Tim Green Kingdom Come

Kingdom Come

Tim Green

Warner, Apr 2006, $24.95

ISBN: 0446577421

James King built his multi-billion dollar empire starting with one back hoe, but he has made many enemies over the years mostly in business. However, it is not the business adversaries that visit his upstate New York mansion on a wintry night. Instead Jessica Coder, wife of his friend and employee Thane, holds James responsible for the death of her oldest child when he refused to help them possibly save the boy's life. She goads her spouse into killing James though afterward Thane struggles to wash away the blood from his hands having used a hunting knife.

James's son Bob becomes suspicious when Thane is elected CEO to replace his late father especially the way Jessica easily switches from soccer mom to jet setter. As Bob investigates the death of his dad and the takeover of the Fortune Five Hundred Company, other people are murdered to cover the original crime. To keep his wife quiet and to keep his position of power and money Thane manipulates the mob, the Feds, and the company board into battling one another while fending off Bob.

This modernization of Macbeth is an interesting tale, but lacks any character for readers to root for them to triumph and the audience knows that Thane and Jessica are destined to fail. His weakness including visits from the ghost of James and her ambition that pills cannot wash away make her guilt more intense than Bob's obstinacy. Though no Shakespeare, Tim Green's fans will enjoy his latest action-packed crime caper.

Harriet Klausner