I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
Ammunition
by
Ken Bruen
crime mystery in a paperback edition that was published by Minotaur Books on July 24, 2007 and has 240 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include The Devil, A White Arrest, Taming the Alien, Headstone, The McDead, Blitz, Vixen, Calibre, Purgatory, The Ghosts of Galway
Seventh in the Inspector Brant crime series revolving around Tom Brant, an English cop, and his co-workers in a London suburb.
My Take
This has got to be the worst installment in this series. It’s all downhill. Nash gets done over by the Yank. Falls doesn’t care who she hurts or frames. Andrews is only gung ho on theory. And McDonald is for the long drop. Coleman is simply in the wrong place physically and mentally.
I swear Brant must be coated with Teflon…nothing ever sticks to that man. I don’t get how Coleman can be framed. All he has to do is prove that he doesn’t own a cellphone…? I really used to like Falls. Not no more. I sure don’t understand why she leaps to McDonald’s defense. If anyone deserves it…
Bruen, you torturous bugger, it’s been five years since this was published. I need you to put me out of my misery about the ending in Ammunition. It seems that this could be the end, but there are so many questions left hanging… Does Falls go through with it? Who really did in the trader? I have my suspicions, but suspicion isn’t fact. Does Wallace keep jerking about? What happens to Porter? Between Wallace, the diabetes, and Brant…
The Story
It’s the end of everything for Brant. Ed McBain is dead. His favorite author. Where else will he find an author who tells it like it is. Hmmm, unless he writes it himself. It’s all there. And with Porter’s “inspiration”…
McDonald doesn’t care anymore so when a pensioner commiserates and invites McDonald to join them, the PC jumps right in. Falls is screwing up right and left, destroying her life and those with whom she comes in contact. Andrews is starting a downhill slide. Just what is Angie getting up to?
And Brant seems to be coming up golden. Again.
The Characters
Detective Sergeant Tom Brant is as brash and belligerent as ever. Chief Inspector Roberts is simply surprised it took so long before someone took a shot at him. Detective Sergeant Porter Nash is an openly gay cop on the force and, somehow, Brant’s friend. Who knows how long that will last, especially with Brant drugging and stealing from him. L.M. Wallace is a terrorist expert from America and more of an obnoxious asshole than Brant.
PC McDonald is sinking fast — the drink and cocaine aren’t helping. Idjit never learns from his mistakes. Sergeant Elizabeth Falls has finally passed the sergeant’s exam…with Brant’s help. It’s her only bright note as Angie Fox is back (see Vixen). She’s just taking the piss out of anyone else and misusing the Brant playbook. WPC Andrews is quite the opposite, very gung ho and without the sense of covering for her fellow cops. PC Lane is a nice guy, but that photo op with Tony Blair has really screwed up his career. Why can’t something nasty ever happen to Superintendent Brown??
Terry Dunne is a professional hit man. Who missed. Bill Traynor started off heading up a group of old men to take back their streets. Tim Peters is a retired docker who blows the gaff. Caz is Brant’s CI…poor sod. John Coleman shoulda paid more attention to where he was going…it was his only fault. Now his life is going down the drain. Ellen Dunne is Angie Fox’s liberal lawyer. Rodney Lewis is a City trader; he’s also the brother of the Clapham Rapist and out for revenge. Shamar Olaf has hit Wallace’s radar.
Linda Gillingham-Bowl is Brant’s publishing agent. He’s put his foot in it…er, well, not exactly his foot in it. But she’s thrilled on several levels and Brant is groaning.
The Cover and Title
The cover appears to be divided into four horizontal bands, but the bottom and top are actually a continuation in pale yellow to brown tones of the shooting range paper model. The second band from the top is a cream with the author’s name and the third, wider band has a black background with the title in green. It suits the series as there is no compromise.
The title is referred to throughout the story. There’s all kinds of Ammunition different characters are loading up on.
