A novel with an intriguing premise that’s ultimately hampered by awkward execution.
In Paper’s historical crime novel, mobsters hire a retired FBI agent to keep tabs on Jimmy Hoffa.
In 1975, Sam Silver, a former longtime federal agent turned private investigator, lands an unusual assignment to track the movements of Hoffa, the notorious former president of the Teamsters union. His client is Vito Manchetti, a high-ranking soldier for Santo Trafficante Jr., the head of the mob on the west coast of Florida. Sam and Vito became friendly acquaintances when Sam investigated Trafficante for the FBI in the ’60s. Now, after an explosion of violence involving the Mafia and the Teamsters, Vito is concerned Hoffa might disclose sensitive information to the FBI. In this implausible tale by author Paper, Sam’s lack of prudence is astonishing: “Would it be foolish to take an assignment from the mob?” Reluctantly, the ex-agent accepts the assignment—the promised compensation is considerable—but comes to regret it when he sees three men abscond with Hoffa in the back of a car, shortly before he vanishes forever. Sam recognizes the kidnappers as mob associates but decides to keep the information to himself, fearful of retribution from the very people who hired him. Suspiciously, Sam meets his end while sailing on his boat, in what is initially ruled as an accident; a decade later, his only son, Max, receives a letter from him, confessing what he saw—but strangely, he omits the names of the three men, which were apparently recorded in an absent notebook. Max decides to investigate further, and through Bob Doyle, an old colleague of Sam’s, he makes contact with Vito—a dangerous move for both men, evinced by the burglary and murder that ensues.
Over the course of this novel, Paper shows his knowledge of the germane historical material in an impressive manner; in order to creatively reimagine the details behind Hoffa’s mysterious disappearance, he thoroughly establishes his command of the known facts. Also, the novel offers an engaging look into the world of organized crime over the course of a genuinely unpredictable story; the truth behind Sam’s death is indeed revealed to be a tangled web. However, there’s far too much that strains belief, such as the fact that Sam would accept such a sketchy assignment and then confidently declare in a letter to his son that he did nothing that was “questionable.” However, the main flaws of this promising novel have to do with its storytelling; the plot moves at a glacial pace, burdened by too many digressions. The prose, meanwhile, lacks a sense of style that might have maintained readers’ interest. Overall, Paper accomplishes his goal to write a story that “ring[s] with authenticity.” However, it feels more journalistic than novelistic, due to colorless descriptions and mechanical dialogue. The work is likely to appeal to amateur historians who have an interest in the unsolved case of Hoffa’s disappearance, but it won’t attract readers who may be looking for a well-structured story.
A novel with an intriguing premise that’s ultimately hampered by awkward execution.Pub Date: March 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781685127855
Page Count: 292
Publisher: Historia
Review Posted Online: Feb. 4, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.
A woman accused of shooting her husband six times in the face refuses to speak.
"Alicia Berenson was thirty-three years old when she killed her husband. They had been married for seven years. They were both artists—Alicia was a painter, and Gabriel was a well-known fashion photographer." Michaelides' debut is narrated in the voice of psychotherapist Theo Faber, who applies for a job at the institution where Alicia is incarcerated because he's fascinated with her case and believes he will be able to get her to talk. The narration of the increasingly unrealistic events that follow is interwoven with excerpts from Alicia's diary. Ah, yes, the old interwoven diary trick. When you read Alicia's diary you'll conclude the woman could well have been a novelist instead of a painter because it contains page after page of detailed dialogue, scenes, and conversations quite unlike those in any journal you've ever seen. " 'What's the matter?' 'I can't talk about it on the phone, I need to see you.' 'It's just—I'm not sure I can make it up to Cambridge at the minute.' 'I'll come to you. This afternoon. Okay?' Something in Paul's voice made me agree without thinking about it. He sounded desperate. 'Okay. Are you sure you can't tell me about it now?' 'I'll see you later.' Paul hung up." Wouldn't all this appear in a diary as "Paul wouldn't tell me what was wrong"? An even more improbable entry is the one that pins the tail on the killer. While much of the book is clumsy, contrived, and silly, it is while reading passages of the diary that one may actually find oneself laughing out loud.
Amateurish, with a twist savvy readers will see coming from a mile away.Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-30169-7
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Celadon Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Even when King is not at his best, he’s still good.
Two killers are on the loose. Can they be stopped?
In this ambitious mystery, the prolific and popular King tells the story of a serial murderer who pledges, in a note to Buckeye City police, to kill “13 innocents and 1 guilty,” in order, we eventually learn, to avenge the death of a man who was framed and convicted for possession of child pornography and then killed in prison. At the same time, the author weaves in the efforts of another would-be murderer, a member of a violently abortion-opposing church who has been stalking a popular feminist author and women’s rights activist on a publicity tour. To tell these twin tales of murders done and intended, King summons some familiar characters, including private investigator Holly Gibney, whom readers may recall from previous novels. Gibney is enlisted to help Buckeye City police detective Izzy Jaynes try to identify and stop the serial killer, who has been murdering random unlucky citizens with chilling efficiency. She’s also been hired as a bodyguard for author and activist Kate McKay and her young assistant. The author succeeds in grabbing the reader’s interest and holding it throughout this page-turning tale of terror, which reads like a big-screen thriller. The action is well paced, the settings are vividly drawn, and King’s choice to focus on the real and deadly dangers of extremist thought is admirable. But the book is hamstrung by cliched characters, hackneyed dialogue (both spoken and internal), and motives that feel both convoluted and overly simplistic. King shines brightest when he gets to the heart of our darkest fears and desires, but here the dangers seem a bit cerebral. In his warning letter to the police, the serial killer wonders if his cryptic rationale to murder will make sense to others, concluding, “It does to me, and that is enough.” Is it enough? In another writer’s work, it might not be, but in King’s skilled hands, it probably is.
Even when King is not at his best, he’s still good.Pub Date: May 27, 2025
ISBN: 9781668089330
Page Count: 448
Publisher: Scribner
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
