Title: The Third Rail
Author: Michael Harvey
Publisher: Knopf; 1 edition
Publication Date: April 20, 2010
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN: 978-0307272508
Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Thriller
A woman is shot as she waits for her train to work. An hour later, a second woman is gunned down as she rides an elevated train through the Loop. Two hours after that, a church becomes the target of a chemical weapons attack. The city of Chicago is under siege, and Michael Kelly, cynical cop turned private investigator, just happens to be on the scene when all hell breaks loose.
Kelly is initially drawn into the case by the killers themselves, then tasked by Chicago’s mayor and the FBI to hunt down the bad guys and, all things being equal, put a bullet in them. Kelly, of course, has other ideas. As he gets closer to the truth, his instincts lead him to a retired cop, a shady train company, and an unnerving link to his own past. Meanwhile, Kelly’s girlfriend, Rachel Swenson, becomes a pawn in a much larger game, while a weapon that could kill millions ticks away quietly in the very belly of the city.
The Third Rail is stylish, sophisticated, edge-of-your-seat suspense from a new modern master.
My Review:
An action packed thriller from beginning to end, The Third Rail by Michael Harvey commands the reader’s attention from the very beginning. Women are being murdered in the city of Chicago and PI Kelly, in conjunction with the FBI, launches a massive investigation overturning some very puzzling clues, leaving Kelly all the more perplexed and determined to solve the case. Raw and intense, The Third Rail is filled with an intriguing ensemble of characters, corruption, deception and plenty of heart stopping plot twists to keep the reader guessing and reading long into the night. This is Michael Harvey’s third novel in his Michael Kelly series and can easily stand alone as Harvey weaves into the story information from the previous novels. For suspense thriller fans, Michael Harvey is an author to keep an eye on. The Third Rail is an excellent choice for those who enjoy being kept up reading an excellent thriller.
Michael Harvey is the author of The Chicago Way and The Fifth Floor, and is also a journalist and documentary producer. His work has won numerous national and international awards, including multiple Emmy Awards, two Primetime Emmy nominations, and an Academy Award nomination. He holds a law degree from Duke University, a master’s degree in journalism from Northwestern University, and a bachelor’s degree in classical languages from Holy Cross College.
I received a complimentary copy of The Third Rail by Michael Harvey from FSB Associates. Receiving a review copy in no way reflected my review of aforementioned novel.
Thriller is not my favourite genre, but I do adore a good book with suspense. I like that. So it sounds really good! Great review.