Yankee Doodle and the Secret Society Book

I discovered this book through the CA Center for the Book's Mysterious California Book-Club-in-a-Box program. To be honest, I'm not a big fan of the Mystery genre--but you don't need to be in order to enjoy Shell Games. The story is propelled not so much by "who done it" and the crimes involved as by the character of John Marquez, former DEA agent and current member of the CA Dept of Fish and Game. The DFG angle might sound gimmicky (at least before the recent real-life tragic events concerning Chris Dorner and the CA Dept of Fish and Wildlife), but once you learn more about Marquez's backstory, his involvement with the DFG makes perfect sense.

Even though Russell writes this book in third-person narration, his prose has a very first-person narrative feel. He has a real talent for capturing voices; not only Marquez's but many of the secondary characters--especially Davies and Bailey (informants), and Maria, his step-daughter. I enjoyed Russell's rich and insightful writing style so much that I'd love to read a novelized prequel of Marquez's backstory--even though the major points are interwoven (seamlessly) into this novel.

The climactic confrontation between Marquez and the primary antagonist in this novel is refreshingly organic to the story and completely true to Marquez's character. Devoid of macho bravado, Marquez does something requiring so much guts and nerve that I felt my own stomach knotting up as I read the scene.

Can't wait to read Night Game, the next book in the Marquez series.