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Fool's Eye
At age 19, Linda discovers that she and her stunning green eyes are not cut out for the working world. But, a New York City girl still needs cash. To get it, Linda dons her old Catholic school-girl uniform to fleece Times Square tourists for their travel money. Linda's scams really begins when she stumbles upon a smooth-talking character named Malik who offers the green-eyed grifter the opportunity of a lifetime. Malik is a part of a mob of con-artists. Together, Malik and the con mob help hone Linda's skill to help them commit the biggest con the crew has ever pulled. Their target? A billionaire's gambling addicted son and the boy's trust fund. But in Linda's first real con, this trust fund baby may not be the only mark. Things go bad pretty fast. Linda soon forgets her role in the con and begins to fight for her survival. Fool's Eye is full of twists and turns, tricks and cons that will leave you questioning reality...and believing the con
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2011
11 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 30, 2012
Leverage is the name of game
This is my first read by this author and I was not disappointed. I love this story because it was a different read with unexpected plot twists. Had me where I couldn't tell who the mark was! Oh, did I forget to mention that this a story of the con man at work? I can see this being on the big screen… oh, and it would put the TV show "Leverage" to shame. Mr. Burton does a great job with the female first person point of view. It’s nice to read a male author get it right. One of the major characters is a gay male, which is something you don't see in a straight novel. It is evident in the reading that a lot of research was done on the con game. Being a New Yorker, we don’t trust many as we see the con game everyday
The prologue is the most important part of the book. It will tie everything together in later chapters. We first meet Marco "Ace" Fontanne in the prologue, then we meet up with him some fifty odd years later. Linda is a nineteen year old who doesn't want to work a minimum wage job so she takes to the streets conning unsuspecting tourists out of their money. Malik sees her con a man and can tell she is natural grifter and wants to bring her in with his crew, of which Ace is the mastermind. Ace taught Malik all he knows and now he has a new apprentice. They test her skills on a college student getting him to cough up money for test answers. Then the con goes to ten thousand to bigger stakes. When it reaches its peak con, I was so drawn into the novel I had no clue who the real mark was. With the twist and turns, I was second guessing the whole con. This novel really kept me on my toes.
My only drawback to the novel was the end. It was a little too clean cut for me. I am strictly talking about the epilogue. We learned so much about the crew members only to be left in the dark about most of them. I have Mr. Burton’s first novel "What Happens Overseas". I will be reading it very soon as I enjoyed his style and the twist and hope a unique plot is covered in that story also.
SiStar Tea
ARC Book Club Inc.
4.5 star rating
March 2012
This is my first read by this author and I was not disappointed. I love this story because it was a different read with unexpected plot twists. Had me where I couldn't tell who the mark was! Oh, did I forget to mention that this a story of the con man at work? I can see this being on the big screen… oh, and it would put the TV show "Leverage" to shame. Mr. Burton does a great job with the female first person point of view. It’s nice to read a male author get it right. One of the major characters is a gay male, which is something you don't see in a straight novel. It is evident in the reading that a lot of research was done on the con game. Being a New Yorker, we don’t trust many as we see the con game everyday
The prologue is the most important part of the book. It will tie everything together in later chapters. We first meet Marco "Ace" Fontanne in the prologue, then we meet up with him some fifty odd years later. Linda is a nineteen year old who doesn't want to work a minimum wage job so she takes to the streets conning unsuspecting tourists out of their money. Malik sees her con a man and can tell she is natural grifter and wants to bring her in with his crew, of which Ace is the mastermind. Ace taught Malik all he knows and now he has a new apprentice. They test her skills on a college student getting him to cough up money for test answers. Then the con goes to ten thousand to bigger stakes. When it reaches its peak con, I was so drawn into the novel I had no clue who the real mark was. With the twist and turns, I was second guessing the whole con. This novel really kept me on my toes.
My only drawback to the novel was the end. It was a little too clean cut for me. I am strictly talking about the epilogue. We learned so much about the crew members only to be left in the dark about most of them. I have Mr. Burton’s first novel "What Happens Overseas". I will be reading it very soon as I enjoyed his style and the twist and hope a unique plot is covered in that story also.
SiStar Tea
ARC Book Club Inc.
4.5 star rating
March 2012
June 20, 2012
This was my first time reading from Gregg Burton and I was very impressed. I think the book started off in a very interesting way and this book was not your typical drug dealer and girl love story, it had actually nothing to do with that but it still held your attention in such a way from the beginning to the end.
