Frenzi: Florida guns by R.J. Calder - A review

‘Frenzi: Florida Guns’ is the second book from R.J. Calder in the Frenzi series and sees our ape-like brute soaking up the Miami sun while on the run from the New York mob.

If you haven’t read the highly enjoyable first book, then Calder summarises all of this up in a quick prologue, as well as expertly peppering the pertinent information into the current story as several mafia hitmen and paper gangsters take their chances of collecting the bounty on the former mob hitman.

Focusing on Cuban exiles who dream of revolution, and the Italian mobsters who are supplying the weapons to spark the insurrection, the opening act of the story takes us away from the more personal and gives proceedings much more gravitas. Because of this, and perhaps I remember it wrongly, but ‘Florida Guns’ appeared a little more considered in its setup and expansive motivations than the previous book. Well beyond the simple Frenzi who prefers to act than to think. Although, as the hero of the book, so to speak, the story is reigned back in to Frenzi’s narrow world.

On that note, it is good to see that Calder develops the character of Frenzi, both subtly and plausibly. Rather than making wholesale sweeping character arc ‘grow a conscience change’, he simply builds on the internal thoughts, allowing us to see a bit more of the personality that was on display in the first while remaining consistent with the barbaric but justified acts of the man.

Calder manages the pace well, balancing the story with sporadic bouts of expected violence, and ably keeping things moving along while raising the tension which culminates in an expected manic bloody climax. Not to mention the epilogue, which really sets up the next book and once again raises the stakes and perhaps the body count.

At around 180-odd pages, this was a quick and highly entertaining read, and I will be back for the third instalment.

If you like your justice physical and your action bloody, then this is the book for you.