Bourne, Sam – THE RIGHTEOUS MEN

[LJ Roberts]

THE RIGHTEOUS MEN (Suspense-NYC-Cont) – Poor
Bourne, Sam – 1st book
HarperCollinsPublisher, 2006- UK Hardcover

British born Will Monroe is a fledgling reporter with the New York Times. Murders are occurring around the world. The victims seem to be random until it is realized that each person performs deeds which define him as a righteous man. Will’s wife, Beth, is kidnapped and told not to call the police, they do not want money and that she will be released unharmed in a few days. Will’s search takes him to his father, two old friends, and into the Hassidic community of New York City.

The legend behind this story is, apparently, real and I really wanted to like this book. The best thing I can say about this book is that it did keep me turning the pages, but I’m not certain why. Will was neither a particularly interesting or bright character. The strongest character in the book was his former girlfriend, TC. One major point in the book which prevented Will from being immediately murdered was painfully wrong; obviously the author did not know about medical procedures common for U.S. male babies as recent as the 1980s. Toward the end, I was really hoping the story was not taking the very predictable path it was; but it did. So I read it, I finished it, but don’t know that I’ll read another Mr. Bourne who is, in fact, England’s Guardian's political correspondent Jonathan Freedland. I’d have used a pseudonym, too, had I written this.