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Arthur Cathcart #1
Dead Anyway
Imagine this: You have a nice life. You love your beautiful, successful wife. You're an easygoing guy working out of your comfortable Connecticut home. The world is an interesting, pleasant place.
Then in seconds it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you.
Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on a fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living breathing human being. Much easier said than done in a post- 9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man?
Then in seconds it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you.
Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on a fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living breathing human being. Much easier said than done in a post- 9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man?
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2012
31 people are currently reading
397 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
December 22, 2018
In this mystery Arthur Cathcart - a market researcher who loves his beautiful, successful wife - has his life torn apart by a sudden act of violence. Determined to find out who's responsible he hatches an elaborate scheme filled with false identities, complex business dealings, thugs and gangsters, and a beautiful woman (of course). Naturally he has millions of dollars available to help him pull this off.
Most of the book involves detailed descriptions of how Cathcart carried out these shenanigans; I found these hard to follow and not that interesting. However if you like to read about these kinds of complex schemes you'll probably like it.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot....
October 23, 2014
Excellent reader, superb story, although one key bit of motivation was missing & this leaves a cliff hanger. This does give the author room to expand to another book, but this was originally written in 2005 & he has written other books & at least one series since then, so I guess this is a dead end. I'm tempted to take away a star for that. Oh well, it wasn't that bad & expanded a major player, even if she did die early on. She'd been a bit of a caricature until this revelation. This rounded her out well.
I liked the hero a lot. As a heroic figure, Arthur truly is although he's no he-man. His atypical body type & physical issues really make the suspense & trials pop. He's exactly the sort of man that would be a force to reckon with today. He's an obsessive computer geek with a wide range of knowledge & interests. His job as a market researcher was unexpected & a perfect fit.
Even better, most of the computer stuff was very well done. There were a few things I didn't care for, but I doubt most would notice them. This is what I do for a living, though. I have to say he did far better than most & some could have been done simply because it would fit the average reader's knowledge better or saved him from getting into a confusing mess. At least he kept his logic consistent, even if a few basic things were wrong.
I loved the way all the characters were drawn. Quite an interesting assortment with a mystery & thrilling search. Well worth reading.
I liked the hero a lot. As a heroic figure, Arthur truly is although he's no he-man. His atypical body type & physical issues really make the suspense & trials pop. He's exactly the sort of man that would be a force to reckon with today. He's an obsessive computer geek with a wide range of knowledge & interests. His job as a market researcher was unexpected & a perfect fit.
Even better, most of the computer stuff was very well done. There were a few things I didn't care for, but I doubt most would notice them. This is what I do for a living, though. I have to say he did far better than most & some could have been done simply because it would fit the average reader's knowledge better or saved him from getting into a confusing mess. At least he kept his logic consistent, even if a few basic things were wrong.
I loved the way all the characters were drawn. Quite an interesting assortment with a mystery & thrilling search. Well worth reading.
December 23, 2012
With apologies to Chris Knopf, I'm going to qualify my rating by pointing out that I rated based on other novels of this genre, not based on all literature. So, let's assume that if you're reading this review that you're not looking for a book that is about to be short listed for the Pulitzer. (Apologies again Mr. Knopf.)
This was a blast. I do my grocery shopping every weekend with a relative. We're not talkers in my family. Thank God for audiobooks. We usually listen to mysteries. We listen only in the car. So, it takes a while to get through a book.
Each week I found myself looking forward to shopping, an activity I despise, because I wanted to know what would happen next. Two weeks ago, I said, "Let's find a store really far away." Last weekend after unpacking the car we just couldn't wait to see what would happen next, so we did something unprecedented - we got out a speaker, sat in my uncle's living room for about 4 hours and listened to the book. In the house! Without going anywhere.
Yesterday we finished the last hour of the book and I cannot wait for the next one.
This is what's good about this book:
The main character - You feel bad for him, but you still like him. The premise of his circumstances are, when you walk away, far fetched, but you can suspend disbelief entirely.
The supporting characters are interesting and well drawn.
The action is smart and tense and things keep happening.
The writing is wonderful.
The narration, for those of you who do audio versions, is great.
I want more Arthur, I mean Alex I mean... well, I want more Natsumi and Little Boy too. (I may be spelling everything wrong because well, I listened I didn't read.)
This was a blast. I do my grocery shopping every weekend with a relative. We're not talkers in my family. Thank God for audiobooks. We usually listen to mysteries. We listen only in the car. So, it takes a while to get through a book.
Each week I found myself looking forward to shopping, an activity I despise, because I wanted to know what would happen next. Two weeks ago, I said, "Let's find a store really far away." Last weekend after unpacking the car we just couldn't wait to see what would happen next, so we did something unprecedented - we got out a speaker, sat in my uncle's living room for about 4 hours and listened to the book. In the house! Without going anywhere.
Yesterday we finished the last hour of the book and I cannot wait for the next one.
This is what's good about this book:
The main character - You feel bad for him, but you still like him. The premise of his circumstances are, when you walk away, far fetched, but you can suspend disbelief entirely.
The supporting characters are interesting and well drawn.
The action is smart and tense and things keep happening.
The writing is wonderful.
The narration, for those of you who do audio versions, is great.
I want more Arthur, I mean Alex I mean... well, I want more Natsumi and Little Boy too. (I may be spelling everything wrong because well, I listened I didn't read.)
