Speck Press (Paperback), ISBN 097257767X

In Bullets, Steve Brewer manages to engage readers despite dusting off some tired, stereotypical characters and throwing them together in a Las Vegas-based thriller. Joe, an alcoholic ex-cop; Lily, a beautiful female assassin whose quick changes in appearance reminded this reviewer a bit too much of a commercial for Alias; Susan, a newly minted female detective with a nail biting problem intent on proving herself; and Harold, Susan's older partner, seemingly interested only in his impending retirement, all come together when Lily makes a kill in a Las Vegas casino.

Brewer redeems his predictable cast by juxtaposing these run-of-the-mill characters with some quirky secondary characters. Two Yosemite Sam-esqe brothers of Lily's latest victim and two small time thugs named Delbert and Mookie provide some violent but comedic scenes. Lily's "agent," a cowardly lawyer named Sal, gets caught up in the action against his will, bringing his own brand of bitter humor to the mix.

The fast -- and often funny-- plot piles on the twists and turns, double-crosses and trails of people all following each other around the desert. A broken marriage and an involuntary leave of absence from the Chicago P.D. haunt Joe and propel him to Las Vegas. Lily finds herself developing a conscience, which creates some serious trouble for her career. Besides her own inner voice, she must also deal with Joe, Detective Susan Pine and her taciturn partner getting closer and closer. Adding the Yosemite Sam brothers, the head of security for the hotel in which she made her hit and, indirectly, the bumbling Delbert and Mookie to the hunt for Lily, Brewer makes the reader root for the conscience-ridden killer.

Brewer manages his characters and their converging story lines well. From a third person perspective, he follows the characters around, getting into their heads, giving readers glimpses of underlying motivations as well as providing ample material for the twists and turns that make this book worth reading. The gems of the book -- the various meetings between the characters -- give the reader a chance to breathe amidst the action. By starting the book showing the reader "whodunnit," Brewer sets up a challenge for himself, but he meets it admirably, making the reader care enough about the unfolding events to continue reading.

Ceridwen Lewin

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