Rough Draft

by James W. Hall (Editor)

For twenty years, bestselling author James W. Hall has been one of the most highly respected thriller writers around. With last year's Body Language, Hall garnered acclaim from authors like James Patterson and Michael Connelly, and from reviewers in publications like People and The New York Times. Now, Hall serves up Rough Draft, which is at once both his most personal and his most gripping book to date.

A few years ago, while browsing in a used bookstore, Hall found a copy of one of his early novels full of strange marginal notes and underlined passages and other cryptic messages. Fascinated by these weird hieroglyphics and unable to get them out of his mind, he used this as the basis for Rough Draft, a novel about a woman crime novelist who stumbles across a similar book and finds in those marginal notes what seems to be a direct message from the killer of her parents.

Hannah Keller's struggle to find her parents' killer, and at the same time protect her son, takes the reader on an extraordinary ride through James Hall's best thriller to date.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Suspense, Mystery Thriller

335 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

James W. Hall is an Edgar and Shamus Award-winning author whose books have been translated into a dozen languages. He has written twenty-one novels, four books of poetry, two collections of short stories, and two works of non-fiction. He also won a John D. MacDonald Award for Excellence in Florida Fiction, presented by the JDM Bibliophile.

He has a master’s degree in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in literature from the University of Utah. He was a professor of literature and creative writing at Florida International University for 40 years where he taught such writers as Vicky Hendricks, Christine Kling, Barbara Parker and Dennis Lehane.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exciting and easy read. A few "out there" moments, but overall, a very well-spent evening or two with a great author,

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ran across this title in a box of books from our storage unit, and it sounded like it might be a good one. The main character, Hannah, is an author whose son witnessed her parents being killed. Hannah is also a former police officer who believes she knew who was responsible for the murders and why.

So, when she finds a copy of her first novel in the child psychiatrist's waiting room ...and it has that suspect's name in it, she starts an investigation of her own.

There's a subplot involving the murder of a senator's daughter, and these two stories are intimately connected.

I just didn't feel drawn to any of the characters whatsoever. I read the entire book hoping to feel connected to *someone,* but I fairly soon figured out that the killer in the second case was going to murder just about anyone who got in his way, in a particularly gruesome fashion.

So, three stars. Just not really my cup of tea.

[Nikki Handros · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Miami girl, I always enjoy reading a novel set on home turf. With James W. Hall, the pleasure is doubled by his superb writing skills.
Hall knows how to keep a story going at full speed, fueled by skillful dialogue. His characters are full-bodied, original and realistic.
The plot has multiple muders, from crime writer Hannah Keller's parents to crazed maniac Hal Bonner's seemingly random victims. Mix in more than 400 milllion in missing drug proceeds, the FBI and a U.S. senator and you've got a plt twisted within a plot. This is a suspense novel for those with the highest standards.

[Lisa Decesare · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid mystery featuring an ex-cop turned writer who, along with her son, is haunted by the murders of her parents. She becomes an unwitting pawn in an undercover FBI operation to catch an elusive assassin who murders his victims using only his bare hands. Unfortunately for the FBI she begins to track them and try to unravel their plan. This was a really solid read. Good characters, a very interesting villian, and a different (but not too out there) mystery. I really recommend this one to anyone.

[Vfields Don't touch my happy! · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first foray into this writers stories. His females are interesting but not always ones I care about. The secondary/supporting cast is always fulfilling, but his strengths are his lead male characters. They are just this side of lazy, dangerous and honest. If we could put them all in one book or continue in a series form we’d have pure gold. A cops parents are murdered and her son witness the whole thing becoming consequentially traumatize in the process. Throw in a crazy female FBI agent and an even crazier murderer for hire and you’ve got one heck of a good action packed book.

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strong, entertaining read

This is my first foray into a book by James W. Hall. I found it to be an entertaining read with a couple of really good plot twists. The original premise of the FBI sting seems so silly that I cannot imagine anybody would permit it, but once I got past that part it was a great spring break thriller.

While the villains were fairly interesting, I found myself really rooting for the underachieving FBI agent, Frank Sheffield...

Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2012/...

[Carly Kirk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Up until the end of the book I probably would have given at least 3 stars, but I just wasn't a huge fan of the ending. The book is well written and kept me interested, but still lacked something for me. Maybe it's that I didn't really connect with the main character. Also there was a plot point introduced that didn't ever get used/resolved, I don't want to give away any of the plot but it involves the FBI agent in charge of an operation taking place in the book. I think plenty of other people will enjoy this book, but since I didn't like the ending it kinda tainted the rest of the book.

[Joe Sobieski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely the best of the 3 James W Hall books I just read; but still can't give it more than a 3-star "like" due to some issues with the plot and some editing errors. This novel was published back in 2000; which is the most recent of his 3 books I've reviewed. I feel this one is better than 1998's "Body Language"; which I thought was better than 1996's "Buzz Cut". I'm interested in reading some of his more recent work to see if the improvement continued.

[Alicia Utter · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was written a while back, definitely followed the thrillers of the time. The kidnapper was such a thug, and there was a little much thug. But it was an interesting experience between him and his girlfriend. I enjoyed hte dynamics, the but main character was a little too perfect. it made things flat.

This was a gype of book that would be great for a trip. quick, enjoyable, but a little cookie-cutter.

