Playmates, Robert Parker Book Review

"Playmates" by Robert Parker is a Spenser PI mystery that Parker is famous for. Parker writes a humorous, sexy and thrilling story that holds ones interest from start to finish. Spenser has been called to investigate point shaving at the University of Taft. Taft is a top basketball college with some teammates being drafted by the NBA, if they are good enough. Rumor has it that point shaving is present on the team. The coach does not believe it and forbids his players to talk with Spenser. Through investigating and viewing videos of games, Spenser finds this rumor true. He tells the coach, Dunham and gets a green light to solve the problem. Dwayne Woodcock is the star player on the team with future drafting of the NBA quite possible, but he is the one doing the shaving. The Mob from NY has their hook in Dwayne and are able to control him with ease. Money and lies keep the Mob on top of the situation until Spenser finds the connection of the university to the Mob. Spenser did not want to bring Dwayne down because he new basketball and not much else, he could not even read. A senior at a university and illiterate, not good. Spenser is a compassionate and understanding man who spends a night in jail for with holding information, but does his own thing and comes forward with good results. Parker has combined a true fact of shaving for gambling reasons with a suspenseful story. Spenser is a tough guy, stays in shape but is a loving man who cares.

Fatal Tide, Iris Johansen Book review

"Fatal Tide" by Iris Johansen is a great romantic thriller that Johansen is well known for. She captures an idealistic romantic atmosphere with a story that is very suspenseful. Johansen has brought her characters through guilty pasts and how they overcome these problems with good results.

Melis and her step father Phil are well known oceanographers. Phil had a quest to discover the lost city of Marinth, a wealthy and rich city that was lost to the sea in a natural disaster thousands of years ago. Melis refused to help Phil find the city and lived on a remote island in the Caribbean. She adopted two dolphins, Pete and Susie. She studied their habits and life style. They were her life. Phil was blown up on his ship and the secret of Marinth was lost. Jed Kelby, an ex- SEAL, had dreams of finding Marinth and befriended Phil, his disappearance led Kelby to Melis.

Archer was an illegal arms dealer and was after the plans of a sonic gun, with great destructive power, that Phil had developed. With Phil not around, Melis was the only one with the plans and the secrets of Marinth. Kelby meets up with Melis and protects her from Archer, who wants the plans and goes to extremes with Melis and holds her hostage to her past. Melis made a deal with Kelby, she would help him find Marinth for his protection from Archer. Archer is a ruthless killer and a determined man who torments Melis to the end.

Johansen has her romantic roots exposed in this story, but the love of the dolphins and how human they really are, puts the story into a realm of realism. A quick and easy read that is a very thrilling and suspenseful novel.

Dead Watch, John Sandford Book Review

"Dead Watch" by John Sandford is his first political thriller. Sandford is a master in story telling which makes this page turning book very suspenseful with non-stop action. His characters are believable and the plot is riveting! A very talented author.

Jake Winter, a democratic research assistant, and ex-Army Intelligence who was wounded in Afghanistan, is called in by the Democratic President to investigate a political scandal that might include their party. A republican senator turns up missing, several day later his body is found in Virginia, burnt beyond recognition and decapitated. The governor of Virginia, Goodman, has a "Watchman" group like a gestapo, that was blamed for this atrocity. Jake has much to do. He meets up with the widow of the senator, Madison, to receive information about the senator and his ways. He finds much, that takes him on a journey that leaves two dead, and the truth of the death of the senator. There are many twists and turns in this plot, but Jake does his best.

With a Political thriller, Sandford puts several ideas in the plot, kind of the way bureaucracy and government run. We never know what is right. After reading this novel, one does not know what really goes on with the politicians. We can only hope for the best.

The Lonesome Gods, Louis L'Amour Book Review

"The Lonesome Gods" by Louis L'Amour is a great historical fiction around 1820 of the southwestern part of California. L'Amour is very graphic in his stories, with a map of the area of that time. Included in this story is the desert around Palm Springs and Los Angeles. The realism of the area is put into a fictional story that holds one until the book is finished.

