My fondness for caper novels sometimes skews my reviews so take that into account when you consider my reaction to Roger Hobbs’s Ghostman. If I could give Roger Hobbs advice, I’d tell him to read the Parker caper novels of “Richard Stark” (aka, Donald Westlake). The first-person narrator of Ghostman (who goes through multiple identities and cell phones like a glutton at KFC) talks too much. He explains in too much detail which swells what should have been a 200 page book to 321 pages. A good editor could have improved this promising novel. Hobbs gives us not one but two capers. The first caper, breaking into a massive vault in Malaysia, sets up the premise for the second caper. The second caper involves a casino robbery in Atlantic City that goes wrong. The Ghostman is called in by the architect of the botched Malaysian bank robbery to “fix” this casino caper that has also gone wrong. Double-dealing and treachery abound. Unlike the Parker novels, Ghostman isn’t lean and mean. It’s too chatty with too many explanations. Readers can figure out the motives of a character, they don’t need a lot of back story. The more complicated a caper, the more that can go wrong. Ghostman is good, but it could have been a lot better. GRADE: B+
So it rates a “good but not great” on the Lachman scale? Still sounds somewhat interesting to me. But there are many others that will come first.
GHOSTMAN seems to be a First Novel, Jeff, with typical beginner mistakes: too talky, too long. But Roger Hobbs has potential. I’m eager to read his next book!
GHOSTMAN is a first novel, and Hobbs, who is young and graduated from college here in Portland just over a year ago, wrote much of it during his senior year. The reviews have generally been positive, though the backlog of requests is so deep it hasn’t come up for me at the library yet.
Rick, I believe Hobbs has talent. He just needs to research caper novels a bit more and tighten up his writing. Hobbs’s next book should be excellent.
I’m guessing that’s because he’s local, Rick. The BPL has 22 copies and only 4 holds.
Two copies and no holds here. You are generous, George. Unless I love a book, I have little interest in the next. Although I might have 25 years ago.
Patti, I know how hard writing is so I try to give new writers the benefit of the doubt.