Summer Reads: Cari Mora by Thomas Harris

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Like many (and many) other readers, I was eager to read Thomas Harris's newest novel Cari Mora ($29; Grand Central Publishing). Mr. Harris wrote two of the best thrillers ever published - Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs, which introduced the world to the serial killer Hannibal Lector. The author has written three other books: Black Sunday, Hannibal, and Hannibal Rising. All of this novels have been adapted into feature films. A television series, Hannibal, was inspired by the "Hannibal Lector" novels and aired on NBC for three seasons.

Cari Mora is the author's first new title in thirteen years. The plot centers around half a ton of gold that's buried beneath a mansion located on the Miami Beach. Cari Mora is the current caretaker, an immigrant with a deadly past. Due to being on the Temporary Protected Status, she can't leave Miami and spends most of her days working a variety of odd jobs.

A psychopathic hit-man, Hans-Peter, is one of several men who are hired to find the treasure and the only person standing in their way is Cari. At first glance she looks like an easy target for Han, but she's a survivor and won't let anyone bully her.

Final Thoughts

I was a big fan of The Silence of the Lambs movie during my teenage years and naturally I read the book by Thomas Harris, as well as Red Dragon and later Hannibal and Hannibal Rises. While the two latter title's weren't as memorable, I still enjoyed them to some degree. That being said, I couldn't wait to read Cari Mora! However, after I read the first chapter my excitement level quickly diminished!

To be frank, Cari Mora is poorly written! I have no idea how this happened. Thomas Harris was once an incredible writer who has clearly forgotten the #1 rule of storytelling - show don't tell! The characters are one-dimensional and the dialogue is wooden. It feels less like a novel and more like a bad low-budget late-at-night movie.

At 310 pages, Cari Mora has the biggest print I have every seen in a book! Actually, I wouldn't even call it a book! It's more like a novella. If the print was smaller, this book could have been around 150 pages or less!

Overall, Cari Mora is a disappointing read. The plot is intriguing but the execution is just plain lazy! The only thing this book has going for it is the gorgeous cover art.