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The Doorman
In the new novel from the bestselling author of Two Nights in Lisbon, on the worst night in the greatest city on Earth, a doorman at the toniest address in town is drawn into a web of intrigue, robbery, and murder.
Chicky Diaz stands on his little patch of the earth, the clean quiet sidewalk in front of the Bohemia Apartments, there sure are a lot of great places to kill someone in this city.
Chicky Diaz is everyone’s favorite doorman at the Bohemia, New York City’s world-famous home of celebrities, financiers, and the cultural elite.
Chicky serves at the pleasure of residents like Emily Longworth, who, up in her penthouse, leads a life of her perfect kids in her perfect home, her perfect worries about museum boards, charity work, and so on. Emily’s husband, though . . . perfectly wealthy, but she has quietly loathed Whit Longworth since well before the revelations that he’s a private-equity war profiteer. But their marriage came with an iron-clad prenup, and Emily can’t bring herself to leave all that. Yet.
Meanwhile, in apartment 2A, there’s nothing perfect about Julian Sonnenberg’s middle-aged life. Already struggling with the indignities of turning fifty—a stale marriage, teenage kids who no longer need him, his work as an art gallerist making him feel culturally obsolete—and now his doctor tells him that he needs openheart surgery, immediately. Things are falling apart awfully fast.
In the basement staff room, the life-and-death stakes of daily life are hardly news to the primarily Black and Latino hospitality. So when the NYPD fatally shoots an unarmed Black man and the streets swell with both protestors and counterprotestors, the staff’s concerns are less about the building and more about their survival—and what justice will look like.
Enter Chicky in his epauletted suit, manning the line between the turbulent streets outside the Bohemia and the far more sanguine world within. And not that the Bohemia’s residents care much (except maybe Emily Longworth), but Chicky has his own problems, the kind that mean that for tonight’s shift, for the first time in thirty years, Chicky will be carrying a gun. Because someone, tonight, is going to die.
In what is far away his best and most ambitious book yet, Chris Pavone has delivered a piercing portrait of the way we live now that is also a finely honed thriller of ticking-clock suspense. The Doorman is a book about class and privilege in a city poised to boil over its proverbial melting pot, and the ever starker divisions testing everything the City likes to believe about itself.
Chicky Diaz stands on his little patch of the earth, the clean quiet sidewalk in front of the Bohemia Apartments, there sure are a lot of great places to kill someone in this city.
Chicky Diaz is everyone’s favorite doorman at the Bohemia, New York City’s world-famous home of celebrities, financiers, and the cultural elite.
Chicky serves at the pleasure of residents like Emily Longworth, who, up in her penthouse, leads a life of her perfect kids in her perfect home, her perfect worries about museum boards, charity work, and so on. Emily’s husband, though . . . perfectly wealthy, but she has quietly loathed Whit Longworth since well before the revelations that he’s a private-equity war profiteer. But their marriage came with an iron-clad prenup, and Emily can’t bring herself to leave all that. Yet.
Meanwhile, in apartment 2A, there’s nothing perfect about Julian Sonnenberg’s middle-aged life. Already struggling with the indignities of turning fifty—a stale marriage, teenage kids who no longer need him, his work as an art gallerist making him feel culturally obsolete—and now his doctor tells him that he needs openheart surgery, immediately. Things are falling apart awfully fast.
In the basement staff room, the life-and-death stakes of daily life are hardly news to the primarily Black and Latino hospitality. So when the NYPD fatally shoots an unarmed Black man and the streets swell with both protestors and counterprotestors, the staff’s concerns are less about the building and more about their survival—and what justice will look like.
Enter Chicky in his epauletted suit, manning the line between the turbulent streets outside the Bohemia and the far more sanguine world within. And not that the Bohemia’s residents care much (except maybe Emily Longworth), but Chicky has his own problems, the kind that mean that for tonight’s shift, for the first time in thirty years, Chicky will be carrying a gun. Because someone, tonight, is going to die.
In what is far away his best and most ambitious book yet, Chris Pavone has delivered a piercing portrait of the way we live now that is also a finely honed thriller of ticking-clock suspense. The Doorman is a book about class and privilege in a city poised to boil over its proverbial melting pot, and the ever starker divisions testing everything the City likes to believe about itself.
