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Namaste Mart Confidential
Los Angeles, 2013:
Adam Minor and Richie Walsh work at Namaste Mart, a hippie grocery store in West Hollywood frequented by celebrities, cult members, and every variety of absurd character L.A. has to offer.
They're best friends, but couldn't be more different. Brooding and analytical, Adam dreams of one day becoming a famous novelist. Richie is an unpredictable navy veteran with a weakness for booze, women, and fighting who's just begun his stand-up comedy career.
Adam and Richie also have a special They're good at finding people. On top of their gig as Hollywood grocery clerks, they supplement their income as unlicensed private detectives on the streets of L.A.
A new case Joan Goldman is a veteran Hollywood actress of 1980s action blockbusters turned entrepreneur, now running a chain of high-end lingerie stores. Shayla Ramsey, one of her top employees, has mysteriously vanished. Joan hires the Grocery Clerk P.I.s to find out what happened.
On the trail of the missing Shayla, Adam and Richie encounter the Armenian mob, high-society Pasadena lawyers, Hollywood gangsters, and a family of fundamentalist Mormon polygamists led by a devout, wealthy and violent patriarch...
Adam Minor and Richie Walsh work at Namaste Mart, a hippie grocery store in West Hollywood frequented by celebrities, cult members, and every variety of absurd character L.A. has to offer.
They're best friends, but couldn't be more different. Brooding and analytical, Adam dreams of one day becoming a famous novelist. Richie is an unpredictable navy veteran with a weakness for booze, women, and fighting who's just begun his stand-up comedy career.
Adam and Richie also have a special They're good at finding people. On top of their gig as Hollywood grocery clerks, they supplement their income as unlicensed private detectives on the streets of L.A.
A new case Joan Goldman is a veteran Hollywood actress of 1980s action blockbusters turned entrepreneur, now running a chain of high-end lingerie stores. Shayla Ramsey, one of her top employees, has mysteriously vanished. Joan hires the Grocery Clerk P.I.s to find out what happened.
On the trail of the missing Shayla, Adam and Richie encounter the Armenian mob, high-society Pasadena lawyers, Hollywood gangsters, and a family of fundamentalist Mormon polygamists led by a devout, wealthy and violent patriarch...
250 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 30, 2024
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
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WHAT'S NAMASTE MART CONFIDENTIAL ABOUT?
It seems (especially in film and novels) that Los Angeles is filled with people who've moved their to start their lives. That's certainly the case for Richie Walsh, a stand-up comedian trying to build his audience and act, and Adam Minor, an aspiring novelist. While they wait for their artistic careers to take off, they need to pay their bills—and so they get jobs at the greatest grocery store in the country to be employed at (as far as I can tell, anyway—I've never known anyone to have such a good gig while working at one).
Some time back, however, the two of them stumbled upon a kidnapper and rescued his latest victim—getting them some attention from the local media and starting a side gig for them: Unlicensed Private Eyes. They've had a few successful cases, nothing as headline-worthy as their first however, and then entered a dry spell.
They're pulled out of it when a co-worker's mother hires them. She runs a few lingerie stores (higher-end stuff), and one of her top employees has gone missing. Shayla Ramsey has had a troubled past—escaping from the frying pan of a polygamous marriage to the fire of addiction on the streets of L.A. She's put her life on the right track—and now she's vanished, with both parts of her past equally likely to have pulled her back in.
Neither grocery store clerk could expect—or be prepared for—where the trial for Shayla takes them. But readers are going to have a blast going along for the ride.
A REAL KITCHEN SINK NOVEL
What doesn't this book have, really? First off—and it's easy to forget this, but you shouldn't—it's noir. Then you have a slice of L.A. life in 2013, and boy does it feel like it. There's some comedy. There's some satire. There's commentary on the rise (and growing acceptance, it seems) of polygamous LDS groups*. There's some drama. There's some over-the-top action movie-style gunfights. There's a splash of politics. There's more than a little commentary on the nature of celebrity. There's some actual sweetness through one of the smaller arcs. You've got Armenian mobsters. Ex-actors turned business executives. Ex-actors turned artists. Grocery store clerks and very odd customers (just that part of the novel alone could be turned into a decent sitcom). A strange Scientology-esque group.
