Dizzy City

by Nicholas Griffin

Dizzy City is a suspense-filled portrait of the darker - and more exciting- side of American capitalism on the eve of its entry into World War I. The year is 1916, Europe is at war, and American industrialists are getting rich. Englishman Benedict Cramb deserts the trench warfare of northern France and stows away on an outbound transatlantic ship. When he arrives in a city untouched and largely unaware of the horrors of war, he realizes New York City is the place to reinvent himself. In the process, he soon falls under the sway of the urbane and mysterious Julius McAteer, who sees in Ben his chance to finely hone the tools of someone who can master the art of the con. They concoct a ruse, pick their mark – a blustering midwestern cattleman named Henry Jergens – and the game is afoot. But the further Ben follows the money in New York, the closer he moves back to the war in Europe and his shattering experiences there. This page-turner is rich in historical detail and filled with romance and adventure.

Genres: History, World War I

384 pages, Hardcover

First published August 21, 2007

About the author

NIcholas Griffin is the author of seven books. He has written for film, TV, newspapers and magazines. He currently has two works, Ping Pong Diplomacy and The Year of Dangerous Days, under option for film and television. A soccer addict, a carnivore of books, Griffin lives in Miami Beach with his wife and two children. And his dog. The dog is very important.

Reviews

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this a 4 but the ending doesn't tie all the loose ends together and I hate books and movies that leave you wondering. A great read if you like the movies The Sting or Ocean's Eleven.

[Robert Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

What was a great book turned into a ‘too long’ book by the 300th page or so. Easily wrapped up with a better, definite ending, this book started so well, traveled so far and kept your interest but then the introduction of other main characters made for a bit of a mess as the book moved on (my opinion, of course). What had been a five star share dropped to a three by the end. Hardback. Venice.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story

[Toni Popp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story...I like historical fiction...just finished The Fall of Giants and i like getting different perspectives of the time...other than that i probably would not have read this book. I don't care about cons or flim flams but i did enjoy getting to know Ben and why he did what he did. The ending wasn't very informative but i still liked it.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I picked it up at the library on a whim. It was engaging and I honestly did not see a lot of the twists coming. I was a little put off by the ending which I found to be to abrubt but I think it's because I wanted to know more.

[Claudia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn't sure I liked this book when I first started it but it kept me reading and thought the historical aspect added to ths story of cons conning cons...took me awhile to figure out what all the characters were doing to each other.

[Sarah Honenberger · Rating 4 out of 5]

First novel, author spoke at Virginia Festival of the Book about con men and difficulty writing a complicated con, keeping the tricks hidden and the timing of their exposure. But it works, the ending's a little fizzled, but the scheme and characters keep you hooked.

[Tanaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first 'historical novel'. Really interesting & well done.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

The multi-layered story borrows its mood from the Great War itself, somber and laid over with a cloth of constant tension. Haunting and intriguing, and the elaborate cons keep you guessing.

[Jerome Newberry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story of con men and Flim flam artists c. 1916 New York. I found it well written and easy to read.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book, sort of historical fiction, about bunco men (and women) in 1916 New York. Really interesting to figure out who was playing who.

[Ngchang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great historical fiction book based on World War I time con-men in NYC. A very fun read that is well written.

[Kathleen Hulser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice detail on WWI in NYC as the con man becomes the conned. They play the green goods game.

[Irene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall enjoyed this book, however the ending was a disappointment. I would recommend, with this kaveat.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

several twists and turns

[Marcie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't do it for me.

[Ginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay book, interesting look at a conman's live during and after WWI.