January 19, 2021
We meet Arthur who has a seemingly perfect life and then the next thing he knows he’s hiding from the bad guy that blew his world away by shooting Arthur and his wife. Arthur slowly recovers but revenge is always in the forefront in his mind. This is a new feeling and want for Arthur and he puts it to the bullet that was dug from his brain…new thought but not entirely unwelcome and so Arthur begins to use his computer skills and some new friends to se t in action a plan that may just finish the job that the shooter started…but does it really matter? He knows that he’s “Dead Anyway”. I thoroughly enjoyed the intricacies of the plot. It was witty and cleverly done and kept me guessing throughout yet the resolution of the storyline was weirdly believable. Not a heavy mystery but it was fun watching Arthur work.
August 14, 2012
Dead Anyway opens with protagonist Arthur Cathcart enjoying an ordinary day as his beautiful wife goes out to work and he gets on with research on the computer. Not just a computer nerd, Arthur’s the sort of quiet private investigator who verifies data for toothpaste marketers, finds missing heirs, and generally acquires and stores knowledge for the love of it. He walks the streets, makes phone calls, travels and does everything himself, and it pays a few bills while Florencia’s insurance company makes the family rich. Life is good, until the end of the chapter, when author Chris Knopf tears it all down with utterly convincing heartbreak and cruelty… which gives Arthur Cathcart a wholly different perspective on everything.
Cathcart’s slow recovery from traumatic injury reminds me of Steven King’s Duma Key, wholly convincing and involving, with every desperate effort to use what’s lost building more depth to the character. Arthur Cathcart has no intention of waiting while his body heals or his skills return. Instead the man who once investigated the world figures out his own limits then studies how to move beyond them, hiding himself, his past and his dreams while he seeks the strangers who destroyed them. Well-chosen details make life and injury achingly real. Well-written dialog conveys both character and vital information. Gentle reminders of Arthur’s wounded body keep the reader on the edge of the seat—just how far can he go? How much can he recover? And is he still a genius? Meanwhile well-made disguises, well-researched, give Arthur entry to a world he might otherwise have avoided, a dangerous place where there really might be honor among thieves, and where the darkest evil might hide a memory of good. Arthur has lost his wife and most of his life. But now he learns that broken people do strange things, and true identity's more than a label we or our neighbors wear.
A thinking man’s mystery and an investigator’s action adventure, Dead Anyway keeps readers glued to the page, reads itself into pitch-perfect dialog—“What you been smoking lately, Mr. G?”—turns the world upside down, and introduces a wonderful wounded genius to carry a brand new series. The twists and turns are clever and neat, the characters memorable and deep, the love interest enticingly believable, and the adventure has just enough slips twixt plot and execution to feel real and dangerous and fun.
Disclosure: I received a free bound galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Cathcart’s slow recovery from traumatic injury reminds me of Steven King’s Duma Key, wholly convincing and involving, with every desperate effort to use what’s lost building more depth to the character. Arthur Cathcart has no intention of waiting while his body heals or his skills return. Instead the man who once investigated the world figures out his own limits then studies how to move beyond them, hiding himself, his past and his dreams while he seeks the strangers who destroyed them. Well-chosen details make life and injury achingly real. Well-written dialog conveys both character and vital information. Gentle reminders of Arthur’s wounded body keep the reader on the edge of the seat—just how far can he go? How much can he recover? And is he still a genius? Meanwhile well-made disguises, well-researched, give Arthur entry to a world he might otherwise have avoided, a dangerous place where there really might be honor among thieves, and where the darkest evil might hide a memory of good. Arthur has lost his wife and most of his life. But now he learns that broken people do strange things, and true identity's more than a label we or our neighbors wear.
A thinking man’s mystery and an investigator’s action adventure, Dead Anyway keeps readers glued to the page, reads itself into pitch-perfect dialog—“What you been smoking lately, Mr. G?”—turns the world upside down, and introduces a wonderful wounded genius to carry a brand new series. The twists and turns are clever and neat, the characters memorable and deep, the love interest enticingly believable, and the adventure has just enough slips twixt plot and execution to feel real and dangerous and fun.
Disclosure: I received a free bound galley of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
February 22, 2016
PROTAGONIST: Arthur Cathcart, researcher
SETTING: Connecticut
RATING: 4.5
Arthur Cathcart has a good life. He is a professional researcher and has an excellent marriage. One day when he comes home from work, he finds a stranger aiming a gun at his wife, Florencia. The assailant demands that she sign a document; after she does so, he shoots both Florencia and Arthur in the head. Florencia dies; Arthur spends several months in a coma. With the aid of his sister, a physician, he decides to fake his own death and seek vengeance. Along the way Arthur meets a female casino dealer, Natsumi Fitzgerald, who helps him with his quest. With Natsumi’s assistance, he creates an elaborate con that has him working with organized crime so that he can find the killer. Unfortunately, Arthur also finds that his beloved wife had some secrets of her own.
Just think about how incredibly complicated it would be to fake your own death and assume a new identity. Cathcart is meticulous in considering every possible means of his new persona being uncovered; a large part of the appeal of this book is how he manages to do that so well. Knopf exhibits great creativity in identifying the issues that Arthur faces and coming up with ways to work around them. As much as I admired Arthur’s ability to create a credible alter ego, I really liked the way that Natsumi related to him and kept him from losing perspective.
Although at times things are a bit too convenient (e.g., the ways in which his sister helps him), I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was suspenseful, witty, creative and had two very appealing lead characters. Knopf is best known for the Sam Acquillo series. DEAD ANYWAY is his first standalone; the conclusion of the book establishes that this may very well be the first in a new series.
