Outside the Box (Gideon Box Book 3)

Picture Trudy, an attractive blond Kentucky-native country girl, extremely friendly and open. She's struggling to make friends in the city in which "higher society" women openly scorn her, both offended by her trashy physique and threatened by her primal attractiveness, youth, and bubbly personality.In one scene, Trudy politely asks a hospital clerk to visit her boyfriend Dr. Gideon Box, only to be condescendingly questioned, "Who are you?"Our heroine sets aside the clerk's rudeness, trying earnestly to appear friendly and relatable: "Who are you?" the clerk says, once again. "You keep askin' and I keep answerin', but then you ask again. My cousin Tate does that same thing, but he suffers from 10-second memory due to getting' his head crushed by a cow." "I beg your pardon?" "Tate was reachin' up under his neighbor's cow to steal a sip of raw milk when the cow up and died. Fell right on Tate's head, and though his kinfolk managed to drag him free, his hat never fit quite right again, and his memory quit workin'. It's always an issue but the worst part is when Cousin Tate shits himself in his sleep. He climbs out of bed to clean his ass, but on the way to the outhouse he forgets he shit himself, realizes it's dark, and thinks it's time for bed. So he climbs back into bed to go to sleep, then realizes he shit himself, and the whole process start over."The only reason I don't recommend Locke's books: each page was a smile or laugh, physically incapacitating me from ever setting it down.I've read the 1-star reviews. Seems people can't stand the vulgarities. I understand this. However, I for one am not the squeamish type. As a result, I embrace this "vulgar" humor with a wide open heart. I find Locke's writing to be extremely clever and hilarious. And I think anyone with a relatively relaxed sense of humor will reach the same conclusion: that Locke is a brilliant comedic writer. Why frown when you can smile? Locke's books, including Outside the Box, bring me joy. Who can't use a few more laughs in their lives?

Outside the Box had John Locke taking a turn for the incredible (and not in a good way). In a series full of crazy characters and wild coincidences, I've had no trouble hitting the "I believe" button, until now. Outside the Box picks up the story that came to light at the end of "Bad Doctor" (my favorite in the series, by far). Dr. Box is being tasked with what is said to be the case of his career, saving a baby with "special powers".The biological mother, one of Gideon's former favorite hookers, is about to give birth, and she and the woman who is adopting the baby, Gideon's nurse, show up out of the blue at his apartment, demanding his compliance.There's a woman on a ledge, a mob boss demanding Gideon's "services" (not just his surgical skills), Dani Ripper and Donovan Creed, a socialite with a mysterious serial killer branding above her--eh hem--lady parts that reads "ManChild", and the young and beautiful Trudy Lake, with whom Gideon claims to have fallen in love, and with whom NYC seems to take major issue.In short, there's a lot going on. Maybe too much. Definitely too much of it far-fetched.Don't look for redemption because there isn't any. Gideon is a bad doctor, and a crappy human being. Don't look for this story to make much sense, either. This baby thing really didn't work for me. The writing, as always, was top notch,but even the best execution is only as good as the concept.Maybe I'm burnt out. Maybe three back-to-back Gideon Box books has ruined the magic. Maybe the author took a sharp turn into Wrongsville. Who knows? I have the first two Dani Ripper books to decide. My husband's reading them ahead of me and agreed on this book. He also says for as much as he liked "Bad Doctor", the Dani Ripper books are better. That's the light at the end of the tunnel. I really wish this series had ended better. Given what is said about the baby at the end of the book, I'm afraid this is going to go further.

Once again John Locke comes through with a funny unstoppable read in a long series of demented characters, impossible situations and hilarious action. "Outside The Box", the second featuring Gideon Box, a brilliant but tormented pediatric surgeon who can save children's lives where all the other expert doctors have thrown in the towel, but snaps and behaves very strangely as a result of the incredible pressure, not to mention being vengeful and extremely rude. In "Outside The Box", we continue the story with himself falling in love with 20 year old Trudy Lake, a new addition to the Locke canon, and when she moves from the inbred redneck state of Kentucky to be with him in Manhattan, we get a hilarious, deadly and twisted clash of culture with high society snobs clashing against rural Trudy, who despite her rural ways is smarter than anybody realizes. This book, like all his books, isn't particularly long, it isn't intended to be a major novel critics will drool over for years to come, or tries to be anything but a funny furiously paced read that is especially enjoyable as a respite from the real world we all have to face every day. Perhaps nobody provides escapism in book form better than John Locke. For those not familiar with his work, it is advised to begin with his first book (his books are listed in chronological order usually in the preface or online at his web site) because even with the supposedly side projects he has written, including the Emmet Love western series, he manages to tie them all in. Let your imagination run wild and read about people whose lives are definitely more screwed up than your own.

With the (apparent) descent into madness and chaos of John's main hero, Creed, I was a bit worried about what was to come next. I should have known better.This is the third in the "Box" series, and after a slightly slow start, the book takes off and once again I found myself dragged on a crazy ride through his twisted imagination. I'm just grateful that his books are no longer than they are, as by the time I finish one, I'm completely exhausted.I've never been disappointed by a John Locke book, but this one really is the best so far, particularly in the way that it manages to pull together strands and characters from all the other series, Westerns, Witches, Mafiosi and Black-ops killers - what?

I just cannot put this author's books down. Having just found John Locke, I'm so pleased as it means there are still loads to read.Pick one, any one, and I guarantee you that you'll be doing the same as me, unable to put my kindle down until I've finished, and made sure I've already got the next one downloaded.Thank you, Mr Locke, for the escape and the pleasure you are filling my days with :-)

I confess I'm utterly biased because I love love LOVE all John Locke novels. Did I already mention I absolutely love them all?? But even so, having read all of them without fail, I must say I especially enjoyed this one, although not having been too much of a fan of the Gideon Box series so far. The main reason is probably that despite the chaotic appearance of it all, the novel skillfully weaves in characters and plots from all the storylines. Another big reason is the lovely character, Trudy Lake, pure, extremely lovable and still surprisingly smart. The climax is still to come... Can't wait for the next!!

After a small wobble with the last "half" book this one had the full story and what a good story it was. All the old characters turning up here and there, makes me want to go back and start the entire collection from the beginning. Laugh out loud moments and the expected but still exciting twist at the end, sticks to John's format that works so well.

Ludicrous plot? Was there a plot ? Totally unbelievable. Oh and the end. Well I give up on the endings, I just have to get to used to feeling like Ive only read two thirds of the book when it ends. Oh one more thing, totally brilliant. I absolutely loved this book and its going to be a pain having to wait for the next instalment. Very funny, love doc Box