Steve Ulfelder

I'm originally from Massachusetts, and I love reading books that are set in the area, so the title of this book immediately drew my interest. The premise sounded intriguing and did not disappoint. I know very little about the mechanics of cars and car racing, but most everything was sufficiently explained so I did not feel lost in those details. The plot itself moves quickly and the timing of pivotal details kept me both interested and suspicious, and I loved how everything tied together in the various conclusions. This book was definitely a winner, and I'm looking forward to reading more Conway Sax adventures!… (més)

Purgatory Chasm starts off with tremendous promise. The writing is smooth, with lots of well written dialogue that moves the story forward while also giving us a great feel for the characters. Ulfelder's style is quick and uncluttered, immersing us in the story as the suspense builds.

Unfortunately, it all fell apart for me early on. I didn't find the plot or the characters' behavior believable.

Some highlights:

- Conway Sax is street smart, independent, on parole, jobless, and inexplicably gets total financial support from his girlfriend while he does whatever he wants instead of looking for a job.

- Said girlfriend, an independent, opinionated, single mother is ridiculously tolerant of Sax's childish and selfish behavior, gives him the cold shoulder when he isn't around enough, but never once suggests he grow up and support himself.

- Never once do we learn where the girlfriend is getting enough money to support herself and her daughter, and also support her boyfriend and his grand adventures.

- Sax has blind dedication to a secret group within the AA that apparently extends beyond death and also apparently does not require any other member of this same group to help in any way.

- Sax not only helps his AA friend, but also, for reasons unknown, risks his life to help two people who'd knocked him unconscious and flattened his tires.

- A family who didn't know Sax at all instantly trusts him and moves into his home.

- Sax is knee-deep in murder, has all sorts of leads and evidence, but lies to the cops and conceals most of what he finds.

- All cops are incompetent.

This story does have some high points. The dialogue felt genuine and offered some comic relief around the crime. The first person narration worked well for both the story and the Sax's character. But the execution here just didn't work for me.… (més)

From the get-go, Wolverine Bros. Freight & Storage had me hooked. Conway Sax, mechanic, alcoholic and firm believer in vigilante justice is tasked to bring Hollywood has-been Kenny Spoon home to his dying mother, Barnburner Eudora Spoon. Sax's personal code of honor requires him to aid a fellow Barnburner in need, and in this case, Eudora is far more than just a fellow Barnburner - she's his AA mentor as well. Rescuing Kenny from an LA gang Los Bajamaros and returning him to Massachusetts sets a chain of events in motion, including a murder and Sax's version of consequences where "everyone pays".

An incredibly fast and satisfying read. I've read Sax from the beginning and author Steve Ulfelder continues to develop this hard, yet interesting and engaging character who tends to make more wrong personal decisions than right ones in the overall scheme of things.
After 4 books, the minor characters, Sax's friends, are interesting and give depth to the character.… (més)