Contraption: A Comic Thriller

by Ryan Garns

A fast and funny debut thriller with a MacGuffin that messes with your mind.

Shawn Riley is a stand-up comedian in stagnation. He’s divorced, he’s middle-aged, and his career has all the momentum of a millennial working a stick shift. It turns out he’s also the perfect decoy for anyone looking to throw a bunch of bad guys off their trail. So before you can say “tin foil hat,” Shawn finds himself knee-deep in spies, hitmen, and cultists seeking a mysterious weapon that tampers with the human brain. Shawn is accustomed to life on the road but not on the lam, so he’ll have to survive on only rapid-fire one-liners and his rocky relationship with an attractive reporter.

So what’s this book like? It’s like Alfred Hitchcock meets Albert Brooks. Or Killing Floor meets Right Ho, Jeeves . Or maybe it’s Naked Lunch meets Little Women , I don’t know. Look, you’ve read this far, so admit you’re interested and pick up a copy of Contraption .

273 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2023

About the author

Ryan Garns has spent much of his life lurking among polite society, never daring to reveal his twisted ambitions as a comedy writer. Nevertheless, he has been known to write, produce, and direct sketch comedy shows for the stage in Los Angeles. He has also cut his teeth performing stand-up material and writing humor columns, stage plays, and screenplays. Contraption is his debut novel, and he is already writing his next called Untitled 80,000-Word Hole To Fill.

Reviews

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I'm afraid, for a "comic novel" I didn't laugh much at all. However it is mildly amusing in parts or maybe just not my sense of humour - leaning towards farce rather than anything else for most of the book.

The story (if I've got it right) is that Shawn Riley, a stand-up comedian, is enticed back to the room of a woman one night whereupon his adventure begins with him being beaten up and chased by a couple of thugs who believe he knows the whereabouts of a device called a neurocitor.

Unfortunately for Shawn everyone else he comes into contact with thinks he knows where the machine is and are happy to bully him (using various nasty methods) into revealing its whereabouts.

I'm afraid I found the story insanely confusing. I kept losing track of which baddy was which. The parts I assumed were supposed to be funny were just silly and I really didn't get any of Shawn's jokes.

By the end I didn't think really care what happened to the neurocitor, Shawn or anyone else. This book needed some serious editing and a more coherent plot. It gave me a bit of a headache to tell the truth. Sorry, just not my thing at all.

I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

Shawn Riley is in his early 40s, he’s divorced and a comedian working the small comedy clubs in Phoenix Arizona. Shawn isn’t a failure exactly, he just hasn’t had the good fortune to acquire enough good material to make it in bigger venues or on TV.

One evening after his set at a local comedy club he’s having a quiet drink by himself pondering his future when he is joined at his table by a beautiful woman. After a few drinks she propositions Shawn, saying it’s her last night in town at a convention and she has a room at a nearby hotel. She appears to be pretty inebriated so Shawn decides to see her back to her room so she can sleep it off. This begins a lively and funny series of events involving murder and mayhem with Shawn right in the middle as the patsy.

All the protagonists think Shawn is a loser and pretty stupid, he’s neither, much to their surprise.

I liked Shawn very much, he’s funny and sweet and resourceful.

I enjoyed this book, it’s not always laugh out loud funny but it is fun and I’m glad I read it.

[Michael Ikirt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Contraption is lighthearted, to be sure. It’s not a high speed spy thriller. Think Noises Off, if the theater troupe were to steal government property. The problem is, the government thinks they are crazy, and a weird cult wants said property. Wrong place, wrong time? You bet. The MC here is so befuddled, that by the time he figures out what is going on, the game gets changed, and he’s lost again. The book isn’t laugh out loud funny, but still highly humorous. It brings out some mild chuckles here and there. I’ll definitely look this author up in the future.


I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, goofy, suspenseful, and full of quirky characters, Contraption is a fun read. The first 20% or so made me feel kind of anxious, as the helplessness of the protagonist is pumped up a little further than I was comfortable with, but after that he started being more proactive, if not much more effectual. Suspension of disbelief is occasionally required but it's paid off in laughs so just relax and enjoy!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Tony · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read. Definitely a novel approach to a spy, mystery story. Even showed a past relationship in a good light. Enjoyed it and would like to see the next book by the author.


I received an advanced reader copy. I gave an honest opinion of his work.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A light hearted read. It was perfect for a trip to the beach. The characters are my favorite part of this book. I can completely relate to the Shawn (MC). It felt like a less slapstick version of The Man Who Knew Too Little. Some of the jokes were also far more subtle. Sam would approve.