388 pages, Hardcover
First published May 20, 2025
2831 people are currently reading
26223 people want to read
About the author
Chris Pavone
7 books1,892 followersCHRIS PAVONE is the New York Times-bestselling author of international thrillers including THE EXPATS and, most recently, TWO NIGHTS IN LISBON; his sixth novel, THE DOORMAN, publishes May 20, 2025. Chris's books have appeared on the bestseller lists of the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and IndieNext; have won both the Edgar and Anthony awards, and have been shortlisted for the Strand, Macavity, and Los Angeles Times Book Prize; are in development for film and television; and have been translated into more than two dozen languages.
He has written for outlets including the New York Times Book Review and Magazine, the Telegraph, and Salon; has appeared on Face the Nation, Good Day New York, All Things Considered, and the BBC; and has been profiled on the arts’ front page of the New York Times. He is a member of the Authors Guild Council, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America, for which he has served as an Edgars judge.
Chris grew up in Brooklyn, graduated from Midwood High School and Cornell University, and worked in publishing for nearly two decades at Dell Magazines, Doubleday, the Lyons Press, Regan/HarperCollins, Clarkson Potter, and Artisan/Workman, in positions ranging from copy editor and managing editor to executive editor and deputy publisher; he also wrote a (mostly blank) book about wine, and ghost-wrote a couple of nonfiction books. Then his wife got a job in Luxembourg, and the family moved abroad, where Chris raised their twin boys and started writing THE EXPATS. They now live again in New York City and on the North Fork of Long Island with an Australian Labradoodle named Wally.
He has written for outlets including the New York Times Book Review and Magazine, the Telegraph, and Salon; has appeared on Face the Nation, Good Day New York, All Things Considered, and the BBC; and has been profiled on the arts’ front page of the New York Times. He is a member of the Authors Guild Council, International Thriller Writers, and Mystery Writers of America, for which he has served as an Edgars judge.
Chris grew up in Brooklyn, graduated from Midwood High School and Cornell University, and worked in publishing for nearly two decades at Dell Magazines, Doubleday, the Lyons Press, Regan/HarperCollins, Clarkson Potter, and Artisan/Workman, in positions ranging from copy editor and managing editor to executive editor and deputy publisher; he also wrote a (mostly blank) book about wine, and ghost-wrote a couple of nonfiction books. Then his wife got a job in Luxembourg, and the family moved abroad, where Chris raised their twin boys and started writing THE EXPATS. They now live again in New York City and on the North Fork of Long Island with an Australian Labradoodle named Wally.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,127 reviews
May 18, 2025
This book was very disappointing. I was eager to read it because I loved this author's book Two Nights in Lisbon. However, the mystery and suspense that I was expecting did not show up until the last 10-20% of this story. The storyline became mired in background and character building and eventually seemed like a lengthy diatribe on societal, ethical, and political issues. I'm sorry to say that even though I read this until the very end, it did not appeal to me. This is a book that I will not be recommending.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
November 11, 2024
In a post November 5, 2024 world, 75% of this book reads like a pro-MAGA screed of everything that's "wrong" with America. The other 25% is up there with the rest of Pavone's books. You'll have to decide if it's worth it.
May 12, 2025
In 2012, Pavone's debut, The Expats, was released and I was wowed. There wasn't anyone doing what he did. Writing an international spy thriller for a broad audience, where the underpinnings of a problematic marriage were key to understanding what was happening on the page, but the pacing was impeccable and also giving readers several twists and a strong sense of place? You could fault a twist or two as less than credible, but the sum of its parts was something. Five novels later, this May (2025), he delivers The Doorman: a novel which never leaves Manhattan, written by an author born and raised there, who was there on 9/11, who (with his spouse) bought a co-op in the Dakota 6 years ago and presumably still resides in it. It's a more polished novel than The Expats, but the deep understanding of relationships, power struggles, how humans behave when they're trapped? It's all here.
The Doorman has impeccable pacing, and a handful of characters Pavone renders distinct and knowable, with plot arcs that ring true. The titular doorman at an exclusive co-op building, the Bohemia, Chicky Diaz, is dealing with grief over the loss of his spouse and a level of debt -medical, credit card, loan shark, college tuitions for his girls - he's even late on his rent- that would grind most of us down in short order. Emily Longworth (beautiful, cultured, kind to everyone, volunteers at a soup kitchen weekly), married to wealthy entrepreneur and Reacher-villain-repugnant, Whit Longworth. Julian Sonnenberg, friend of Emily, co-owner of an art dealership, also, with his spouse, a resident of the Bohemia. Pavone does a masterful job of rotating between characters and giving them each voices and motivations that draw the reader in and lead to the next event and the next. Everyone has secrets, pressures from third parties that they can't evade, aspects of their life that are disturbing them and no straightforward solutions. Emily could be too, too perfect, but she's given enough small weaknesses to reduce reader eye-rolling. And Pavone respects his characters too much to make them walk alone into dark buildings, unarmed, without back-up, just to create cheap suspense. He's more ambitious in both the set-up and the twists he offers. He doesn't insult his readers with impossible escapes, resurrections, doubles/twins, alcohol or drug abuse to excuse missing observational skills, or laughable coincidences.