SETTING: Connecticut
RATING: 4.5
Arthur Cathcart has a good life. He is a professional researcher and has an excellent marriage. One day when he comes home from work, he finds a stranger aiming a gun at his wife, Florencia. The assailant demands that she sign a document; after she does so, he shoots both Florencia and Arthur in the head. Florencia dies; Arthur spends several months in a coma. With the aid of his sister, a physician, he decides to fake his own death and seek vengeance. Along the way Arthur meets a female casino dealer, Natsumi Fitzgerald, who helps him with his quest. With Natsumi’s assistance, he creates an elaborate con that has him working with organized crime so that he can find the killer. Unfortunately, Arthur also finds that his beloved wife had some secrets of her own.
Just think about how incredibly complicated it would be to fake your own death and assume a new identity. Cathcart is meticulous in considering every possible means of his new persona being uncovered; a large part of the appeal of this book is how he manages to do that so well. Knopf exhibits great creativity in identifying the issues that Arthur faces and coming up with ways to work around them. As much as I admired Arthur’s ability to create a credible alter ego, I really liked the way that Natsumi related to him and kept him from losing perspective.
Although at times things are a bit too convenient (e.g., the ways in which his sister helps him), I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was suspenseful, witty, creative and had two very appealing lead characters. Knopf is best known for the Sam Acquillo series. DEAD ANYWAY is his first standalone; the conclusion of the book establishes that this may very well be the first in a new series.
September 5, 2012
*Won through a Goodreads giveaway*
This is the first novel I have read by Chris Knopf. The book is about a man who walks in on a man assigned to get information from his wife. That killer then kills his wife and him... or at least he thinks. The protagonist Arthur Cathcart then devises a plan to remain dead and avenge his wife or something or another. The reason I'm being vague is because his point in finding the hired hand never becomes clear. Is it revenge? I don't know. I'm guessing it's one of the many factors though.
Before I get into what I found wrong with this novel I will say that it was an interesting premise. The execution just wasn't to my liking. I normally like books that are all about retribution and action. Someone faking their own death in order to find their killer is what makes the thriller/suspense genre.
My biggest hangup with this novel is that I felt no connection to Arthur at all. The book consisted of a totally transparent cast that left no lasting mark on me. Even Arthur showed no emotion or gave any background. The author never expressed what life was like for Arthur before the incident that set the wheels in motion. If there was just a tad more detail I would have been able to give this novel more stars.
This is the first novel I have read by Chris Knopf. The book is about a man who walks in on a man assigned to get information from his wife. That killer then kills his wife and him... or at least he thinks. The protagonist Arthur Cathcart then devises a plan to remain dead and avenge his wife or something or another. The reason I'm being vague is because his point in finding the hired hand never becomes clear. Is it revenge? I don't know. I'm guessing it's one of the many factors though.
Before I get into what I found wrong with this novel I will say that it was an interesting premise. The execution just wasn't to my liking. I normally like books that are all about retribution and action. Someone faking their own death in order to find their killer is what makes the thriller/suspense genre.
My biggest hangup with this novel is that I felt no connection to Arthur at all. The book consisted of a totally transparent cast that left no lasting mark on me. Even Arthur showed no emotion or gave any background. The author never expressed what life was like for Arthur before the incident that set the wheels in motion. If there was just a tad more detail I would have been able to give this novel more stars.
September 3, 2012
Arthur Cathcart comes home to find a strange man sitting in the living room. He has a gun on his wife. He hands Arthur’s wife a slip of paper and asks her to write something on it. After she hands the paper back, the man shots both Arthur and his wife in the heads. Arthur wakes up in the hospital. He formulates a plan to fake his own death and go after the man responsible for shooting him.
I thought this book was intriguing. It was on the gritty side, which I did like. Of course, all of the actions that Arthur took to get revenge were not uncalled for. This was a fast paced book and I liked Arthur and his ingenuity however, my problem was that I found most of the other characters boring. So even though I flew through this book, on the other hand it made it seem like the book was slow. After a while, I did skim through some of it to get to the last third of the book to see how the ending went. The ending was alright.
I thought this book was intriguing. It was on the gritty side, which I did like. Of course, all of the actions that Arthur took to get revenge were not uncalled for. This was a fast paced book and I liked Arthur and his ingenuity however, my problem was that I found most of the other characters boring. So even though I flew through this book, on the other hand it made it seem like the book was slow. After a while, I did skim through some of it to get to the last third of the book to see how the ending went. The ending was alright.
December 23, 2012
A tedious slog through a novelists weird imagination. Nothing rings true in the novel. the bad guys are paper cutouts, the logic behind the main plot is plain silly. the only suspension of belief i found in the book was wondering how on earth anyone published this tiresome work. Not a good book, save your mony.
March 31, 2013
Dead Anyway is a riveting tale of a rather ordinary man (an overweight computer nerd and a compulsive researcher and problem-solver) who is transformed after his wife is murdered and he survives being shot in the head. The changes Arthur Cathcart manifests when he finally emerges from a lengthy coma are a result of both his brain injury and his anger and grief over his wife's death. Physically and emotionally, he is a different man.
He makes the decision to fake his death to prevent the assassin from making another attempt and to discover the who and why of his wife's murder and his own traumatic brain injury. His sister is a physician, and the two of them manage to have Arthur Cathcart "die."
With a new name, a dramatically altered appearance, and plenty of money, Alex (formerly Arthur) begins a suspenseful investigation into his wife's murder. He is obsessed with finding the assassin and the person who ordered the hit and uses his formidable computer skills and his research strengths coupled with an inventive twist of mind and brash persistence to follow the one lead he has--he saw the killer.
While there is a conclusion to one part of the story, it is obvious that there is another book in the making, and I look forward to it.
An intriguing plot with well-drawn characters, Dead Anyway has made it on to my favorites list.
