Twisted City, by Jason Starr

Twisted City
Jason Starr

Ok, I won't deny it, this was a weird effing book. I was wondering, wondering, wondering, wondering what in the HELL was up with this guy--was up with this book period--and then...I got to the end.

Wow.

David Miller is the novel's protagonist, and the story begins when his wallet is stolen while he's drinking in an NYC bar. Thinking his wallet is gone forever--and with it, his favorite picture of his deceased sister, Barbara--Miller despairs of ever seeing it again. Thankfully (or not), a woman finds it and calls Miller to come pick it up. But life is never that easy, right?

In his quest to get his wallet, Miller is drawn into a "twisted" world of crime and deceit. Meanwhile, his crazy girlfriend is getting crazier and crazier and his job continues to pile on the stress. Seems like the poor guy just can't get a break. Soon he is being blackmailed and the problems just keep increasing. It would help if Miller wasn't such a dumbass.

Or is he? Don't convince yourself you know David Miller--because you don't. Twisted City's strength is its voice, and Miller is a character you won't forget in awhile. Interestingly enough, his isn't very likeable and makes dumb decision after dumb decision--and yet, I wanted him to succeed. I rooted for him. I wanted to curse out loud when he made yet another asinine move--but I still felt for the guy. It's a testament to Starr's quality of writing when he makes an annoying, unlikeable character sympathetic.

However, narrative voice aside, Twisted City is all about the ending, which is abrupt and hits you with all the subtlety of a brick wall--but it's a brick wall I didn't see coming (and I'm one of those obnoxious pricks who swears up and down she knew Bruce Willis was dead long before he knew in The Sixth Sense. And I did, seriously. Like five minutes after the opening scene. I'm not making it up, I swear. Seemed kinda obvious to me. Secret Window? Same thing. What can I say? I'm a genius. Okay, not really.) My greatness aside, I didn't see this one coming, and it turned what would have been just an okay read into something that had me scratching my head for quite awhile afterward.

In a nutshell: A fun page-turner that will not make you ponder great truths--but sometimes a book can just be F-U-N. And twisted. Did I mention twisted? Have fun with this one.

Bibliolatry Scale: 4 out of 6 stars