Reed Coleman continues to develop Gus Murphy in WHAT YOU BREAK after his introduction in WHAT YOU BREAK. Murphy, a retired Long Island cop, is working security and a broken down airport hotel. Working to overcome the unexpected death of his son that led to his eventual divorce, he is just getting back to normal, a new normal anyway. When his friend and ally Slava, a Polish doorman at the hotel with skills unusual for an Eastern European immigrant, needs his help. Despite knowing little about Slava's past, except that Slava himself is ashamed of it, Gus jumps in to help his friend at his peril. Gus finds himself entangled in a case involving New York City Police trying to solve a murder, angry Long Island Police intent on revenge after Gus had exposed internal corruption, and angry, murderous Russians looking for revenge of their own. All while Slava's past is catching up with him.

WHAT YOU BREAK is a solid second novel featuring Gus Murphy.

This one was a little darker and a little more violent than the first book in this series. Those that love a gritty crime drama will be a fan of Gus and the direction this series seems to be taking. Gus is still a very intriguing character that is very flawed and still struggling with the death of his son. I gave this 3 stars on goodreads.

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on February 7, 2017

The prolific Reed Farrell Coleman has developed or contributed to six series of novels. What You Break is the second installment of the Gus Murphy series. Enough background from Where It Hurts appears in What You Break to make it easily read as a standalone book.

Gus is a retired cop who works hotel security in Suffolk County, New York, which sometimes requires him to drive a hotel shuttle. The doorman, Gus’ good friend Slava Podalak, has a mysterious past. Gus is trying to rebuild his life after his son’s death. He regrets the end of his marriage but he knows better than to pretend he can save it.

Gus has a history with a priest who saved his life by killing someone. The priest introduces Gus to a wealthy fellow named Micah Spears, whose granddaughter, Linh Trang Spears, has been murdered. The police arrested the murderer but they don’t understand his motive. Spears wants Gus to find out why the crime was committed.

Quickly enough, Gus encounters a professional hit man, gets beaten up by a big guy, gets beaten up by a cop, dodges Russians who are trying to find Slava, is chased by thugs in a car, and has a conflict with his girlfriend. It’s a dangerous life Gus leads, although his tour of Long Island pizza joints might make it bearable.

Gus eventually decides that he won’t learn anything until he learns more about Micah Spears, who turns out to be at least as mysterious as Slava. Coleman makes a big deal out of the contrast between Slava, who did something bad and carries enormous guilt, and Spears, who did something bad and feels no remorse. Both of the characters seem contrived, created expressly for the purpose of demonstrating that contrast, but neither of them has much substance.

Gus reminds us about once every three pages that his son died and that the death changed him. That’s a fine characterization, but I got it the first time. By the tenth time, I was ready for Gus to find something else to talk about. Unfortunately, Gus is too dull to talk about anything interesting. The other main character, a former priest who lost his faith, is a standard stereotype too often found in crime fiction to be interesting.

The plot is plausible and reasonably entertaining. I liked the ending. The novel’s merits outweigh its shortcomings but this certainly isn’t Coleman’s best work.

RECOMMENDED

Gus is back-in more ways than one. The ex cop who's life has been nothing but heartbreak from losing his son, getting divorced and ekeing out a living as a bouncer amongst other jobs does a favor for an ex-priest by helping a wealthy businessman who's granddaughter was murdered. The murderer is in jail but the grandfather wants to find out the motive for her murder. Along the way Gus encounters a Russian mercenary, street gangs, unsavory characters some of whom harken back to old crimes committed in Russia and Vietnam. This is the second in the series and it was a good read; however I enjoyed the first book much more.

Disappointing. Was hoping for another Michael Connelly or similar but it didn't come close. The main character Gus Murphy investigates brutal murder and has encounters with Russian gangsters, while trying to overcome a personal tragedy and sustain a new love affair. Ultimately, for me, it was boring.

I loved Reed Farrel Coleman's first book about Gus Murphy. It was a refreshing take on the mystery genre primarily due to the Murphy character as the reluctant but unrelenting hero with a special set of moral standards.
This second book in the series is much of the same - with Murphy getting involved in things unrelated to himself, but to his (few) friends, which makes Murphy unable to back out.
Murphy gets beaten up and shows much emotional vulnerability along the way as he faces bad guys in several shapes and forms, and the two subplots of the stories get tangled together.
This book is darker than the first one, and it didn't flow as effortlessly as the first one (as I recall it), but I was still much entertained.