From Net Galley/The Permanent Press.
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Kirkus, Starred Review
Booklist, Starred Review
Library Journal, Starred Review
Publishers Weekly Top Twelve Mystery/Thrillers of 2012
Kirkus Best Fiction of 2012
Mystery/Suspense. 2012. print version 248 pages.
ISBN-10: 1579622836
He makes the decision to fake his death to prevent the assassin from making another attempt and to discover the who and why of his wife's murder and his own traumatic brain injury. His sister is a physician, and the two of them manage to have Arthur Cathcart "die."
With a new name, a dramatically altered appearance, and plenty of money, Alex (formerly Arthur) begins a suspenseful investigation into his wife's murder. He is obsessed with finding the assassin and the person who ordered the hit and uses his formidable computer skills and his research strengths coupled with an inventive twist of mind and brash persistence to follow the one lead he has--he saw the killer.
While there is a conclusion to one part of the story, it is obvious that there is another book in the making, and I look forward to it.
An intriguing plot with well-drawn characters, Dead Anyway has made it on to my favorites list.
From Net Galley/The Permanent Press.
Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
Kirkus, Starred Review
Booklist, Starred Review
Library Journal, Starred Review
Publishers Weekly Top Twelve Mystery/Thrillers of 2012
Kirkus Best Fiction of 2012
Mystery/Suspense. 2012. print version 248 pages.
ISBN-10: 1579622836
May 10, 2013
Computer nerd marries hot woman who does not care about the excess baggage around his waist. Both are highly successful in their respective careers, and life is good. Until its not. Waking after a long recovery from a gunshot wound to the head, Cathcart sets out to avenge his wife’s death.
Knopf is the master of no frills language. He tells it like it is, and is able to produce an interesting story line without any flowery language at all. It is to the point, and his extensive research is obvious throughout the novel. I enjoyed his dry wit, and found myself laughing and snickering at Cathcart’s internal dialogue, and external expressions. I wish there had not been quite the “data dump” at the conclusion, wanting to have had more insight along the way, without the big “and this is why it happened” moment. I have to admit; I did have a couple of different people in mind as the “bad guy” and was somewhat surprised when the truth was revealed.
If I could make one request, please, for the rest of us mere mortal women, add a flaw to Natsumi! I wanted to love her (read that as BE her), with her cool, calm demeanor and ability to just go with the flow, but she is just too perfect.
This review can also be found at http://sparkzoflight.blogspot.com
Knopf is the master of no frills language. He tells it like it is, and is able to produce an interesting story line without any flowery language at all. It is to the point, and his extensive research is obvious throughout the novel. I enjoyed his dry wit, and found myself laughing and snickering at Cathcart’s internal dialogue, and external expressions. I wish there had not been quite the “data dump” at the conclusion, wanting to have had more insight along the way, without the big “and this is why it happened” moment. I have to admit; I did have a couple of different people in mind as the “bad guy” and was somewhat surprised when the truth was revealed.
If I could make one request, please, for the rest of us mere mortal women, add a flaw to Natsumi! I wanted to love her (read that as BE her), with her cool, calm demeanor and ability to just go with the flow, but she is just too perfect.
This review can also be found at http://sparkzoflight.blogspot.com
August 2, 2015
In DEAD ANYWAY by Chris Knopf (©2012), Arthur has a great life, until he nearly loses it. Dragging himself back to the living, he sets out to find who is responsible. Although we know, generally, what he’s up to, it’s fascinating how he goes about trying to identify the culprits. I suppose if I’d stopped reading and thought about it, I might have deduced more of his plan; but I couldn’t stop reading. Arthur’s way of narrowing the probabilities to figure out what to do next is very engaging. He has a tidily precise mind, which is devious and obsessive. We zip through the details of his plan like we’re hanging on the back of a speedboat.
And the sometimes-likeable supporting characters are icing on the cake.
Hope you enjoy DEAD ANYWAY as much as I did.
And the sometimes-likeable supporting characters are icing on the cake.
Hope you enjoy DEAD ANYWAY as much as I did.
November 14, 2012
I thought Dead Anyway was extremely witty and clever, besides being very well written. It couldn't have been easy to keep track of all the schemes and goings-on that the main character Arthur Cathcart was both planning and in the midst of. In spite of lot of very complicated details, the plot was easy to follow, and all in all, the book was a quick read. My only criticism was how Knopf willingly led us up to the last sentence in the book and—BOOM!—left us hanging. Sequel? If you like technology and think revenge is sweet, then I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
August 25, 2022
Not as great as I had hoped - I'll give it 2 1/2, rounded up for old time's sake. This first novel in Mr. Knopf's Arthur Cathcart series is basically a complex "Caper" or "Con" story, and like most of those it hinges on improbable plans coming more-or-less flawlessly into fruition. It's full of detailed explanations of complex systems - maybe too detailed. Lots of characters, mostly unsavoury; lots of money being spent, not quite sure why; lots of interpersonal actions that don't seem plausible. Maybe my own life has been too sheltered - these things don't happen.
The story lacks most of the attributes that I outlined in a previous Knopf review as the factors that made me enjoy his Sam Acquillo novels. Disappointing.
The story lacks most of the attributes that I outlined in a previous Knopf review as the factors that made me enjoy his Sam Acquillo novels. Disappointing.
June 15, 2020
3.5 stars. Interesting premise and clever protagonist. Knopf is a smart writer with a wry sense of humor.
Want to read
March 4, 2019Synopsis: life is good for Arthur: wife, job and home. In seconds it's gone. He's still alive, but no one else knows. How does he find the killer?
