I originally reviewed 47 Rules of Highly Effective Bank Robbers by Troy Cook on December 19th, 2006.
47 Rules of Highly Effective Bank Robbers is a highly entertaining comedic romp through the South West.
After Tara’s mother dies it falls to her father, Wyatt, to not only raise her but to teach her a trade as well. So Wyatt decides to teach her his trade and starts taking her to work with him. When she is nine he lets her actively participate in his vocation taking a more hands on role. Wyatt is a bank robber. Now its thirteen years later and 22 year old Tara wants to break free from her fathers’ sphere of influence. So after pulling the biggest heist of their careers she leaves the murderous Wyatt for dead and cuts out on her own. She meets up with the rebellious son of the local Sherriff and the two quickly fall in love with each other. As they set out on their own Bonnie & Clyde like adventures the two fathers bear down on the young couple. When the extended family finally gets together in an action packed show down the fate and future of the young couple, and the family business, will be decided forever.
47 Rules of Highly Effective Bank Robbers is a highly assured debut novel. Every aspect of the novel is perfectly realized and comes together perfectly. The characters are all finely drawn, not just occupying space for comedic value. Some of the characters are waking clichés and are proud of it too. The characters are so over the top that they never stop being entertaining.
The story is feverishly paced and tightly plotted. Each event flows right into the next as the scenarios become increasingly deranged. All of the characters effortlessly weave in and out of the various plots, nothing is wasted and everything is fun. Over all it’s a strong debut with the plot serving the characters and the characters serving the plot. The only thing that is predictable from the outset is that the two fathers and the two children are going to meet, other then that anything is possible and the ending is unpredictable.
For all of the pure nutty chaos that is 47 Rules of Highly Effective Bank Robbers it is a simple love story at heart. Sure its a girl meets boy, girl and boy go on a crime spree story but the central love story pure, simple, sweet and romantic and as much as its possible for two characters to have chemistry on the page then these characters do. Despite the crimes that they have committed we want them the young couple to be happy.
And then came Cook’s follow-up book, THE ONE-MINUTE ASSASSIN, and then – poof! He seems to have disappeared from the book world. We don’t have so many writers who do comic crime well that we can afford for them to go missing.
I read this and really enjoyed it. Thanks for reminding me.
I never really read his second book but really enjoyed this one. Stein Stoned by Hal Ackerman from Tyrus is shaping up to be a funny read so far about 120 pages in to it.