WHAT YOU BREAK
Reed Farrel Coleman
Putnam Books
ISBN
Hardcover
Thriller

WHAT YOU BREAK is a remarkable book. Reed Farrel Coleman --- a journeyman author who is incapable of writing badly --- gave crime fiction one of its most memorable characters in Gus Murphy, with the publication of WHERE IT HURTS in 2015. Murphy, the world-weary voice of both books, is an ex-cop, formerly with the Suffolk County, Long Island Police Department. Murphy’s life was blown up by the death of his son some years ago. Murphy, now divorced and off the force, spends his nights employed at the Paragon Hotel, a down-heeled establishment catering to business travellers near a small Long Island regional airport. Gus drives the hotel security shuttle during the week and serving as security for the hotel’s small but still popular bar and nightclub on the weekends. Murphy is an American original, and his introduction in WHERE IT HURTS was truly an event, one which is matched and surpassed by WHAT YOU BREAK.

Murphy’s involvement in two matters is the focus of WHAT YOU BREAK. While not officially licensed as a private investigator, Murphy still has the instinct and skill sets --- not to mention the contacts --- which he acquired and cultivated as a police officer. His official, “public job(s)” with the hotel notwithstanding, he simply can’t help himself with respect to getting involved in other matters. One of those in WHAT YOU BREAK commences at the behest of “Father Bill” Kilkenny, the man who Murphy credits with helping him to get back into his life following the sudden and unexpected death of his son. Ed arranges a meeting between Gus and a man introduced as Micah Spears. Gus instinctively dislikes Spears on sight, even as he learns that he and Spears have something in common. Spears has felt the pain and loss of a family member as well. In Spears’ case, it was his adopted granddaughter, a young woman named Linh Trang, or “LT” as she called herself. LT was savagely murdered. Her killer was found, brought to justice, and incarcerated. Spears, however, wants to know the “why” behind the brutal murder. The killer freely confessed to killing LT but has steadfastly refused to give his reasons. It is left to Gus to basically start his own, unofficial investigation as to the reason for LT’s death. He begins digging into the victim’s life, and Spears’ life as well, but the evidence keeps sifting through his fingers, leaving him lost. Meanwhile, Gus also interjects himself into some difficulties which his friend Slava is experiencing. Slava is also employed by the hotel, and he and Gus have formed a rough but solid bond, with the condition that Gus does not ask, and Slava does not tell, anything about his past. The past, however, has come back to haunt Slava in the form of a mysterious individual who checks into the hotel late one night. It is obvious that he knows Slava, and that the relationship is not necessarily a happy one. Gus takes it upon himself to follow Slava and the stranger, and soon finds himself involved as a witness in a murder investigation, even as Slava is hiding, in fear for his life. Gus’s interjection into Slava’s difficulties actually make things worse, given that he endangers not only himself but also Maggie, his love interest. The odds are against him, even as he tries to rescue those who he holds dear to him.

The plotting in both of the storylines in WHAT YOU BREAK is wonderful, but it is the characterization of Gus Murphy, paired with Coleman’s rough-hewn but nonetheless exquisite prose, that carry the day in WHAT YOU BREAK. Murphy is the guy you barely notice on your periphery, the service worker who would seemingly be more attention worthy in his absence than otherwise. Coleman brings Murphy, and those like him, into the foreground in a manner that renders such individuals noteworthy. As for Coleman’s prose in WHAT YOU BREAK, readers will find memorable passages on virtually every page. Those who have been following Coleman’s work over the course of his critically acclaimed but commercially underappreciated career will find that he has exceeded the expectations which he has heretofore created, while readers encountering Coleman for the first time here will undoubtedly search out his considerable bibliography while waiting for the next Murphy book. Strongly recommended.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
© Copyright 2017, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

I really liked this book. Much more so than the first in the series. It took me a bit in that book to fully "get" Gus, in this book I did much more.
Gus Murphy is a retired policeman on Long Island. He is hired by a man to find out the why of why his Grandaughter was murdered. They already caught the suspect, but he isn't talking.
There is another plot running concurrently involving his friend Slava and why the Russians are looking for him. Slava doesn't talk about his past but says he must keep living to atone for what he has done.
Both plots are well-written and involving.
The only thing that irked me is that Gus shouts a lot.

This was the second book in the Gus Murphy series and while I didn't read the first book, I was able to read this one without a lot of questions. Although the death of his son and his divorce was a big question to which there were answers to in the first book. However, while it was mentioned a lot in this book, it did not take away from what was happening in this one.

