The Empty Trap by John D. MacDonald

Welcome to my 900th book review. MacDonald was one of the most successful thriller writers of his time. Creator of the acclaimed Travis McGee detective series, many of his over 40 novels have been filmed, the most prominent being The Executioners filmed twice as Cape Fear (with a new streaming series in 2025).

The Empty Trap is a classic revenge novel as a man pays for falling in love with the wife of his gangster boss. MacDonald counters this plot with a desperate fight for survival as our hero discovers a new life in the Mexican desert.

This begins in the middle, finding Lloyd bound in a car between two thugs, driving high into the Mexican mountains, followed by a second car. The men kick Lloyd unconscious before placing him in a car with Sylvia's corpse and sending it over the edge to the valley below. The car did not burn, and Lloyd survived for days in a madness close to death before being discovered by a local tribe of Spanish Mexicans. A separate people, they live in a hidden valley by their own rules, and his broken body was nursed back to health at their settlement. Lloyd takes his place amongst the men and even finds the love of a young woman. In his heart, he burns for revenge.

He was hired by Harry Danton to create a new Las Vegas, at a casino hotel in Oasis Springs, Nevada. His pride and attention to detail made it profitable, unaware the whole clip joint was a front to funnel cash to the mob. Danton is ruthless and mistreats his wife Sylvia. She is no saint, having been some boss's girl since she was fourteen. Lloyd and Sylvia devise a plan to raid the safe and escape, but Danton's men quickly track them to Juarez, and dispose of the couple in the mountains.

Five months later, Lloyd is unrecognizable with bronzed skin, a misshapen jaw of broken teeth, his hair white along the scar lines. His plan to sneak across the border and get a job at the Oasis Springs is all part of his long game - to murder the men who killed Sylvia. He knows their weaknesses, but when faced with the act, will he have the strength?

I found this a top thriller, rooted in heart and second chances. It's an unusual combination, and masterful to fit this all into under 200 pages.

Few editions convey the true nature of the book - my Popular Library paperback states: "She wanted love and money- and Lloyd was expected to supply both on her demand", and the Fawcett paperback is completely deceptive stating it: "Probes the steamy private lives behind the quiet elegance of a resort hotel."

Most reviews say it's impossible to put down, and this is very true.

A tough, literary thriller.

My other John D. Macdonald reviews:

A Bullet For Cinderella

The Executioners (Cape Fear)

1957 / Paperback / 192 pages