3 out of 4 stars
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Frank Turner was a whiz kid. Was, because his glory days of creating generic websites and upping his net worth are well past him. Thankfully, he isn’t completely broke because one of the early investors of one of his generic websites had offered him a job. He’s now an Entrepreneur in Residence or what you can call, a hundred grand a year watchman. Nowadays, he’s just a guy with a desk and a place in the Greater Seattle area, one who has a mortgage, two cars, and a second generation Vietnamese wife.
On the other hand, Nick and Sean have to pay their respective debts. The former owes four hundred grand to his uncle while the latter needs 12 grand and 700 to pay off his bookie. Scrambling for options, the duo stumble upon the news featuring the man of the hour, Frank Turner. After doing some hard 4th page-5th page Google research, the two decide to do what guys in need of a handful of benjamins usually do, kidnap a rich guy’s wife. Unfortunately, Frank isn’t all that and is mortgaged up to his eyeballs. So how does the broke guy plan to retaliate?
Basics of Ransom is a thriller by Ian Maxwell. Sounds like a dark, possibly serious, title? Think again, because this book will certainly get a handful of laughs from any reader, and rightfully so. The book establishes its humor right from the get-go, but that’s just one of a number of things this title has going for it.
The book isn’t really a thought-provoking, nerve-wracking machine. What it does though, it does really well. It’s fun, profane, quirky, but it doesn’t let all that detract from the overall quality of the book. At a modest 155 pages, it moves fast enough and the story doesn’t stagnate thanks to solid pacing. And even though it is meant to be a fun take on the subject matter of ransom, it is actually a very original and well-thought-out story that does not come off as shallow. Also, like any other good book, everything is vividly described to make every scene come alive.
On another note, the book would not be what it is without the cast of characters. You have the has-been who finds a second wind in Frank. The capable guy with a plan, Nick and his rather goofy pal, Sean. The hot Asian chick with a booty, Carol. Frank’s pretentious and slightly unhinged friend from way back, Chad. And a couple of other background players in Don Sorentino and his consigliere, Jalwinder. All of them contributing a slice in the enjoyable pie that is this book.
It’s no classic but Basics of Ransom has enough wit and charm, and a pretty fun cast to be recommended to any kind of reader. If you’ve been reading a lot of tense stories or titles the size of a world record burger, then this book is a perfectly good way to just sit back and soak in the fun of the internet, nighttime jogging, ransom and everything in between (including overpriced steaks and clown masks). I give this book a rating of 3 out of 4 stars.
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Basics of Ransom
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