The Thieves of Manhattan

A lot of the books I've been reading are well known by a majority of people. But I've been trying to read lesser known books, mainly ones that have recently been published.

Failed short story writer Ian Minot is fed up with rejections. He meets Jed Roth, who presents him with a manuscript that Ian can claim as his own. But after a little rewriting, Ian finds that the events of "his" book are coming true.

Throughout the book, there are references to authors and their trademarks (trains are called "highsmiths", cigarettes are "vonneguts", "fitzgeralds" and "faulkners" are drinks), literary characters ("gatsby", "golightly", "kowalski") and books themselves ("droogs" from A Clockwork Orange). The Thieves of Manhattan is a really gripping book. It's one of those rare books where you get completely swept up in the actions of the lead character. Definitely a must-read.

My Rating: *****