* I read three novels that featured them last year alone. An odd trend in crime fiction.
This is not an exhaustive list—and I know that once I publish this post, I'm going to think of other things I could've included.
But the important thing to know going in—it all works. This jumble of seemingly incompatible ideas/topics that Miller brings to the table fit together in a way that feels natural. It's like one of those cooking competition shows where the contestants are handed a bunch of ingredients that no one in their right mind should put together and they make something that gets that gets the approval of experienced chefs and restauranteurs. Miller ain't getting chopped for this meal.
ANGER
At one point in the show Justified, Winona tells her ex-husband, "Raylan, you do a good job of hiding it. And I s'pose most folks don't see it, but honestly, you're the angriest man I have ever known." That line came to my mind a few times while reading this book—I don't know that Adam or Richie are quite as angry as Raylan—but they're noticeably younger than him. Unless something happens to them in the next decade or two (you know, presuming they survive this novel), I do think they might attain that high mark.
Adam says he wants to pursue this case for a different reason—and that might be true (he certainly believes it), but it seems to me that his life as a whole is driven by anger. Anger at his family for the way he was raised, the religion he was inculcated in, and the way they responded to him rejecting their faith and way of life. This spills over to an anger at any religion—or pseudo-religion/cult. It frankly gets in his way, and makes this case (and probably others, as well as other aspects of his life) much more difficult. Richie's anger (more on that in a moment) may put them in immediate jeopardy a time or two, but I'd wager that Adam's chip on his shoulder about religion/religious beliefs is a bigger detriment/hindrance to the duo.
I should probably add that while Adam thinks he's angry at his family and their religion, I actually think he's angry at God for not existing. Or at least not existing and behaving the way that Adam expects him to.
Richie's anger is a little easier to see—there are no tears of this clown to be seen, just a violent streak that can be seen from miles away. Miller doesn't give us as much insight into it as we get with Adam's—but we may get more examples of it in action. Richie is definitely more honest with himself about the outward expression of this (although he might underestimate his ability to control it).
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT NAMASTE MART CONFIDENTIAL?
Based on his short story in Jacked , this was not the novel I expected from Miller. But I don't know what he could've written that would've made me think he (or anyone else) would produce something like this book.
Anytime I hear "unlicensed private investigators," my mind goes to the fantastic FX show, Terriers and while Adam and Richie aren't Hank and Britt, I could see Adam becoming Hank-like with another decade or more experience (I think Richie's already a better P.I. than Britt). The designation allows Miller to take advantage of all the P.I. tropes he wants to—and to keep these guys strictly amateur. So they do not have to follow all the rules a licensed P.I. would have to and make dumb mistakes and act like renegade escapees of a cozy novel. It's definitely a best-of-both-worlds kind of situation and a great choice by Miller.
I cannot tell—and I'd hesitate to speculate—if Miller has a lot he wants to say about religion and faith, or it it just fit the plot and the character of Adam. I'd buy either explanation (or both). I would like to see Adam and Richie back in action in a story that didn't have that much/anything to do with religion to see how Adam acts when he doesn't have something like that to bounce off of, I think it'd be interesting to see the contrast.
This is a very L.A. novel—even if you disregard the Hollywood-adjacent portions (although it would be difficult to do). This book wouldn't function the same way were it set in Chicago, Dallas, Boston, or Orlando. It would take someone better at analyzing these things—or at least in describing them—to tell you why. But these events need L.A. (with a quick detour to Mexico), and I relish things like that. By and large, Spenser, Elvis Cole, Madison Kelly, or Kinsey Millhone can take place just about anywhere. But Lydia Chin/Bill Smith, August Snow, Annie McIntyre, or Adam Minor/Richie Walsh need their geography*. I'll read any of those at any chance I get, clearly, but there's something distinctive about those tied into their cities like that.
* Obviously, they can travel outside their typical bailiwick, but then you've got the duck-out-of-water thing going on.
