A Creative Kind of Killer [Mass Market Paperback]

Jack Early (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 12, 1985

"Fortune Fanelli is thoughtful and sensitive and a welcome addition to private eye literature" Lawrence Block, author of Eight Million Ways to Die, etc.

"Tightly plotted and well paced. And there's a bonus: good writing. Early's characters are beautifully drawn, his setting...New York's SoHo...richly detailed and authentic." Susan Isaacs, author of Compromising Positions, etc.

"A fresh, fast, vital send-off for a hip, likable shamus
Fanelli will be welcomed back after this fine debut" Chicago Tribune

"I certainly hope Fortune Fanelli soon decides to take another case." Washington Post

"Could we, perchance, entice Fanelli West to clean up Modern Hollywood?" Los Angeles Times

Nominated for an Edgar.
Won the Shamus.

Lot's of long-time residents of Soho don't approve of the transformation the art crowd has brought to the area. But Fortune
Fanelli, ex-cop turned private investigator and single parent of two, likes his old neighborhood in its chic and glitzy guise. He also likes to work, and accepts the job of solving the murder of a young girl, whose trail snakes along the underbelly of SoHo where drug smuggling, runaway children, kiddie porn, and legions of hustlers crowd.

Surprise after surprise assures a fast paced and suspenseful foray into the darker reaches of New York's hottest art scene.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (March 12, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345318579
• ISBN-13: 978-0345318572
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,105,746 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winner Revisited, February 23, 2011

By 

Vin Packer "V.P," (N.Y.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Creative Kind of Killer (Kindle Edition)

I loved this book when it first came out and I'm delighted
that Sandra brought it back under her real name. If you
want a good story, well-written and original, then
A CREATIVE KIND OF KILLER is for you. Enjoy!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. This Creative Killer gives "framed" a whole new meaning, February 13, 2011

By 

Avowed Bibliophile (Vancouver, BC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Creative Kind of Killer (Kindle Edition)

Fortune Fanelli is a divorced private investigator with sole custody of two children that his career-driven ex wife doesn't want. He's a good guy and a good father. So when a girl his daughter's age gets murdered across the street from his home, and the killer displays her body as a work of art, Fortune has more than a stranger's retainer motivating him to catch the killer.

Scoppettone has a good ear for sound and expertly captures the ethnic flavor of SoHo inhabitants. I felt like I was in the story and much to the irritation of my partner, couldn't put it down. Lots of plot twists and a dash of romance. It was a fun and intelligent escape with a delightful (subtle) sense of humor woven throughout.

To the other reviewer who seemed annoyed because the book was first published under a male pseudonym, and couldn't seem to understand why a female writer would do that, I can only say it's called sexism in publishing. Yes,it is alive and well. Aurore Dupin (writing as George Sand) knew women were not taken seriously and hoped to break out of that mold. She accomplished becoming published but first had to offer her writing under a man's name. In 1984 Scoppettone won the Shamus Award for this novel, but the award was given to Mr.Jack Early. It shouldn't take a private detective to figure out the plot of that story.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to more Kindle releases of Scoppettone's novels.

5.0 out of 5 stars Glad to see it back in print, November 2, 2011

By 

pattinase (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Creative Kind of Killer (Kindle Edition)

And under Sandra Scoppettone's real name. This is such a strong entrance into the Jack Early books. What's especially good about it is the dialogue. There is never a false note throughout. I loved the setting and the plot as well. It is so nice to have these books available to us again.