February 15, 2013
Chris Knopf has written nine previous mysteries, including two different series [both set in the Hamptons] and one standalone. His newest novel is the first in a new series, featuring 42-year-old Arthur Cathcart [although he seldom uses that name after the events the kick off the book]. And “kick” is an appropriate word here, inasmuch as the first chapter describes a scene wherein Arthur [self-described as a “math geek and social misfit”] and his “breathtakingly beautiful and successful” wife, Florencia, are held at gunpoint in their home in Stamford, Connecticut, by a man they have never seen before, who shortly shoots them both in the head. Florencia is killed instantly; Arthur is grievously wounded and left for dead. After falling in and out of a coma for months, he is almost literally brought back from the dead, and makes a decision not to let the world in on that fact, convincing his physician sister, who has been caring for him, to fake his death.
Using the skills of his profession - - he holds a Masters in Applied Mathematics, doing freelance market research - - he is determined to find out who brutally murdered his adored wife and left him for dead, and why: “I’m dead anyway, so who’s better suited to the job?” He goes completely off the grid, difficult to do in this day and age. Using the skills perfected by identity thieves, which he “hoped to successfully emulate,” he begins to feel that “the concept of identity has become an abstraction,” to the extent that at times he barely remembers who he really is.
The writing is wonderful throughout. On the first page, as he and his wife rise from bed shortly after their morning love-making, Arthur thinks of the day ahead with “that part of my mind that wasn’t lingering with recollections of the morning, the smells and feel of skin-on-skin, the transcendent lightness of unrestrained adoration.” At one point he says that “the most important thing I’d learned from years of research was that almost nothing you thought in advance turns out to be the case . . . It means that most people who aren’t researchers go through life thinking things that aren’t true, and never discovering their folly.”
The plotting is ingenious, the book captivating. At the end, the author gives a hint of the direction in which he will go in the next book in this series, and I for one can’t wait. Highly recommended.
Using the skills of his profession - - he holds a Masters in Applied Mathematics, doing freelance market research - - he is determined to find out who brutally murdered his adored wife and left him for dead, and why: “I’m dead anyway, so who’s better suited to the job?” He goes completely off the grid, difficult to do in this day and age. Using the skills perfected by identity thieves, which he “hoped to successfully emulate,” he begins to feel that “the concept of identity has become an abstraction,” to the extent that at times he barely remembers who he really is.
The writing is wonderful throughout. On the first page, as he and his wife rise from bed shortly after their morning love-making, Arthur thinks of the day ahead with “that part of my mind that wasn’t lingering with recollections of the morning, the smells and feel of skin-on-skin, the transcendent lightness of unrestrained adoration.” At one point he says that “the most important thing I’d learned from years of research was that almost nothing you thought in advance turns out to be the case . . . It means that most people who aren’t researchers go through life thinking things that aren’t true, and never discovering their folly.”
The plotting is ingenious, the book captivating. At the end, the author gives a hint of the direction in which he will go in the next book in this series, and I for one can’t wait. Highly recommended.
May 21, 2015
Revenge novels frequently make interesting reading. Arthur Cathcart, a successful media-based researcher, is married to the extremely successful head of an insurance brokerage. A nerdy guy married to a knockout, he revels in his good fortune until the day he comes home to find an armed man (with a silencer, no less) holding his wife at gunpoint. After demanding some kind of information (a five-question form), the gunman shoots both Arthur and his wife in the head and leaves. Arthur's wife dies. Arthur lives, though faced with a long recuperation from a wound that may have changed his intellectual processes much less his emotional ones. It's not a spoiler (because it takes place in the first fifteen pages) to say that Arthur fakes his death, with the help of his sister, and embarks on a mission of finding out why his wife is dead and he is impaired. Given that he has a fair bit of money, Arthur (now Alex, a clever if familiar bit of ledgerdemain) embarks on his mission. As he gets better, so his mission becomes more driven.
Arthur/Alex's task is to find the shooter and the person who paid him. To do so requires a couple of elaborate scams, a fair bit of technology, a retired cop, an unemployed journalist, and a 38-year-old Chinese-American casino dealer/psychology major named Natsumi Fitzgerald. Along the way, Alex shows a great deal of cleverness as he alternately fools a bunch of rich snob neighbors, enlists the help of a Bosnian criminal gang, and stalks the very dangerous man behind his wife's death (and those of a lot of other people). The book ends satisfactorily, though it is clear that Alex and Natsumi have more work to do (see "Cries of the Lost" and "A Billion Ways to Die"). If the various capers sometimes strain belief, Alex and Natsumi are very attractive characters (as are some of the minor characters, such as Little Boy or Alex's landlady), so I'm still along for the ride.
Arthur/Alex's task is to find the shooter and the person who paid him. To do so requires a couple of elaborate scams, a fair bit of technology, a retired cop, an unemployed journalist, and a 38-year-old Chinese-American casino dealer/psychology major named Natsumi Fitzgerald. Along the way, Alex shows a great deal of cleverness as he alternately fools a bunch of rich snob neighbors, enlists the help of a Bosnian criminal gang, and stalks the very dangerous man behind his wife's death (and those of a lot of other people). The book ends satisfactorily, though it is clear that Alex and Natsumi have more work to do (see "Cries of the Lost" and "A Billion Ways to Die"). If the various capers sometimes strain belief, Alex and Natsumi are very attractive characters (as are some of the minor characters, such as Little Boy or Alex's landlady), so I'm still along for the ride.
