Customer Reviews

The Bad Guy

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I picked this book up about a week or so ago from a friend, not sure what to think. I'm not much into the murder/mystery types of stories, but I decided to give this one a whirl. I wasn't disappointed. Mark Lanio writes with a witty style and can inject a wry humor into almost every page. You can also see his 'geek culture' background pop in as he covers subjects from 'Who shot first" in Star Wars to the sometimes rabid fans at science fiction conventions.

Now for you non-geeks, the story moves along at an amazing pace, and all the elements of great storytelling are here. Twists, turns, red herrings and of course, the neverending question...does he get the girl?

All in all, Mark spins a great yarn and keeps you guessing right up until the amazing ending. He also shows a great knowledge of the movie business and how things get done behind the scenes of a major motion picture. I highly recommend this book to anyone with a passion for mysteries, yet still lives to release their inner geek. ;) Buy now!

John Duncan is a professional "bad guy", --in the movies, that is. He's played the evil archenemy for dozens of stars. Off stage, he's an easy-going guy, who smoothes out tensions between director, cast, and crew. Right now, he's second banana to Mark Lewis in the much ballyhooed filming of a best-selling cop novel. Despite Marty McGregor's inspired direction, tensions on the set are rising. Someone's leaking inside information; Mark Lewis is being more of a pain than usual; and the script owner insists on meddling with the production. When minor sabotage escalates to major mischief and finally to murder, even John's deft interventions aren't enough.

John has other troubles, too. His father is a career con man, who insists he's going straight. John has his doubts. Then there's Jan Freedman, makeup artist, who's caught John's eye. Despite his film success, he wonders if he has a chance with her. As he says: "The bad guy never gets the girl. I think it's a law in California."

The Bad Guy is a fun book. The main focus is not the mystery, but the involved world of building a movie. I was enthralled by the setting and character interplay. Mr. Lanio clearly knows the business well. Camera angles, set building, makeup, tilting movie sets-it's all here. There's something very human about his hero, John Duncan. He's a major movie actor, but he loves science fiction conventions, and takes great pride in his three lines as a Star Trek Ferengi.

Mr. Lanio has a mischievous side. He caught me out entirely at least three times. I'd be certain I knew what was happening, scroll down a page, and discover that he'd jerked the rug out from under my feet. Each surprise was a laugh, not a cheat, and each time I resumed reading with a fresh spirit. Great job, Mr. Lanio. Write more. I'm waiting!

Jeanette Cottrell, author of At Risk of Being a Fool

Mark Lanio leads the reader smoothly through transitions between film scenes and
reality in his new "action" thriller "The Bad Guy."

"Action!" John Duncan shouted the word when he was little more than a year old. For now, he is perfectly content to play "The Bad Guy" rolls he's cast in on the way to reaching his goal of becoming a director.

The opportunity to work on Cerner Studios new project based on Ian Barnhardt's popular McCain Diaries novels seems like a good way to make some progress towards that goal. And working with two friends and top industry names, director Marty McGregor and producer Cliff Jenkins makes it worth putting up with the prima-donna attitude and antics of the leading man Mark Lewis. Besides, Cerner's reputation for integrity and staying true-to-the-art makes them a great studio to work for. It's why Eliza Barnhardt chose them to represent her father's work after his death.

John is surprised, a little pleased, and a little disconcerted when Marty informs him that part of Cerner's decision to cast him as Hume opposite Mark Lewis's McCain is based on his reputation as a problem solver, and a lot frustrated when Marty asks him to deal with one of Mark's little temper tantrums. It is about to become a lot more complicated. Cerner's stock is falling despite their production of Raising Cain, and they discover they have a mole, inside shoot information is showing up on the Internet almost the minute it happens. Trying figure out why the studio's stock is falling and combat the potential public relations nightmare of the information leak is bad enough, but when cinematographer Kenny Scott is killed on set, John is sure it is sabotage and is soon pulled into a malicious web of intrigue that threatens his life and Jan's.

Mark Lanio makes excellent use of his expertise in the computer field and deep interest in the film industry to add depth and credibility to the intriguing plot and unique style of
"The Bad Guy." Strong and memorable, his main character, John Duncan, guides the reader through a well-crafted maze of hints, clues, and suspects, then ploughs through, centering you in the hair-raising climax right along with him.

Ok....

First up. Disclosure. Mark Lanio is my best friend. I got to read this book before everyone else because I helped proofread it.

With that said, I also want you to know that I'm addicted to the printed word. I read. A Lot. I don't have a whole lot of patience for poor fiction. This is not poor fiction.

I enjoyed this read from start to finish. It entertained me and, when appropriate, made me both laugh and cry. (Ok, I lied. I'm not that big a wuss. I haven't cried while reading a book since I was six. It does have moments that will make you cry, though, if you are that in touch with your feelings.)

I think "It entertained me" says it all though. That's all one can expect from a book. This one delivers.

Buy this book. Hopefully that will encourage Mark to write another one.