L.A. Outlaws

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Customer Reviews:

Pure Schlock [Posted on 2008-07-04]
Parker has written some terrific books, "Little Saigon", "Lie Down With Serpents" but this work is pure drivel. Absurd plot, sophmoric phrasing and just plain awful. His last endeavor, something about rain forcasting was pretty bad but this is to be avoided at all costs.

Action Packed Page Turner [Posted on 2008-07-05]
Suzanne Jones is not your usual heroine. An award-winning teacher turned exceptional, egotistical thief, she wasn't the most sympathetic of characters. But I'm not sure was meant to be. The writing, the action, and getting into Suzanne's head made L.A. Outlaws an exciting and thrilling ride.

Allison Murietta Will Knock You Out [Posted on 2008-07-05]
I am always a tiny bit wary of female characters created by male authors. I don't know -- sometimes male authors don't seem to get into the mindset of the female character. That is NOT the case in T. Jefferson Parker's "LA Outlaws". Allison Murietta is an extremely dynamic and well realized character. What makes her even more exciting is that her chapters are told from the first-person point of view. T. Jefferson Parker depicts her femininity, sexuality, maternal instincts and power beautifully. She is a modern-day Robin Hood cutting a path of sensual destruction through Los Angeles. Her passion for the cop, Hood, who is chasing her is compelling. This book is a stunner. The setting is beautifully realized and all the characters rock. The killer chasing Allison, Lupercio, is one of the most frightening characters ever; a man with his own baggage and a set of complex moral principles. The scene where he pursues Allison on a crane is one of the most riveting action sequences I have ever read. Advisory: graphic violence suitable to the story. This book is highly recommended.

Ho...and hum. [Posted on 2008-08-12]
Perhaps it's not fair to review a book you didn't finish, but since I've read from beginning to end everything else written by T. Jefferson Parker (I loved Silent Joe!), I'm giving it a shot. I couldn't finish L. A. Outlaws because A) I found nothing likeable or credible about Allison/Suzanne and couldn't get past her personal morality, her know-it-all-attitude about cars and everything else, her excuse that she robs the greedy and gives to charity--let her work for a living and give to charity like the rest of us do--and her victims: McDonald's? Burger King? lots of children go into those places and she carries a gun. Why not a Chucky Cheese, while she's at it? Can you tell I didn't like her?; B) Charlie Hood is not very credible, either; C) it's reminiscent but not as well done as No Country for Old Men (anti-hero comes across a stash of ill gotten goods, takes the loot, is identified by both the police and the bad guy, and is pursued by both), and D) I don't need to read another book about a patient with dementia, and E) it doesn't even feel like something written by T. Jefferson Parker.

I don't think Parker is very adept at creating women characters who serve as the heroine or anti-heroine of the story. He had a brief series about a woman detective (his books with a color in the title) and I found her uninteresting, too.

I'm happy for all those who liked it; personally I'll hope for better things in his next one.

A Better Mousetrap [Posted on 2008-08-19]
I once had a very hard time catching a mouse. This book suggests a better way. Read it and see.

Of course, that's not the main point of L.A. Outlaws. It centers on Suzanne Jones/Allison Murietta. Suzanne is an eighth grade history teacher. She's the loving mother of three children by three different men. Don't worry. It's cool. Allison is a bandit who: uses a loaded gun to rob fast food joints, steals cars, and runs off with a backpack full of diamonds that she finds after a gangster shootout. (When will fictional characters learn that you can't steal from criminals and expect to stroll away?)

Allison is a good outlaw (oxymoron?) who gives a portion of her ill-gotten gains to charities.

The author weaves the story of Irag War veteran and L.A. County Deputy Sheriff Charlie Hood into the affair. He has a big secret. Suzanne has a lot of secrets. They fall in love and share secrets.

There's also a hit man whose best friend is a machete.

Certain implausibilities are easily outweighed by the general excitement.

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