John R. Maxim

Not my kind of book, but so clever and engrossing that I wound up finishing it anyway. Too bad the ending didn't get smarter, or the heroes more likable, but I don't regret reading it. In fact, if you do read thrillers, especially Dean Koontz, I think you might get a kick out of this. Lots of details of historical fiction make it interesting, and worth the high number of pages, too.

It is a tiny bit dated, but not in any obtrusive way except once when a character bemoans that there's "no such show more thing as all-night libraries." All he needed he could have googled.

Some details: I never knew that "vinegar sponges" were an early form of birth control. Not terribly effective, I imagine, but better than nothing. I didn't know about Anthony Comstock and "September Morn." I didn't know that Teddy Roosevelt was only 5'10" (and when checking that just now, I learned that Winston Churchill was only 5'6"). show less

a book I continue to think about. I want to find a copy and reread it.
so I reread it. It's not what I remember, which is a ghost story, or timetravel.
Still a good read. Strong writing in a complex plot. I'm intrigued by the POV he used so well.

I'm surprised more people don't own this book. It was recommended to me by a lovely man from California who came down to Mississippi for a visit, and he went so far as to buy it for me. In awe of his bookish chivalry, I went home and promptly ate this book in one sitting.

It's a pulpy thriller, sure, but I had so much fun in the journey that I've reread it several times just to experience the fun again.

Give it a try.

Synopsis: Adam Whistler is, in loose terms, a problem-solver. This profession has landed him in various difficulties, including requiring him to obtain items to ensure his continued health. In the process he meets and is smitten by Claudia, who believes she is Adam's guardian angel.
Review: The first few chapters were a misery, however as the story continued, the writing improved. Overall, this was an enjoyable book.