This book was about a group of con-artist and the things they did to get money. I had no idea about conartist I wonder if the author got some inside information to write this book, I would not think that anyone would be so gullable in today's society and just befriend random people, but i guess there probably are some people like that.
I enjoyed reading about Linda and Malik and seeing the two of their characters develop as i kept reading. I felt like i was looking over the book because I could see it in my head playing out and that made it more interesting.
There were a lot of twist and turns that I didnt see coming and truly shocked me, so the title fools eye is very good because just becaue you think something and are believing it, it could not be true but you will have to read to see what im talking about.
I enjoyed this also because it took place in NYC so that made it more interesting. Anyways really good read I enjoyed it!
This book was about a group of con-artist and the things they did to get money. I had no idea about conartist I wonder if the author got some inside information to write this book, I would not think that anyone would be so gullable in today's society and just befriend random people, but i guess there probably are some people like that.
I enjoyed reading about Linda and Malik and seeing the two of their characters develop as i kept reading. I felt like i was looking over the book because I could see it in my head playing out and that made it more interesting.
There were a lot of twist and turns that I didnt see coming and truly shocked me, so the title fools eye is very good because just becaue you think something and are believing it, it could not be true but you will have to read to see what im talking about.
I enjoyed this also because it took place in NYC so that made it more interesting. Anyways really good read I enjoyed it!
May 28, 2012
WOW! What a GREAT READ! I feel like I have just gotten off of the Mummy ride at Universal Studios! This book was not your typical girl-in-the-hood read. It took me along for a true ride trying to figure out, what? who? how?
The author did a great job with this book! If he didn't do his research on con-artists, he must be one himself to be able to draw me into the book like he did. It felt like I was in New York on the streets, in the warehouse district and hole in the walls with the characters.
Throughout the book, I kept wondering when I would be given more background on Linda's family life. After all, she was only 19 years old. After I finished the book, I felt like I didn't need to know.
I was a little shocked by the relationship Ace revealed in the end. I won't elaborate any further for the sake of giving away the ending.
I purchased this book last night and thankfully I did not have to work today, because at 3pm this book is done. Now on to eat the breakfast/lunch that I skipped! *From my Amazon review*
The author did a great job with this book! If he didn't do his research on con-artists, he must be one himself to be able to draw me into the book like he did. It felt like I was in New York on the streets, in the warehouse district and hole in the walls with the characters.
Throughout the book, I kept wondering when I would be given more background on Linda's family life. After all, she was only 19 years old. After I finished the book, I felt like I didn't need to know.
I was a little shocked by the relationship Ace revealed in the end. I won't elaborate any further for the sake of giving away the ending.
I purchased this book last night and thankfully I did not have to work today, because at 3pm this book is done. Now on to eat the breakfast/lunch that I skipped! *From my Amazon review*
October 13, 2011
I received this book free from goodreads.com. It is signed by the author.
This was a fun book. You begin to wonder if the green eyed girl isn't getting conned, too. The action is fast paced, with a lot of twists to the plot.
There were 4 grammatical/spelling errors in the book.
This was a fun book. You begin to wonder if the green eyed girl isn't getting conned, too. The action is fast paced, with a lot of twists to the plot.
There were 4 grammatical/spelling errors in the book.
May 21, 2013
I just finished Fool's eyes and it was wonderful to read a book that kept me guessing about Ace, Malik and the rest of the clan. It kept me in suspense the whole time and it was the definition of an excellent novel.
May 29, 2012
Don't judge a book by its cover! Gregg Burton did a good job on Fools Eye. It held my attention from start to finish. I would recommend this novel (e~book) to all my friends.
February 22, 2016
by Gregg Burton It is 1959 where you meet the first two characters ready to play out one of their cons. You'll meet their target Mrs. Barbara Hanson. Unsuspecting, sweet lady who I wanted to reach in and grab out of the story so she would be saved from the con. I also found myself feeling very much of what ticked John off regarding his partners jokes. You'll know when you read this what I'm saying.
Moving along to present day...
My initial thoughts based on the book description:
I thought I'd get...good story, girl trying to get by making money through simple cons on her own. Sucking the unknowing out of their money. Girl meets guy who pulls her to meet his mob friends, who teach her the bigger game. Things go wrong, get scary and it all plays out as a perfect hour T.V. show....
Let me just say, Holy mother of twists and turns, mind games and guessing until your brain oozes out your ears, man was I wrong!
What you really get:
Linda, 19 years old, self sufficient, strong, doesn't take cr*p from anyone and a 'Hell no' she will not take a boring regular day job. I loved her way of showing her thoughts, straight up, upon the thought of taking a job offer that pays $7.50 an hour and her reply. This girl was "Not busting her *ss for $7.50 an hour" so she "took her proud *ss out the front door" and so the game begins...
