Inamorata [Mass Market Paperback]

Joseph Gangemi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 22, 2005

Inspired by real-life events, this chilling and atmospheric debut novel marks the arrival of a young writer with tremendous promise. It is the 1920s, and Spiritualism is all the rage. With seances taking place in parlors across the country and Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle arguing metaphysics in the papers, the media embraces the feverish obsession with the paranormal. Twenty-three-year-old Harvard graduate Martin Finch is sent by Scientific American on the investigative opportunity of a lifetime: an examination of the powers of Philadelphia "society psychic" Mina Crawley. But Finch, prepared to debunk a fraud, instead finds himself falling under the spell of the beguiling Mrs. Crawley—and uncovering a truth darker than any he could have imagined.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in the Roaring '20s and steeped in period detail, this energetic debut is narrated by one Martin Finch, a psychology graduate student at Harvard. Possessed of a wry sense of humor, a practical intelligence and an appropriately skeptical interest in the supernatural, Finch is tapped by the department chairman, Dr. William McLaughlin, to help him judge a Scientific American contest that promises $5,000 to anyone with "conclusive evidence of psychic phenomena." Before Finch and McLaughlin arrive in Manhattan for their first encounter with the paranormal, Gangemi has given the reader a thumbnail history of the Spiritualist movement, which had its heyday in the years after World War I and was championed by the likes of Arthur Conan Doyle. History notwithstanding, the narrative moves at a brisk pace: Finch and McLaughlin quickly expose two mediums as frauds before evaluating the formidable talents of Mina Crawley, the wife of a Philadelphia doctor. Finch travels to Philly as McLaughlin's agent to meet the lovely and charming seeress, and stays for several weeks in the Crawley household as he wrestles with his central conflict: his affection for Mina versus his mandate to determine whether she's a fraud. The novel turns into a slightly bawdy thriller, and the narrative vigor rarely flags as Finch pursues strange paths in the City of Brotherly Love. Gangemi is an extremely adept writer, though frequent wisecracks and references to popular songs and consumer products of the 1920s wear thin. His plot, too, is a bit weak, but this is an undeniably clever concept and an enjoyable read.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Gangemi is an extremely adept writer... an undeniably clever concept and an enjoyable read. -- Publishers Weekly

Truly wicked... an historical thriller on a par with The Alienist. -- Steven Katz, screenwriter of Shadow of the Vampire

Wonderful... I stayed up very late reading this, and the characters got into my dreams. -- Audrey Niffenegger, author of The Time Traveler’s Wife

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) (February 22, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143034596
• ISBN-13: 978-0143034599
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #865,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book., February 17, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Inamorata (Hardcover)

Occasionally a book comes along that reinforces the reasons why, in an age of bad video games and worse reality TV, time spent reading fiction is still the most rewarding form of entertainment of all. The Inamorata is such a book.

Among the many positive aspects of the book are the incredible descriptive techniques that are as penetrating as I any I've read in a long time. Gangemi provides a perfectly seamless ride to his 1922 locales and once there, richly developed characters come alive. By the time this tight novel reaches its end you feel know each of them like an old friend. The subtle strengths of Mina Crawley echo throughout, as she confounds the men around her ( who are also each intriguing in their own right) in ways that will haunt you long after you put the book down.

There is not a wasted word in the novel. The clear, concise narrative moves the plot along at exactly the right pace while the reader subconsciously digests themes as diverse as a young man's coming of age, the complexities of familial relationships, and the ongoing battle between science and faith. Or it can just be thoroughly enjoyed as an old fashioned ghost story. Either way, this a terrific book, and one I recommend highly.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 1920's Spiritualism, February 16, 2004

By 

S. J. Bernhardt (Ellettsville, IN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Inamorata (Hardcover)

This is my first ever review of a book. I was moved to do it, as this is a special book. The dialog between the characters is clever and at times quite humorous. The author manages to keep you guessing throughout the book and leaves you wondering at the end if the psychic, Mina, is for real. I loved the characters and had a very difficult time putting the book down. I highly recommend the book for anyone who is looking for something out of the ordinary.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars It had great potential, September 5, 2005

By 

intanswer "intanswer" (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Inamorata (Mass Market Paperback)

This book had such potential, but then fell flat. It was intriguing throughout, well written, wry, humorous, suspenseful. However, it failed to wrap up many of its details, and left you wondering why he had even introduced certain characters, themes, and details. I did learn a bit about the 20's in Philadelphia. With such good reads out there, this disappointed.