Gus, a retired Suffolk County police officer, is working for a slightly above average hotel as a van driver, security and bouncer for their night club. For this he gets a free room and some cash. In this book, his friend Slava, who works at the hotel also, hooks up with a man whom Gus has just driven from the airport. Gus has already determined that this man needs watching. Slava leaves with this man and Gus follows, witnesses an execution and hides Slava in his marital home where no one is currently living. He's not sure what is going on with Slava but isn't interest in getting more involved. Unfortunately, he's not given a choice.

Meanwhile, Gus is called to his old friend's house, Bill, who used to be a clergyman in the church. He is asking Gus to do a job for his friend, Micah Spears. Micah wants to know why his daughter was murdered. They already have the killer, he just wants to know why and the killer isn't talking.

Little does Gus know, but both of these cases puts him not only in hot water, but with a huge target on his back.

This book was definitely entertaining and had me holding my breath a lot. The twists and turns, the road chases, the dangers around every corner, the threats against Gus, the threats against his girlfriend and the attacks on Gus were just a few things that kept my pulse racing. This was an excellent read and I am glad that I got the chance to do so.

Huge thanks to Penguin Group Putnam for approving my request and to Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

this is the 2nd book to feature Gus Murphy and I liked this one a lil better than the debut. I think as series go along I get more comfortable with the lead and that familiarity helps. I like Reed Farrel Coleman a lot and I think part of my initial issue with Gus is that he is depressed a lot and we readers spend a lot of time in his head as he goes through his grief. He also shares many characteristics with Moe Prager the great Coleman creation that he wrote 8 books about previous to this series. So those concerns aside, What You Break is still a decent book. If you didn’t read the first one, not a problem as throughout the course of this one, many of those details are explained, maybe more so than necessary. There are 2 plots in this one, Gus is asked to find out why a shady characters granddaughter was brutally murdered. This is a decent mystery and takes some dark turns. The other involves his friend Slava from the hotel he works at. Events from his past are catching up with him and Gus attempts to help him get away from these very violent and determined individuals. This one also features some good development in his personal life and I look forward to the next entry in the series, hopefully Gus will be not as grief stricken by the time that comes around. 4 stars
Thanks to Netgalley for an advance review copy.

Reed Farrel Coleman is on of my favorite authors and Gus and Magdelena two of my favorite characters. They return for the mean Long Island street to face off with memories of Vietnam and Russia, street gangs and Russian hit men. Always fun, always exciting and always a surprise waiting for me at the end of his books. Coleman's writing completely satisfied this reader's taste for a police procedural/thriller wrapped into one delish blanket.

Thanks.

(Lengthened review to come shortly... Stay tuned...)

I like the way Coleman writes: he consistently delivers no nonsense, hardboiled crime fiction. But following the conclusion of his successful Moe Prager series, I was slightly nervous as to how he would follow it up. I shouldn't have been. His first book introducing his new front man Gus Murphy, Where It Hurts, hit all the right notes and I instantly took a liking to (yet) another damaged ex-cop trying to eke out a living whist conunuing to entertainin the thought that he can still bust balls and see off the bad guys, sans uniform. Murphy struts his stuff on Long Island, New York – but not in the well-heeled parts. His manor is not The Hamptons, that summer destination for affluent New York City residents, but the more working class area of Suffolk County.

Gus lost his son in tragic circumstances and now lives in an airport motel, where he doubles as the in-house detective and the shuttle service driver. He’s divorced, struggling to come to terms with the loss of his son but he has recently invited a new woman into his life. Could it be that after hitting rock bottom his life is on the upturn again? Well, that assessment might be challenged as he agrees to look into the death of a young woman as a favour for a friend of his.

The heart of the story is really Gus and his struggle with where he finds himself at this point in his life. The investigation is interesting enough and it does allow the author to introduce some colourful characters that certainly add spice to the tale, but for me it still boiled down to a question of whether our lead man was going to manage to shuffle his life in the right direction or if he was going to be forced back into the shadowlands of despair and regret, whence he came.

It’s a well written and engaging story with a cast of characters that could have come straight out of a Dickens novel. It's great fun. If I have a complaint it's that the plot eventually becomes somewhat predictable, but what the hell. My enjoyment of books is mainly determined by whether I find myself able to invest something in the characters within. Here I have no problem adopting Gus Murphy as a damaged soul I’ll be seeking every opportunity to share company with for some time to come.