There's also a lot of politics. A. Lot. This is a story very much grounded in late 2024-early 2025 America, whether it's Whit complaining at an awards gala that there aren't any straight men being lauded, to a rant elsewhere about all Manhattan schools aspiring to live in to a laundry -list of alleged left-oriented values, to white nationalist slogans on ball caps during a night of protest and opportunistic unrest arising from the police killing of two Black men in the preceding 72 hours. Race, privilege, class, snap judgments, police misconduct, the dynamics of food banks vs. soup kitchens, the ethics of selling defense tech to terrorists, public protests and private nervousness, why all of the nannies are brown women. If you read thrillers in part to avoid the real world, including the general status quo of US politics, this novel may require more Tums than is ideal. If you don't mind characters sharing their political views, but you do mind if a perspective you hold dear is twisted or misconstrued into a caricature of itself, you might find some of the both sides-ing annoying. It was essential to the story. I was fine with it. You do you.
Pavone is not Frieda McFadden. I intend that statement as the highest of compliments, so if your response is, "oh, no", The Doorman may not be a good fit for you. The suspense builds. It takes a minute before the first event occurs that puts a main character's well-being at risk. The ending is essentially the last 30% of the novel and it is impeccable at every turn. On the other hand, there is not a corpse in Chapter 2.
Why, yes, I am a Pavone Stan. Why do you ask?
Thanks to NetGalley and FSG for offering an ARC.
The Doorman has impeccable pacing, and a handful of characters Pavone renders distinct and knowable, with plot arcs that ring true. The titular doorman at an exclusive co-op building, the Bohemia, Chicky Diaz, is dealing with grief over the loss of his spouse and a level of debt -medical, credit card, loan shark, college tuitions for his girls - he's even late on his rent- that would grind most of us down in short order. Emily Longworth (beautiful, cultured, kind to everyone, volunteers at a soup kitchen weekly), married to wealthy entrepreneur and Reacher-villain-repugnant, Whit Longworth. Julian Sonnenberg, friend of Emily, co-owner of an art dealership, also, with his spouse, a resident of the Bohemia. Pavone does a masterful job of rotating between characters and giving them each voices and motivations that draw the reader in and lead to the next event and the next. Everyone has secrets, pressures from third parties that they can't evade, aspects of their life that are disturbing them and no straightforward solutions. Emily could be too, too perfect, but she's given enough small weaknesses to reduce reader eye-rolling. And Pavone respects his characters too much to make them walk alone into dark buildings, unarmed, without back-up, just to create cheap suspense. He's more ambitious in both the set-up and the twists he offers. He doesn't insult his readers with impossible escapes, resurrections, doubles/twins, alcohol or drug abuse to excuse missing observational skills, or laughable coincidences.
There's also a lot of politics. A. Lot. This is a story very much grounded in late 2024-early 2025 America, whether it's Whit complaining at an awards gala that there aren't any straight men being lauded, to a rant elsewhere about all Manhattan schools aspiring to live in to a laundry -list of alleged left-oriented values, to white nationalist slogans on ball caps during a night of protest and opportunistic unrest arising from the police killing of two Black men in the preceding 72 hours. Race, privilege, class, snap judgments, police misconduct, the dynamics of food banks vs. soup kitchens, the ethics of selling defense tech to terrorists, public protests and private nervousness, why all of the nannies are brown women. If you read thrillers in part to avoid the real world, including the general status quo of US politics, this novel may require more Tums than is ideal. If you don't mind characters sharing their political views, but you do mind if a perspective you hold dear is twisted or misconstrued into a caricature of itself, you might find some of the both sides-ing annoying. It was essential to the story. I was fine with it. You do you.
Pavone is not Frieda McFadden. I intend that statement as the highest of compliments, so if your response is, "oh, no", The Doorman may not be a good fit for you. The suspense builds. It takes a minute before the first event occurs that puts a main character's well-being at risk. The ending is essentially the last 30% of the novel and it is impeccable at every turn. On the other hand, there is not a corpse in Chapter 2.
Why, yes, I am a Pavone Stan. Why do you ask?
