Customer Reviews

FOAMERS: A Novel of Suspense

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So I'm home sick with the flu, with hardly enough energy to pick up a book. Fortunately, the book I picked up -- Foamers, by Jon Berson -- was enormously engrossing! Berson has crafted an exciting story with appealing characters; the plot moves briskly without being predictable, and the history of trains and transportation policy is interpreted accurately without the dryness that accompanies most such accounts. Once I started the book, it was very difficult to put it down; I finished it in about 24 hours. Foamers was a welcome tonic for a guy on his sickbed!

Josh Silverma

"Foamer" is Amtrak slang for a train fanatic, and this story is an action-filled mystery containing a wealth of information on train travel and Amtrak.

As a train lover and Amtrak retiree who worked in Philadelphia for almost 20 years, I enjoyed the author's excellent descriptions of Amtrak operations, train travel, and the City of Brotherly Love. It was easy for me to visualize the weekly meetings at Cavanaugh's, a favorite gathering place for railroaders near Philadelphia's 30th Street Station.

The story is about the simultaneous and often conflicting investigations of a series of train accidents by an attractive FBI agent, Jennifer Szczymanski, and a foamer, Larry McBryde. Each of them is backed by their respective organization, and several interesting secondary characters help keep the novel interesting. The developing relationship between McBryde and Szczymanski adds a romantic side to the story.

I really don't like reading about train accidents, particularly when they resemble actual occurrences. However, the author's great story-telling and vivid descriptions make this an exciting book which I thoroughly enjoyed. The resources used by Szczymanski and McBryde to predict the next train accident stretched my imagination a little, but did not detract from my enjoyment of the book.

At first, I was not sold on the idea that a guy from SEPTA should be the hero in a story about Amtrak. Also, I would have liked a plug for the Amtrak Police, which I think is unique in being certified as a national police force.

I enjoyed reading Foamers, and would recommend it to anyone, not just people interested in railroading. As I read it here in Paris, Texas, it brought back memories of old friends and pleasant experiences. I hope Jon Berson will write a sequel. I have a few ideas if he is interested.

--James Arneson

For the past several years, there has been an alarming increase in train derailments leading to many deaths, injuries, and an overall loss of confidence in the aging system. The Philly Foamers, a fanatic railroad lovers group, obtain a tape of one of these horrible train wrecks. After listening to the crash, they quickly conclude that the accident was a deliberate act of sabotage aimed at making money by selling tapes of real life disasters. ..... A former security guard, Larry McBride is selected to investigate the wrecks and uncover the identity of the culprit before more people die. At the same time, the FBI assign Agent Jennifer Szozymanski to look into the same theory. Working alone, both of them derives the time and locale of the next expected crash. They meet at the site and quickly fall in love with each other. However, neither one is aware of the danger they are in because the train wrecks are not just a simple capitalist venture, it is an attempt to destroy the security of the United States. .... Jon Benson is obviously a FOAMER as he affectionately writes an exciting thriller that fans of conspiracy tales and railroad fanatics will love. Though Mr. Benson occasionally overwhelms his non-railroad fans with too much railroad trivia, the novel has a fast-paced, action-packed story line, and two charming lead protagonists. This is one book that is worth coming on board to experience an uncommon action adventure ride. .......Harriet Klausner

I bought this book on impulse at the SEPTA Transit Museum Store (of course you'd expect it to be there!). It turned out to be one of the best impulse buys I ever made. Berson manages to keep the plot moving along briskly even as he provides a brief history of some of the world's worst passenger train disasters, a subject that should intrigue amateur historians as much as it does railfans like the ones in the book. The relationship between Szczymanski and McBride develops naturally, and the climax in the Reading Terminal Market is appropriately thrilling.