Catching up on crime: THE EVIL THAT MEN DO by Dave White

THE EVIL THAT MEN DO is a multi-generational spanning plot of revenge where monetary gain comes second to violence all for the cause of a misguided sense of entitlement.

The present day and 1938 timelines add context and depth to the villainous plight the antagonist takes giving Donne more to work with than the present day injustice inflicted upon his immediate family.

For an out-of-business PI, Jackson Donne manages to maintain the fire and desire to solve crime and help those in need – however, having turned his back on his family sometime ago, this latest ad-hoc and unsanctioned investigation brings him closer to his family in more ways than one.

There’s a lot to digest in THE EVIL THAT MEN DO. The interlocking plot threads and justification for the continuous stream of hard-luck Donne’s family injures takes a little time to come to light. That said, its well worth reading as the mystery unravels.

Personally I found the 1938 timeline the more enjoyable of the two, Joe Tenant comes across as a foundation character for what Donne could eventually replicate (perhaps in later instalments we’ll see Donne rekindle the family urge now that his drinking and coke habit are under control). Author Dave White writes Joe in a way that makes him sympathetic yet still come across as someone not to be intimidated or messed with; the victim and the perpetrator.  

In WHEN ONE MAN DIES we saw more of Donne’s life up front and personal, here, we see a broader family drama that adds context and purpose to the Jackson Donne story.