Thanks to NetGalley and FSG for offering an ARC.
December 10, 2025
Chicky Diaz is the doorman. And, readers will learn from the first pages, how important this job is to him. Afterall, he has held the job for almost 30 years. With pride and loyalty.
So, what is the story here? And, is it as “pulse-pounding” as advertised?
There is much that the author alludes to throughout the beginning chapters. As if leading readers directly into an anticipatory tension we have no understanding as to why it is present. We just sense that someone is going to get killed, but not who it will be or why.
In the meantime, he introduces readers to other characters for whom we wonder about the connection to the pending possible unfortunate future.
The question is, do we like these people or care what happens to them? And, if we don’t, does this affect our ability to connect to the narrative?
Is the author also attempting to make note of current political conditions by presenting scenes of demonstrations and protest within his plot?
And, most of all, do we want to have empathy for our main protagonist, Chicky Diaz, the doorman, for which this novel is named?
For all the author’s details, and/or somewhat satirical view of these characters lives, and the situations readers find them in, it isn’t until the climactic ending that the “thriller” seems to peek through.
But is it enough make this a page-turning read?
What I could appreciate was the author’s comments in his acknowledgments for his inspiration for the doorman’s character.
3.5 stars
So, what is the story here? And, is it as “pulse-pounding” as advertised?
There is much that the author alludes to throughout the beginning chapters. As if leading readers directly into an anticipatory tension we have no understanding as to why it is present. We just sense that someone is going to get killed, but not who it will be or why.
In the meantime, he introduces readers to other characters for whom we wonder about the connection to the pending possible unfortunate future.
The question is, do we like these people or care what happens to them? And, if we don’t, does this affect our ability to connect to the narrative?
Is the author also attempting to make note of current political conditions by presenting scenes of demonstrations and protest within his plot?
And, most of all, do we want to have empathy for our main protagonist, Chicky Diaz, the doorman, for which this novel is named?
For all the author’s details, and/or somewhat satirical view of these characters lives, and the situations readers find them in, it isn’t until the climactic ending that the “thriller” seems to peek through.
But is it enough make this a page-turning read?
What I could appreciate was the author’s comments in his acknowledgments for his inspiration for the doorman’s character.
3.5 stars
March 21, 2025
THE DOORMAN is my first read by Chris Pavone, but so many people loved his last book, Two Nights in Lisbon, so I knew that I wanted to give this author a try and I'm so happy that I did!
The story mainly takes place at the Bohemia, one of New York City’s most exclusive buildings. Our protagonist is doorman Chicky Diaz and he stands at the threshold between its elite residents and the chaos of the streets. Inside, lives unravel—Emily Longworth, trapped in a loveless marriage bound by an ironclad prenup, and Julian Sonnenberg, facing a failing career, a crumbling marriage, and a life-threatening diagnosis. But as protests rage outside and tensions rise within, Chicky faces his own crisis—tonight, for the first time in thirty years, he’s carrying a gun, and before his shift ends, someone will die.
This book is a lottttttttt! I ventured into this story via audiobook and I highly recommend that route. Chris Pavone delivers a gripping thriller where class divides run deep and power is wielded through wealth. With a very well drawn-out cast spanning all socioeconomic backgrounds, Pavone masterfully blends suspense with social commentary. So many moving parts and thoroughly a political thriller. Trigger warnings as it really dives into the juxtaposition of what is going on in American politics right now. Fast-paced and thought provoking, THE DOORMAN will captivate fans of Harlan Coben and John Grisham.
The story mainly takes place at the Bohemia, one of New York City’s most exclusive buildings. Our protagonist is doorman Chicky Diaz and he stands at the threshold between its elite residents and the chaos of the streets. Inside, lives unravel—Emily Longworth, trapped in a loveless marriage bound by an ironclad prenup, and Julian Sonnenberg, facing a failing career, a crumbling marriage, and a life-threatening diagnosis. But as protests rage outside and tensions rise within, Chicky faces his own crisis—tonight, for the first time in thirty years, he’s carrying a gun, and before his shift ends, someone will die.
This book is a lottttttttt! I ventured into this story via audiobook and I highly recommend that route. Chris Pavone delivers a gripping thriller where class divides run deep and power is wielded through wealth. With a very well drawn-out cast spanning all socioeconomic backgrounds, Pavone masterfully blends suspense with social commentary. So many moving parts and thoroughly a political thriller. Trigger warnings as it really dives into the juxtaposition of what is going on in American politics right now. Fast-paced and thought provoking, THE DOORMAN will captivate fans of Harlan Coben and John Grisham.