At the age of six, Johannes Verne and his father, Zackery, are journeying to LA from Santa Fe by a wagon with six other people. Zack has lunger disease and will die soon and he wants to go to LA where Johannes' grandfather lives. The grandfather felt betrayed for he wanted to keep the blood line of his Spanish heritage. His daughter ran off and married Zack, a common man of the US who was not Spanish. He wanted Zack dead, along with Johannes. Johannes' mother died from an illness, leaving Zack in charge of Johannes. With months to live, Zack heads west with the boy. Arriving at a natural hot spring at the foot of Mt. San Jacinto, Zack was told that his father-in-law was out to kill him, so he stayed in the Palm Springs local. Johannes is befriended by the Cahuilla Indians and learns the way of the Indian. Zack is killed and Johannes goes to LA to live with a lady, Miss Nesselrode, who he met on the wagon out of Santa Fe. Johannes becomes educated and lives a good life until his identity is discovered. His grandfather wants him dead, but Johannes is to smart to let that happen. A chase through out the south deserts, leaves many dead but Johannes prevails and gets to the Palm Springs area where he meets up with an old Indian friend. Now the hunted becomes the hunter and Johannes travels to LA to settle the dispute.

L'Amour has written a good historical account of this time. The development of LA and Palm Springs has brought us what we have today. The story puts it in an interesting and thrilling way! There is mystery through out the story and one does not know until the end.

Hundred Dollar Baby, Robert Parker Book Review

"Hundred Dollar Baby" by Robert Parker is a Spenser detective thriller in Boston. Spenser is approached by April Kyle, an old friend who he saved from the streets and introduced her to a madam of a high class brothel in NY. Utley taught April the whore business. April started her own brothel and was faced with some strong armed men trying to ruin her business. April tells Spenser and he got involved ridding her of this problem, but he thought she was not telling the truth about things. Further probing proved him right. April was trying to develop a franchise of nation wide brothels, catering to the well to do man called "Dreamgirl". In order to do this, she needed funding. Her search led to several murders and the truth finally surfacing in the end.

Parker has produced a good suspenseful thriller where Spenser is in top form as a detective and a friend, but the friendship was not for real. Spenser learns the hard way but resumes his lifestyle as a good man, compassionate, carrying with humor and love.

Son of a Wanted Man, Louis L 'Amour Book Review

"Son of a Wanted Man" by L'Amour is a western story in the late 1800 that takes place in Utah and the 3 neighboring states.(Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado). L'Amour is great for the geographical realism and the facts about the development of law and order. The true facts are blended into the story, giving a real feeling of it happening that way.

Ben Curry was a big man, wise and intelligent. He was a wanted man! Ben was the brains behind an outlaw gang and by keeping a low profile, he was unknown with the law. Not having a son, he adopted a foster boy in hope that he may take over his gang. Mike Bastian learned scouting, tracking, the use of a gun and physical self defence,(fighting). Mike excelled in all and Ben decided the time was here for him to become the head man. Some gang members did not like the idea of Mike being in charge and captured him to use as leverage to get Ben. The gang was unsuccessful in capturing Ben and Mike was able to escape his bondage. There were two jobs, robing a train loaded with gold and a bank robbery at a small town bank. Bordan Chantry, the law, got wind of these activities and was waiting in ambush. Mike was off to another ranch that Ben owned to save Ben's daughters from some gang members that wanted the cattle. The confrontation of the gang and Mike, ended where one gang member was killed, but the other kidnapped Ben's daughter and fled into the wilderness. With Mike's tracking skill, he went after her with the other daughter at his side and was successful in finding her and killing her capture.

Louis L'Amour was French-Irish and at 15 he took off to explore the world. He did many things, but writing was his life long desire. He had 350 stories rejected before His writing was excepted. In 1984 he was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Reagan. Louis L'Amour died in 1988 leaving a legacy of literary knowledge in the pages of his stories.

Simple Truth, David Baldacci

"Simple Truth" by David Baldacci is a good murder mystery that shows Baldacci is in perfect form. The mystery includes political members, the military and Supreme Court justices. Rufus Harms has been incarcerated for 25 years for a crime he did not do. He was in the Army during the Viet Nam war and could not follow orders and ended up in the stockade. That was the beginning of his trouble. Through the years and many appeals later, Rufus got an appeal out of Fort Jackson prison to the Supreme Court, the highest court available. The head man of the prison, Rayfield, intercepted the appeal and could not let the simple truth out. Conversing with his cohorts, Rayfield took matters in his hands which led to the murder of Mike Fisk, a lawyer in the Supreme Court. John Fisk, his brother and Chandler, homicide detective on the Washington DC police started a lengthily investigation. Harms was able to escape from Fort Jackson and helped Fisk uncover a scandal of the Army experimenting with LSD and PCP on unyielding soldiers. Rufus Harms was one!

