Book
King Con : a novel / Stephen J. Cannell.
Record details
- ISBN: 9780688147761
- ISBN: 0688147763
- Physical Description: 407 p. ; 24 cm.
- Edition: 1st ed.
- Publisher: New York : William Morrow, c1997.
Search for related items by subject
| Genre: | Crime thrillers. |
Available copies
- 6 of 6 copies available at BC Interlibrary Connect. (Show)
- 1 of 1 copy available at Castlegar Public Library.
Holds
- 0 current holds with 6 total copies.
Show Only Available Copies
| Location | Call Number / Copy Notes | Barcode | Shelving Location | Holdable? | Status | Due Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castlegar Public Library | FIC CAN (Text) | 35146001028489 | Fiction | Volume hold | Available | - |
- Booklist Reviews : Booklist Monthly Selections - #2 April 1997
Beeno Bates is King Con, the most infamous grifterin America, but that doesn't stop him from making a deadly mistake: he tries to cheat Mob boss Joe Rina in a poker game. Rina catches him and savagely beats him with a golf club. When the mobster is brought to trial, Bates' favorite cousin comes forward to testify as a witness. Rina has her murdered and is acquitted. Bates swears revenge and masterminds an elaborate con game to trick Rina's pathologically homicidal brother, Tommy, into turning state's evidence against Joe. Bates' plan is aided by beautiful and intelligent prosecuting attorney Victoria Hart, who is bitter over Rina's escape from justice. Also joining the scam are a score of Bates' colorful relatives from across America, all of whom are con men. With the sting swinging into full gear, Bates must evade not only the Mob but also the FBI, which has him on their Ten-Most-Wanted list. King Con suffers from many of the problems that plagued Cannell's earlier works (The Plan, 1995, and Final Victim ): flat characterizations, unlikely plot twists, and jargon that bogs the story down. This reads like a plot treatment for a movie (which is currently in the planning stage) rather than a novel. But, there is enough story and fast-paced action to make it a popular summer "beach read." ((Reviewed April 15, 1997)) Copyright 2000 Booklist Reviews - Library Journal Reviews : LJ Reviews 1997 May
New Jersey mobsters Tommy and Joe Rina kill the star witness in the state's case against them, and "King Con" Beano X. Bates plots revenge in the form of an elaborate "sting." Aiding him is former New Jersey prosecutor Victoria Hart, prim, upstanding, and dedicated, who's drawn into the sting unwillingly, then takes glee in committing felonies and telling lies right and left. Screen- and TV writer Cannell's second novel (following Final Victim, LJ 4/15/96) is pure delight; its well-developed plot line has nice detours here and there so the reader cannot quite foresee the conclusion. The entire Bates family, criminals all, are wonderful characters, and although some of the action is far-fetched and the sting dialog gets boring in its technicality, the wry humor will keep readers enthralled. Great summer reading for all libraries. (Cannell is making this into an MGM movie with John Travolta as Beano.) [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 2/1/97.] Alice DiNizo, Raritan P.L., N.J. Copyright 1998 Library Journal Reviews - Publishers Weekly Reviews : PW Reviews 1997 April #4
Smart, fast, funny and teeming with appealing characters, this thriller by novelist (Final Victory) and TV writer (The Rockford Files, etc.) Cannell has all the marks of a hit. Beano X. Bates, a member of a clan of "nomads" (not gypsies) whose "family business" has long been con games, received a serious setback when New Jersey mobster Joe Rina used a nine-iron to put him in the hospital after a crooked card game. Beano retaliated with a criminal complaint (using the alias Frank Lemay), but his scheme backfired. Named "King Con" on America's Most Wanted, Beano sensibly eloped from the hospital and slipped off to Florida, where he is now hiding out, appropriately selling used cars. Back in New Jersey, however, Assistant Attorney General Victoria Hart has a surprise eyewitness to the beating. But an antiseptic hit (no bodies, blood or clues) wipes out Victoria's case, and she's just about fired by her smarmy, ambitious boss. Eager to get revenge against the Rinas and seeing a chance to pull off a multimillion-dollar scam, Beano enlists Victoria's aid, using his formidable grifter's charm. With help from dozens of Bateses, the pair run an escalating series of cons (including "The Most Valuable Dog in the World" scam). In a plot that never stops for breath, Vicky learns a great deal: dressed as a bimbo, for example, she discovers why "girls in five-inch platform shoes all looked stupid. It was impossible to walk." Major ad/promo; author tour. (May) FYI: Cannell is to write and co-produce an MGM film production of King Con, starring John Travolta. Copyright 1998 Publishers Weekly Reviews
