Faces in the Pool: A Lovejoy Mystery

By Jonathan Gash

Book Overview

Lovejoy is released from jail on condition he join the elegant Laura Moon's speed-dating agency. A divorced millionairess, she proposes a temporary marriage of convenience to help her hunt down her former husband. Can Lovejoy do what is expected of him without getting killed?

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312384114
• ISBN13: 9780312384111
• Release Date: December 2009
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 334 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 6.6" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Gash's Latest Lovejoy

I've read bad reviews for this book. I suppose there are critical people everywhere, but like all of Gash's Lovejoy mysteries, this one starts the hilarity on page one and it never stops. Who doesn't love the scruffy, incompetent, larcenous and endearing character? Gash can get more into a sentence than other writers can squeeze into two paragraphs.

Lovejoy triumphs again

Lovejoy is in prison but not for long - he is released to participate in a speed-dating service and is wanted as a groom. A bewildering cast of characters and non-stop action will keep the reader in a pleasant state of befuddlement as Lovejoy works to figure out what is going on and what does it all have to do with antiques. Faces in the Pool is the latest in a series and long-time readers will be shocked and surprised by the ending they won't want to miss. New readers will appreciate Lovejoy even more by reading earlier novels for the backstory on some of the characters. A thoroughly good read by Jonathan Gash.

chaos theory can be fun inside a crime caper

When his antique scam failed, Lovejoy is sent to prison for his con. However, Ellen Jaynor, owner of The Anglers Manglers Speed-Datery offers to get him out of jail immediately if he agrees to marry temporarily millionaire Laura Moon. In fact Laura wants Lovejoy to find her former spouse, but he smells a rat in which he will be left holding the crap when the ex is killed. His apprentice Lydia and his son Mortimer persuade him to at least attend the antiques convention of the sixteen groups representing the world's Lost Tribes. They want him to authenticate their antiques. However, nothing goes right as Mortimer is kidnapped and the edifice storing the artifacts is burned to the ground. However, the worst is watching his beloved sail off into the sunset with her lover and the booty from the Lost Tribes' valuables. Jail seems safer. The story line is all over the place as Jonathan Gash proves chaos theory can be fun to read inside a crime caper. The cast is strong as Lovejoy is his usual roguish self as nothing is quite what it seems or goes right. Not for everyone as the dots don't connect in a simple easy to follow way as B does not follow A, or precede C; fans who enjoy mass pandemonium will want to read convoluted Faces in the Pool. Harriet Klausner