Guest Review: BABY SHARK'S JUGGLERS AT THE BORDER by Robert Fate

Baby Shark's Jugglers at the Border

by Robert Fate

ISBN-10: 0979996058

ISBN-13: 978-0979996054

Paperback, 280 pages

Capital Crime Press

September 1, 2009

Reviewed by Cynthia Murphy

After a few entries in a series, authors often run the risk of getting a bit lazy. Character development becomes sparse, or the prose becomes clichéd. Robert Fate skillfully sidesteps such a problem in the latest entry in the Baby Shark series, Jugglers at the Border. This is the fourth installment in the series starring former pool shark turned detective Kristin Van Dijk, and it is just as strong as the previous novels.

Jugglers at the Border is a fun, fast-paced read. It starts with Kristen being tied up in a remote cabin. When a mysterious gunman kills her captors, she seizes the opportunity for an escape. She ends up killing the gunman when she becomes a target for him. With all of the excitement in the first few chapters, the reader is likely to believe that this case will be focus of the story. However, this is just an introduction.

The main case in Jugglers at the Border involves the murder of the estranged wife of Kristin’s partner, Otis. There is an interesting back story about Otis’s ex, Dixie. She was a stripper known as “The Dallas Firecracker.” Their marriage was a stormy one, and it cost Otis his career with the police department. Although they had been separated for years, Otis still cared about Dixie, and he agrees to work with the police on the case.

The case is a complex mix of twists and turns. Dixie’s murder is immediately linked to a recent bank robbery in which a police officer was killed. Kristin and Otis have to figure out exactly how she was involved in the plot. The investigation pairs Kristin and Otis with a by-the-book cop named Carl Lynch. At first, their investigative styles clash, but they develop a mutual respect over time. The investigation reveals a dark side to Dixie’s life and another mystery. The team discovers a safety deposit box key taped underneath her coffee table, but they can’t figure out where the box is stored. This represents a key element of the bigger mystery of Dixie’s role in the bank robberies. All of the mysteries converge in an exciting climax that ties everything together.

Robert Fate does a great job with the pacing of this novel. The suspense remains steady throughout the book. There are no slow sections; everything keeps moving toward the climax. Fate creates suspense in a number of ways. He focuses much of his energy on the plot; it is jam-packed with action. The reader doesn’t really have time to recover from one event before something else happens. It makes for a fast, exciting read experience.
Fate uses his characteristic retro style language. Everything about this novel looks and sounds like a hard-boiled detective novel of the mid-twentieth century. Only the modern copyright date reminds the reader that this book was written in 2009. The dialogue is snappy, and Fate uses a staccato rhythm throughout the book. The overall effect is surprisingly smooth.

Fate also does a bit more character development than usual in Jugglers at the Border. This time, he reveals more of Otis’s past and shows some of his emotions. For the most part, Otis has seemed like a tough former cop. In this book, his feelings regarding Dixie reveal a gentle side that hasn’t been evident in previous novels. Fate also reveals some confusion for Kristin in her relationship with her boyfriend, Lee. Their relationship has developed into something more serious than they had expected. Consequently, Kristin doesn’t know what she wants to do with the relationship and her life.

My biggest complaint about this novel is its title. I just don’t think the title suits the novel very well. It looks like Fate is trying too hard to be clever with the title. It’s too long, and doesn’t fit the action as well as some of the other entries in the series.

Overall, Jugglers at the Border is a fun thriller. The pacing is good, and the characters are likeable. Most importantly, it has a terrific plot that keeps the reader guessing. It feels like an old detective novel, but hopefully there will be more entries in the Baby Shark series.