I seem to be jumping around a little bit in this section (and perhaps the entire post), because there are just so many aspects of this novel that I want to talk about and I'm not certain how to link them all together—and which ones I have time and space to cover. It may be a bit hyperbolic to say I could open this book up to any random page and find something I could talk about for at least a paragraph or two—but only a bit. It's not often I think that in a P.I. novel—and I love it.
Miller nails the pacing of this novel. The circuitous path our duo takes to track Shayla fits both their strengths and weaknesses. The dangers they face feel genuine—and their lack of ability to really cope with some of that danger endears them to me more than when they're being competent (not that I don't enjoy them doing their job well, too). Familiar and unexpected all at once—Miller tackles this novel like a pro, and I can't wait to see what he does next. (although if he wants some suggestions, I'd point him to the short story I talked about a few paragraphs back)
If you're in the mood for a gritty P.I. novel with a lot of zip, look no further than Namaste Mart Confidential.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
WHAT'S NAMASTE MART CONFIDENTIAL ABOUT?
It seems (especially in film and novels) that Los Angeles is filled with people who've moved their to start their lives. That's certainly the case for Richie Walsh, a stand-up comedian trying to build his audience and act, and Adam Minor, an aspiring novelist. While they wait for their artistic careers to take off, they need to pay their bills—and so they get jobs at the greatest grocery store in the country to be employed at (as far as I can tell, anyway—I've never known anyone to have such a good gig while working at one).
Some time back, however, the two of them stumbled upon a kidnapper and rescued his latest victim—getting them some attention from the local media and starting a side gig for them: Unlicensed Private Eyes. They've had a few successful cases, nothing as headline-worthy as their first however, and then entered a dry spell.
They're pulled out of it when a co-worker's mother hires them. She runs a few lingerie stores (higher-end stuff), and one of her top employees has gone missing. Shayla Ramsey has had a troubled past—escaping from the frying pan of a polygamous marriage to the fire of addiction on the streets of L.A. She's put her life on the right track—and now she's vanished, with both parts of her past equally likely to have pulled her back in.
Neither grocery store clerk could expect—or be prepared for—where the trial for Shayla takes them. But readers are going to have a blast going along for the ride.
A REAL KITCHEN SINK NOVEL
What doesn't this book have, really? First off—and it's easy to forget this, but you shouldn't—it's noir. Then you have a slice of L.A. life in 2013, and boy does it feel like it. There's some comedy. There's some satire. There's commentary on the rise (and growing acceptance, it seems) of polygamous LDS groups*. There's some drama. There's some over-the-top action movie-style gunfights. There's a splash of politics. There's more than a little commentary on the nature of celebrity. There's some actual sweetness through one of the smaller arcs. You've got Armenian mobsters. Ex-actors turned business executives. Ex-actors turned artists. Grocery store clerks and very odd customers (just that part of the novel alone could be turned into a decent sitcom). A strange Scientology-esque group.
* I read three novels that featured them last year alone. An odd trend in crime fiction.
This is not an exhaustive list—and I know that once I publish this post, I'm going to think of other things I could've included.
But the important thing to know going in—it all works. This jumble of seemingly incompatible ideas/topics that Miller brings to the table fit together in a way that feels natural. It's like one of those cooking competition shows where the contestants are handed a bunch of ingredients that no one in their right mind should put together and they make something that gets that gets the approval of experienced chefs and restauranteurs. Miller ain't getting chopped for this meal.
ANGER
At one point in the show Justified, Winona tells her ex-husband, "Raylan, you do a good job of hiding it. And I s'pose most folks don't see it, but honestly, you're the angriest man I have ever known." That line came to my mind a few times while reading this book—I don't know that Adam or Richie are quite as angry as Raylan—but they're noticeably younger than him. Unless something happens to them in the next decade or two (you know, presuming they survive this novel), I do think they might attain that high mark.
Adam says he wants to pursue this case for a different reason—and that might be true (he certainly believes it), but it seems to me that his life as a whole is driven by anger. Anger at his family for the way he was raised, the religion he was inculcated in, and the way they responded to him rejecting their faith and way of life. This spills over to an anger at any religion—or pseudo-religion/cult. It frankly gets in his way, and makes this case (and probably others, as well as other aspects of his life) much more difficult. Richie's anger (more on that in a moment) may put them in immediate jeopardy a time or two, but I'd wager that Adam's chip on his shoulder about religion/religious beliefs is a bigger detriment/hindrance to the duo.