[Janet Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Hall's Thorn series, but found the premise of this book to be just plain silly and unbelievable--while I do imagine that a federal agency could be so unprincipled, the killers' motivations were also pretty far fetched. Executed well, with a fine audio performance, but I just couldn't turn off my skepticism.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

In many ways, James W. Hall's "Rough Draft" seems like an effort to correct the ills of his previous novel, "Body Language." He largely succeeds.

Hall does a number of things better here. The author still struggles with the female lead, but he makes fewer poor choices this outing.

I'd give this one a solid 3/5.

[Amanda Greever · Rating 2 out of 5]

Actually a 2.5. Hall tries to do so much, he neglects the story he's trying to tell. Hall tries to create a strong female lead but he undercuts her at multiple turns. It's frustrating. And the book's big finish is ridiculous. Seriously, Hannah was either a bad cop or she's just gone daft since leaving the force.

[Barry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give it 3 1/2 stars if I could. Great storytelling from the villain's point of view, and everyone for that matter. The characters were nicely sketched with the exception of senator ackerman and a few political figures...thought Hall could have brought them more into the story.

[Serbma · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was entertaining enough. Nothing really, to remark it from other mystery novels. Like other mystery novels, it was forgettable. In another year or two, i can reread it and not remember enough of it to be entertained again.

[False · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great Hall novel. I had no idea that Dennis Lehane was one of his graduate writing pupils and did research for him. A strange book about dysfunctional families (which Hall goes back to time and again) and the manipulations used to bind the tie. Highly enjoyable.

[Carolyn (in SC) C234D · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very good story about a female mystery writer/ex-cop whose parents were murdered five years ago. Now the FBI is using her as bait to catch a serial killer.

I think James Hall is an excellent writer. I have enjoyed several other of his novels.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good "brain candy" reading. Certainly not Hall's best by any stretch, but kept me reading.

[Andy Plonka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed this book, parts of the plot were eerily similar to others of this ilk that I have read. The bits about hacking the internet went right over my head.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah Keller was the public information officer for the Miami Police Department on the day her parents were murdered. It was also the day her first novel was published. It was two years ago and now the case, never solved, has come back to haunt. I love all of James Hall's books and this one is nearly as good as the rest, but it does have a nearly fatal flaw. I am so weary of children being used as plot toys I could spit. You know from the first minute the kid is introduced that the plot will turn on the kid's safety. Kind of knocks the surprise element in the gut.

[Muhammad Ayyaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel is ideal for readers who enjoy slow-paced stories that provide detailed insights into each character. The book is straightforward to read, and almost everyone can imagine the lifestyle of a typical American while reading. The characters are well-crafted through detailed descriptions of their actions. Still not the mind-blowing twists in the story, but you can feel every slow turn during your read. I strongly recommend it to those who want to invest themselves in the characters rather than the story itself.

[Elizabeth Raines · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will admit, I was scared going into this one. It’s rare for a thriller to have so many point of views. However, as the story got going, it was easier and easier to read. I really liked that we got the pov of the victim, villain, and then the FBI. Miami is my third favorite city so I really enjoyed the south Florida setting provided here. The writing was fine. The plot was intriguing but there were some out there moments. This was a fun and good read.

[Mydonna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The plot for this book was fragmented and patched together, with a twist ending that just didn't work at all for me. The entire idea for this book seemed like a throwaway, something that Hall came up with at the last minute just to crank another book out. The good guys are so plain and vanilla that I never cared one bit about them throughout the entire book. It was a struggle to get through this one.

[Sheila Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great plot and well-developed characters/

[Jeanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Former cop has parents murdered. Son traumatized because he was there. FBI investigates but no luck. Crazy ass killer on the loose. Son traumatized again. Yikes!

[D.K. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much go no where dialogue, too many weak characters.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 2000. The most exciting Thorne novel yet.

[Deedee · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars...

[Laura Verdin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow to start, but so worth it
So many twists and turns
Loved it

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only discovered this author within the last 6 months and have read 5 or 6 of his novels. I rated this one 3-star instead of the usual 4-star mostly because the level of gore was a little past my cut-off point. The plot was extremely well-developed and complex; the writing style was fascinating (as usual); and the characters, even the diabolical Hal, were extremely bodied and interesting. Quotes to remember: "Not exactly a yes-man, still Charliewas a guy who could sing harmony to any tune." "It was the same way Frank's ex-wife had looked at him most of the time. Collecting faults, adding them to the heap." "Enough cock-sure arrogance floating around that room to power Manhattan through a July heat wave." "Helen looking at his bare chest. Studying it, like she was counting the hairs, doing a masculinity calculation." "He kept studying her but she didn't feel invaded or violated or any of that male-pushy stuff. A guy trying to force his advantage. None of that. Just his eyes prowling around inside her, seeing some of the stuff she kept hidden there." "(it) had been a fashionable suburb when Hannah was growing up, but much like this part of town, it had begun a long slide into third-world fragmentation, a melting-pot where noting melted anymore." "Her life had been one long tantrum." "...so impressed with their wealth and power that he lost his way. That was his weakness. He was easily dazzled. Money impressed him so."

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

No Thorn in this Florida murder mystery by James W. Hall; his protagonist is FBI agent Frank Sheffield, who's low-key, but involved in a series of quite terrible murders and a very convoluted sting set-up. No great shakes, but lots of gore.