THE RIGHT STIFF

A has-been author goes on the lam to escape his angry publisher and greedy ex-wife in this thriller with supernatural elements.

Charlie McGinley has amassed a number of the trappings of a successful writer of detective novels in Los Angeles, including five bestsellers, a shabby apartment in a Polynesian-themed building, and a Corvette. He once had aspirations of becoming a serious writer, the evidence being Shaman Warrior, a manuscript about a Native American spiritual healer that has been rejected by dozens of publishers. On the other hand, his popular works, a series of hard-boiled novels featuring detective Johnny Dent, have come easily to Charlie until recently. Now, his life is falling apart. He is sick to death of Dent and can’t seem to produce the sixth installment of the series, even after two years of trying. His advance is spent; his publisher is bringing a lawsuit against him; and his ex-wife, Darlene Dawson, is ready to call the police to collect the back alimony he owes her. Besieged on all sides, Charlie jumps into his Corvette and flees. Along the way, he picks up Ben Fox, a Navajo who needs a lift to New Mexico. Ben seems both wise and enigmatic to Charlie as the two traverse the iconic Route 66 toward the Land of Enchantment. The sense of mystery deepens when Ben keels over dead, and Charlie finds a tag with instructions to take his body to a cryonics lab to be frozen. Charlie may have escaped his previous problems, but with Ben’s body strapped in the passenger seat, he drives right into the most mystifying and dangerous plot of his career. In this inventive tale, Ingraffia both captures and skewers the hard-edged vernacular of the detective thriller. Charlie’s swiftly paced adventures are both gripping and hilarious, although the satire is marred somewhat by scenes of horrific violence. The narrative skillfully presents a winning combination of droll cynicism, intriguing crime-solving, and wondrous magic. But important social issues, such as the disappearances and murders of Native Americans and the efforts of organized crime to take over tribal casinos, are less well developed.    

A fast-paced, riveting, if overly violent, mystery romp.