I love a good crime drama, especially when it is wrapped up in the trappings of literary fiction. I also enjoy complex novels. But it takes a clever writer, and a compelling “voice” to tie together a narrative such as we find in Parabellum. And Greg Hickey for the most part, succeeds.
The ending is the beginning, as we open on the scene of a mass shooting on a Chicago beach. What we are treated to afterwards is a window into the lives of four characters – four possible suspects for the incident. Occasionally interspersed through the different portions of the story are spiels – in a sort of manifesto format – from the actual killer, as it counts down to the date of the massacre.
It’s obvious from the get-go that each of the four are important and will have a part to play. And Hickey puts forth an earnest effort with the characters. It is a slow burn though; the author was not in a hurry. Because of these sub-stories are detailed, and well plotted. The characters’ struggles, motivations, and reactions are believable, non-cliché, and well-written. There is also a lot of real development, which is both logical and poignant where it occurs.
However, I do have my qualms. First, while I enjoy the individual character stories, they do tend to drag on a little beyond what is necessary. There are also places where the story could do with a stronger narrative cohesion. And despite all the time put into the characters, the buildup to the reveal at the end felt out of place and, strangely enough, rushed
Solid dialogue and descriptive sub-plots define this crime/character drama; Hickey really understands what makes people tick. There is a lot of meat here, and much to chew on – and it always isn’t easy to piece together. Still, there is enough of a plot-line to tie it all together in the end, even if it was a bit rushed. Thus Parabellum is in summary a slow burn of an enjoyable, but flawed, novel. I would definitely recommend this read to others who like their crime novels a bit more on the literary side.
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