‘The House of Wolfe’ by James Carlos Blake

Published by No Exit Press,
July 2015.
ISBN: 978-1-84344-559-3

In Brownsville Mexico, we are introduced to Rudy and the Wolfe family with a bang. There are two killings in the first pages and this sets the scene for further carnage throughout the book.

The Wolfe family are notorious outlaws and learn of the kidnapping of ten members of a wedding party which includes Jessie one of their relations.

It is a big society wedding complete with bodyguards and these are overpowered, taken away and “disposed of”.

With the kidnappers driving the cars, the wedding party members are taken away, divided into two groups, and put in separate holding houses named Alpha and Beta.

The parents of the bride and groom are released with instructions to pay a ransom of five million dollars within twenty four hours for the release of the two parties. They are threatened not to inform the police or everyone will be killed.

Back at the Belmont family house where the kidnapping took place, a friend of Jessie's who was also at the wedding but not taken with the main party, overhears the parents talking about the kidnapping and discussing how they are going to get the money. She informs members of the Wolfe family which includes Rudy. There follows a desperate attempt to find the kidnappers quickly as the Wolfe family are pretty sure that as soon as the money is paid all the hostages will be murdered.

Can they rescue them all before the deadline is reached? Can El Galan the gang leader really be trusted to free the two parties?

Once I became used to the unusual tense the book is written in, I enjoyed it. It certainly is full of blood, gore and mayhem! The race to find the hostages makes for really exciting reading and culminates in a nail biting finale.

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Reviewer: Tricia Chappell

James Carlos Blake is the author of twelve novels and numerous short stories. He is a member of the Texas Institute of Letters and a recipient of the "Los Angeles Times" Book Prize. He lives in Arizona.

Tricia Chappell. I have a great love of books and reading, especially crime and thrillers. I play the occasional game of golf  (when I am not reading). My great love is cruising especially to far flung places, when there are long days at sea for plenty more reading! I am really enjoying reviewing books and have found lots of great new authors.