Hailey's War by Jodi Compton

My final review for 2010 is “Hailey’s War”, a taut thriller that had me guessing until the final pages. The story centres around Hailey Cain, a West Point dropout and bike courier/messenger in San Francisco.

The book has an unusual and intriguing style and I must confess I don’t think I’ve come across a book of its ilk this year – the first half of the book reading part biographical/part personal diary.

Available at The Book Depository & Amazon.

Although always written in the first person narrative it’s not until we move into the second half of the book that it settles down to what I’ve come to expect from a thriller. I’d go as far to say; certainly in my experience, that Hailey’s War is a unique and original read.

Set at an incredible pace we follow the trials and tribulations of the 23 year old military academy dropout who we discover left West Point under a secretive cloud. She holds her cards close to her chest throughout and not until the book’s dénouement do we find out the reasons for her failure. Her past certainly plays a big part in shaping her personality – preferring her own company and prone to self-destruct at any moment, Hailey is a complex character – you’ll either love her or hate her!

Jodi Compton

Hailey eventually moves to Los Angeles and initially moves in with her cousin CJ, a successful record producer living in the mountains high above the city. Restless, she moves into the city and meets her seventh grade school friend Serena “Warchild” Delgadillo, the leader of a female gang in Los Angeles. It’s this close association that is the

crux of Hailey’s War for when she agrees to drive a young girl to Chihuahua, Mexico to look after her sick grandmother, her life changes forever.

Ambushed, shot and left for dead, Hailey grimly holds on to dear life. Well enough to return home after two months in hospital, home to the relative safety of Serena and her gang, Hailey’s gung-ho attitude reshapes her future in dramatic style.

As the tale develops we are ensconced in gang life, their behaviour, their commitment and their honour – an honour amongst thieves that appears to go unquestioned when Hailey seeks their help and support in moving forward.

The characters are an eclectic bunch and I must admit I wasn’t too keen on Serena to begin with but as the story evolves so it seems does Serena – at one point becoming the voice of reason at a time when I thought the book might take a terrible direction. Fortunately Compton reins Hailey in and the story is swiftly back on track.

Thoroughly enjoyable, Hailey’s War marks the introduction of our heroine Hailey Cain – Jodi Compton certainly has a hit on her hands with this one and I’m keen to see how she develops the main character in books to come. A great way to end a highly successful year.

Published by Simon & Schuster “Hailey’s War” is available at The Book Depository & Amazon.