An action-packed, novelistic sibling to Jason Bourne and James Bond that shakes a cocktail of romance and high-stakes action
Honeycomb is R.A. Van Vleet’s third installment in a series of thrillers starring former security professional turned DEA agent Ian Martin. The action takes us into Hollywood’s seedy underbelly as we follow Ian’s entanglement with Sam Williams, a blonde bombshell of an actress with a hidden past.
Early and often, we see Van Vleet’s action scenes written with great skill and precision:“Ian stepped into the punch, blocked it with his left forearm and jabbed him in the face with his right fist.” There’s a sort of natural choreography unfolding on the page, making it always easy to visualize and immerse ourselves in the cinematic thrill we come to expect from the Bournes and Bonds of the world. There’s plenty of peril in Honeycomb, too, so Van Vleet’s strength is showcased often.
Ian Martin is a well-worthy thriller protagonist too—a conscientious gentleman, both professionally and romantically. He stands in direct opposition to Ray Calderon, the book’s vile antagonist. Unlike our hero, Ray is the kind of guy who “tried to search his other pocket, for the small packet of Rohypnol pills his producer friend Harvey Weinstein gave him.”
In a book where the bad guys are characterized as crass goons who attempt and discuss rape with shocking frequency, Ian is an anchor of a good man, leavening the bitter pill of the villains’ casual misogyny and repeated sexual threats. “It ain’t rape if they don’t remember nothin.”Decency aside, Ian is also just a refreshing character to spend time with—a tough but principled everyman, like Bogart or Cagney.
For all that I appreciate in Honeycomb, there are still a few points of struggle, primarily the manner in which sexual violence, attempted rape, and misogyny are graphically discussed and causally portrayed on the page. It is clear that Van Vleet is setting the “bad guys” in opposition to Ian’s decency, but the language and level of detail is graphic and oft repeated.
The density of description works against the pacing at times too. There are large blocks of backstory and character description throughout, and while the cosmetic detail is thorough, plot detail can run thin. Readers who have already familiarized themselves with the first two Ian Martin novels will likely have their needs met when it comes to understanding his work with the DEA, but new readers to the series may feel it pulls up short there.
Honeycomb’s romance plot elevates the novel to its most satisfying peak. Sam and Ian’s relationship develops naturally and with genuine reader attachment; it’s a fulfilling love story and excellent companion to the thriller plot. Despite the rough patches delivered from the antagonists, what matters most is that the action is aplenty and the romance is so sweet you can’t help but root for it.
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