Sudden Mischief, Robert Parker

"Sudden Mischief" by Robert Parker is a Spenser detective mystery. Parker writes a smooth prose that is in the first person, this makes the reader feel like part of the story. The chapters are short and contain good humor. Parker is descriptive with his characters looks and the setting of the scenes. The reading goes fast and is very easy to understand.

Spenser is a private detective in Boston and while having a drink with his lover, Susan, she asks him to help her x-husband. Brad Sterling, her x, is being sued for sexual harassment and is desperate for her help. Spenser agrees, and starts investigating. Sterling was the man behind a fund raising benefit, Galapalooza, that was successful and even got praise from the President. This is where the harassment case allegedly took place. With the success of the event, the charity recipients got no funds. Something is not right! Sterling disappears after a dead body was found in his office. Spenser was searching the clues and discovered that the fund raiser was not legitimate. Sterling was using the charity as a front for some criminal activities, money laundering and embezzlement.

With murder and other shady activities, Spenser tells Susan what he came up with. Spenser once again proves himself as detective, friend, lover, and human being as Sterling's reappearance forces Susan to examine her past and her conscience. Spenser must do the same and realizes this to will pass.

Parker has written a good mystery, with love, friendship, humor and violence. This is the 25 series with Spenser and he dose not seem to get older, but he does get wiser.

White Shell Woman, James Doss

"White Shell Woman" by James Doss is a good mystery with an American Indian myth and modern day results. White Shell Woman was a moon goddess that the Indians worshiped. She provided rain for their crops. The rain did not come for several seasons and the crops would not grow. The Anasazi Indians performed human sacrifices to make the moon cry. The moon cried fire and the Indians left, but not before they buried a treasure in the Wolf Mesa area. Charlie Moon was bequeathed a cattle ranch, Columbine, with five square miles of pristine grazing land and a lake full of trout. He was no longer a police for SUPD but a rancher. He became an investigator for the Ute tribe along with a badge, gun and enthusiasm for the challenges in front of him. The ranch foreman did most of the work so Charlie had some free time to devote.

Dr. Amanda Silk, an archaeologist, was watching over the Wolf Mesa site for the forest service, to keep pot hunters and treasure hunters away. On one walk, she uncovered an ancient petroglyph which pointed to where the Anasazi treasure was buried. This was great news and brought many professors with a PhD to study the rock carving. At the site of the treasure, the murder of a graduate student found in a grave and burnt, was the start of the myth of the fire tears of the moon. The FBI were called in and there was a search for the perp. Charlie did his own investigating, for the murder was on the Ute reservation.

Charlie Moon was hit on the head and nearly died. He was found in a grave covered with rocks and pine needles, about to be torched. The howling of a dog saved him. Doss has provided a fine mystery with the Indian Myths and a modern day solution. Doss knows American Indian folklore and puts it in a story of mystery with good results, that the reader enjoys.

The Deadly Canyon, Jake Page-Book Review

"The Deadly Canyon" by Jake Page is a good mystery about conspiracy,smuggling and murder. Mo Bowdre, a blind sculptor from Santa Fe, NM, was commissioned to do a piece for a scientific research center, thirty miles from the border of Mexico in the Peloncillos mountains, NM. Mo was accompanied by his half Hopi Indian lady friend, Connie Barnes, who was his spiritual connection, lover and eyes. Mo has a sixth sense for trouble and a simple and sure way for detection. His loss of one sense has greatly enhanced others which proves that he is a complete man. The commission was organized by the FBI. An agent for the FBI was killed while working out of the facility and they wanted an inside man to gather information about the scientists and everything he could. Mo and Connie fit in the research center well, making friends and getting comfortable with the site. Another body was discovered in Skeleton Canyon, A Mexican lady scientist was found at the bottom of the canyon, her death was ruled accidental but Mo had other ideas.