March 6, 2016
I thought this yarn was fun if implausible. The startling violence at the opening did not presage constant blood but a techy investigation into the underworld and insurance fraud. It takes place in Connecticut, which in itself, is unusual for a murder mystery. Who ever heard of a Connecticut murder mystery?
The story is implausible not because of the complexity of the scams, which I am sure are true to life, but because every new dodge the protagonist cooks up works perfectly. If he threatens a gangster's fortune-teller, she feels threatened. She doesn't say, Who the heck are you, Bozo? If he wants to find the gangster, he finds him. If he wants the help of a wary newspaperman, he convinces him. If he needs to find someone at a casino to identify a hired gun, he finds a woman happy to ask around. If he wants to rent a mansion, a perfect Gatsby-esque mansion appears. If he needs help for a lavish party, the local hostess-with-the-mostess jumps on board. Everything works for this guy.
I liked the premise, though: the protagonist's elaborate ruse to convince the world he is dead. His idea is to be free to steal identities of truly dead people and track down the criminal responsible for his wife's murder.
Except for the bad guys, the characters are likable and amusing. I was ready for something light and may read another by this author anon.
The story is implausible not because of the complexity of the scams, which I am sure are true to life, but because every new dodge the protagonist cooks up works perfectly. If he threatens a gangster's fortune-teller, she feels threatened. She doesn't say, Who the heck are you, Bozo? If he wants to find the gangster, he finds him. If he wants the help of a wary newspaperman, he convinces him. If he needs to find someone at a casino to identify a hired gun, he finds a woman happy to ask around. If he wants to rent a mansion, a perfect Gatsby-esque mansion appears. If he needs help for a lavish party, the local hostess-with-the-mostess jumps on board. Everything works for this guy.
I liked the premise, though: the protagonist's elaborate ruse to convince the world he is dead. His idea is to be free to steal identities of truly dead people and track down the criminal responsible for his wife's murder.
Except for the bad guys, the characters are likable and amusing. I was ready for something light and may read another by this author anon.
March 4, 2013
This book had a lot of potential. The begining was well written and set the reader up for a an interesting tale. However, the middle of the book was lacking and the things that happen to Arthur Cathcart rather implausable. The "mystery" (sorry - trying to be vague and not add any spoliers) could have had the same solution without the far-fetched things Arthur does and has done to him throughout the book. At first I was torn about the ending - it implies something in particular happened which I thought was a nice twist, but doesn't explain how it could have happened,which annoyed me. However, reading some of the reviews on Goodreads, it appears as if Dead Anyway is part of a series, so perhaps the sequal will shed some light on the ending. I will be reading it, only to get a resolution to what happened in Dead Anyway.
October 15, 2012
aside from the opening murder which moves the plot - there isn't one true moment in this book. Really, we are to believe that he can (spoiler alert) find a missing mob guy that the feds and state police can't find - he steals tons of rare minerals without getting caught -no let's step back - he KNOWS how to steal the minerals; he mixes with the mob moving up the ladder and isn't shot; after losing his amazing ability with numbers he is also able to decipher complicated records from an insurance company to find a scam -- it goes on and on and is just ridiculous to believe.. He can do it all!! I only gave it a second star because I finished it -
October 31, 2014
When Arthur Cathcart and his wife are attacked by an unknown assailant, they are left for dead. However, Arthur, despite being shot in the head, survives and after absorbing the loss of his beloved wife, he is determined to find out why she or they were targeted. So that the shooter doesn't come back to finish the job, he concocts an elaborate plot to unearth the truth. Despite moments of sadness (and improbability), this is more of a caper novel and was an enjoyable audio book.
June 23, 2014
This was a reader's choice from awhile ago. I enjoyed it, and I admit, I wanted to find out who the killer was. The surprise of his now-dead wife being an embezzler was a surprise, but not sure this is a totally memorable mystery type book for me. It did have some language and some gangs/thugs/bad guys overkill at times, but it was still enjoyable.
December 31, 2012
Sounded promising, but not well executed...storytelling was "this happened, then this happened" in a straightforwardly boring way. Main character not really a character. Writing OK. Wanted to like this much more than I did!
July 21, 2013
I thought some of the story just didn't ring true. It was too perfect. He has oodles of money, resources and convoluted plans that bordered on the ridiculous, but it was an enjoyable ride.
February 11, 2013
Interesting premise (survivor of an assassination which left his wife dead) but the main character just not that interesting. Also - LOTS of details, not enough action.
September 21, 2019
Having read much of Knopf's Long Island series, this book was a surprise -- and in a good way. I like the Sam Aquillo series in the Hamptons, but liked this just about as much. I am especially impressed that this series could almost be by a different writer; in each case, Knopf's writing style is appropriate to the characters and the plot.
"Dead Anyway" is longer and more closely worked that the Aquillo series. It has moments of witty dialogue, but not to the extent bordering on zaniness in the other series. We have here a much more serious plot, and it kept my interest to see what each succeeding step by Arthur Cathcart would be.
This is a caper work, and somehow reminded me of the books by Donald Westlake.
There are a lot of characters, and most are props. But Natsumi Fitzgerald and the Bosnian thug, "Little Boy" are delightful and memorable. Cathcart is a bit harder to get a sense of (maybe this happens in further installments in the series). He is more about what he does than who he is.
The downside is this is one complicated plot, and, to be honest, I stopped trying to master it, since I would have had to flip back pages frequently to do so. I just rolled with the story and enjoyed it.
I did wonder if the unlimited financial resources Cathcart has really added up accurately, and could not believe he could run a food truck without even domestic cooking experience. I also could not keep all the gangsters and their relationships with each other clear in my mind. Oh well. I still thank Knopf for an enjoyable reading experience.