June 4, 2025
Really long book about rich, unlikable people. There are really annoying liberal people and even worse MAGA people. It’s like reading through 300 pages of Facebook comments under a news article. The thriller part was so short and rushed at the end. Sheesh.
June 5, 2025
“The guys with the most stunning Amazonian wives were almost always roly-poly trolls, triple chins and bovine jowls, pear-shaped and ham-assed, and male-pattern bald.”
“He voted for Obama, twice. But then he told a dirty joke at work, got called out by a young woman of color, canceled, bought out of his partnership, career over, and suddenly he was watching Fox News day and night.”
Set in a ritzy apartment building on Central Park West (modeled after The Dakota), there are 3 principal characters of this book: Chicky, the longest-tenured doorman, who has money troubles, Emily, who lives in the penthouse with her extremely wealthy and also extremely obnoxious husband and Julian, an art gallerist who lives in 2A.
This book is a combination of social commentary, current politics, the class divide, racial conflict and domestic drama. It reminded me a little of “The Bonfire of the Vanities”. The story grew on me as the book progressed. The last quarter of the book really ramped up the tension among the characters and also the city as a whole. The author captured NYC very well, although the situation at the end of the book seemed excessive even for New York. But who knows - maybe it happens all the time and the news just isn’t telling us about it. (Seems unlikely, since “if it bleeds, it leads”).
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
“He voted for Obama, twice. But then he told a dirty joke at work, got called out by a young woman of color, canceled, bought out of his partnership, career over, and suddenly he was watching Fox News day and night.”
Set in a ritzy apartment building on Central Park West (modeled after The Dakota), there are 3 principal characters of this book: Chicky, the longest-tenured doorman, who has money troubles, Emily, who lives in the penthouse with her extremely wealthy and also extremely obnoxious husband and Julian, an art gallerist who lives in 2A.
This book is a combination of social commentary, current politics, the class divide, racial conflict and domestic drama. It reminded me a little of “The Bonfire of the Vanities”. The story grew on me as the book progressed. The last quarter of the book really ramped up the tension among the characters and also the city as a whole. The author captured NYC very well, although the situation at the end of the book seemed excessive even for New York. But who knows - maybe it happens all the time and the news just isn’t telling us about it. (Seems unlikely, since “if it bleeds, it leads”).
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
April 13, 2025
I thought this book was very slow moving and spent quite a bit of time on background information. Basically, nothing exciting happens until about the last 10% of the book, and I found myself often impatient for the story to move more. However, I did was to read it to the end to find out what happened.
Thank you to Net Galley and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thank you to Net Galley and Farrar, Straus & Giroux for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
abandoned
February 15, 2025Alas, the literary equivalent of doom scrolling.
March 6, 2025
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Chris Pavone, and Macmillan Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Always wanting to expand my reading experiences and list of authors worth exploring, I experimented with this novel by Chris Pavone. It had some great aspects that intrigued me and provided a strong story to follow. The unique perspective offered by the author left me eager to keep reading and find out how things would develop before coming to a succinct conclusion. Pavone delivers a strong story and provides the reader with a great reading experience that does not lose its momentum at any point. A well-paced story that left me wondering just how important a doorman's point of view could be key to a thriller!
Chicky Diaz may seem like a wallflower, but his job as the doorman at one of the most exclusive New York City apartments serves him well. Working at the Bohemia allows Chicky to gather intel and hold onto secrets of those who cross his path. While he is dismissed by many he greets and expected to serve them in passing, Chicky knows all and can spend his time pondering, should he want to keep himself occupied day in and day out. New York's elite have lives like few others and Chicky is right there, collecting crumbs and stories to share when the moment is right.
One such resident is Emily Longworth, whose marriage is a sham. She has long held her breath, hoping that life as a mother and the perfect wife would pay off for her. She does all the can to stay sane, though her husband, the vile Whit Longworth, drives her mad and has left Emily wishing she could change things up a little. Chicky knows this all too well and has thoughts of his own on the subject. Each day, Chicky has watched Emily suffer and the stupidity that Whit exudes as he ignores anyone beneath him. Emily needs an out, but has yet to find one... but here's hoping.
Julian Sonnenberg lives in another apartment and has a life he also wishes he could swap for another. He cannot stand his teenaged children, who feel the same about him, and wants nothing but to push the eject button. He's seeking something a little more exciting and needs some flavour in his life, though his cardiologist has left Julian aware that he needs surgery right away or face death. Still, there is some excitement out there for Julian and he wants it. He has a plan, though without the impetus to take it, he's paralysed in quicksand with no way of achieving what will make him happy.
