The Avenging Angel: A Gabe Wager Mystery

Gabe Wager #5

by Rex Burns

Homicide Detective Gabe Wager is faced with a murder that leads him from Denver to southwest Colorado and into the tangled and secretive relationships of polygamist cults. This novel was the basis of the Charles Bronson movie, "Messenger of Death."

Genres: Mystery

226 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Rex Burns (b. 1935) is the author of numerous thrillers set in and around Denver, Colorado. Born in California, he served in the Marine Corps and attended Stanford University and the University of Minnesota before becoming a writer. His Edgar Award–winning first novel, The Alvarez Journal (1975), introduced Gabe Wager, a Denver police detective first working in an organized crime unit, then in homicide. Burns continued this hardboiled series through ten more novels, concluding it with 1997’s The Leaning Land. His second series (3 volumes) features Devlin Kirk and "Bunch" Bunchcroft, a private investigator series set in Colorado. The third series, beginning in 2013, follows the adventures of a father/daughter private detective team. The first, "Body Slam," focuses on the world of professional wrestling. The second, set in England and the Middle East, deals with theft from an oil tanker. His short story series, appearing in "Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine," features Aboriginal Constable Leonard Smith of the Western Australia Police.

Reviews

[Joe Nicholl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A week ago I watched Death Wish (1974) starring Charles Bronson. After watching I viewed a few Bronson trailers and I came upon a film called Messenger of Death (1988)...and it rang a bell. After doing some research I found it was the Hollywood feature of the book The Avenging Angel (1983) by Rex Burns...which I had on the shelf in the basement. Not only did I have this book starring Denver Homicide Detective Gabe Wager, I have the whole eleven book series! I couldn't remember Angel since I had read it back in the '80's, soooooo, I decided to give it a re-read and prep me for the Bronson movie. First, Rex Burns is an excellent writer, the Gabe Wager series leans toward police procedure similar to Bosch, but Gabe Wager came first. Burns prose is excellent (read the final long paragraph in the book) and he's right there with Michael Connelly, maybe even a little better, just a notch below Ross Macdonald. His characters are strong and believable, especially Wager, a tough cop who's main conflict is putting work over relationships. Burns plotting & story telling is strong (he won an Edgar for The Alvarez Journal)...the only issue I have with Burns writing is the endings could be a little stronger, sometimes you predict 'who done it' rather early...The Avenging Angel (1983) is a really good, tight mystery that takes a look at Mormon Fundamentalists gone outa whack. The case takes Wager throughout downtown Denver, to Pueblo, and a good portion of the book takes place in a fictitious town in sw Colorado. Travel also includes back country 4-wheelin' to the Utah border...Wager is at odds with all, including his girl-friend Jo, his partner Max, his boss, and on...nobody is a happy-camper in Angel. There is a fair amount of violence and a heck of a shoot-out near the end. I'm going to give The Avenging Angel (1983) by Rex Burns 4 outta 5 Strong Stars. Next I'm going to watch the Bronson film Messenger of Death (1988) (it got horrible reviews) and I may re-read the whole Gabe Wager series in order. -One note...after the Gabe Wager series author Rex Burns took a decade off...he has recently published two new books...check 'em out...