examples you can see that it has made a vivid impression on your reviewer.  Indeed, The Two Minute Rule by Robert Crais simply will not be forgotten!  The author’s unique ability to create memorable characters and unforgettable scenes, without losing a fast paced and always exciting narrative, makes this thriller one you won’t forget!!

NARRATOR REVIEW

For this listener, J.P. Linton is ‘Mr. Crystal Clear.’  He abides by a code of narration that makes him a true knight.  The code – no mumbling, no run on vocal sentences, never whispering, and above all making sure every word uttered is “crystal clear.” His narration of The Two Minute Rule is so perfect it is almost addicting!!

Library News

Spring is always the season to recognize our volunteers and this year marked the 27th time we have done so.  Our Arizona State Braille and Talking Book Library Volunteer Recognition Luncheon was held March 4th at the Camelback Golf Club in Scottsdale.  Over 180 volunteers were in attendance with special acclaim given to Glenna Atwood, Keith Holler, Barbara Pastore, and Doris Walker – who gave over 1,000 hours each in book duplication, machine repair, narration, and technical services.  Receiving top honors was Ted Anderson who gave over 5,000 hours fixing machines for our readers. The guest speaker was Steve Welker who gave a testimonial on how much our library service has helped him as an author and business owner.  Linda Montgomery ( Library Director), and GladysAnn Wells (Arizona State Library Director) concluded the event by personally thanking all our volunteers for their tremendous efforts in providing this service to thousands of readers throughout Arizona!!

Another top library news item has been the replacement of two of our Reader Advisor Librarians.  Kim Bell relocated to California when her husband obtained a new job in Riverside and Kim now has a job as a librarian with the City of Cypress.  She is replaced by John Berkeland who was born in Texas but grew up in Decorah Iowa.  He has been a librarian with both Glendale Public and Tempe Public right here in Arizona.  Alice Lauer recently retired and her replacement is Christine Tuttle who was raised all over the world since her father worked for United Air Lines.  Christine comes to us from the Phoenix Public Library System where she worked for 12 years.  So if your last name begins with a-d you get to welcome Christine when you call or John if your last name begins with m-r.  So we welcome in the Spring honoring our volunteers and new Reader Advisement Librarians!!

(Comments and questions regarding “BookTalk” should be
directed to Reader Advisement Librarian Henry Hayden at hhayden@lib.az.us)

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Updated: 05/07/2007

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