Robert Ward, Four Kinds of Rain

Four Kinds of Rain

Robert Ward

St. Martin's, Oct 2006, $22.95

ISBN: 031235780X

Baltimore psychiatrist Dr. Bob Wells knows his life is spinning out of control due to a gambling addiction and a need to imbibe to numb the pain of his work and the loss of his wife after twenty-two of marriage when she finally gave up on him. In his fifties his once thriving practice lies dormant if not dead. He makes some chump change as a freelance (nice term for fill-in) psychiatric social worker.

Bob's only pleasure comes when he plays with his oldies band, the Rockaholics, which is once a week as everyone else has real day jobs. To spice up the act the group hires blonde Jesse Reardon as a singer. To his shock Bob falls in love at first sight with the beautiful blond bombshell. He ignores his desire until she tells him she loves him. Though they share heaven, Jesse informs her beloved Bob that they will not stay together because she refuses to be with a man with no money. Bob decides his only avenue top obtain some cash to keep Jesse is to rob his last wealthy client, neurotic antiquities dealer Emile Bardan. The unhinged Emile thinks that his nemesis Colin Edwards will try to steal a priceless Sumerian sun-god mask from him and will kill him if he tries stopping him; Emile believes Colin has murdered a friend. Bob sees an opportunity to steal the mask and sell it to Colin.

Four Kinds Of Rain is for the most part an amusing crime caper in which the bungling cast make mistake after mistake. The story line is fast-paced though a bit over the edge as Emile is paranoid; Colin is dangerous; and Bob is desperate. Fans who enjoy wacky tales starring ultra-flawed characters will want to accompany these escapees from the Robert Ward as this novel is filled with humorous blunders and misguided escapades.

Harriet Klausner