Crow's Land­ing, the sec­ond Vir­gil Cain mys­tery after Red Run, is rife with lowlifes, tough broads, sleazy cops, crazy Rus­sians, drug deals, shoot-outs, and one hard-working pro­tag­o­nist try­ing to keep it all straight and get his boat back. Vir­gil is a arche­typal pulp hero, gruff enough to be taken seri­ously as mus­cle and smart enough to know when the grift is on. Find­ing him­self unwill­ingly linked to a miss­ing drug ship­ment, Cain has no choice (by his reck­on­ing, any­way) but to play one side against the other. It’s a clas­sic sce­nario, but hey, Smith works it gang­busters. Crow’s Land­ing is a gritty yet smooth Hud­son River breeze, a great way to spend some qual­ity time with per­sons you’d be unlikely to sit next to on the bus.

Read the full review here. ( )

The Good Stuff

Beginning sucks you in (and with a minor dry spot in the middle) keeps you totally engrossed and not wanting to put down
Lots of twists and turns and edge of your seat moments
I love Virgil Cain he is such a fascinating character, I love getting to know him bit by bit through Smith's stories
Unique, yet realistic, secondary characters -- all quirky and colourful
Author is Canadian and mentions some Canadian settings (not to mention a fabulous storyteller)
Great story for the beach or cottage
Plenty of trademark Smith wit -- the man makes me laugh out loud with some of his dialogue
Really enjoyed Dusty as a character, she was kick ass, funny and just really likeable and real
The Not So Good Stuff

Drags a wee bit in the middle
Its kinda silly, but the cover again doesn't really match the story - I felt the same with Red Means Run -- but I'm a cover slut so please ignore this since its only an ARC copy -- just saw the cover for the final book and its much better! (Cover pictured above is the ARC one)
Favorite Quotes/Passages

"Nobody had a ready opinion as to what exactly the thing was, except for Mudcat, who was an expert on nearly everything, although his expertise was somewhat tempered by the fact that he was basically an imbecile."

"I'd have an easier time doing that if it was true," Virgil said. "I never threatened Brownie. I did threaten Mudcat here. I told him I was going to kick the shit out of him if he didn't stop lying. Apparently he didn't listen to me because here he is lying again. And this time he's lying to the cops. Hey-- why don't you guys kick the shit out of him."

"Virgil started to tell him the hay mow story but he stopped. Kids get lied to enough in this world."

Who Should/Shouldn't Read

Fans of Elmor Leonard and Dennis Lehane - this one is for you (Also read Red Means Run)
If you enjoyed Red Means Run -- you will also love getting to know Virgil a little more
Just looking for a good mystery/suspense, this will definitely be your cup of tea
4.25 Dewey's

I received this from Simon and Schuster in exchange for an ( )

Another great book I finished far too quickly! Crow's Landing by Brad Smith is the second book featuring Virgil Cain. I read the first book - Red Means Run - and was hooked.

Virgil is still working his farm, but decides to play hooky one day and head out fishing in the boat he restored over the winter. While pulling up anchor to come back in, he hauls in a strange steel cylinder. Back at the marina, he padlocks it to his boat and goes to the local diner for something to eat. And comes running back out when he sees some guy taking off with his trailer, boat - and the cylinder. When he protests, he gets a gun shoved in his face and told it's police business. Now, Virgil was curious about that cylinder, but damn it, he wants his boat back. So, he heads down to the police station. And is told that there hasn't been a boat impounded and they have no idea what he's talking about.

I thought we might see more of Claire Marchant this book - a local cop Virgil got involved with in the last book. But Smith introduces a new character - Dusty - a single mom with a checkered past - and more than a little knowledge about that cylinder. And when Virgil and Dusty cross paths...

"Since he was a kid, he had possessed a propensity for getting into trouble, some of it of his own accord and some of it purely by accident. Just last year, for instance he'd been arrested for murder, escaped jail, fell under suspicion for a second murder, and was finally shot in the earlobe by the woman responsible for both. If that couldn't be categorized as a propensity for getting into trouble, Virgil didn't know what could." Virgil's in it again.

Smith has created strong personalities that immediately spring to life. Virgil Cain is very laid back, thinks before he speaks and observes before he acts. But still waters run deep - there's a lot more to Virgil than meets the eye. He's been described as a 'laconic charmer' and I don't think I could say it any better. Smith has created just as strong a female character in Dusty - she's strong, fearless and tough. I hope we get to see her again too - or that Virgil does. With two such great protagonists, readers of both sexes will enjoy Crow's Landing.

I love the sly, quirky sense of humour Smith injects into his situations, characters and dialogue - along the lines of of Elmore Leonard.

This isn't really a traditional mystery book. What it is though, is a helluva good rollicking tale, populated by crooked cops, a crazed Cossack cowboy, a cool as a cucumber con.......and Virgil - 'cause really, he just wants his boat back.

Loved it! Fans of Virgil Flowers and Jack Reacher would enjoy Brad Smith's writing. ( )