Reviews

Pale Gray for Guilt by John D. MacDonald

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michael5000's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I use the tag "I read it before I was on Goodreads" and I assume I really did, because my dad had the Travis McGee books around the house and we read them as a matter of course. I use the tag "ironic intent," because although I've always had the sense that the Spencer novels had some merit and loop back to them from time to time, I kind of suspected that the McGee books would be trashier and pulpier and a bit antediluvian. But this one, anyway, is a pretty solid piece of genre fiction. It shows its age and shortcomings, as most of us products of 1968 do at this point, but it is not perhaps entirely unserviceable still. I might return for more McGee.

jsalowe's review against another edition

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3.0

I always cry at Puss Killian's second letter. Every berloody time.

topdragon's review against another edition

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4.0

Tush Bannon, an old football buddy of Travis McGee, has been murdered and made to look like a suicide. Indeed, the man had been in financial difficulty as he tried to put together a nice marina/motel on the coast of the Florida Straits, but he just isn’t the type to take his own life, especially considering a lovely wife and a couple of kids left behind. McGee soon discovers that the marina/motel property happened to be the last hold-out in a large real estate deal and the fact that Tush wouldn’t sell was likely the real reason behind his murder.

McGee’s pal Meyer, joins him in conducting a complex parallel con on a couple of bad guy real estate moguls and eventually uncovers the real murderer. I always love a good con, especially one that uses the stock market to dupe supposed masters of the trade. But that’s not all that this book offers. One of the most important female characters in McGee’s life, Puss Killian, plays a major role here and near the end of the book, adds significantly to McGee’s emotional scars.

This novel sees Travis McGee in an avenging angel role, perhaps more so than usual. He seeks justice for Tush’s murder but also needs to ensure Tush’s wife and kids are financially taken care of for their futures. He risks a lot for no expected reward.

This is the 9th book in a series of 21. I am rapidly coming to the half way point and am already lamenting the day when I will have no more new Travis McGee books to read.

angelabeth995's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

thebeardedpoet's review against another edition

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5.0

This one is not so much a salvage operation as a revenge con. In the last three chapters, there is an intense, high peril situation which I found quite exciting. Well done, John D. MacDonald!