Book reviews

Wolf Pass
Steve Thayer Book Review

Read a book review online (click here to search reviews)
Books Movies  
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Mystery/Thriller Literature Romance Biography Video
Steve Thayer Books
New book search
Steve Thayer Message Board
Get more information about this book
Plot Summary of Wolf Pass
"

Putnam, Mar 2003, 24.95, 304 pp.
ISBN: 0399149910

In 1963, residents of Kickapoo County, Wisconsin are shocked when someone assassinates train engineer Frank Prager while waiting in the yards. The bullet was fired from a hillside six hundred yards away from the target. Townsfolk know that only Deputy Sheriff Pliny Pennington could hit a mark from a distance equivalent to six football fields.

Pliny has two reasons to solve the case. First he must clear his name since he is running for the position of county sheriff and no spin control short of catching the real killer will work. Second, he suspects that the murder is the calling card from a World War II enemy, Nazi officer “Wolf” Stangl. When Frank's wife Lisa, who was having an “affair” with Pliny, is killed next, the deputy has no doubts as to the culprit. However, no one else believes a former Nazi butcher is hiding in Wisconsin seeking a personal final solution that is until a revenge seeking Scotland Yard operative arrives in town.

WOLF PASS is an exciting historical police procedural that features the return of Pliny in a strong tale. Besides an engaging investigative tale, the story line provides the audience with a deep look at what the Great War cost Pliny physically and mentally. There are plenty of twists, not all needed to prime the pump, but ultimately the plot peels down to Pliny must prove his theory correct or lose more than just an election. Sub-genre readers will applaud this novel and seek Steve Thayer's previous Pliny work (see WHEAT FIELD).

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Wolf Pass
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 30%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 20%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - 1960's-1970's
What % of story relates directly to the mystery, not the subplot? - 60%
Misc. Murder Plotlets - Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator - police procedural, American
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - feelings of fear/loss/inadequacy
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Male
Profession/status: - police/lawman
Age: - 40's-50's
How much violence does he/she use? - just the right amount
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Very much smarter than other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 40's-50's
Profession/status: - killer
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - mean, arrogant
Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Midwest

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 2
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
Most similar books to Wolf Pass
Wisdom of the Bones by Christopher Hyde
Mirror Mirror on the Wall by Stanley Ellin
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Dont I Know You? by Karen Shepard
Samantha by E.V. Cunningham


Click here for more information about this book




Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s).
Three ways to search for Thriller/Action books!

1) One-click plot searches! Simply click on a plot or subplot below!

Big vehicle disaster?

Crime Thriller

Disaster, natural or nuclear

Exploring into the wild

Horror Story?

Legal Thriller

Medical Thriller

Religious overtones?

Spying/Terrorism Thriller

War Thriller

Water adventure

Western



or 2) Simple lookup
(title or author)

or
3) Even more search options available with a Detailed Booksearch (click here)

Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback


Most recent discussions:

General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Norah Lofts 6:49:46 PM
Suzanne Weyn 10:35:23 PM
George W. Bush 5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt 12:58:29 AM
Anonymous 12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun 10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino 10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer 10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett 10:03:31 PM
David Williams 10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield 10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls 10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan 9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi 9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine 9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington 9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody 9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden 9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn 9:55:48 PM
Iris Johansen 9:55:24 PM

More message boards