SPOILER: There was a smuggling ring at the center. Aztec artifacts and gold statues were being processed through the center from Mexico and the head scientist was the ring leader. After telling the sheriff the stories that Mo developed in his mind, four people; Mo, Connie, a guide and a deputy, headed to the canyon where the smuggling was to take place. They were on a simple camping trip, but the Sheriff was waiting for an arrest near by. They pitched their tents and waited. That night after dark, gunfire erupted striking the tents. Everyone was hiding in the surrounding bush and escaped the onslaught of the bullets. The bad scientists were captured, Mo was shot in the side trying to apprehend one who was fleeing, not life threatening, and all worked out as planned.

Page has done a great job with this book. He is right up there with Hillerman and James Doss, with the American Indian and their ways and thoughts. Mo Bowdre finished the scuplure and it was presented to the science research center with a big fanfare. I am looking forward to another adventure of Mo Bowdre, his wit and detection along with humor, are always welcome.

Lean Mean Thirteen, Janet Evanovich-Book Review

Bouncy and perky Stephanie Plum, bounty hunter from Trenton, is in perfect form with this funny mystery. In "Lean Mean Thirteen" Stephanie is busy apprehending FTA's and trying to prove her innocence. She had an altercation with her X-two timing husband, Dickie Orr. He ended up missing with blood and bullet holes in his residence, Steph was the suspect. This leads to a search for Dickie, but Steph is not the only one looking for him. With Joe Morelli, her on and off again Trenton cop boy friend, on a special job, Ranger is looking after Stephanie. She is a handful with trying to get her FTA's and her living the life she does with family ties and just good friends. Dickie was tied to a firm of shady men who were into drug running and money laundering. Dickie overheard the plan to get rid of him , take the millions and flee the country, but Dickie was able to divert the money. His cohorts thought Steph knew all and started to go after her. Evanovich has Stephanie apprehending FTA's, escaping from the bad and trying to live a peaceful life. Is Stephanie ever going to grow up? One should learn from past experiences, but that is what puts the humor in the stories.

Skeleton Man, Tony Hillerman Book Review with Spoiler

Retired Leaphorn, from the Navajo Tribal Police Headquarters, gathers with some of his cohorts to discuss diamonds that have been surfacing for years. Some fifty years ago there was a mid-air collision of airlines over Grand Canyon. The canyon floor was littered with dead and body parts. One victim had an atache case handcuffed to his wrist full of diamonds. His body was never found, but rumor had it that the severed arm with the case was seen in the river but not retrieved. Joanna Craig was the illegitimate daughter of the diamond czar and wanted the arm for DNA analysis to prove her rightful heir to her grandfathers fortune. Several diamond show up in northern Arizona with the same story as how they were acquired. An Indian Shaman, Skeleton Man, gave them in trade for some personal items from passer byers at the bottom of Grand Canyon.

Plymale was the lawyer in charge Craig's fortune and did not want Joanna to get the arm for DNA results, so he hires a bounty hunter, Chandler, to keep this from happening. He had a lot to lose if the truth came out.

Sargent Chee along with his bride to be, Bernie and Dashee were preparing for a climb to the canyon floor. Tuve, one who got the diamond from the Shaman, was going to take them to the spot where he saw the Shaman. He did not show, so Bernie and Chee and Dashee headed down the trail with hopes to meet Tuve later. At the bottom, Chee and Dasheee split up to locate Tuve. Bernie stayed put to wait for Tuve, as time past Bernie went exploring. She found the canyon that Tuve described and went up to see what was there.

SPOILER: Joanna was on her way down with Tuve when she lost Tuve. She continued down and found Chandler, who got a helicopter ride down. Bernie went up the canyon and found the Shaman, who was dead for a long time, laying in the path. Further up the canyon she found the ledge he called home, the diamonds and the arm with the case were there. Joanna and Chandler were following her tracks and not far behind. They met up and found the diamonds also. Chandler was in charge and took the diamonds, Joanna took the arm bones. Suddenly there was a big rain storm that produced flash floods in the canyon, with water flowing strong through the canyon. Joanna and Bernie were able to get to the ledge where the bedding of the Shaman was and escaped the flood. Chandler was swept away. Chee was following the tracks left by Bernie and the others and when the flood arrived, he was able to get to a safe spot. Chandler's body was later found on the shore of Lake Mead, no diamonds. Joanna got her arm bones and the DNA proved she was the heir to the Craig fortune.

Hillerman has provided a great story with American Indian background. The Leaphorn legacy lives on and is ready for another adventure.

