Review by Booklist Review
When Collins decided to bring his hit-man hero Quarry back after a three-decade hiatus, he gave us The Last Quarry (2006), seemingly stamping paid to the series. But then, devilishly, he produced The First Quarry (2008). Naturally, we now have Quarry in the Middle that's middle both chronologically, in the sense that the events described here fall more or less midway between First and Last, and thematically, in that Quarry is caught in the middle between two gangsters vying for control of a potential gambling-and-vice mecca on the Illinois-Iowa border (the action is set in the mid-1980s, with legalized gambling on the horizon). No longer a paid hit man, Quarry is freelancing, tailing his former associates, determining their targets, and offering his services to the potential victims for a hefty price. This time that strategy backfires, and Quarry finds himself the target. Collins, a consummate craftsman, dipsy-doodles his way through the plot machinations like Earl the Pearl dribbling in traffic, and he's equally dexterous at balancing Quarry the emotionless killer against Quarry the knight errant. Perfectly emulsified pulp pleasure.--Ott, Bill Copyright 2009 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
Collins's eclectic hit man returns. With his "Broker" (the guy who arranges his kills) dead and Quarry in possession of the man's records, he begins turning the tables on his fellow assassins by warning their soon-to-be victims and offering to save their skins by cleaning the cleaners-for a hefty fee. Looking to make one last juicy score so he can retire and get out of the life before his own ticket inevitably is punched, business takes him to Haydee's Port, IL, a backwater sleaze pit that's "all sex and murder and money." There he approaches Richard Cornell, a casino owner who's about to have a fatal accident courtesy of rival gambling boss Jerry Giovanni. As usual, things don't go quite according to plan, and Quarry finds himself between the two when his cover is blown and Giovanni's crew comes gunning for him instead. Verdict Collins masterfully balances the standard sex and violence with humor and style, and like the series' previous installments, this one is a lightning-fast, can't-put-it-down read. As soon as you finish it, you'll be aching for the next one. Let's hope Quarry never retires. Highly recommended for mystery fans.-Mike Rogers, LJX/LJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
