Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
4 1/2* Orange COunty, Painted Noir, April 14, 2003
"Flinch" is a fast-paced mystery detailing a cat and mouse game between a low-rent journalist and his brother, a high priced plastic surgeon who the journalist suspects of being a serial killer. The title refers to the relatively innocent sado-masochistic games of their adolescence, magnified in the present to deadly proportions.Ferrigno writes in an updated noir style, using crisp dialogue, oversized villains, and the sleazy/glitzy settings in Orange County, California. Although writer Jimmy Gage has the requisite cynicism and a balance of fair play and tough defiance, he's not strictly out of the Sam Spade mode either: His sense of moral outrage is a bit askew, and he doesn't always use the best of judgment. Additionally, the novel contains some very graphic violence, more gruesome than the traditional style. The novel moves briskly, unimpeded by the several minor characters and related subplots. Other than a romance with Detective Jane Holt that develops a little too quickly, the plot twists are both plausible and genuinely surprising. Ferrigno captures the outrages and pretenses of Southern California without stereotyping. Much better than his more famous "The Horse Latitudes," Ferrigno has written a brisk and believable story that grabs your attention from the first page.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Don't flinch! This is an excellent book., October 10, 2001
"Flinch" is a unique book that defies categorization. It combines intriguing mystery with edgy satire, all complemented by wickedly dark humor. Robert Ferrigno has created a fascinating place, populated with some delightfully whacko characters. I couldn't wait to find out what happened to these people next.Perhaps the most surprising thing about "Flinch" is how sympathetic a character Jimmy Gage (the protagonist) turns out to be. Under his callous, jaded, and cynical exterior beats the heart of a warm and honorable man. His character gives the story a firm center, grounding the madness in reality, and thus making the story more moving and effective. Read it for the mystery, read it for the humor -- whatever the reason, just read "Flinch." You won't be disappointed. Reviewed by David Montgomery, Mystery Ink
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
4 1/2* Orange COunty, Painted Noir, April 14, 2003
"Flinch" is a fast-paced mystery detailing a cat and mouse game between a low-rent journalist and his brother, a high priced plastic surgeon who the journalist suspects of being a serial killer. The title refers to the relatively innocent sado-masochistic games of their adolescence, magnified in the present to deadly proportions.Ferrigno writes in an updated noir style, using crisp dialogue, oversized villains, and the sleazy/glitzy settings in Orange County, California. Although writer Jimmy Gage has the requisite cynicism and a balance of fair play and tough defiance, he's not strictly out of the Sam Spade mode either: His sense of moral outrage is a bit askew, and he doesn't always use the best of judgment. Additionally, the novel contains some very graphic violence, more gruesome than the traditional style. The novel moves briskly, unimpeded by the several minor characters and related subplots. Other than a romance with Detective Jane Holt that develops a little too quickly, the plot twists are both plausible and genuinely surprising. Ferrigno captures the outrages and pretenses of Southern California without stereotyping. Much better than his more famous "The Horse Latitudes," Ferrigno has written a brisk and believable story that grabs your attention from the first page.
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