John Farris #3

And these three magnificent books are buttressed with a bibliography that is extraordinary in breadth and accomplishment.

All I can do here is a cite a few of my own favorites. The Captors (a unique take on the kidnapping trope); and Shatter (the aftermath of a murder with so many twists you read the book in awe); Dragonfly (a bemused take on the redemption of a con artist and the genuine evil of a politician); Soon She Will be Gone (a dark perverse take on a brother going after the man who kidnapped her, a prominent architect whose pastime is killing women).

And that still leaves many other Farris novels eminently worth reading.

Farris is not merely clever, his ingenuity is put to use revealing the human condition. Farris is not merely stylish, his graceful pose always serves the story. And Farris is not merely a commercial writer, his career no doubt suffering from his adventurousness and his refusal to follow trends. His books are always personal and deeply felt.

If you’ve never read Sharp Practice before be prepared to be stunned. And I’m not exaggerating. And if you’re returning to it after a number of years, you’ll find that it’s even more artful, more compelling than you remembered.

Thank you, John, for all the wonderful writing you’ve given us for five decades now.