Escape Clause

Bill Tasker #3

by James O. Born

Taking on a seemingly less stressful inmate homicide case for the governor, FDLE agent Bill Tasker encounters unexpected complications in the prison captain's unorthodox disciplinary practices, the psych ward's misplacement of mental patients, and an inspector's dark secrets. Reprint.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 16, 2006

About the author

James O. Born is a Special Agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE). He has been involved in investigations in such areas as organized crime, violent crimes, economic crimes, drug cartels, and public corruption. It has now been fourteen years since Born started writing, and ironically, he has the same editor as W E B Griffin and Tom Clancy - the very authors he spent his time reading during those long surveillances years ago. Born currently lives in suburban Palm Beach County with his wife Donna, and two children, John and Emily.

Series:
* Bill Tasker
* Alex Duarte

Reviews

[Linda Look · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bill Tasker is an employee of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and is sent to a prison to investigate the death of an inmate. Lots of corruption and several other murders occur. Easy to read, strong characters. I rate this a 4.8.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It says on the inside jacket about Carl Hiaasen step aside. This is a good book but in no way is it anything like Hiaasen's books. This is a regular police book without crazy funny characters. I did enjoy this book. It is fast moving action packed.

[Bill Yarbrough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read.

[Midwest Geek · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amusing, absurdist parody of guards and prisoners. A comedic depiction of life among police and those imprisoned and their interactions.

[Kara Jorges · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes a slight departure from the norm in the life of FDLE special agent Bill Tasker when he temporarily leaves Miami to investigate a death at Manatee Correctional near Gladesville. His boss feels he needs a break from his usual high-stress life of chasing dangerous criminals, plus an investigation at the prison will quiet any board of inquiry investigation into Tasker’s last high-profile case. Tasker settles into his tiny, government-issue apartment, expecting a quiet idyll, but instead finds himself the victim of violent attacks by prison inmates, a blend of apathy and animosity from the prison staff, and a major attraction to the prison’s investigator, Renee Chin. Tasker’s next-door neighbor, Professor Klingman, is a likeable guy on an archaeological dig, accompanied by an attractive young female assistant, Billie Towers. Manatee Correctional is run with an iron fist by Captain Sam Norton and his portly sidekick, Sergeant Henry Janzig, who enforce discipline through unorthodox ways, and who want Bill Tasker gone as quickly as possible. Too bad the tenacious agent can’t take a hint. At the same time, inmate Luther Williams a/k/a Cole Hodges, who was put away because of Tasker, has managed to gain trustee status and is hatching a few plans of his own while he keeps a spotless prison library.

Tasker suspects something more than a suspicious death at the prison is afoot when he’s accosted first by an inmate in the psych ward, then former inmates at a bar, and again by a group of Aryan Knights, and when Professor Klingman is murdered, the Gladesville detective seems uninterested in doing anything to solve the crime. When Luther Williams escapes and calls Tasker with a tip while he’s on the run, Tasker starts to put it all together.

Though Born’s third effort is as good as his first two, it is not quite as much fun. There seem to be fewer characters and a lot less going on, though he makes good use of characters from the earlier novels in a way that ties them all together and makes me anxious to get my hands on the fourth. Born keeps his stories entertaining by changing the point of view often. Even though Luther Williams is a bad guy, I inexplicably wanted him to succeed in his escape because there’s something likeable about him. Even Elmore Leonard doesn’t draw his villains that well.

Jim Born is the best thing to happen to crime fiction so far in the new millennium. Anyone who loves crime novels, especially those set in Florida, should be reading him.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

After shooting a bank robber, agent Bill Tasker is sent to a Florida prison to investigate the deaath of the son of a prominent developer. The problem is that people are trying to scare him off and his neighbor at the motel he is staying at is murdered. He is also in the process of a divorce. The only bright spot is Inspector Renee Chin but she becomes a suspect.

[Vicki · Rating 1 out of 5]

Started out okay but was downhill after the first chapter. I can generally read a book of this length in a day or so, but it took an entire week to finish it because I could only read a chapter at a time.

[Dev Weeks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I so wanted to find a new author but finishing this book was a serious chore. The lead character is clueless and the constant attempt at romantic interest is adolescent at best. Truly more work than it was worth.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Plane read.

[Phyllis Bernstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice and dark goings-ons. Enough confusion to keep it un-predictable. Definitely un-cozy!