I had high hopes for this book; on the cover is a ringing endorsement by the great novelist Richard Price. However, the author failed to convince me that the lead character--a traveling jazz pianist who plays at expense account hotels while maintaining a sideline business as a luxury car and jewel thief--was anything but every man's fantasy. (He also gets to seduce lots of beautiful women in order to relieve them of their jewels.)

I like fantasy as much as the next guy but a plot that actually moves will keep me reading. Also, it helps if the characters, particularly the main one, was not cut out of James Bond's cardboard box. ( )

Not my usual genre, but I really enjoyed it. It's a fast read, has good character development, and makes you root for the thief. ( )

Most of the book is really about character development. The characters’ relationships arc across chapters. The plot really does not. Lots of little self-contained episodes, of thieving, or of traveling, or playing music. So there’s no big mystery plot to follow. We get a little of Ross by himself, Ross and Clay, then Ross and Marianne, and finally a big noir-ish mystery ending, complete with menacing mafia-like characters.

(Full review at my blog) ( )