"The Honest Conman" (aka Nicholas J Johnson) used to do a warning segment on scams and frauds on ABC Local Radio, but it was a pleasant surprise to find he'd written a heist / scam novel. Needless to say his debut novel, CHASING THE ACE, reads like the author knows a lot about the subject matter.

Think a dual handed TV's Hustle style scenario in which Joel, a young man with no purpose in life, hooks up with Richard, an older man, experienced in the fine art of scams and swindles. What Joel doesn't realise is that the man he's adopted as his mentor and working partner is sick of the whole thing. Being taken under Richard's wing might turn out to be the break that Joel wanted, or it could turn out to be a disaster. Nobody's going to know until the end of the novel (and maybe not even then).

Reading somewhere between a good fun heist novel and a salutory warning manual, CHASING THE ACE is utterly believable. It's also quite touching, with both of these characters being flawed, a little bit sad and lonely. Granted Joel does eventually get a girlfriend, although his attitude about her needs some adjustment (it's downright off).

It's not just about these two characters though. Joel has a family and a difficult relationship with a mother who's not been backward in getting her hands on compensation money that's really Joel's. He's got more respect for his stepfather and stepsister, although the family situation overall is tricky. Richard has friends, and a long history of being mentored and mentoring another young man. There's history about him that's revealed (mostly via third parties) along the way. Luckily, despite a slightly strained relationship, Joel has found out enough about Richard to be there when the going gets tough, but the final twist and turns are less expected.

Now having compared CHASING THE ACE to Hustle, it's only fair to warn potential readers that there's nothing glamorous about most of the scams pulled here. It's all a bit tawdry really, but keep an eye out for the twist in the tail of a few of them. There are actually a lot of twists and turns here, all ending up with an obvious intent to carry on the story of a scam merchant.

You'd be almost tempted to get people to read CHASING THE ACE if only as a warning about the sorts of scams and tricks being perpetrated in the real world. Doesn't hurt that it's an entertaining read along the way.

http://www.austcrimefiction.org/review/review-chasing-ace-nicholas-j-johnson ( )

Nicholas J. Johnson, who works as a performer, writer and consultant, exposing the world of con artists to the public to better protect themselves, has drawn on his knowledge and experience to author Chasing the Ace, his entertaining debut novel.

Told from dual first person narratives, Chasing The Ace introduces Richard, an ageing, world-weary con ‘artiste’ and Joel, a young, wannabe grifter who meet on the streets of Melbourne. Richard, contemplating retirement, decides to take Joel under his wing and the pair form a profitable alliance. Joel is eager to learn all he can, and is thrilled when the money starts rolling in, but when they accidentally scam an off duty cop, neither man is sure if they will be able to con their way out of trouble.

The novel is fast paced, with enough excitement and a few surprising turns to maintain suspense. I have to admit I didn’t predict the final twist, but found it a satisfying ending to the story, which also provides potential for a sequel.

I thought the main protagonists were well developed, with interesting backgrounds and distinct voices. Richard is jaded and cynical, Joel is initially enthusiastic and idealistic though slowly becomes increasingly disillusioned by the realities of the lifestyle, having fed his expectations with a diet of classic con movies like ‘The Sting’ and ‘Rounders’.

I might have been more impressed overall had I not just finished binge watching the entire series of Leverage, an American TV program about a crew who pull off sophisticated and complex cons in each episode. By contrast, the cons run in Chasing the Ace seem inelegant and somewhat distasteful, even if far more realistic.

A quick and entertaining read, I enjoyed Chasing the Ace…honestly. ( )

Thank you to the publisher for providing this copy. This did not influence my review in any way.

Chasing The Ace is a wildly entertaining novel about an ageing conman at the end of his career and a young man who has learned everything he knows about being a con artist from movies. Richard is ready to retire from the swindling life but then he meets the young Joel, who has the potential and it’s just enough to convince Richard to take him under his wing. Joel is launched into a world where nothing is as it seems and he finds it’s definitely not like the movies.

Chasing The Ace is a fast paced read that will keep you guessing from beginning to end, and have you grinning along throughout. The Melbourne setting was familiar to me and made it even more enjoyable as I could picture the characters walking along Southbank, catching trams and other landmarks described in the novel. The voices of Richard and Joel were distinctly different in their perspectives of the world of the conman. Richard knows its a life full of lies and deceit, while to Joel it is a mysterious and glamorous lifestyle, and he sees himself taking back his life. It's an interesting look into the life and the illusions of a conman, told by an ex-conman himself.

There is a feeling of disillusionment with the swindling life that, if you watch the movies like Joel does, you wouldn't expect. It echoes throughout the book, from Richard as he's getting tired of his life and from Joel as he learns that the conman life is not all its cracked up to be - especially when you scam the wrong guy. What ensues is an exciting race against time and you're not sure who you should be cheering for. It all makes for a very funny, entertaining read from debut author Nicholas J. Johnson. I look forward to reading more of his work.

( )