After the NYPD are involved in a shooting of a Black man, the protests on both sides begin, their marches and clashing spilling onto the streets. Chicky can see that things are turning sour and knows just what he needs to do. While other members of the staff at the Bohemia Apartments have complained about the treatment they receive and the added concerns after the shooting, Chicky has an answer. Arriving at work with a gun, he is ready to use it to ensure that everyone is safe, just not on the way most might expect. Chicky has all the secrets in his mental Rolodex and there's a plan he has ready to execute, ensuring no one is miserable and those who need a shake-up get what is coming their way. It will take timing and patience, though Chicky Diaz has had both over the last three decades, donning his uniform and opening doors for those who almost forget he's there. Chris Pavone pens a unique piece and one that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat.
I have always enjoyed a great story that presents a common theme from a unique point of view. Chris Pavone provides the reader with a great piece that has many perspectives I would not have expected in the way they appeared on the page. A strong narrative base leaves the reader eager to keep pushing forward as they see just what this story has to offer. There is a great building of the story's core tenets as Pavone constructs his narrative effectively, leaving it to gain momentum as things get exciting. The various characters flavour things in their own way and leave the story with a number of key angles that help enrich the reading experience. There is a strong sense of surprise when the plot points emerge throughout the story. Pavone weaves them into the story's numerous chapters and provides a sense of confusion, while the general idea of things is clearly seen. I could not get enough of this piece and was quite pleased not knowing where things were headed at any one point.
Kudos, Mr. Pavone, for this strong thriller.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Always wanting to expand my reading experiences and list of authors worth exploring, I experimented with this novel by Chris Pavone. It had some great aspects that intrigued me and provided a strong story to follow. The unique perspective offered by the author left me eager to keep reading and find out how things would develop before coming to a succinct conclusion. Pavone delivers a strong story and provides the reader with a great reading experience that does not lose its momentum at any point. A well-paced story that left me wondering just how important a doorman's point of view could be key to a thriller!
Chicky Diaz may seem like a wallflower, but his job as the doorman at one of the most exclusive New York City apartments serves him well. Working at the Bohemia allows Chicky to gather intel and hold onto secrets of those who cross his path. While he is dismissed by many he greets and expected to serve them in passing, Chicky knows all and can spend his time pondering, should he want to keep himself occupied day in and day out. New York's elite have lives like few others and Chicky is right there, collecting crumbs and stories to share when the moment is right.
One such resident is Emily Longworth, whose marriage is a sham. She has long held her breath, hoping that life as a mother and the perfect wife would pay off for her. She does all the can to stay sane, though her husband, the vile Whit Longworth, drives her mad and has left Emily wishing she could change things up a little. Chicky knows this all too well and has thoughts of his own on the subject. Each day, Chicky has watched Emily suffer and the stupidity that Whit exudes as he ignores anyone beneath him. Emily needs an out, but has yet to find one... but here's hoping.
Julian Sonnenberg lives in another apartment and has a life he also wishes he could swap for another. He cannot stand his teenaged children, who feel the same about him, and wants nothing but to push the eject button. He's seeking something a little more exciting and needs some flavour in his life, though his cardiologist has left Julian aware that he needs surgery right away or face death. Still, there is some excitement out there for Julian and he wants it. He has a plan, though without the impetus to take it, he's paralysed in quicksand with no way of achieving what will make him happy.
After the NYPD are involved in a shooting of a Black man, the protests on both sides begin, their marches and clashing spilling onto the streets. Chicky can see that things are turning sour and knows just what he needs to do. While other members of the staff at the Bohemia Apartments have complained about the treatment they receive and the added concerns after the shooting, Chicky has an answer. Arriving at work with a gun, he is ready to use it to ensure that everyone is safe, just not on the way most might expect. Chicky has all the secrets in his mental Rolodex and there's a plan he has ready to execute, ensuring no one is miserable and those who need a shake-up get what is coming their way. It will take timing and patience, though Chicky Diaz has had both over the last three decades, donning his uniform and opening doors for those who almost forget he's there. Chris Pavone pens a unique piece and one that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat.
