Title: Blood of My Brother
Author: James LePore
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Story Plant, The (December 28, 2010)
Category: thriller
Rating: C+

I don’t read a lot of thrillers. I’m a closet fan of James Patterson’s Women’s Murder Club series and I read everything John Grisham writes. Other than that, every once in a while I get in the mood for a semi-mindless page turning mystery which hovers between clandestine military operations and something contrived, simplistic, petty. I don’t like too much gore. I’m not a fan of serial killer mysteries. Blood of My Brother is about two lifelong best friends. Attorney Jay Cassio and Dan Del Colliano grew up rough and tumble in Newark, New Jersey. Several years ago, Jay’s parents were killed in an airplane crash and Dan’s support further strengthened their bond. When Dan is murdered in a professional-looking hit, Jay immediately begins to search for answers. While investigating, Jay becomes entangled with a lovely Mexican woman with [naturally] a mysterious past, drugs, money laundering and sex trade [also very South of the Border]. Blood of My Brother dragged at times with too many unnecessary details and a tired premise.