This is a great first book by author Troy Cook. It's very clever and very fun and very well done. Wyatt raised his daughter, Tara, to be a bank robber. Now she's grown and ready to strike out on her own. She's got the rules and then she meets a guy. I am generally annoyed when authors are compared to Carl Hiaasen, but in this case, the comparison is apt. I sure hope this is the first of many. ( )

My blog post about this book is at this link. ( )

In these difficult economic times it would be nice if this was actually a "how to" guide or an insiders look at how the banks got us in this mess but this is actually a relatively light crime novel - not a mystery as you pretty much know from the outset who the good guys and bad guys are (and those in-between that you can't help rooting for). Not too challenging as it isn't long or gruesome and has some nice light hearted touches but we never do get a full rundown of what those 47 rules are. ( )

One of the funniest mysteries - Tara's father is sort of a demented Dortmunder. If you like rooting for and at the same time laughing at the bad guys give it a try. Is a hoot. ( )

It is always hard when a child's parent chooses a career for him, trains him early and does not allow any other job opportunities. It is an age old problem of parents' deciding what is best for their children with no discussion. But when your father is a psychopathic bank robber it really limits your future plans.

When 9 year old Tara's mother dies, her father begins to train her in his career field, in the art of robbing banks. Her first attempt at intimidating bank guards ends when she misses her shot and shoots her father in the foot. But after that she becomes an accomplished and successful partner with her father for many years of bank heists. But at age 23 she wonders if this is enough, no friends, no permanent place to live and, most of all, no social life. And as her father becomes more and more out of control and shooting innocent people becomes common (in spite of "Rule #16 Change your MO about as often as you change your underwear.") Tara is feeling that maybe it is time for a career change. Scoping out their latest bank job leads Tara and her father to a small, rural Arizona town (Rule #6- Only rob banks in the sticks.) . There Tara meets Max, the wayward son of the local sheriff, and it is instant attraction. After the bank robbing follows the pattern of blood and death, Tara decides it is time to leave her father. But with a unforgiving, psychopathic father, this is not going to be easy. Bonnie and Clyde had it easy compared to these two. Tara and Max flee but followed by Wyatt who is pursued by ex-partners, the sheriff and the FBI.

47 Rules of Highly Effective Bank Robbers is a great, sprawling adventure. With his tongue firmly planted in his cheek, Troy Cook has written a fun, action filled story of a family gone wrong. He is able to win the readers' affection for the most motley bunch of characters ever put down in one story. Who can not sympathize with poor Tara, the good daughter who is only doing what daddy taught her to do? Cook keeps the action anchored with the clever use of the 47 Rules and the tape recorded riffs of Max. His background in the movie business is evident in his ability to keep the action moving between scenes in the present and past to form a whole.

This first novel should be on all crime, mystery or humor lover's list of summer reads. It is a creative debut of a talented new fiction writer. In a genre packed full of entries, this work needs to be recognized as a ground breaking use of humorous situations combined with strong, sympathetic characters encased in a crime thriller. ( )