I should probably add that while Adam thinks he's angry at his family and their religion, I actually think he's angry at God for not existing. Or at least not existing and behaving the way that Adam expects him to.
Richie's anger is a little easier to see—there are no tears of this clown to be seen, just a violent streak that can be seen from miles away. Miller doesn't give us as much insight into it as we get with Adam's—but we may get more examples of it in action. Richie is definitely more honest with himself about the outward expression of this (although he might underestimate his ability to control it).
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT NAMASTE MART CONFIDENTIAL?
Based on his short story in Jacked , this was not the novel I expected from Miller. But I don't know what he could've written that would've made me think he (or anyone else) would produce something like this book.
Anytime I hear "unlicensed private investigators," my mind goes to the fantastic FX show, Terriers and while Adam and Richie aren't Hank and Britt, I could see Adam becoming Hank-like with another decade or more experience (I think Richie's already a better P.I. than Britt). The designation allows Miller to take advantage of all the P.I. tropes he wants to—and to keep these guys strictly amateur. So they do not have to follow all the rules a licensed P.I. would have to and make dumb mistakes and act like renegade escapees of a cozy novel. It's definitely a best-of-both-worlds kind of situation and a great choice by Miller.
I cannot tell—and I'd hesitate to speculate—if Miller has a lot he wants to say about religion and faith, or it it just fit the plot and the character of Adam. I'd buy either explanation (or both). I would like to see Adam and Richie back in action in a story that didn't have that much/anything to do with religion to see how Adam acts when he doesn't have something like that to bounce off of, I think it'd be interesting to see the contrast.
This is a very L.A. novel—even if you disregard the Hollywood-adjacent portions (although it would be difficult to do). This book wouldn't function the same way were it set in Chicago, Dallas, Boston, or Orlando. It would take someone better at analyzing these things—or at least in describing them—to tell you why. But these events need L.A. (with a quick detour to Mexico), and I relish things like that. By and large, Spenser, Elvis Cole, Madison Kelly, or Kinsey Millhone can take place just about anywhere. But Lydia Chin/Bill Smith, August Snow, Annie McIntyre, or Adam Minor/Richie Walsh need their geography*. I'll read any of those at any chance I get, clearly, but there's something distinctive about those tied into their cities like that.
* Obviously, they can travel outside their typical bailiwick, but then you've got the duck-out-of-water thing going on.
I seem to be jumping around a little bit in this section (and perhaps the entire post), because there are just so many aspects of this novel that I want to talk about and I'm not certain how to link them all together—and which ones I have time and space to cover. It may be a bit hyperbolic to say I could open this book up to any random page and find something I could talk about for at least a paragraph or two—but only a bit. It's not often I think that in a P.I. novel—and I love it.
Miller nails the pacing of this novel. The circuitous path our duo takes to track Shayla fits both their strengths and weaknesses. The dangers they face feel genuine—and their lack of ability to really cope with some of that danger endears them to me more than when they're being competent (not that I don't enjoy them doing their job well, too). Familiar and unexpected all at once—Miller tackles this novel like a pro, and I can't wait to see what he does next. (although if he wants some suggestions, I'd point him to the short story I talked about a few paragraphs back)
If you're in the mood for a gritty P.I. novel with a lot of zip, look no further than Namaste Mart Confidential.
March 29, 2024
Namaste Mart Confidential is set in 2013, and it’s a very Los Angeles book. Streets, neighbourhoods, bars, restaurants, people, and cultural references abound. I appreciated a look back ten years, marvelling at how much social media and technology have changed the way we live now.
The prose is excellent and the story is strong, and characters Adam Minor and Richie Welsh grabbed me right away. They work at the Namaste Mart, a Hindu themed grocery store in LA, and do unlicensed PI work on the side.
Minor wants to be a writer. He’s thoughtful, and more compassionate than Richie. He left a strict Christian upbringing in Ohio, and now holds a distaste for anything religious.
Richie is a badass. He fights, does stupid shit, and has a burgeoning stand-up comedy career at many of the local clubs.
