Complete: "Stay" by Victor Gischler

Complete: Stay by Victor Gischler, 2015, 9781466838055 (Ebook read from Overdrive.com).

I think this novel is not as good as the other Gischler novels I have read. I think the book lacks the zaniness of Gischler's other work and I really like the zany. That's fine of course, this is more of a shoot'em up thriller. Maybe an attempt at a wider audience? Maybe the original title was Girl with the Commando Husband? Hell if I know. I do know I get fan-boyish with Gischler stories.

In fact, this felt more comic book than novel. Descriptions of exploding glass shards, hiding behind couches during a gun fight, bad guys who exist to die. Anyhoo.

David Sparrow lives outside New York with his State's Attorney wife and their two children. David has been playing house husband for the past few months. David is usually a Super Secret Commando Trouble Shooter. He's been on extended leave after the strain of his solo spy missions started burning him out. David wonders if he really is getting burned out and he wants to go back to work. But, David also enjoys being at home with his children.

David's wife is prosecuting a major crime boss in the City. Big Bad Crime Boss Dante Payne arranges for the shooting murder of the State's prime witness. The DA is wounded during the gun battle and can only get relief from Mrs. Sparrow who takes charge and takes her work home. David awakes at night to a noise in Mrs. Sparrow's home office. A fist fight ensues between David and intruder. Intruder escapes and David ponders.

David finds a flash drive in the piles of evidence the intruder was searching. David takes the flash drive to a former Army colleague who is a Whiz Banger Computer Dude. David is worried for Mrs. Sparrow. More violence ensues and David draws his money from the Central Trust and sends his children to Florida with his in-laws.

Dante Payne is not only a bad dude but has been hiring up the bad dudes the CIA and State Department have been sneaking into the country after the Bad Dudes helped the U.S. overseas. Payne is bussin' in trouble from outta state. One of those Bad Dudes was sneaked out of Syria by David. That Bad Dude blames David for the death of Bad Dude's family.

David and Mrs. Sparrow hit the bricks to escape violent bad guys. David discovers the DA is on the take. David and Mrs. Sparrow are hanging in the wind and David decides to take the fight to Dante Payne. Whiz Banger finds out where Payne is and guides David along. More violence ensues. Two handed gun play ensues.

It seems like David and Mrs. Sparrow's luck may have died. David's hidden job angers Mrs. Sparrow. Mrs. Sparrow wonders if their love may be cold. David and Mrs. Sparrow decide with each other they will stay. David smoochy-smoochies with Mrs. Sparrow.

David knows that his fight with Payne will not end. The end will be just winners and losers and he doesn't want to be caught on the wrong side of that line. David prevails and the epilogue ties things up for a sequel.

Comments:
1. Sure, I complained about this book but it is still a Gischler novel. That means the book is above average and worth your time.
2. I'd give it a 3.5 out of 5.
3. Did you read The Deputy? That's a good very good one.
4. So is Pistol Poets.