I have always enjoyed a great story that presents a common theme from a unique point of view. Chris Pavone provides the reader with a great piece that has many perspectives I would not have expected in the way they appeared on the page. A strong narrative base leaves the reader eager to keep pushing forward as they see just what this story has to offer. There is a great building of the story's core tenets as Pavone constructs his narrative effectively, leaving it to gain momentum as things get exciting. The various characters flavour things in their own way and leave the story with a number of key angles that help enrich the reading experience. There is a strong sense of surprise when the plot points emerge throughout the story. Pavone weaves them into the story's numerous chapters and provides a sense of confusion, while the general idea of things is clearly seen. I could not get enough of this piece and was quite pleased not knowing where things were headed at any one point.
Kudos, Mr. Pavone, for this strong thriller.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at: http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
June 4, 2025
This review was published by Open Letters Review
https://openlettersreview.com/posts/t...
In the iconic movie about movies, “The Player,” screenwriters unroll imaginary banners over their heads to pitch studio executives’ dazzling mashups like “Ghost” meets “The Manchurian Candidate,” or “Out of Africa” meets “Pretty Woman.” Chris Pavone follows the formula in his excellent new novel, The Doorman. It is (sweeping hand gesture) “Bonfire of the Vanities” meets “Die Hard.”
The historic Bohemia Apartments on Park Avenue in New York City centers a bitingly modern tale. It’s a stratified anthill of class and wealth with a vile king and savvy, sympathetic queen, atop the pile. Our titular doorman and other building staff rarely circulate above ground level, but a drone can topple a mountain.
Well-placed flashbacks explain the complexity of the figure who greets the building’s wealthy occupants. For good reasons, he’s in a ton of debt, and for bad ones, he recently acquired a gun. There’s an art broker on the second floor who just received a heart wrenching medical prognosis and the power couple in the penthouse loathe each other but are trapped by an iron-clad prenup. Most pressing is the imminent violence which simmers on the other side of the borough. In a crisp opening, The Doorman introduces characters and keenly hints at bad elements seeping toward The Bohemia. Readers are reminded early that the rich may not be respected, but the power wielded by their money is hard to ignore.
Contemporary novelists obsess over if their books are Black enough, gay enough, or in so many ways, representative enough. Pavone walks a narrow path and constructs a cast that shines with authenticity while not feeling calculated. Minor characters are portrayed as convincingly as headliners, and every conceivable political and socioeconomic position is satirized with smart, realistic scenes. The precariousness of modern times is highlighted by a rotating narrative that offers all perspectives a voice. We are treated to absurdly fun examples of how an errant step, slight nudge, or wrong word, can crush the hyper-connected kingdoms of today.
The Doorman also especially adept at blending lower- and middle-class personalities into the orbit of the ultra-wealthy. A captain of the military industrial complex with nine figure wealth interacts with drivers and housekeepers as smoothly as a MOTU-philanthropist purchases paintings from a struggling art dealer. The novel strikes a conversational tone that balances vigorous dialogue. Acts of violence wait until the plot progresses and the story never abandons a sense of humor:
"Olek is wearing nothing but jeans, holding a semiautomatic. Julian is wearing a tuxedo with that kid’s blood all across the white shirt, but his bow tie is still knotted. They are an unusual team."
The heart of this novel is in recognizing we are all flung together in an especially ridiculous time. Keeping that theme in sight, it is still able to land poignant moments:
"Life can look like a series of foregone decisions, both the good and the bad, all the non-choices that create a predictable path, inescapable, inevitable, here is your home, your family, your friends, your job, here’s how you’ll grow old and here’s how you’ll die, each of us the hero of our own inconsequential little story, all of us eyewitnesses and unreliable narrators."
Rare is it that storytelling can underscore the ridiculousness of the modern political era without alienating sides of the spectrum. Whether wearing a big stupid MAGA hat or ridiculous social justice warrior badge, heroes and villains exist in the story for all. The Doorman encourages its audience to point at the screen of their news source of choice and snicker, while deceiving each side they should feel justified with their beliefs. It’s quite the trick.
Pavone is known primarily for espionage thrillers. His previous book, Two Nights in Lisbon, was pedestrian and unextraordinary, so what an exciting surprise to discover he penned a mystery pulsing with realism and cultural understanding. The Doorman serves as a critical examination of greed, lust and crime, but also reminds us the value in continuing to sample work from writers we may not at first connect with.
The one significant flaw with The Doorman is apparent at first glance. How does a book distinct in so many ways have such an average title? It deserves better, so imagine “Succession” meets “Rambo.”
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a review copy.
https://openlettersreview.com/posts/t...
