Stringers

LIBRARY JOURNAL - While the stars of action plots are often lawmen or spies, this time a couple of loose-cog Los Angeles-based videographers come into focus. The sensible Paul plus wild card Nick make an unlikely freelance team who churn out network-worthy city crisis footage despite interpersonal squabbling and edge-bending driving, earning grudging respect from hard-ass news boss Michelle. But when the team blunders into a covert deal between drug dealers and cops-or are they?-both sides want the duo's evidence and their hides. Writer/producer Guggenheim (Arrow) crafts the dialog with up-yours snark, more than matched by Greenwood's (The Fuse) well-designed, kinetic grittiness. Greenwood pulls major drama from the high-octane car chases, and his facial work dramatizes the dark humor of the characters. Hill's color choices-tans through reds, adding blues for certain settings-keep the action striking and clear. For a change, the novel's sound effects are run-on descriptive phrases such as “BallsOutChaseAt90MPH” rather than onomatopoetic standbys such as “VRROOOM.” VERDICT The stringers' irreverent exploits will delight both fans of TV police dramas such as The Shield and other readers fond of dirty-edged urban crime with lots of mayhem.-MC