Born Slippy A Novel By Tom Lutz Book Review

Hello there Bookish Friends,

Today I have a wonderful review of Born Slippy by Tom Lutz

Title: Born Slippy: A Novel

Author’s name: Tom Lutz
Genre: noir, thriller
Publish date: January 14, 2020
Publisher: Repeater/Penguin Random House
Page count: 296

@tomlutz22 #fiction #political #satire

A globetrotting novel about the seductions of and resistance to toxic masculinity.

“Frank knew as well as anyone how stories start and how they end. This fiery mess, or something like it, was bound to happen. He had been expecting it for years.”

Frank Baltimore is a bit of a loser, struggling by as a carpenter and handyman in rural New England when he gets his big break, building a mansion in the executive suburbs of Hartford. One of his workers is a charismatic eighteen-year-old kid from Liverpool, Dmitry, in the US in the summer before university. Dmitry is a charming sociopath, who develops a fascination with his autodidactic philosopher boss, perhaps thinking that, if he could figure out what made Frank tick, he could be less of a pig. Dmitry heads to Asia and makes a neo-imperialist fortune, with a trail of corpses in his wake. When Dmitry’s office building in Taipei explodes in an enormous fireball, Frank heads to Asia, falls in love with Dmitry’s wife, and things go from bad to worse.

Combining the best elements of literary thriller, noir and political satire, Born Slippy is a darkly comic and honest meditation on modern life under global capitalism

Frank Baltimore is a bit of a loser, struggling by as a carpenter and handyman in rural New England when he gets his big break, building a mansion in the executive suburbs of Hartford. One of his workers is a charismatic eighteen-year-old kid from Liverpool, Dmitry, spending his summer before university in the US. Dmitry is a charming sociopath, who develops a fascination with his autodidactic philosopher boss, perhaps thinking that, if he could figure out what made Frank tick, he could be less of a pig. Dmitry heads to Asia and makes a neo-imperialist fortune as an investment banker, leaving a trail of corpses in his wake. When Dmitry’s office building in Taipei explodes in an enormous fireball, Frank heads to Asia, meets Dmitry’s wife, and things go from bad to worse.

A literary thriller about misogyny, unembarrassed rapacity, and unrestrained capitalism, Born Slippy will appeal to fans of Elmore Leonard, Patricia Highsmith, and Edward St. Aubyn.

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This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Born Slippy is a meticulous blend of thrilling suspense, globetrotting adventures,and a heavy dose of cynical humor. This is one book you will not forget.

Born Slippy by Tom Lutz, is a provocative and memorable, a psychological thriller. That takes the reader on a journey that reflects moral decisions and, seedy business dealings in a character driven satire with political elements.

A riveting book focusing on a twisted friendship between Frank Baltimore, and Dmitry Heald. Frank the protagonist, who happens to be a a moderately successful contractor, and thinks of himself a somewhat moralist with ecologist views

Dmitry Heald is the antagonist, in this superb tale, an overconfident Englishman, that is eight years younger than frank. As the story unfolds Dmtiry character becomes more sinister, as we see his true nature. He overtime becomes a ruthlessly but very successful financier. Who makes his fortune investing the corruptly acquired funds of international dictators and criminals.

Frank is continuous drawn into Demtiry deceptive web of schemes, in this fast paced character driven adventure.

The books engaging storyline deftly weaves back and forth as we see repercussions of some of the main POV’s critical choices .

When Frank becomes more entangled in Dmitry’s criminal schemes, ultimately sending him down his own dark treacherous path.

This enthralling tale that cleverly reflects on our twenty-first century world and the evils of global capitalism. When unrestrained capitalism inevitably leads to a widening gap between the rich and the poor.

Tom Lutz’s captivating psychological portrait of a dark sinister toxic friendship that had me completely immersed and swiftly turning the pages. This was a nonstop, hand gripping edge of my seat, read for me. The narration was brilliantly executed and I was completely invested in.

This is a stunningly depicted satire, that captures the true nature of human morality and ultimately the consequences of decisions that me make.

Besides Born Slippy, I am the author of two books of travel narrative — And The Monkey Learned Nothing and Drinking Mare’s Milk on the Roof of the World — the cultural histories Doing Nothing and Crying; literary histories Cosmopolitan Vistas and American Nervousness, 1903; pieces for New York Times, LA Times, ZYZZYVA, Exquisite Corpse, New Republic, Salon, Black Clock, Iowa Review, and other places.

I’m a Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing at the UC Riverside, the founding editor in chief of the Los Angeles Review of Books, founder of The LARB Radio Hour, The LARB Quarterly Journal, The LARB/USC Publishing Workshop, and LARB Books. I am a part-time musician, an amateur photographer, and a full-time dilettante. I live in Los Angeles.