Raves for The Comedy is Finished
Published on 13 April, 2012
Authored by Titan Books
Raves for Donald E. Westlake’s THE COMEDY IS FINISHED
“One of the best Westlake novels I’ve read.”
-- Washington Post
“A terrifying sprint for redemption and rescue with the reader kept in agonizing suspense until the literal last page. Not to be missed.”
-- Mystery Scene
“This is a major novel by Westlake at the top of his craft…It is an astonishment and it is also deeply, profoundly relevant.”
-- Barry Malzberg
“The Comedy is Finished is possibly the best kidnapping novel ever written.”
-- Bibliodiscoteque
“That didn’t take long. Halfway into January and we already have the first great book of 2012…some of the finest work of the author’s career. And that is truly saying something.”
-- Vince Keenan
“We’re all in the presence of the master one last time.”
-- Open Letters Review
“A tense, compelling story...painfully insightful...[readers will] be hard-pressed to put the book down.”
-- Booklist
“A true literary find and masterpiece…a brilliant work of nonstop suspense and richly developed characters…For the legions of Westlake fans, THE COMEDY IS FINISHED is a gift we never expected to receive.”
-- Book Reporter
“Unexpectedly moving.”
-- Detectives Beyond Borders
“Sharply written and insightful…a worthy addition to Westlake’s lengthy catalogue.”
-- Publishers Weekly
“Expertly paced and very well written…a fine, compelling novel, as well as a poignant conclusion to Westlake's career. Highly recommended.”
-- James Reasoner, Rough Edges
“The absolute brutal honesty… is rather breathtaking.”
-- The Fandom Post
“Donald E. Westlake was a master craftsman….A smart, sobering view of the post-Watergate era.”
-- Mystery People
“A bravura character study, a deep dark look at what demons drive us when things go wrong…a master at the top of his game.”
-- Slacker Heroes
“Surprisingly emotionally potent…God bless Charles Ardai and Hard Case Crime.”
-- Barnes & Noble Ransom Notes
“A real page turner…Westlake's book is hot with fear, remorse, lust and violence…The tight structure…embellishes the suspense and heightens the twists…A fine novel in all respects.”
-- Ed Gorman
“A taut, thought-provoking tale…the most entertaining history you’ll have read in a good long while.”
-- Grift
“One helluva read…The Comedy Is Finished will keep you at the edge of your seat.”
-- Killer Aphrodite
“A fascinating time capsule and a strong character-driven crime novel.”
-- Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“A hell of a book, wholly convincing and a reminder of just how smart and perceptive Westlake was: he saw what was happening around him and put it down clearly and carefully enough that reading it collapses time and takes us right back to that moment when America stood at a crossroads, failing flashlight in hand, and chose between painful, possibly pathological introspection, and blithe confidence.”
-- Levi Stahl, I’ve Been Reading Lately
“Westlake is a master of ratcheting up the tension…the book is highly recommended.”
-- Bill Crider
“The pace of the story never lets up…definitely a fun read.”
-- The Daily Rotation
“A masterful little gem.”
-- In Reference to Murder
“Vintage Westlake.”
-- Dangerous Dan’s Book Blog
“A delicious morsel of noir crime fiction…Donald E. Westlake is an undeniable master.”
-- Noir Whale
“This book is as much about fathers and sons, about success and failure, and about making an account, as it is about the good guys catching the bad guys. Westlake handles these themes as deftly as any writer of literary fiction could…I loved this book and it stands as a fitting testament to Donald E Westlake’s wonderful career.”
-- Crime Fiction Lover
“Suspenseful, believable…a triumph, and a big one.”
-- The Violent World of Parker
“Rife with unexpected scenes of great emotional power and poignancy...You just don’t expect a razor-wire read like this to be so full of feeling...The Comedy Is Finished is a perfect capper to a brilliant career.”
-- Tom Piccirilli, The Cold Spot