The Prisoner: A Novel.

The Prisoner: A Novel

Patrick M. Garry

Xlibris Corp.

International Plaza II, Suite 340, Philadelphia, PA 19113-1513

ISBN 9781425753481, $20.99, www.ilibris.com

This book is a prime example of the old adage "don't judge a book by its cover." At first look, the cover features what seems to be a tourist shot of a courtroom. It is blurry, unexciting and does nothing to make the reader want to pick the book up. However, if you can move past the poor cover design and open the book you will not be disappointed.

On the surface, "The Prisoner" is the story of Milo Krantz, a rent collector for a slumlord who stands accused of providing the gun used to slaughter a mother and her children. He is a career criminal who, though now working legitimately, has failed to redeem himself since his job is threatening people into paying their rent. Under the surface, however, is a man who feeds the very children whose parents can't pay rent. Milo at one point aspired to make more of himself and is ashamed of what he does, but hides it all under a facade of bravado and pride. This facade starts to break once he faces the judge who presides over his case.

Judge Donna Davis is a woman with a past she is trying to hide. Trapped in a marriage where both parties use each other to get ahead, she lives with the memories of the one man who stood by here when she was left blind and hospitalized after an accident. Those memories start to blend with reality once she is faced with Milo Krantz in her courtroom. Detective Gunther Mulvaney is the person who arrested Milo and who starts to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Under the surface story of "The Prisoner" you will find a deeper story of true love, lost love and the effects it has on our lives. The most interesting thing about the way this love story was written is the way the author intertwined both Donna and Milo's memories of their story. Rather than see it from only one perspective, the reader is able to see it from both sides which helps make it more real. As much as these two people may have been mismatched and from different worlds, they truly loved each other and it was impossible not to want them to end up together. The ending of the book was heartbreaking, but real. The author did not cop out and give the reader a happy, tidy ending. Mr. Garry gave the reader a realistic ending to a story that was tragic from the beginning. I look forward to more work from this talented author.