Kill Fee by Owen Laukkanen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

A different tale for those who haven’t read Laukkanen. A too familiar tale for those that have. Besides continuing with the characters, Laukkanen likes to continues with various elements of plot. This book seemed to me too similar to the first two. I’m sure the publisher demanded some likeness, but I think this went too far.

This was another 500 pages of an unrequited love story getting in the way of telling a somewhat interesting tale of still another of the work force out to make money despite circumstances and near the end of the book sanity breaks. Some of the locations change, and the methods of the bad guy(s) is different but the rest of the book is pretty much the same.

That sameness just further adds to the excess this book has more than the two previous books. I believe a third of this book could be cut for a better, tighter story.

There are a lot of short cuts taken. Many pointed out by, Goodreads reviewer, Michael Martz.
I’ll add the quickie brain washing, there apparently being no other regional FBI office to take the case from state to state, a one man office to make a successful hit squad, how local law enforcement handles budgeting employee off with FBI traveling country, etc., etc. To much of this story does not meet reality.

Florida setting: Laukkanen does a very good job with the Florida setting. Very accurate. Am surprised at the choice of Palatka as part of an escape route considering the vast distance from Miami. I believe Laukkanen chose Palatka due to it being the most remote of the Amtrak depots.

Despuite all of the above, i thought the actual plot was very good. The dialogue is better than most written today. But it’s the entire assemblage that doesn’t work for me. I was OK with the flighty way the first time. I wasn’t OK the second. Third time and I was hoping for more.

Bottom line: I don’t recommend the book. 5 out of ten points.

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