Love Is a Racket

hmm... what does a man do after scooping some dudes brain and skull bits off of his floor with a spoon? Read this excellent book and find out! The Hollywood that everybody sees, and pretends not to, is vividly, and excellently portrayed in this gritty noir excersise. The protagonost is the classic underdog in which all of us can relate to. It is through his eyes, that a story of crushed dreams, and one last chance at redemption unfolds. This novel is dark, but VERY funny. A hard trick that Mr. Ridley pulls off deftly. Youll love this book!

John Ridley seems to have been inspired by the works of James M. Cain and Jim Thompson. He takes that inspiration and mixes it with his unique updated style and creates greatness. This story of Jeffty Kittridge trying to rise up from the bottom is funny, exciting and sad. If you are familiar with an urban environment, you will recognize some of these realistic characters. People like these really exist in cities all across this country.I really enjoyed this novel. I can't wait to read more from Mr. Ridley.

John Ridley's new novel put's him right up there in the company of America's greatest crime writers. His first novel, "Stray Dogs", was a smart, nasty little noir, all full of twists and turns that kept Ridley and his book at least one step ahead of the reader, but in "Love is a Racket" he tells a great story and he creates some of the most memorable characters you'll meet in any recent fiction. He's also got a wonderfully sly sense of humor . This is a novel where someone's always the brunt of a con or a good joke, the reader included. (Yep, and when you've been fooled by a master -- and Ridley is a master -- it's surprising how good it feels.) Read "Love is a Racket" and you'll be reminded that Elmore Leonard's just a pit stop on the way to better stuff.

I enjoyed 'Stray Dogs', 'U-Turn', and 'Cold Around the Heart' - 'Love is a Racket' shows Ridley's gift to continually entertain and keep the reader intertwined within the main character's fortune (or lack thereof). You won't be disappointed!!

This one is as good as it gets. Tough, dark, funny and it even has room for some heart. Classic noir reborn for the modern age. I loved Ridley's Stray Dogs, and this is even better. The characters are incredibly vivd and plenty wry, and the plot is a pretzel of a mind blower. Even if you don't normally dig noir, I think you'll love this.