Criminal Paradise    by Steven M. Thomas Order:  USA  Can Ballantine, 2008 (2008) Hardcover, e-Book Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth Somehow, a career of crime was never in my life plans. After reading Steven M. Thomas's Criminal Paradise, I am confident I made the right decision. If this depiction of the criminal life is anywhere near accurate, it is not a matter of morals that would have kept me from following the dark path so much as the excitement, terror, pain - and insecurity of not knowing for sure where my next meal was coming from. When Robbie Rivers decides to knock over a Cow Town Restaurant, he and his partner Switch run into problems they hadn't anticipated. As matters escalate, Robbie's old friend and fellow thief Reggie appears, bringing his own set of problems with him. Loyalty plays a big part in the thieves' relationship. They run into some big time sex slave trade as well as a sociopath who takes his childhood disappointments out on others in a positively cruel and excruciating way. Big money is involved here as the plot thickens and the bad guys work to overturn the really bad guys' plans. Criminal Paradise is a thrilling, breathtaking read that will keep the reader turning pages as quickly as a river cascades over a waterfall. Don't miss it. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Mystery books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews