ROBERT CRAIS: REVIEWS - THE TWO MINUTE RULE

THE TWO MINUTE RULE
RAVES FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

"Dead cops, dirty cops, an unlikely romance between a law enforcement officer and a tarnished character in the City of Angels...a supercharged suspense novel..."
-Kirkus

“(The Two Minute Rule is) a page-turning action ride. (Ex-con Max Holman and ex-FBI agent Katherine Pollard are) the perfect odd couple—they keep this novel personal and real as it builds to an exciting twist!”
-Publishers Weekly

"In this superb tale...Crais creates a totally believable world in which good and evil are turned upside down. Highly recommended."
-Library Journal

"(A)..terrific tale of revenge. A final plausible twist will shake readers as much as it does Max. Robert Crais hooks readers with THE TWO MINUTE RULE between life and death."
-Harriet Klausner

"The Two Minute Rule is so good, so well-constructed, so full of intelligent characters and complex emotions, that it's irresistible. Crais builds a psychological thriller so tightly plotted you can't skip a page. The plot is inventive but realistic, and even the secondary characters are beautifully drawn. This is Crais's best work so far, and puts him up there with Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane."
- Toronto Globe and Mail

"The Two-Minute Rule is very much a novel of detection rather than a simple thriller. There are enough red herrings to render the complex plot highly difficult to solve, but the pacing moves quickly enough that the reader's attention should never fade. Crais has been one of the stars in the mystery genre, and this is an excellent example of why that is still the case."
-Larry Gandle, Tampa Tribune

“Robert Crais is one of those rare, treasured mystery writers who combine genuine humanity with tales of crime and detection—not to mention the steadily building tension that always manages to pile up till his books can’t be put down. Crais delivers with street cred and real emotional punch.”
-Philadelphia Inquirer

“Wrapped in a panorama of chop shops, factories, dive bars, and the pad-locked banks of the Los Angeles River, this novel is a tale of one man’s bare-knuckled search for redemption. Like the best L.A. noir writers, Crais nudges the mystery genre into higher gear, tackling grand themes in exceedingly personal ways through flawed heroes and hard-to-spot villains. Where Crais excels is in building believable characters to enact his morality plays. He draws them one brushstroke at a time, shading them in with each thought, description and terse phrase. Pollard and Holman are two wounded people with hard-as-nails exteriors, both unsure about whom to trust but single-minded, like Dobermans tracking interlopers, each in the way he or she knows best. Their pairing might seem improbable, but in truth, as Crais shows, cop and criminal inhabit a singular universe of good versus evil, opposite sides of the same coin.”
-Los Angeles Times Book Review

“There are twists galore in THE TWO MINUTE RULE, and a reader’s early assumptions are more than likely to be proven wrong. There are so many emotionally explosive moments throughout, that the reader is constantly in a state of anticipation and anxiety. Crais takes a redeemed convict, Holman, and fashions him into one of the most sympathetic characters I’ve seen in years. You have the option of not picking this book up and getting to bed at a decent hour, or you won’t put it down until dawn breaks. Perhaps Robert Crais’ finest effort yet.”
-January Magazine

“THE TWO MINUTE RULE is a humdinger. It succeeds on superior plotting and characters who grip you early and hold you close to the last page. Holman and Pollard make a fabulous pair.”
-The Boston Globe

“The plot twists and sizzling action that Crais fans expect and adore are present in spades. You won’t be able to turn the pages fast enough.”
-New Orleans Times-Picayune

“A powerful, complex novel. The real substance of THE TWO MINUTE RULE is how it forces us to confront the slim line between illegal and legal activity. Crais...depicts the intricate support networks and loyalties on both sides of the moral fence with equanimity, creating a memorable story undeniably of this time, but also suited to almost any point in human history. Georges Simenon no doubt would give this book the Gallic thumbs up.”
-Sally Vallongo, The Blade

“THE TWO MINUTE RULE is excellent on several levels. Holman, a criminal but also a father overwhelmed with guilt and seeking to make amends, is movingly portrayed. Crais is a master of dialogue; the plot is full of surprises. I urge fans who might be put off by the absence of Crais’s private eye, Elvis Cole, to read it. They will not be disappointed.”
-The Times (London)

“Crais turns readers into page-turners as the net tightens and suspects converge, doing what’s unexpected.”
-Keene New Hampshire Sentinel

“Linear and sparse in plot and dialog, THE TWO MINUTE RULE is a concise tale with a great cast of characters, (melding) Crais the best-seller with the Robert Crais that brought him to the attention of the crime fiction community. It is one of my favorite reads of the new year.”
-Crimespree Magazine

“THE TWO MINUTE RULE is so good, so well-constructed, so full of intelligent characters and complex emotions, that it is irresistible. Holman’s quest is superb. The plot is inventive but realistic, and even the secondary characters are beautifully drawn. This is Crais’s best work so far, and puts him up there with Michael Connelly and Dennis Lehane.”
-Globe & Mail (Canada)

“Robert Crais is a classic American crime writer, tough and funny. His books just get better and better.”
-Independent on Sunday (London)

“Once again, Robert Crais elevates crime fiction. While the thrilling, action-packed, multi-layered novel revolves around the life of a former bank robber, THE TWO MINUTE RULE explores choices, regrets, rehabilitation and the bonds between parents and children.”
-South Florida Sun-Sentinel

“THE TWO MINUTE RULE opens like a champagne cork popping and never lets up. What follows is a nerve-racking switchbacking tale of guilt and redemption. It’s so good it gives you goose bumps.”
-The Evening Standard (London)

“Crais deals expertly with the thought processes, belief system and behaviors of a person determined to make positive choices yet still struggling in the early stages of change. Crais just can’t help creating remarkable heroes, even one as unlikely as an ex-con bank robber.”
-Bookreporter.com

“THE TWO MINUTE RULE, another great thriller from a master, reaches a point where it becomes impossible to put down.”
-Mystery Scene Magazine

"Crais writes Los Angeles with the crisp dialogue and neon electricity of a Michael Mann movie."
-Rocky Mountain News

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