Saturday, August 21, 2021

THE QUIET BOY, by Ben H. Winters

    


Mystery/Thriller -- 3 stars

Teenager Wesley Keener was just goofing around with some friends when he fell and hit his head.  After what should have been a simple surgery to relieve pressure on his brain, Wesley wakes as a silent, pacing shell.  He doesn't talk, he doesn't eat, he doesn't sleep.  He just walks in circles.  Ambulance chaser Jay Shenk takes what he believes is a slamdunk medical malpractice case. Wesley is still pacing when his father pleads guilty to killing one of the trial's expert witnesses.  But Atty. Shenk's son/investigator isn't so sure he's guilty. And why is a gang of new-age hippies searching for Wesley? ----- This is what happens when a book tries to be too many things at once.  Is Mr. Winters writing a court procedural?  A murder mystery?  A piece of sci-fi?  Each of the aspects are well written, each is interesting; but none come out on top resulting in an almost good story weakened by being too diffusive.  There is a nice twist near the end, but without a resolution for Wesley, it lacks oomph.

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