THE CLEANUP by Sean Doolittle

The Cleanup is one of the most impressive books I've read in a long, long time. I met Sean at Bouchercon in Alaska. He's a disarmingly nice, thoughtful guy, tall with big hands. The women at the bar described him as hot, though my overriding impression was that Sean could break me in half if he wanted to. A mutual friend and fellow writer, Mark Haskell Smith, had suggested I track Sean down and say hello. Afterwards I bought his book and devoured it on the plane ride home.

The Cleanup is wholly original but has echoes of both Michael Connelly and Elmore Leonard, two disparate voices that blend seamlessly in this novel of lost faith and the terrible price of redemption. I can't think of another crime writer who can create characters so real and textured without compromising the pacing. This book flies and becomes more gut wrenching with every turn of the page, yet the characters seem so real you have an almost visceral reaction to their plight. Crimespree Magazine called it their favorite of last year and I can see why. Doolittle kicks ass. I strongly recommend Dirt and Raindogs as well.