Archive for November 5th, 2006
The Ten Word Game by Jonathan Gash
I love Lovejoy. Lovejoy is at first glance a bounder, a cad, and a criminal. But he has his own set of rules he tries to live by that make him seem somehow honorable. And you can understand how the many women in his life have a hard time deciding whether to sleep with him or smack him upside the head.
In The Ten Word Game, Lovejoy is on the run from past misdeeds and gets caught up in a net so big he can’t figure out where the edges are to make his escape. And this time he doesn’t have the usual cast of characters with him to help out – he has been Shanghaied onto a cruise ship full of antique enthusiasts. This is an excellent plot device because Gash introduces a ton of characters and we have no idea who to trust.
The mystery? I didn’t see it coming and should have. Maybe. I love that it snuck up on me even though I should have guessed it. Because I know about … but I won’t ruin it for you.
And, once again, I marvel at the amount of information that Gash knows about the antiques business, both legitimate and not. And how effortlessly he can include this information in the book. Frankly, this takes real talent. How many times have you read a book in which the author just dumps the data and it is painful to read? My guess is too many times. My recommendation is that you pick up this and all of the Lovejoy books. They are a treat.
Mystery Book Reviews by Reviewed By Liz.com ©2006
Posted: November 5th, 2006 under Gash, Jonathan, Reviews by Author.
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