In Print: The Graveyard Shift by Jack Higgins

Some years back I was told that if you want to read a great spy story you must read Jack Higgins. When spies want to read about spies, they read Higgins. That's a helluva kudo, so I combed the used book dealers and came up with a couple novels. This book, The Graveyard Shift, is the first that I read.

This is the story of two men, one on either side of the law in the UK. Ben Gervald is a criminal who was just released from prison, and Nick Miller who's a detective sergeant. There are many other characters sprinkled through out the pages. I came to dislike every one of them.

Nick Miller is a privileged genius who's wasting away his days away with the police. He's such a smug character I had to hate him. He knows everything. He knows how to do everything. He can make a woman melt with just a look. He inspires fear in the hearts of men just with his presence. COME ON! This guy sounds more like a James Bond type who should be in MI-6 not a beat cop.

Ben Gervald is the reformed criminal who's just looking for his repayment for keeping his mouth shut. This guy is also a force to be reckoned with. No man can beat him, no woman can resist him. WTF?!?!?!1

Between these two I was hoping for both to get whacked. I only got half my wish. So I hated this book. hated the characters. Even though it was an easy quick read, I felt robbed of my time when I finished it off. I felt no gratification, no pay-off like you would from good writing.

On the other hand, my coworker read it too, and enjoyed it. So you may tale my review with a grain of salt. I just didn't feel the need to read a book of cliches.