Grandmother Spider, James Doss-Book Review

"Grandmother Spider" by James Doss is a mystical thriller full of suspense. Starts with nine year old Sarah Frank killing a spider and Daisy Perika, her guardian, tells her that the big grandmother spider will come from her home under the water of Navajo Lake and take revenge. The spider is huge and kills his pray by decapitating them, sucking the blood out of them and putting them high in a tree for future consumption. That night Daniel Bignight is called to the shore of Navajo Lake because an unusual orange light was spotted. In awe Bignight sees a huge shape in the sky, with legs dangling down and tangled in one is Tommy Tonompicket. The thing floats north in the wind and out of sight. Many calls come in to SUPD seeing this thing in the sky. Grandmother Spider is out and on the prowl!

Charlie Moon is the acting chief for the SUPD and is more realistic about what happened. On the shore of Navajo Lake there were two trucks and no occupants. The trucks are owned by Tommy Tonompicket and Dr. Pizinski. Pizinski works for RMAFS (Rocky Mountain Advanced Flight Systems). The RMAFS does work for the Air Force and is very secret about their activities. A couple days later Tommy is found in a tree and Pizinski was found wandering in the forest. They were put in the hospital but neither one had memory of the incident.

SPOILER: Charlie Moon was very skeptical about the spider myth and did his own investigating. With murder and mayhem, a lawyer was decapitated, Charlie comes up with the truth. The episode was produced by the launching of a hot air balloon in the shape of an octopus. Tommy and Pizinski floated north in the balloon and hit the roof of a lawyer which caused a sheet of ice to slide down the structure and decapitate him. Tommy was thrown from the gondola and landed in a tree, so there was a vengeful side, kill Pizinsky. Doss has done a good job with the mystical spider and the episode of the following events. A very good story that shows Doss is a knowledgeable person of the Ute myths. This book is worth reading, with suspense through out. The ending is a dream come true with Doss showing the reader tranquility and bliss.

The Bormann Testament, Jack Higgins-Book Review

The Bormann Testament by Jack Higgins is a new version Of The Testaments of Casper Shultz. It is a good thriller of the acquisition of the memoirs of a Nazi who was Hitlers associate. There are many German Nazis and dignitaries that don't want these known. The story begins in England where Paul Chavasse is summoned by his chief of intelligence to get these memoirs. Paul travels to Germany to do so and runs into trouble from the start. There was a leak of info and Paul was the scape goat. After a confrontation on a train, Paul is rescued by an Israeli Nazi hunter who works with Paul to get the testament. Higgins includes much action, love and espionage that makes this story good. This is a well documented account of what could happen if this were true. The pace is active throughout and the ending makes you think. Jack Higgins has done a reputable job.

Twisted, Jonathan Kellerman - Book Review

"Twisted" by Jonathan Kellerman is a great suspense thriller that keeps one going through the end. Petra Conner is a lady detective with the LAPD. She has been in a past novel with Alex Delaware but takes the stage in this story. Petra is called out to investigate a drive by shooting that left 4 teens dead. There is one victim that stands out, a Jane doe, no one has identified her. This is the way for Petra to work the case. This is a subplot in the story, the main plot centers around a genius intern that works for LAPD. He discovered through statistics that on June 28 for six years some one was bludgeoned to death. The similarities were more than coincidental. One twisted killer. With two cases on her plate, Petra is busy trying to stay on top.

Kellerman has delivered a good character in Petra. She is very interesting, has a love life and is just a like able lady. The plots are good, and the procedures for solving these cases are just. His use of the genius intern, Isaac Gomez, is a good way to introduce a future character, which will probably surface in new books. There is a little love, excitement and joy in this book, and the mystery is with you through out. Good book.

Black Market, James Patterson-Book Review

"Black Market" by James Patterson is an older novel that is copyrighted in 1986. It is a story about terrorism, which we did not think possible in our nation until 9-11 happened in New York. We are vulnerable! Arch Carrol is an expert on terrorism and works for the government. The terrorist attack Wall Street and make off with billions of dollars, they were going to cripple the economy world wide. The terrorist were called Green Band. Carrol was on top of the info about Green Band and starts his investigation. There was not much to investigate. Patterson has the reader focusing on terror, big government, and world wide involvement. Only Patterson can write a story of this caliber and keep the interest up in a page turning novel. The ending is great and Patterson has the reader guessing who was involved. Very easy to read and hard to put down.