Hired to find a missing woman, they encounter LAPD officers, the Armenian mob, Mormon gangsters, and a powerful social media influencer.
This book reminds me of A Firing Offense by George Pelecanos, and I mean that as a massive compliment. There’s that same dynamic, young men working together, goofing off, drinking, and investigating crimes during those years before marriage, kids, and a 9 to 5.
But there’s self-reflection and honesty here, too, in the way Adam adjusts as his worldview evolves.
I hope Miller writes more Adam and Richie stories. I’ll read them every time.
The prose is excellent and the story is strong, and characters Adam Minor and Richie Welsh grabbed me right away. They work at the Namaste Mart, a Hindu themed grocery store in LA, and do unlicensed PI work on the side.
Minor wants to be a writer. He’s thoughtful, and more compassionate than Richie. He left a strict Christian upbringing in Ohio, and now holds a distaste for anything religious.
Richie is a badass. He fights, does stupid shit, and has a burgeoning stand-up comedy career at many of the local clubs.
Hired to find a missing woman, they encounter LAPD officers, the Armenian mob, Mormon gangsters, and a powerful social media influencer.
This book reminds me of A Firing Offense by George Pelecanos, and I mean that as a massive compliment. There’s that same dynamic, young men working together, goofing off, drinking, and investigating crimes during those years before marriage, kids, and a 9 to 5.
But there’s self-reflection and honesty here, too, in the way Adam adjusts as his worldview evolves.
I hope Miller writes more Adam and Richie stories. I’ll read them every time.
April 4, 2024
A fantastic book. Not only is the premise unique as two grocery store clerks moonlight as Private investigators, it rings true to the world built. There’s also solid philosophy dropped in about religious beliefs and who we are as humans.
The story doesn’t putter out like other novels I have read, it actually gains steam and leads to an ending that holds true to the characters.
I finished the book two minutes ago, I’m now taking a walk to absorb it in my head. This is top notch writing that inspires me, when I sometimes feel like we’re in an era of mediocre authors getting published, it’s rare for me to feel like my breath has been taken away on the last page. I let out an audible sigh of joy.
I really hope this is a series.
A must read. And lovely portrayal of Los Angeles, the true Los Angeles, with all of its quirks, frustrations, and glory.
The story doesn’t putter out like other novels I have read, it actually gains steam and leads to an ending that holds true to the characters.
I finished the book two minutes ago, I’m now taking a walk to absorb it in my head. This is top notch writing that inspires me, when I sometimes feel like we’re in an era of mediocre authors getting published, it’s rare for me to feel like my breath has been taken away on the last page. I let out an audible sigh of joy.
I really hope this is a series.
A must read. And lovely portrayal of Los Angeles, the true Los Angeles, with all of its quirks, frustrations, and glory.
May 15, 2024
A shaggy dog PI story set in Los Angeles about 10 years ago. Shades of Lebowski with a mismatched pair investigating a possible kidnapping. Throw in some Armenian gangsters and some even more dangerous Mormons, and it’s an absolute hoot of a book.
And yet it packs a surprisingly emotional punch by the end. Can’t wait to read more Andrew Miller, and maybe even a sequel to this one.
And yet it packs a surprisingly emotional punch by the end. Can’t wait to read more Andrew Miller, and maybe even a sequel to this one.
May 9, 2024
This is a fun read. Dark(ish), mysterious, and funny. What a great combination of characters and plot.
November 16, 2024
A compelling page-turner with a unique premise (two friends who work at a grocery store in L.A., though the story pre-dates Hailey Bieber's $20 smoothies). The story starts as a straightforward missing person case, but Miller leads us down a series of surprising rabbit holes before a resolution that I didn't see coming.
The two pals-turned-PI's are complex characters (Adam escaped Ohio and a religious upbringing but still seems to harbor guilt over those he left behind; comedian Richie has a hair-trigger temper and a penchant for seducing the ladies). We're given more insight into Adam (the story is told wholly through his point of view), and Miller strikes the perfect balance between giving enough background/introspection while not bogging down the forward momentum of the plot.
