One only need to read a few reviews of T. Jefferson Parker's work, and consequently book reviews, to come to the realization that readers either love him or hate him. The Jaguar
The Jaguar opens with the violent kidnapping of Erin McKenna, the beautiful and talented songwriter and performer. Erin also is the newlywed wife of a crooked Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, Bradley Jones. It is soon deduced that Erin has been kidnapped by Benjamin Armenta, the cut throat leader of The Gulf Cartel. Bradley will do anything to get her back, even to the tune of delivering a $1,000,000 ransom (or personal apology) and ending his illicit protection of Carlos Herredia and the North Baja Cartel in Los Angles. He has ten days to comply. If he does not, then Armenta will skin Erin alive.
It soon becomes clear that Armenta must want more. A million dollars for a drug kingpin is tip money, and Bradley realizes that it is his humiliation and probable death that is really desired. But, why didn’t they just kill him and have have done with it?
He doesn’t have time to answer these questions as the clock is ticking. He enlists the help of long time family friend and veteran L.A. County Deputy, Charlie Hood. Hood will deliver the money while Bradley, with a team of mercenaries tries to penetrate and assault Armenta’s well guarded jungle compound.
Erin soon learns that it isn’t the money that Armenta wants, it is her song writing talent. She is to compose the perfect narcocorrido, a folk ballad that records the exploits of the drug dealers, gunrunners, and outlaws. Armenta wants to celebrate his life in song and he has a fully equipped recording studio in his jungle mansion. Armenta proceeds to tell his life story to Erin, so that she will be able to write the song as truthfully as possible. How he was left to a life on the streets, practically begging for food and fighting off predatory gangs and lone men, little better than animals, that would prey on a young homeless boy. How he became first a thief, then a drug dealer and slowly built his empire.
Article comments
1 - Donald Stanwood
Charlie Hood has no illusions about Bradley's life-style, as the previous novels make clear. But Parker has now spun this story-line into five novels and counting. "The Jaguar" displays the resulting fatigue. It's well-written. But the scenes themselves are the problem. Too much of Erin's soulful moping in a narco-Xanadu south of the border, not enough of Charlie in action.
2 - The Dirty Lowdown
Charlie seemed to become almost a side story, a minor character in this one. I didn't mind Erin's "moping" and I think first time readers would like those scenes as they help deevelope her character, but some of the other scenes - feeding the journalist to the 'cats', the over the top son. The lepers, etc...seemed just that, over the top.
3 - archie goodwin
If you read the previous books it is very clear why Bradley has money and why it is plausible for him to be undercover at this young age.