14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Book -- Hard to Believe it is a Debut Novel, September 29, 2003
By A Customer
As an avid mystery reader, I am always looking for the next "new thing" in the genre. I think that I have found it. Black Maps is an exciting debut in what I hope will become a long series of mysteries set in my hometown of NYC.
The writer spins an exciting and complex tale that gives equal weight to atmosphere, character development, action, and of course, plot. He draws the reader into the world of banking and Wall Street. While he does present some pretty detailed and technical financial information, he does so with such style and ease, that it neither boring, nor difficult to follow.
John March easily has to be the most exciting new PI character to come on the scene in a awhile. Like most detective characters, he's tough, smart, and always skeptical -- but that's where the similarities end. He's the black sheep of a well to do family, plus he's also got a boat load of guilt to contend with, thanks to the untimely death of his wife. (Hopefully that story will be developed in a prequel someday!) He's also got some unusual hobbies for a PI -- running, music, and reading, to name a few, which make him quite interesting, and a true New Yorker.
Black Maps is a great read for any fan of fiction, mystery, NYC, or of great writing. In fact, I'd have to say that thing that most excites me about Spiegelman is his writing style. Its quality is well beyond what most people would expect in a book of this genre. If you love to read, get this book.
One last comment, if there are any Steely Dan fans out there reading this review, you should definitely read this book!
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Black sheep rising: The engrossing debut of an intriguing PI, September 7, 2003
Mr. Spiegelman accomplishes a great deal with his debut novel, _Black Maps_, and foremost among these is the introduction of John March, a New York private investigator who is doubly haunted: First, he is the black-sheep scion of an established Manhattan banking family---shattering family tradition, he became a cop in upstate New York. Second, and far more painfully, he is a widower---March's wife was murdered by a serial killer, whom March ultimately made pay---whose pain tore him from his upstate life forever.
Now back in New York City and a PI, he narrates us through his world and his latest case, that of a good, self-made man who once had dealings with the notorious money-laundering Merchants Worldwide Bank and has now become the target of a ruthless and ingenious blackmailer.
John March is a thoroughly engrossing character. Erudite, classy, and insightful, he is also tough, exceptionally street-savvy, and (as we learn more than once) damn quick with his fists. Imagine if Sam Spade had gone to an Ivy League school, or if the Thin Man had spent his formative years throwin' down with the neighborhood bad boys. Via Mr. Spiegelman's linguistic artistry, March's descriptions---of New York, of the fascinating characters he encounters (including some of the mystery blackmailer's other victims, members of March's psychologically complex family, his attractive new neighbor, and both a loyal friend and a despicable foe from his dark past), of EVERYTHING---are absolutely engaging. [As a side note, this reviewer is a Manhattan ex-pat, and I can tell you that both Mr. Spiegelman and his protagonist DEFINITELY know New York.] In addition, from the very beginning of _Black Maps_ (a hypnotic prologue that could easily stand alone as prose poetry), we see and even feel the shadows in John March's life---shadows of his family, shadows of his painful past---and these shadows are not only the perfect backdrop for a sleuth's investigation but also a brilliant parallel to the two newest shadows in March's world, the shades of menace cast by Merchant Worldwide's utterly evil boss (who disappeared when the Feds busted the criminal bank) and his sadistic enforcer.
This reviewer had never read a Wall Street thriller (or any sort of "financial fiction") before and has minimal understanding of the world of high finance. However, I can tell you that this IN NO WAY hindered my enjoyment of _Black Maps_. This is due to a bit of expository genius on Mr. Spiegelman's part: Black sheep though he is, because of his heritage, John March certainly understands the financial world. However, because he is an intensely PRIVATE private investigator (private with everyone but the reader, of course), he plays his cards extremely close to his chest---any closer and they'd be inside his lungs!---and doesn't let his clients know about his family background. Thus he lets his clients "explain" to him---and teach us---all of the important fiscal details. When a client omits something or gets anything wrong, March (who, again, is not so much playing dumb as keeping silent) is right there to tell us. All the while, as he receives his "lesson," March---in true PI fashion---is scrutinizing the client's demeanor, body language, etc. While the reader certainly gets all of the necessary background info on Wall Street's workings, never for a moment does it feel like the kind of boring and gratuitous exposition that bogs down many novels and films.
Mr. Spiegelman's first novel reads more like it's his fifth or even tenth. The plot is gripping and its twists legitimately surprising, the well-developed characters are both believable and extremely engaging, and the writing style is truly LITERARY---a welcome rarity in the sleuth genre (and, in fact, in much of today's genre fiction). This reader is really looking forward to John March's next case!
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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
John March is a guy you want to know..., November 24, 2004
Black Maps is fine debut for Spiegelman. March is a very strong character, one that you look forward to growing with. The is not wholly original, but still a well done thriller. The ending has twists and turns that don't strain credibility (a huge advantage in this day and age of insane "top this" thrillers) and offer some geniune surprises. Spiegleman spends far too much time detailing the minute details of apartments and couches and features of minor characters, but that is typical of some first time authors. A good start to a promising series.
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