Review of "Crime of Privilege" [40]

Crime of Privilege by Walter Walker
ISBN 978-0345541536, Ballantine Books
June 18, 2013, 432 pages

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George Becket is such a solid sounding name.
Sadly, George is not just a solid young man. Unlike some of the people in his circle, he was not rich, certainly not rich and powerful like the bad boy cousins of one of Cape Cod most famous families. Yes, think Kennedy. So when two of the cousin's take advantage of a very drunk young woman at a Palm Beach party..still getting the Kennedy thing?..sexually assaulting her, at first George does nothing. He steps in only to keep the assault from continuing, but too late to make a difference.
George kept his mouth shut, as he was expected to, even when the girl ended up killing herself. And he got his reward, admission to a good law school, a job, even if not a very good job, at a Cape Cod DA office.

Sure, it bothers George. But not that much.
Then an elderly man comes to see George. His daughter was murdered years ago, her body found on a nearby golf course and the murderer never found. He has hounded everyone he can find to bring justice to her, but no one will listen to him, being told all leads on the case went nowhere. But George is intrigued and starts to follow up. And he finds some seeming ignored facts..which all lead, once again, back to the town's, the state's most promoinate family, a family that will go very far to see some things remained covered up.

Well, what did I think of this one?
The fact that it has taken me months to write the review is a clue.
It is not bad...but it could be better.
The prominate "Kennedy-esk" family is a little heavy handed, and they certainly come across as a very sleazy bunch, which depending on your feelings about the Kennedys, you might like or hate. I admit, I rather liked it..lol
And George is a fairly likable fellow. A bit morally challenged and a bit of a slacker but a pretty good character. Even if sometimes you just want to give dear George a bit of a kick. Open your eyes George! Still, since everyone else in the book is so sleasy, George stands out as the White, or maybe Gray, Knight of the book.

As is so often true, the book is just too long for the story. Bring out the Big Red Pen and cut 75-100 pages. Really, totally doable, and would make for a much tighter book. Sadly, it was one of those books where I was checking how many more pages I had to go until the end, not a great sign. And the jumping back and forth from the present day story to the past, not as smooth and clear as it could be, with an ending that I found more than a bit of a letdown.

Did I hate it? No.
Did I love it? No.
A nice middle of the road book, maybe a nice beach read, but not one I would run out and grab.
Or recommend that you do.

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 My thanks to Library Thing and the publisher for providing a review copy of this book.