My Review of Some Dead Genius by Lenny Kleinfeld
When my Aunt Monica gave Some Dead
Genius by Lenny Kleinfeld as a Christmas gift, I didn't even have
to read the back of the book to know I would like it. Monica has
spent most of her life working in theatre, film and other artistic
endeavors and, as a result, has made it her business to connect with
equally creative people. Needless to say, I had a positive bias when it
came to this particular novel.
What did I like about Some Dead
Genius? For starters, the humor. I read a lot of “who done
its,” but most of them are dead serious. Criminals, (including fictitious ones), are notoriously stupid, so I'm confused
as to why many authors ignore this folly. Not so with the characters
who live in the pages of Some Dead Genius.
Kleinfeld's plot involves desperate
artists, loan sharks trying to make money off them, and two
delightfully funny detectives trying to unravel a plot with many
twists and turns. The action takes place in Chicago which was a plus
for me since I've had several opportunities to visit that amazing
city.
I normally don't pay much attention to
chapter heads, but in the case of Some Dead Genius, it is
highly advised. In order to give context to the plot, Kleinfeld goes
back in time to help the reader understand why the characters find
themselves in such a pickle. The chapter heads alert the reader as
to the year in which a particular scene takes place.
NPR named Some Dead Genius as
one of the Best Books of 2014. Others have likened his style to Elmore Lenard and Carl Hiaasen. Here's
a sample of what you can find in this comical detective story:
To learn more about Kleinfeld's
previous work as playwright, screenwriter and columnist for
periodicals such as the Chicago Tribune and New York Times, check out
his website:
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