The Wreckage: A Thriller (Joe O'Loughlin Book 5)

This is Michael Robotham's magnum opus to date. The subject(s): terrorism, international banking, the war in Iraq, national interagency cooperation/rivalry; grand (very grand) larceny.Money is disappearing from Iraqi banks and turning up in London, where it is being laundered. International sleazeballs are turning up in London. Terrorists in the employ of international sleazeballs are operating in Luton (and, eventually, they hope, London). An international enforcer/courier is operating in London, eliminating those who are discovering the dimensions of the international plot. A banker disappears. His pregnant wife attempts to understand why. Individuals are being ripped off in a badger game run by an ex-military type and his much-abused but endearing girlfriend. One is the now-missing banker; another is retired Met DI, Vincent Ruiz, who is dragged, unknowingly, into the international plot.Vince also brings in his old pal Joe O'Loughlin on the case, so the Robotham reunion is complete. While The Wreckage involves a stretch of plausibility, principally Ruiz's being drawn into the case, the plotting is large-scale, complex and a little convoluted, but, somehow, still easy to follow. The cast of characters is large and each is very special. Robotham knows London, so the evocation of setting is superb, but here we learn that he also knows Iraq (or, at least, is very deft at faking it).Robotham began his writing career as a journalist and his journalistic talents are on full display here. The story is based on some real events and his reportage of the doings in Iraq (based on other journalists' reportage) is very impressive. It is no accident that one of the subsidiary heroes of the story is a practicing journalist.So here it is in one tidy package: a truly international thriller, taken, as they say, right from contemporary headlines, featuring two tried-and-true though at one point deaf and speechless heroes from previous Robotham novels.Don't miss it.

Michael Robotham knows how to keep a reader engrossed. Moving between characters in London and Baghdad, the story is fast paced and action filled. In Baghdad, we are introduced to a reporter and an auditor following the trail of a number of bank robbers. In London we welcome back Vincent Ruiz, the detective from previous stories. Ruiz assists a young girl, only to find himself being the victim of a crime. While in pursuit of the criminal, he uncovers a much larger conspiracy which is eventually linked to the missing Baghdad money. Also in London, a banker is missing under suspicion circumstances. Even while it seemed fairly obvious that the three threads would eventually collide, the means by which it would be done was not obvious and was masterfully done. The characters in each of the threads are likeable and are easy to get to know and while each story is strong enough to stand on its own, they become even more powerful as they start to intersect with one another creating a single mystery from the original engrossing mysteries.The suspense throughout the book is real and not drawn out unnecessarily which means I was never bored but instead found myself hard pressed to lay this one down. My only complaint, which is easily discounted and in no way detracts from the book, is the minimal inclusion of the Professor, a character that I genuinely like and appreciate from previous books. Also, the last "twist" at the end I figured out pretty soon in the story so it was no real surprise. It may have been wiser to play more on the actual consequences of the final play as opposed to simply mentioned the possibility of repercussions. I for one would have liked to find out what the final consequences were and was expecting some sort of closure. Even so, the story was a great, easy, fast read which I highly recommend to mystery lovers.

This novel starts out well. Somewhat – gripping, interesting characters, multiple viewpoints. Then it begins to drag, the characters multiply a bit too much and become hard to keep straight, and then it just becomes unbelievable in regards to what the characters do.Michael Robotham has a knack for writing good and not so good novels. This would be one of the not so good. His two main characters, Vincent Ruiz and Joe O’Loughlin, are back and as we expect save the day. It is the how that adds to the unbelievable aspect.The settings jump between Baghdad, London, Luton, Istanbul, and Washington. The chapters are short and the characters are exposed only a little at a time, making the story somewhat confusing. Fortunately, each chapter heading lets the reader know where they are, otherwise it would be more confusing than it is.One of the threads that weaves through the story is around a character known only as The Courier. He is a ruthless killer who lets nothing get in his way nor leaves anyone alive in his wake. I realize the heroes Ruiz and O’Loughlin have to survive to continue the series, but for both to encounter The Courier and not die was a bit much. This is not just a weakness in Robotham’s novel, but a problem in most thrillers – when a killer hesitates when confronted by the protagonist or leaves them bound and gagged instead of dead.The most unbelievable scene, however, is when Ruiz interrupts a dinner meeting between the CIA and the bankers involved in the story. Ruiz would have never been able to even get close to the table, much less sit down as if he belonged.This one gets two stars as I move on to the next Robotham novel, hoping for a good one.

The Beatles ok came promptly just as I hoped!

Michael Robotham tece uma teia intrincada usando realidade e ficção para contar a história de uma trama de desvio financeiro e, como sempre, de personagens interessantes.

A simple story made unnecessarily difficult. The standard characters remain engaging, but the new characters are of little interest. Except for the “London” chapters, most of the other chapters (1/2 or more of the book) are all but unnecessary. More “economy of means” would have made for a better book.

Like the cop character but the promo said a Joe Olaughon thriller, but it was more about Vince than Joe.Not one of Robotham’s best efforts.

Story was confusing at times, too many characters and their back stories to a point where I found it mundane. Robotham is a great writer, that’s why 4 stars.