"Dead Anyway" is longer and more closely worked that the Aquillo series. It has moments of witty dialogue, but not to the extent bordering on zaniness in the other series. We have here a much more serious plot, and it kept my interest to see what each succeeding step by Arthur Cathcart would be.
This is a caper work, and somehow reminded me of the books by Donald Westlake.
There are a lot of characters, and most are props. But Natsumi Fitzgerald and the Bosnian thug, "Little Boy" are delightful and memorable. Cathcart is a bit harder to get a sense of (maybe this happens in further installments in the series). He is more about what he does than who he is.
The downside is this is one complicated plot, and, to be honest, I stopped trying to master it, since I would have had to flip back pages frequently to do so. I just rolled with the story and enjoyed it.
I did wonder if the unlimited financial resources Cathcart has really added up accurately, and could not believe he could run a food truck without even domestic cooking experience. I also could not keep all the gangsters and their relationships with each other clear in my mind. Oh well. I still thank Knopf for an enjoyable reading experience.
January 28, 2019
You have a nice life. You love your beautiful, successful wife. You're an easygoing guy working out of your comfortable Connecticut home. The world is an interesting, pleasant place.
Then in seconds it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you.
Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on a fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living breathing human being. Much easier said than done in a post- 9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man?
Then in seconds it's all gone. You're still alive, but the world thinks you're dead. And now you have to decide. Make it official, or go after the evil that took it all away from you.
Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on a fight, by doing what he knows best - figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living breathing human being. Much easier said than done in a post- 9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man?
October 7, 2017
Library audio book
Below are my notes to remind me of the story. If you have not listened to it on audible or read yet then I strongly recommend you skip my notes and get into the story as it is brillant and you will be enjoying it from start to finish.
Dead Anyway opens with protagonist (main character) Arthur Cathcart enjoying an ordinary day as his beautiful wife, Chilean descent, goes out to work and he gets on with research on the computer. Not just a computer nerd, Arthur’s the sort of quiet private investigator who verifies data for toothpaste marketers, finds missing heirs, and generally acquires and stores knowledge for the love of it. He walks the streets, makes phone calls, travels and does everything himself, and it pays a few bills while Florencia’s insurance company makes the family rich. Life is good, then a hit man turns up gives Flarencia some numbers to check and confirm after which he shoots her dead in the head. Arthur Cathcart is also shot but miraculously survives and is rushed to hospital after a neighbour is concerned and discovers them.
Cathcart’s slow recovery from traumatic injury is wholly convincing and involving, with every desperate effort to use what’s lost, building more depth to the character. Arthur Cathcart has no intention of waiting while his body heals or his skills return. Instead the man who once investigated the world figures out his own limits then studies how to move beyond them, hiding himself, his past and his dreams while he seeks the strangers who destroyed them. Well-chosen details make life and injury achingly real. Well-written dialogue conveys both character and vital information. Reminders of Arthur’s wounded body and he keeps pushing the limits regaining slowly both his physical strength and mental ability. Initially numbers do not add etc so really reduced from a numbers genius to restarting but quickly starts gaining here and there former abilities (numbers wise the story ends with a long way to go to reach his former self but a very high standard still reached.
He checks out late wife;s compnay records etc. Uses well-made disguises, well-researched, that give Arthur entry to a world he might otherwise have avoided, a dangerous place where there really might be honor among thieves, and where the darkest evil might hide a memory of good. Arthur has lost his wife and most of his life. The disguises are to preserve his identity. He enlists a former law enforement agency worker now still following the same crime villian Arther is after. Mr Grossman and also a journalism. Mr Grossman has identified enough to be able to track Arthur back to who he really is. He did have his medically trained sister (Everolyn???), a cardiologist have him dying and then cremating him.
Good dialogue, reads itself into pitch-perfect dialog—“What you been smoking lately, Mr. G?”—from little boy's gang of Bosnian gangsters that he does business with to locate "Three Sticks" who hired the assassin that killed Arthur's wife and keeps his distance so no one knows who he really is.
Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on and fight, by doing what he knows best – figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living, breathing human being. Much easier said than done in the post-9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man? He does buy his friends valuable guitar collection thus he can sell whenever for cash and no record trial.
Arthur's sister receives a buyout offer that is generous from employee Damien Grant's father Elliot billionaire investor . Due diligence takes place with no problems revealed.
In the meantime Arthur discovers that his dead wife had been skimming pre paid non refundable insurance payments that were hers but the scam would avoid paying tax etc.(Not noted in the story) Money sent to the Caribean bank. And Damien had discovered this and reported to his father Elliot who turned out to be "Three Sticks". In the final confrontation "Three Sticks" is killed by the assassin he hired to kill Arthur and his wife. As Arthur had tracked him down by initially following backwards.
Initial aim was to find the button man and A. researched for the key crime players in the area thus finding Sedby gangster who was tracked down by Grossman and reported by the journalist and Arthur (Now using his friend's ID name as Alex as he was in Europe. So discovers Sedby never left Connectic (He had used google crime searching) Thus he hands Sedby to the Grossman and the journalist after manipulation A. gains a list of assassins operating in area. Next he goes to a casino and tracks down the actual assassin. Also, meets his future and new partner a US citizen japenese born girl who he clicks with and they join up so to speak , over time.
To get to "Three Sticks" who identity is unknown he gets into the roadside food business then steals a laptop from a key employee of a special expensive metals company and thus kinda , though pays up later, metals that he puts on the market to the next remaining key crime gang in the area after Sedby organisation is reduced. That is the Bosnian gang and leader little boy. Now he gains kudos in the crime world holds a high society party and attachs guest at rented mansion. All a front and put on. Thus "Three Sticks" coimmunicates via the party and the trap is set.