Rattlesnake Crossing, J.A. Jance-Book Review

"Rattlesnake Crossing" by J.A. Jance is a superb mystery full of suspense and eloquently written with good down to earth motherhood and love. Joanna Brady is the sheriff of Cochise county, Az. and a single mom of Jenny, 11 years old. The hardships of being a mom and the sheriff are what Joanna faces every day. The high power sniper activity that downed 2 cattle and destroyed a well pump at a local ranch, took Joanna to a gun dealer in Pomerene to gather info about 50 caliber sniper guns. She finds the dealer dead and all his guns gone. This was the beginning of a mystery of a serial killer that brutally kills and mutilates by scalping the dead. One of the victims from a dude ranch that caters to wannabe Apache Indians, puts the focus on the visitors of Rattlesnake Crossing because of the scalping. Joanna is faced with the crime of the century and the chores of a single mom. Her relationship deepens with Butch Dixon and the sad tale of her friend Maculyea's adopted daughter becoming very ill. Joanna has a full plate but overcomes these problems with faith and perseverance. Only J.A. Jance can write a story of this quality and keep the reader going to the end.

The Last Coyote, Michael Connelly

"The Last Coyote" by Michael Connelly is a very involved detective mystery that Harry Bosch decides to solve. Bosch receives involuntary stress leave (ISL) after pushing his commanding officer through a window. With time on his side, Bosch takes on a voluntary cold case of the murder of his mom that was 31 years ago. Having to see a shrink, the true Bosch comes to light, a very angry man. The psychologist brings to surface much dirty laundry that Bosch must face. He must contend with internal investigation, political power and ruthless killers that want everything kept quite. Also Bosch lost his lover and his house is condemned from earthquake damage. He has a heavy load and might be the last coyote on the LAPD. In the search for the answer Bosch travels to Florida and meets a lady that left a spark in his heart. Connelly writes an in depth story of a detective who overcomes these problems by moving forward in life. Very good story that keeps the reader going to the end.

Beach Road, James Patterson

"Beach Road" by Patterson and De Jonge is a real suspenseful thriller that is easy to read and very interesting to try and figure out the plot, who dun it. The story starts in East Hampton where the wealthy have muti- million dollar estates. At one estate the owner built an official basketball court and the locals had games there often. Tom Dunleavy was a pro player, but injury kept him from his dreams. He ended up a lawyer in East Hampton and kept busy enough to pay the bills. Tom still played and went to the court to stay in shape. After a fight at one of the games, three team mates were murdered and Dante Halleyville is falsely accused. Dante is a friend of Tom's so Tom decides to defend him in court. Tom seeks the help of Kate Costello, a successful super lawyer and Tom's old lover. Together they produce a good defense for the trial of the century. Patterson has written the book from the viewpoints of the different characters involved. It is some what different from his normal prose, but the end product is very good. The ending is very surprising, but that is what Patterson does with the grace of a great author.

The Lonely Silver Rain, John D. MacDonald - Book Review

A Travis McGee novel by John MacDonald, "The Lonely Silver Rain" is a good mystery and thriller in Florida that speaks for itself. Travis is contacted by an old million air friend, Billy Ingraham, to find his stolen 54 foot cruiser. Travis excepts and begins the search. From the air, the cruiser looks like a smiling face, so Trav had a pilot take pictures from the air and they finally hit their mark. Trav went to where the cruiser was anchored and found three dead bodies inside. One of the bodies was a female, the daughter of a Peruvian diplomat, her throat was cut and she had been raped. The diplomat was in a rage and wanted revenge. Travis' life was in danger. Assumption had it that Trav killed the occupants upon discovery of the vessel. Several attempts on Travis' life caused him to find the root of the problem and pursue information about the real killers. The trek takes him to Mexico and back which gave him the truth of the matter. They say if you shake a tree, the ripe fruit will fall. With the name of the killer exposed, a big turf war erupted between the new drug lords and the old ones. A lot of people were killed in Miami. The action was hot but Travis was going to save faith and expose the truth.

MacDonald has done a fine job with this book and to keep a character like McGee active in so many books, the reader always wins. The ending is very touching, showing that Travis is a real man.