I'm a big fan of Ed Brubaker and Sean Philips' Criminal comics, and whenever Ed recommends a book, I generally go and find it. Such was the case with The Wheelman by Duane Swierczynski.
Usually, I'm the world's slowest reader. I have citations to prove it. But after picking this book up Friday, I stayed up until three last night to finish it. The book tells the story of an Irish mute wheelman--the guy who drives the car after a bank robbery, if you don't know, which you should, so I really should just go back and delete that line but right now that seems more trouble than it's worth--and what happens when a job goes completely clusterfuck wrong. The book has been compared to Elmore Leonard--another of my favourite authors--and the comparison holds for a bit, but doesn't stick. Swierczynski shares Leonard's dark humour, but there is a much higher violence quota here. In fact, the brutality in this book simply doesn't let up--so much so that it teeters a bit towards OTT, but pulls back in time before incredulity crumbles. The ending left me a little shocked, but did guarantee that I will be searching out the next book, The Blonde.
The only problem I have with books like this? I read them too fast, and in a month, have no clear idea of what happened. Which is good in a way, since I can re-read all my Leonards again and again. But I don't think books like The Wheelman are meant to be read slowly. Your fingers should be bleeding from papercuts, just adding to the story's blood quotient.
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