She starts out with simple cons yet still well thought out in planning her attire, as she works her "job" alone. A girl with attitude, on a mission to make money the unconventional way her growing love for the thrill of the con itself. She's a very likable character even though her mission is ripping people off...kind of odd I see her as a good and likable person with what she's doing, but, hey I'm strange like that because she does have a good person quality somewhere under the lying exterior! She finds herself happy and proud of her daily accomplishments on this mission. Enter a new partner in crime......
Malik, a con artist himself. One who, as Linda finds out, doesn't work his crimes alone. Malik introduces himself to Linda, introduces Linda to his simple street cons and proceeds to try and convince her of a better con job that is sure to be much more lucrative. While I found her acceptance of him to be a bit too quick for my liking, I'm glad she did, because now enter....
Ace....The boss, kind of a father figure to Malik, the big guy running the show. Ace is nurturing yet tough. Does she warm up to him as Malik hopes she will and is the thrill of a bigger con too good to pass up?.....
The Mark......not saying anything there or you'll know too much before reading, but what a pain in the arse, spoiled, rich firecracker waiting to go off at times. At others he's just whiny and wimpy. Sometimes you feel bad for him and then you realize you just want to slap the smug right off his annoying face. But, that is how he was meant to be portrayed, I believe, so props to Mr. Burton for job well done....
Since saying too much is bound to give up spoilers (which is thoroughly annoying BTW). I will stop there with characters, but be ready for a cool and easy to keep up with introduction to many more. They will enter the world I thought was going to be a simple good guy/bad guy type story....
Now scratch out my initial preconceptions and begin to prepare yourself for the plot to hit you with more twists and turns than a tilt-a-whirl at a carnival....
The story starts good, good, better...next thing you know you're falling straight "down the rabbit hole" of bizarre and knowing nothing for sure.....
Imagine now, having hit bottom in the crazy rabbit hole. You're standing in front of a fun house mirror. We all love seeing ourselves in those distorted images, don't we. Good because that is exactly where you're headed. Look away from the warped mirror image, look around you *waiting, tapping my foot as you soak in the normalcy of how everything outside the mirror is, to all you thought was true*. Okay now look back in the mirror. The one where nothing and I do mean nothing is what it seems!! You are now in a world where you will question every single person, place, thing, thought, sound, idea, belief and the sanity or insanity of where this author tosses you. Take all you thought and throw those them out the window of your mind and let it get whipped away, because in this game....believe nothing until the author decides to let you in on the warped truths, who you can trust and who you can't because it can only be told by the man who does not see through the "Fool's Eye"!! The author!
If I can be allowed one critique as just a reader. One thing I would love to see in this author's next book is more punch and emphasis in the dialogue. What is there, mostly in the beginning, is a bit flat. I want to feel the anger, frustration, attitude, fear and questions more than I did. I wished to see less naivety from the smart, strong girl with the attitude, although she probably had no idea so I give her that.
Needless to say overall I loved the story because it was different, fun, fast, left you baffled to the very end and the bonds formed aside from the con were great, interesting and believable! Something I'd only live out from the imagination in a book which is what I got :)
Thank you very much to the author and Goodreads for this giveaway. It was well worth the read, kept me glued to the pages!
June 14, 2012
Hm. Well, it was amusing. This free Kindle book read more like a cheesy pulp fiction story rather than an intense drama. I liked the romance parts between Linda and Mikal, but the story just got so crazy so fast! I felt like everything was a con against Linda, because everyone was so stupid! I couldn't take Simon seriously. Linda was a cool character and I liked how unashamedly conniving she is, but I kept hoping she was the mark rather than the others, because everyone just caved to her so easily. There were so many plot twists, like the Chinese gang and the severed finger, but it felt like a comedy after awhile. A bad-ass heroine saved most parts, though. Linda was a very believable character. The ending was good, I liked how Linda came out on top.
This was a fun quick read, but sometimes it was melodramatically laughable. All these crazy fights and strange characters (like Jessica) just threw me off. I'm glad I read it, though, and if there was a sequel featuring Nicole, I would definitely be interested.
This was a fun quick read, but sometimes it was melodramatically laughable. All these crazy fights and strange characters (like Jessica) just threw me off. I'm glad I read it, though, and if there was a sequel featuring Nicole, I would definitely be interested.
November 28, 2011
Nice quick read. Fun and interesting look into the life of grifters and con artists.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews