A Jolly Good Fellow (Paperback)

~ Stephen V. Masse (Author) "He's out there hitchhiking..." (more)
Key Phrases: blue lantern, beggar pot, camouflage pajamas, Santa Claus, Jolly Good Fellow, Dick Murphy (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Two weeks before Christmas, Duncan Wagner gets into his car for another attempt at kidnapping the son of his most despised enemy, State Representative Win Booker.
When he drives into the wealthy Boston suburb, he is surprised to find the boy hitchhiking. So begins Wagners quest for revenge as he finds himself face to face with a real boy, and without a clue about how to run a kidnapping. Wagner, a self-styled charity Santa Claus, comes to realize that eleven year old Gabriel Booker is truly a runaway, much more curious than scared. Gabriel has no idea who Duncan Wagner is or could be.
In an old apartment in downtown Boston, the odd pair makes an unforgettable team, providing each other with what they have been missing in life. Author Stephen V. Masse captures the friendship with a blend of suspense and humor, showing that love is a resource which can bring redemption to the most damaged souls.

A JOLLY GOOD FELLOW received the Silver Medal in the 2008 Independent Publishers Book Awards, Best Fiction Northeast Region.

About the Author

Stephen V. Masse was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Educated at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, he studied writing and historical biography, and was the author of a weekly column, Out of Control. His first novel, Shadow Stealer, was published by Dillon Press in 1988. When not writing, he restores and renovates homes in the Boston area, and serves as an ambassador in the Santa Claus Anonymous fundraising benefit.

Product Details

• Paperback: 220 pages
• Publisher: Good Harbor Press; 1st edition (November 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097996380X
• ISBN-13: 978-0979963803
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #422,301 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, fast read!, May 29, 2008

By	RebeccasReads.com "Rebecca's Reads" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (5/08)

Two weeks before Christmas, Duncan Wagner sets out to kidnap the son of State Representative Win Booker. Coincidentally, as he is driving up West Border Parkway to do so, he sees eleven-year-old Gabriel Booker out hitchhiking. Due to the fact that Gabriel willingly gets into Duncan's car and rides back to his house, the kidnapping attempt goes much easier than planned.

Once back at Duncan's home, Duncan reveals to Gabriel that he has been kidnapped and that he is going to try to obtain one-hundred-thousand dollars in ransom money from Gabriel's father. Gabriel tells Duncan that his father is not going to pay anything. He says that he ran away from home once and no one even bothered to look for him. Duncan, however, believes that he can get Win Booker to pay and moves forward with his plan. Being that Duncan supports himself by dressing up as Santa and collecting money for the "needy" (meaning himself) he needs this extra money to be able to make it through the winter.

Gabriel is not the typical kidnapped victim. He is actually a very willing participant and despite numerous opportunities to escape he chooses to remain with Duncan. He eventually develops a close relationship with Duncan, and in many ways assists him in the kidnapping process.

Stephen Masse does an excellent job of creating memorable, likeable characters. He takes a man and a boy from very different backgrounds and creates a tight bond of friendship between them. The story itself is full of numerous twists and turns and is an extremely fast read. The 203 pages really fly by, and I finished the book in one morning.

Masse was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts and chose that locale for the setting of his book. He does an excellent job of portraying the feel of the city in the winter, making "A Jolly Good Fellow" the perfect book to read for the holiday season. This unique novel is both humorous and heartwarming. Anyone who enjoys an entertaining, fast-paced read will definitely enjoy this book!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, suspenceful... just plain fantastic, December 15, 2007

By	Paul Vasta (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm not your average book reader, and to be completely honest, this is one of the very few books I've read since I was forced to in high school. I started reading this book chapter at a time, but as I got going, I realized I couldn't put it down. I finished it as quickly as I could with some questions in mind, but as soon as I hit the last few chapters, the few skepticisms I had were squashed by one of the most elaborate endings I think a story's ever seen. All questions were answered and the story ties perfectly together- beginning to end. This is a story that should be read by EVERYONE. Christmas, winter--any time is a good time to read this book. And being that I see more movies than I read books, I enthusiastically hope to see this book played out on the big screen someday. Bravo, Stephen. Bravo!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly dramatic, hilariously funny, December 8, 2007

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (12/07)

Stephen V. Masse combines a flair for writing an imaginative creative plot with colorful conversation and believable, likable characters. In "A Jolly Good Fellow" Duncan Wagner, a professional Santa Claus, who supports himself from the proceeds of his "beggar's kettle," plots a kidnapping.

After weeks of careful planning and surveillance, equipped with rope, chain, and duct tape, Duncan is ready to snatch his prey. Eleven-year-old, Gabriel, son of State Representative Win Booker, is the planned victim of the kidnapping. Ironically Gabriel decides to run away from home. He purposefully misses his school bus and is hitchhiking. As Duncan opens the car door to offer the young hitchhiker a ride, Gabriel slips in beside him.

As the plot unfolds there are multiple clever plot twists. Duncan finds Gabriel smart, vulnerable, and demanding. A bonding relationship between an unhappy man and a scared "kid" develops. Duncan soon realizes he has not thought through a plan for demanding ransom, a method of receiving the ransom, nor the consequences if ransom is refused.

Telephone demands and threatening notes are used to create an urgency that convinces stubborn and haughty Representative Win Booker to ante up the ransom demand. Pickpockets, muggers, a street artist and a former restaurateur all play a part in pulling the story together.

The setting of the story is downtown Boston. I could almost feel the chill in the air as Masse describes Gabriel shivering on a street corner. I could taste the sweetness of the candy cane as Gabriel stirs his cocoa while he and Duncan enjoy a late night conversation at the kitchen table.

I personally enjoyed Duncan's first person account. His "blue collar" vocabulary is masterfully consistent throughout the narrative. The following paragraph is typical: "Get your coat on, we're gonna go out for supper," I says. I go in my room and grab some money, and put my Santa bag under the bed. Then I unlock Gabriel from the chain."

"A Jolly Good Fellow" is delightfully funny, with a unique plot, an amazing cast of characters, and enough suspense to keep the reading guessing right up to the surprising unexpected conclusion. Stephen V. Masse is witty, clever, and entertaining. His books are destined to become best sellers. I am eager to read his upcoming book "Short Circus."