Los Angeles serves as a muted backdrop, for once: oftentimes, stories set in L.A. show only the extremes - the obnoxious wealth of the place, or the absolute corruption. Miller wisely shows us the everyday people of L.A. with a varied cast of characters (Armenian mobsters, aging Russian grocery-shoppers, and an Angelyne-type in her powder-blue convertible).
I enjoyed this story immensely, and I especially like Adam as a character. I'd definitely follow him (and Richie) in other adventures.
Rated 10/10 $20 skin-glazing smoothies while dodging the paparazzi.
The two pals-turned-PI's are complex characters (Adam escaped Ohio and a religious upbringing but still seems to harbor guilt over those he left behind; comedian Richie has a hair-trigger temper and a penchant for seducing the ladies). We're given more insight into Adam (the story is told wholly through his point of view), and Miller strikes the perfect balance between giving enough background/introspection while not bogging down the forward momentum of the plot.
Los Angeles serves as a muted backdrop, for once: oftentimes, stories set in L.A. show only the extremes - the obnoxious wealth of the place, or the absolute corruption. Miller wisely shows us the everyday people of L.A. with a varied cast of characters (Armenian mobsters, aging Russian grocery-shoppers, and an Angelyne-type in her powder-blue convertible).
I enjoyed this story immensely, and I especially like Adam as a character. I'd definitely follow him (and Richie) in other adventures.
Rated 10/10 $20 skin-glazing smoothies while dodging the paparazzi.
May 1, 2024
Like many, I've been waiting for an Andrew Miller novel for some time. Miller is skilled at a lot of important things--his prose is economic (no wasted words), his social observations are both funny and poignant, and he knows how to craft a compelling story. You may consider his short stories and his 2022 novella Lady Tomahawk for preexisting evidence.
In Namasta Mart Confidential, Miller focuses on 2013 L.A. It's a period that should not seem so far away just eleven years later and yet, as we all know, the world has changed far more in the last ten years than it should have. No matter. Miller sets two grocery store employees who moonlight as private investigators loose on a case involving a missing (former) Mormon. Miller exhibits his gripes with religion and lampoons popular culture of the time (much of which appears to still be relevant, which is a testament to how stagnant pop culture in the United States has become). Other reviewers have praised the technical aspects of the book, I'll just throw in my admiration for Miller's ability to satirize celebrity culture without taking the reader out of the story.
I suspect this is the debut novel of the year. Read and keep your eyes open for future work by this author.
In Namasta Mart Confidential, Miller focuses on 2013 L.A. It's a period that should not seem so far away just eleven years later and yet, as we all know, the world has changed far more in the last ten years than it should have. No matter. Miller sets two grocery store employees who moonlight as private investigators loose on a case involving a missing (former) Mormon. Miller exhibits his gripes with religion and lampoons popular culture of the time (much of which appears to still be relevant, which is a testament to how stagnant pop culture in the United States has become). Other reviewers have praised the technical aspects of the book, I'll just throw in my admiration for Miller's ability to satirize celebrity culture without taking the reader out of the story.
I suspect this is the debut novel of the year. Read and keep your eyes open for future work by this author.
April 2, 2024
I have to start by saying I absolutely loved this book.
I've read countless crime fiction/detective stories, many of which were entertaining and well-written, but none have been so unexpected as Namaste Mart Confidential. What starts as a fun and lighthearted look at working in a hippie grocery store as a 20-something in 2013 becomes an alternately dark and extremely funny plot with twists I didn't see coming. There is rich detail in the landscape of 2013 Los Angeles and in the characters of Adam and Richie, who you can't help but love equally in their victories and their embarrassments.
Something you don't always see in this genre is growth in its characters. Adam and Richie each have elements of their past that cause them pain, and, through their unlikely friendship and their experiences in the story, find small ways to heal parts of themselves. It's a detective story but it's also a love letter to a time and a place through a lens of wild creativity and engaging prose. I 100% recommend it!
I've read countless crime fiction/detective stories, many of which were entertaining and well-written, but none have been so unexpected as Namaste Mart Confidential. What starts as a fun and lighthearted look at working in a hippie grocery store as a 20-something in 2013 becomes an alternately dark and extremely funny plot with twists I didn't see coming. There is rich detail in the landscape of 2013 Los Angeles and in the characters of Adam and Richie, who you can't help but love equally in their victories and their embarrassments.