Thus leading to the ID of Elliot. Story finishes with Arthur now heading to Chile to find out what the story was with the money in the account as withdrawals had been made.
Below are my notes to remind me of the story. If you have not listened to it on audible or read yet then I strongly recommend you skip my notes and get into the story as it is brillant and you will be enjoying it from start to finish.
Dead Anyway opens with protagonist (main character) Arthur Cathcart enjoying an ordinary day as his beautiful wife, Chilean descent, goes out to work and he gets on with research on the computer. Not just a computer nerd, Arthur’s the sort of quiet private investigator who verifies data for toothpaste marketers, finds missing heirs, and generally acquires and stores knowledge for the love of it. He walks the streets, makes phone calls, travels and does everything himself, and it pays a few bills while Florencia’s insurance company makes the family rich. Life is good, then a hit man turns up gives Flarencia some numbers to check and confirm after which he shoots her dead in the head. Arthur Cathcart is also shot but miraculously survives and is rushed to hospital after a neighbour is concerned and discovers them.
Cathcart’s slow recovery from traumatic injury is wholly convincing and involving, with every desperate effort to use what’s lost, building more depth to the character. Arthur Cathcart has no intention of waiting while his body heals or his skills return. Instead the man who once investigated the world figures out his own limits then studies how to move beyond them, hiding himself, his past and his dreams while he seeks the strangers who destroyed them. Well-chosen details make life and injury achingly real. Well-written dialogue conveys both character and vital information. Reminders of Arthur’s wounded body and he keeps pushing the limits regaining slowly both his physical strength and mental ability. Initially numbers do not add etc so really reduced from a numbers genius to restarting but quickly starts gaining here and there former abilities (numbers wise the story ends with a long way to go to reach his former self but a very high standard still reached.
He checks out late wife;s compnay records etc. Uses well-made disguises, well-researched, that give Arthur entry to a world he might otherwise have avoided, a dangerous place where there really might be honor among thieves, and where the darkest evil might hide a memory of good. Arthur has lost his wife and most of his life. The disguises are to preserve his identity. He enlists a former law enforement agency worker now still following the same crime villian Arther is after. Mr Grossman and also a journalism. Mr Grossman has identified enough to be able to track Arthur back to who he really is. He did have his medically trained sister (Everolyn???), a cardiologist have him dying and then cremating him.
Good dialogue, reads itself into pitch-perfect dialog—“What you been smoking lately, Mr. G?”—from little boy's gang of Bosnian gangsters that he does business with to locate "Three Sticks" who hired the assassin that killed Arthur's wife and keeps his distance so no one knows who he really is.
Arthur Cathcart, market researcher and occasional finder of missing persons, decides to live on and fight, by doing what he knows best – figuring things out, without revealing his status as a living, breathing human being. Much easier said than done in the post-9/11 world, where everything about yourself and all the tools you need to live a modern life are an open book. How do you become a different person, how do you finance an elaborate scheme without revealing yourself? How do you force a reckoning with the worst people on earth, as a dead man? He does buy his friends valuable guitar collection thus he can sell whenever for cash and no record trial.
Arthur's sister receives a buyout offer that is generous from employee Damien Grant's father Elliot billionaire investor . Due diligence takes place with no problems revealed.
In the meantime Arthur discovers that his dead wife had been skimming pre paid non refundable insurance payments that were hers but the scam would avoid paying tax etc.(Not noted in the story) Money sent to the Caribean bank. And Damien had discovered this and reported to his father Elliot who turned out to be "Three Sticks". In the final confrontation "Three Sticks" is killed by the assassin he hired to kill Arthur and his wife. As Arthur had tracked him down by initially following backwards.
Initial aim was to find the button man and A. researched for the key crime players in the area thus finding Sedby gangster who was tracked down by Grossman and reported by the journalist and Arthur (Now using his friend's ID name as Alex as he was in Europe. So discovers Sedby never left Connectic (He had used google crime searching) Thus he hands Sedby to the Grossman and the journalist after manipulation A. gains a list of assassins operating in area. Next he goes to a casino and tracks down the actual assassin. Also, meets his future and new partner a US citizen japenese born girl who he clicks with and they join up so to speak , over time.
To get to "Three Sticks" who identity is unknown he gets into the roadside food business then steals a laptop from a key employee of a special expensive metals company and thus kinda , though pays up later, metals that he puts on the market to the next remaining key crime gang in the area after Sedby organisation is reduced. That is the Bosnian gang and leader little boy. Now he gains kudos in the crime world holds a high society party and attachs guest at rented mansion. All a front and put on. Thus "Three Sticks" coimmunicates via the party and the trap is set.
Thus leading to the ID of Elliot. Story finishes with Arthur now heading to Chile to find out what the story was with the money in the account as withdrawals had been made.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2021
Arthur Cathcart and his wife are confronted by an assassin and both shot in the head. He manages to survive with some changes in personality and struggles to figure out who was behind the death of his wife. He fakes his death with some help from his sister and goes about investigating. He has access to a lot of money and manages to get help from an FBI agent and some thugs.
It gets a bit confusing with all the different characters coming and going and it seemed a bit slow and tedious with all the descriptions of the many different changes of disguises and setups. It was ok. May try the next book as the ending sets you up for the next one.
It gets a bit confusing with all the different characters coming and going and it seemed a bit slow and tedious with all the descriptions of the many different changes of disguises and setups. It was ok. May try the next book as the ending sets you up for the next one.
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