hpuphd's review
5.0
What a thrilling novel! I found something on nearly every page to enjoy—a turn of phrase, a surprise in the plotting, a subtlety of character. As the action unfolds amid hoods, crooked cops, and other dubious characters, Thomas develops the idea of selling out for the big payoff and where people draw the line (if they draw the line). A wonderful, intelligent book!
ericwelch's review against another edition
4.0
The Philip St. Ives series was written by Ross Thomas under the Oliver Bleeck pseudonym. I can't decide, after reading this first in the series, whether St. Ives more resembles Archie Goodwin or Dortmunder or even Stanley Hastings, probably a combination of each.
St. Ives has developed a reputation for being an honest go-between, that is, he delivers money to kidnappers, ransom demands; an intermediary who can be trusted not to rip off either party. So when a famous antique African shield is stolen from a museum and the thieves request $250,000 in small bills for its return, St, Ives is a logical choice to deliver the money.
Being an exceedingly cautious man, he decides to check out a few things, especially after the body of the security guard is found. Then the man's wife commits suicide, then we learn the museum director's husband was killed in a car accident four weeks earlier, a crooked cop who tried to horn in on the deal with St. Ives is murdered, and things get a bit complicated. Of course since they were written in the sixties, everyone needed to use a pay phone and hotel rooms were $16 a night and $250,000 was a heck of a lot of money.
It' s a good story with the conversation so reminiscent of some of my favorite characters that I will most certainly read the rest of the books in the series.
St. Ives has developed a reputation for being an honest go-between, that is, he delivers money to kidnappers, ransom demands; an intermediary who can be trusted not to rip off either party. So when a famous antique African shield is stolen from a museum and the thieves request $250,000 in small bills for its return, St, Ives is a logical choice to deliver the money.
Being an exceedingly cautious man, he decides to check out a few things, especially after the body of the security guard is found. Then the man's wife commits suicide, then we learn the museum director's husband was killed in a car accident four weeks earlier, a crooked cop who tried to horn in on the deal with St. Ives is murdered, and things get a bit complicated. Of course since they were written in the sixties, everyone needed to use a pay phone and hotel rooms were $16 a night and $250,000 was a heck of a lot of money.
It' s a good story with the conversation so reminiscent of some of my favorite characters that I will most certainly read the rest of the books in the series.
seano's review
3.0
Ross Thomas can do a lot better. But this is a pretty good intro of Philip St. Ives, one of his heroes that dance around corruption but never actually fall.
It’s good. Not his best. It suffers from a lack of real female characters, which is a typical failing.
There were some twists, but nothing unique.
Recommended for Thomas fans only.
It’s good. Not his best. It suffers from a lack of real female characters, which is a typical failing.
There were some twists, but nothing unique.
Recommended for Thomas fans only.
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