Something you don't always see in this genre is growth in its characters. Adam and Richie each have elements of their past that cause them pain, and, through their unlikely friendship and their experiences in the story, find small ways to heal parts of themselves. It's a detective story but it's also a love letter to a time and a place through a lens of wild creativity and engaging prose. I 100% recommend it!
March 27, 2025
I don't think contemporary L.A. has been through this level of meat-grinding satire in crime fiction before. Only a writer as skilled as Andrew Miller can pull of this kind of gonzo and still keep it down to earth. This novel was made for Angelenos and the L.A. obsessed, containing all the seedy, overexposed yet untouchable elements, all converging in this faux-hippy grocery store, leveling the playing field. In all its sex, violence, and over-the-top risk, there's also a disarming innocence atypical to the genre that gives Miller's debut its beating heart and bravery, an unjaded advantage, dying to know what comes next.
May 1, 2024
Great debut novel by a talented young writer. I've read a couple short stories by A.Miller and was impressed by the quality of his writing which is thoroughly in the hard boiled noir style of Chandler and Ellroy. This debut takes a more personal autobiographical approach fitting for a debut, it centers around two retail grocery clerks who become amateur private dicks. Funny and satirical, fans of Ellroy and Thomas Pynchon will relate but Miller writes with alot of heart and his characters come alive and true. Andrew Miller is a gifted writer to watch.
April 10, 2024
Received an Advance Review Copy of this novel and it's a detective story (and damn funny) like you've never read. Take some Chandler, shake it with some Coen Bros, and stir in some Shane Black...that's a rough estimation. The plot is thick as steak sauce and the main characters are hilarious in all the right ways, with the requisite moral upstandings to the hardboiled tradition. A must-read addition in the lineage of American detective fiction.
May 21, 2024
Top notch stuff from Andrew Miller.
5 stars.
5 stars.
March 10, 2025
I’ve previously savoured several shorter pieces of Andrew Miller’s fiction, so I was eager to get hold of his debut novel, knowing what he was capable of on the page.
And Namaste Mart Confidential surpassed expectations. This is damned fine writing.
The cover blurb calls it a “wild ride” and that is no understatement. Miller has a wonderfully fertile imagination and we end up with this fantastically fun cast of characters, from the two protagonists, Adam and Richie, who moonlight as unlicenced PIs from their jobs at the Mart, to gangsters, cops, celebrities and their shallow sycophants, religious freaks, and a missing lingerie shop girl. Some of the cast are likeable, some are certainly not, but all are believable and the interplays between them are finely crafted.
It's got the solid storyline of a good mystery, but it’s so much more. At times it feels like a classic farce, with wonderful humour, but also truly biting satire of modern L.A. society, and not just L.A. for that matter. Miller’s satirical skewering of the cult of celebrity and of the religious cults, to name two of the main targets, is simply delicious to read.
Namaste Mart Confidential will make a superb black comedy on the screen, and that day can’t come fast enough. Meantime, take a read of this riotous romp. Thank you, Mr Miller, and bring on your next gem.
And Namaste Mart Confidential surpassed expectations. This is damned fine writing.
The cover blurb calls it a “wild ride” and that is no understatement. Miller has a wonderfully fertile imagination and we end up with this fantastically fun cast of characters, from the two protagonists, Adam and Richie, who moonlight as unlicenced PIs from their jobs at the Mart, to gangsters, cops, celebrities and their shallow sycophants, religious freaks, and a missing lingerie shop girl. Some of the cast are likeable, some are certainly not, but all are believable and the interplays between them are finely crafted.
It's got the solid storyline of a good mystery, but it’s so much more. At times it feels like a classic farce, with wonderful humour, but also truly biting satire of modern L.A. society, and not just L.A. for that matter. Miller’s satirical skewering of the cult of celebrity and of the religious cults, to name two of the main targets, is simply delicious to read.
Namaste Mart Confidential will make a superb black comedy on the screen, and that day can’t come fast enough. Meantime, take a read of this riotous romp. Thank you, Mr Miller, and bring on your next gem.
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