Rick Lawton

The Rex Rick Lawton

The Rex is storytelling at it finest. This is not a formulaic mass-market book cranked out like an assembly-line piece. Mr. Lawton has written a novel with deep, rich characters that move in and out of each other's lives and the great city they inhabit with flair. The temperamental yet sympathetic Frieda, sassy Marcy, opportunistic Jack and soul-less Lansky are all too real: deeply human and notably flawed. As Frieda, Marcy and the other residents of the Rex take a stand against the greed and corruption that threatens their home they must also deal with their personal insecurities, all against the background of the vivid palette of the Manhattan canvas.

Mr. Lawton has crafted a novel that tells a riveting story while never ignoring the grand world these characters inhabit. One can't help but be enthralled by the exciting worlds tucked away in the New York neighborhoods. But the setting does not overpower the story; the reader is drawn deeper and deeper into this modern tale of good versus evil as you watch the villains and the heroes fight the battle while coping with the trials of day to day life. The story builds to a thrilling climax that will come too soon and you'll be sorry to see the last page. Novels of this quality are too few and a joy to find.