A suspenseful mystery that keeps you guessing until the very end.

To Hell with Johnny Manic by Andrew Diamond is entertaining and easy to follow. Well developed characters makes it easy to like them, and overall the story has the perfect ingredients to make this a great read.

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September 2, 2019 – Shelved3 Show more
Review Interesting read - a mostly successful throwback to the hardboiled detective novel. I didn't find any of the characters to be likable, but the plot was interesting enough to get me to finish reading the book. The plot was engaging, and I hope to see the detective again in future books. Multiple train wrecks of lives in this book, which kept me engaged. Thank you to NetGalley for providing this book.

This was a great book that could have been a 5 if the ending had been better. It was too predictable at the end. It was complex and simple at the same time. It was obvious that Johnny/Tom was a psychological mess. Everyone saw it but no one did much about it.

Did not finish. I couldn't get into this book. I decided to give up, because the main character annoyed me.

Normally, I would say this book is too slow, but the writing is very captivating and I enjoyed the intriguing plot very much. The characters are great, and the story is very easy to read.

A first-person account of a man who has been through so much focuses primarily on his time spent in the Napa Valley working as a computer fix-it person. A chance encounter has him steering down a path with hidden dangers.

I really enjoyed how the author had me feeling what the character felt - the highs, the lows, and everything in between.

Some things to be aware of before deciding to read this story: There is violence as well as adult language and subtle scenes of an intimate nature.

The description of this book enticed me to give it a go - and I'm happy to report it more than lived up to expectations. Part thriller, part ill-fated romance and a whole lot of throwback to vintage crime Raymond Chandler-style, I must say I enjoyed every minute of reading it.

As the story begins, we find a guy named Tom Gantry blowing money to the wind in a Las Vegas casino. He's not there as Tom, though; he's really a fugitive from Illinois who's taken over the identity of a man named John Manis (who's also known as Johnny Manic). It seems Tom embezzled a ton of money, got caught and went to jail, got out and violated parole, so a new identity was a must to avoid capture.

When he's down to his last $10,000, give or take a few shekels, Johnny cuts his losses and heads to Napa, California, in hopes of buying a tech repair company from a computer whiz who wants to do something else with his life. There, he meets a femme fatale named Marilyn Dupree, who's married to a filthy rich but philandering dude named Bastion. Sparks fly the very first time they eyeball each other, so it's inevitable that they'd hook up even though it's clearly a match made in hell.

Throw into the mix at least one other unsavory character, a couple of untimely deaths and Lou Eisenfall, a detective who's suspicious of everybody but hones in on Johnny and Marilyn like a fly on a honeypot. Stir up that pot, add a twist or two of spice and you've got a very entertaining and well-written story. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for providing me with a pre-publication copy to read and review.

First, let me say I really liked it...even though it was one of the craziest thrillers I've read in a long time. Johnny Manic has at least 3 identities and you're still not sure you know him. Without fiving any spoilers, let's just say hang on to your hat and jump into the twists, turns, and unexpected plunges that will leave you breathless. If you like zany adventures, don't miss it!
Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for providing an advance copy.

I don't really enjoy stories where the "bad" guy doesn't get caught. I have this book three stars because it started off too slowly and took too long to get to the point.

I liked this book more than I initially thought. There were many twists and turns and the characters were quite graphic. It kept me guessing from page 1.
Many thanks to Stolen Time Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Really enjoyed this one from page one until the end. I never knew what was going to happen next. zCharacters were very vivid and this book has more depth than others in the same genre!