The Wheelman by Duane Swierczynski (St. Martin's Minotaur, $23.95, 0312343779, September 2005)
You know those signs posted outside rides at Disney World that caution people with bad backs, weak hearts and general jitters to consider other options? That sign should be made into a sticker and slapped on the front of this book. A bank heist goes sideways when the getaway driver, a mute Irishman named Lennon, is left for dead after being beaten and stuffed down a drain pipe. In short order, the Russian mafiya, the Italian mafia, crooked cops and ex-cops, a girlfriend who may or may not have betrayed Lennon, and many more populate and litter the landscape of Philadelphia in this careening ride of a story. The chapters are short, cleverly captioned, and sometimes only a page or less. The writing is sardonic and violent, but not gory. What makes The Wheelman best of show are the constant surprises and shifts as Lennon attempts to get both the stolen money and revenge. If you could get whiplash reading a thriller, The Wheelman would do it. Sit down, hang on, and make sure there's a lid on your drink.--Marilyn Dahl
---
Overheard in New York by S. Morgan Friedman and Michael Malice (Chamberlain Bros, $12.95 paperback, 1596092017, January 2006)
Are conversations overheard in the Big Apple more bizarre than, say, Charlotte, N.C., or Amarillo, Tex.? Probably not, but people in New York do have a web site for eavesdroppers, resulting in this hilarious compilation.
Perfect for random (i.e., bathroom) reading, as well as a lively addition to this season's travel display, Overheard in New York is definitely not for the prudish. A real bonus: Lawrence Block's introductory story which is, as they say, worth the price of admission.--Marilyn Dahl
You know those signs posted outside rides at Disney World that caution people with bad backs, weak hearts and general jitters to consider other options? That sign should be made into a sticker and slapped on the front of this book. A bank heist goes sideways when the getaway driver, a mute Irishman named Lennon, is left for dead after being beaten and stuffed down a drain pipe. In short order, the Russian mafiya, the Italian mafia, crooked cops and ex-cops, a girlfriend who may or may not have betrayed Lennon, and many more populate and litter the landscape of Philadelphia in this careening ride of a story. The chapters are short, cleverly captioned, and sometimes only a page or less. The writing is sardonic and violent, but not gory. What makes The Wheelman best of show are the constant surprises and shifts as Lennon attempts to get both the stolen money and revenge. If you could get whiplash reading a thriller, The Wheelman would do it. Sit down, hang on, and make sure there's a lid on your drink.--Marilyn Dahl
---
Overheard in New York by S. Morgan Friedman and Michael Malice (Chamberlain Bros, $12.95 paperback, 1596092017, January 2006)
Are conversations overheard in the Big Apple more bizarre than, say, Charlotte, N.C., or Amarillo, Tex.? Probably not, but people in New York do have a web site for eavesdroppers, resulting in this hilarious compilation.
- Woman: "Having sex with him was the same as eating a slice of Wonder bread while looking in the window of a Crate & Barrel."
- Little girl: "Mommy, why do people in New York always wear black?"
- Mommy: "I don't know. Maybe they just don't like looking pretty."
- Woman: "Can I get two pretzels to go?"
- Cart guy: "To go? As opposed to what, eat in?"
- Salesgirl: "How'd you get that bruise?"
- Customer: "I was jump-roping and I fell."
- Salesgirl: "Aren't you a little old to be jump-roping?"
- Customer: "Aren't you a little fat to be working at the Gap?"
Perfect for random (i.e., bathroom) reading, as well as a lively addition to this season's travel display, Overheard in New York is definitely not for the prudish. A real bonus: Lawrence Block's introductory story which is, as they say, worth the price of admission.--Marilyn Dahl