Have you ever wondered where new private investigators come from? What did they have to learn to earn the right credentials? What makes them the type of person you would want to hire if you needed a private investigator?If you picture a private investigator needing to be an ex hard-nosed cop who turned to the private sector, then Tony Flaner is not the guy you’d be looking to hire. But, like the book cover says, “When the only way out is deeper in, and your back’s against the wall, even slackers get ambitious.” And, that's what Tony has to do.
The Finger Trap is darkly humorous and hard to put down.
I picked up a copy of The Finger Trap by Johnny Worthen from the author at the League of Utah Writers (website) Spring into Books 2018.
This is the third novel, along with a couple of short stories, written by Johnny Worthen I’ve reviewed—the first one that’s not horror. I know Johnny teaches horror and mystery writing at the University of Utah. I wanted to find out if he writes mystery as well as the horror stories I’ve read. I was not disappointed.
The Finger Trap is a noir style detective story set in the present day.
Plot
Tony Flaner has lived an easy life. He’s had the opportunity of following a path of least resistance and chosen to take it. It’s a style that has worked until recently. Tony was accused of committing murder. The police and the district attorney, along with his public defender, see it as a simple case and they are not willing to put in the work to find out more information. That leaves it to Tony to become the detective to prove his innocence.
Tony’s previous life path meant he never stuck with a job, or hobby. He allowed life to push and pull him in new directions almost as assuredly as the changing of the seasons. This ends up making him a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. An unenvied skill set, except when you need to find the clues to prove you didn’t kill someone.
Tony’s plight pulls him into a subculture he never thought he would be involved with. Instead of quitting, he has to push in deeper so he can get out. Tony Flaner breaks more laws, in crime noir fashion, to get to the truth and serve justice. He knows he’ll be in trouble for what he’s doing, but what’s worse than being convicted of murder?
Style
The Finger Trap is narrated by Tony. It starts when he discovers the body. Then we are taken back in time to give the history of how he ended up at the scene of the murder. After that, we are included on his ride of how he proves his innocence.
The book builds from a methodical start and increases pace the more pages you turn. It keeps building as the rollercoaster ride goes from one near catastrophe to another. The pacing works for setting the information at the beginning to be dealt with later. By the end you realize everything was there. I enjoyed having the clues, even if I didn’t recognize them. It gave cohesion to the story. I didn’t come across any breaks in the storyline that left me hanging. Or, revelations the author explains away by having some off the page character came up with the answer.
The Finger Trap is full of humor. Tony Flaner does standup comedy and views the world satirically. Being accused of murder without anyone believing or caring if he did it or not, doesn’t help his outlook. Tony carries his standup quick wit with him as he creates his own private investigator persona developed from the crime detective novels he’s enjoyed.
ThemeJohnny Worthen builds the theme of the title throughout the book. This gives the story a tight feel. Tony admits early on how his life of moving from one thing to the next is because he always responded to the pushes and pulls of life. Always taking the easy path and never seeing anything through to the end.
He is now in his own finger trap. He is caught and unless he is willing to push, he will not be able to pull himself out.
Throughout The Finger Trap we see the mechanics of push and pull of the trap at work. And, for the first time in Tony’s life, he needs to respond to the situation by being an active participant instead of flotsam being pushed around.
Other Points of Interest
The Finger Trap is the Diamond Quill Winner, Best Published Book (2017), from the League of Utah Writers.
Overall
The Finger Trap is a fun read.
We are introduced to Tony Flaner before he’s the detective he has to become. This is his origin story and he gives insights into the type of person he knows himself to be. We are given points of fantasy as he sees them and the brutal honesty as he understands it. Tony was never a hard-nosed cop who hung a shingle out for himself. In his previous life, he wouldn’t have made it through the academy.
Here is a guy we have all met or heard about. He is the guy who has survived by wit and sarcasm without doing anything constructive. The guy who has so much going for him and hasn’t accomplished anything.
I found myself creating time to read a few more pages to see what Tony came up with next.
I give The Finger Trap 5 out of 5.
The Finger Trap is currently changing publishers (08/26/18). However, copies are available on Amazon (link).
Other books by Johnny Worthen I’ve reviewed.
Dr. Stuart’s Heart (link)
What Immortal Hand (link)
Beatrysel (link)
About The Author (from the book)
Johnnty Worthen is an award-winning, best-selling author of books and stories. Trained in modern literary criticism and cultural studies, he writes upmarket multi-genre fiction, symbolized by his love of tie-dye and good words. “I wear tie-dye for my friends. I write what I like to read,” he says. “This guarantees me at least one fan.”
Johnny lives in Sandy, Utah, with his wife and sons.
Visit him at http://www.johnnyworthen.com/www.johnnyworthen.com
If you have a comment, suggestion, or critique please leave a comment here or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.
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