Steve Gannon: Kane (A Kane Novel)

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Kane's stand together again, no matter what

Once again Steve Gannon has written a very powerful, exciting and challenging page-turning novel, which is both spine chilling and personally emotional. Gannon has written a book which mixes intense family issues successfully with a well crafted police procedural/serial killer plot. Be warned - it is very much an adult novel with vivid scenes of sadistic serial murders but they are needed because they are central to the story.

In his first book "A Song for the Asking" (which I am glad that I read first) Steve Gannon introduced us to Dan Kane, who is a top Homicide Detective at LAPD who dominates his family like a marines training Sergeant.  Despite this his sons and daughter live in a family environment full of love and respect. They follow their father's strong beliefs that "Kane's stand together, no matter what"

When tragedy happens and his eldest son is killed in a climbing accident, Kane is the one who cracked and cannot stand together with his family.  At the start of this book, Kane's inability to cope with and share his grief impact seriously on his marriage and he is unable to help others in the family who also have to cope with the loss and have deep secrets that they are unable to share.

As an escape, Kane buries himself in his work - tracking down a clever and sadistic serial killer.  Kane is a rough and tough experienced detective who likes to do things in his own way and has little respect for bureaucracy.  While this helps him to progress the case it also eventually endangers himself, and also his family. In "Song for the Asking" Kane's police work was peripheral to his relationships with his family.  While family relationships are still important, this time Kane's police work takes precedence and threatens to impact on the family.

In the middle of all of this Gannon gives us a magical musical interlude when Kane's wife, a cellist with a symphony orchestra, has to take over a solo performance of Dvorak's Cello Concerto.  Gannon describes this with feeling and emotion - reflecting a saying from the earlier book -  "Although music can be many things ... music is the power to command emotion."

Kane is a non-stop action thriller, with surprising twists, and unforgettable conflicting scenes of horror and family love. It is a great read which I recommend strongly to anyone who likes a challenging story.  As I said after reading "Song for the Asking" - after a powerful book I need to read something lighter next, like a sorbet to cleanse the palate between courses.

Gannon's next book in the Kane series - "Allison" - also highly recommended.