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Reviewed by Donn Jehs (BookpgCubs), for THE BOOK REPORT on AMERICA ONLINE
Were this a more perfect world, Keith Snyder would be telling the publishing world "Show me the money!" for he certainly has written a book worth buying. From the moment you log on until the final sign off, Snyder takes you on a roller coaster ride that leaves you wanting to get back on line to ride again and again.
As musician Jason Keltner takes the plunge into the unknown, seeking to find the murderer of performance artist Monica Gleason, we face the same obstacles he does --- the faceless aspect of the cyber experience.
The murderer is no reflection of Keltner's character, a common theme in many current mystery/suspense novels. Rather he is the antithesis of Jason --- who exudes a warm, I'm just a regular, albeit witty and resourceful kind of guy.
Jason's reasons for wanting to find the murderer may be cloudy but his methods are direct. With help from his talented but quirky friends, he invites trouble, and his invitation is accepted by more parties than he expected.
He then takes us on a road trip that is more fun than the one in "Animal House." One of the best things about amateurs as detectives is they come up with the unexpected. The bad guys seem to be one step behind as Jason and friends use simple strategies from Sun Tsu's The Art of War to confuse the enemy.
With help from a mysterious stranger, Jason takes the initiative and elevates his act. In his own way, he has become a performance artist, making use of the props and characters surrounding him to create his own kind of music until he reaches the crescendo.
There are amazingly few faults to find with this work. There are some misdirections and dead ends, but overall the book moved along and took me with it. It also has Hollywood written all over it. I mean that in the positive sense. It is entertaining and engaging.
Reading this book I felt as if I were listening to one of those Moog synthesizers and wondering how all those wonderful sounds came out of one mind. The language is witty and droll and the descriptions of places and characters lush --- providing a background for the main theme, a suspenseful but delightful symphony of words that results in SHOW CONTROL.
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