In the iconic movie about movies, “The Player,” screenwriters unroll imaginary banners over their heads to pitch studio executives’ dazzling mashups like “Ghost” meets “The Manchurian Candidate,” or “Out of Africa” meets “Pretty Woman.” Chris Pavone follows the formula in his excellent new novel, The Doorman. It is (sweeping hand gesture) “Bonfire of the Vanities” meets “Die Hard.”
The historic Bohemia Apartments on Park Avenue in New York City centers a bitingly modern tale. It’s a stratified anthill of class and wealth with a vile king and savvy, sympathetic queen, atop the pile. Our titular doorman and other building staff rarely circulate above ground level, but a drone can topple a mountain.
Well-placed flashbacks explain the complexity of the figure who greets the building’s wealthy occupants. For good reasons, he’s in a ton of debt, and for bad ones, he recently acquired a gun. There’s an art broker on the second floor who just received a heart wrenching medical prognosis and the power couple in the penthouse loathe each other but are trapped by an iron-clad prenup. Most pressing is the imminent violence which simmers on the other side of the borough. In a crisp opening, The Doorman introduces characters and keenly hints at bad elements seeping toward The Bohemia. Readers are reminded early that the rich may not be respected, but the power wielded by their money is hard to ignore.
Contemporary novelists obsess over if their books are Black enough, gay enough, or in so many ways, representative enough. Pavone walks a narrow path and constructs a cast that shines with authenticity while not feeling calculated. Minor characters are portrayed as convincingly as headliners, and every conceivable political and socioeconomic position is satirized with smart, realistic scenes. The precariousness of modern times is highlighted by a rotating narrative that offers all perspectives a voice. We are treated to absurdly fun examples of how an errant step, slight nudge, or wrong word, can crush the hyper-connected kingdoms of today.
The Doorman also especially adept at blending lower- and middle-class personalities into the orbit of the ultra-wealthy. A captain of the military industrial complex with nine figure wealth interacts with drivers and housekeepers as smoothly as a MOTU-philanthropist purchases paintings from a struggling art dealer. The novel strikes a conversational tone that balances vigorous dialogue. Acts of violence wait until the plot progresses and the story never abandons a sense of humor:
"Olek is wearing nothing but jeans, holding a semiautomatic. Julian is wearing a tuxedo with that kid’s blood all across the white shirt, but his bow tie is still knotted. They are an unusual team."
The heart of this novel is in recognizing we are all flung together in an especially ridiculous time. Keeping that theme in sight, it is still able to land poignant moments:
"Life can look like a series of foregone decisions, both the good and the bad, all the non-choices that create a predictable path, inescapable, inevitable, here is your home, your family, your friends, your job, here’s how you’ll grow old and here’s how you’ll die, each of us the hero of our own inconsequential little story, all of us eyewitnesses and unreliable narrators."
Rare is it that storytelling can underscore the ridiculousness of the modern political era without alienating sides of the spectrum. Whether wearing a big stupid MAGA hat or ridiculous social justice warrior badge, heroes and villains exist in the story for all. The Doorman encourages its audience to point at the screen of their news source of choice and snicker, while deceiving each side they should feel justified with their beliefs. It’s quite the trick.
Pavone is known primarily for espionage thrillers. His previous book, Two Nights in Lisbon, was pedestrian and unextraordinary, so what an exciting surprise to discover he penned a mystery pulsing with realism and cultural understanding. The Doorman serves as a critical examination of greed, lust and crime, but also reminds us the value in continuing to sample work from writers we may not at first connect with.
The one significant flaw with The Doorman is apparent at first glance. How does a book distinct in so many ways have such an average title? It deserves better, so imagine “Succession” meets “Rambo.”
Thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for a review copy.
June 30, 2025
Chris Pavone's The Doorman upgrades a New York lifestyle most recently celebrated in Tom Wolfe's Bonfire of the Vanities. The story is told from the perspective of a doorman. Perhaps this is intended to evoke vestiges of the fleeting luxury a certain class of New Yorker still enjoys. The Bohemia always has two doormen on duty, but past modernizations finally removed elevator operators. It's hard to imagine what doorman Chicky sees, because a doorman is just another invisible player in the lives of multimillionaires and billionaires. At first, the pace of the book seems to match the dull, boring routine that fits Chicky's life. He is a widower who has managed to put his two daughters through college. Unlike most doormen, he cares about the people who live in The Bohemia and tries to be kind and considerate without giving the appearance of going beyond the expected boundaries. He cares about one tenant in particular, Emily Longworth. He becomes even more concerned when he finds out something about her husband. Chicky works security jobs to help pay for his late wife's medical expenses, his back rent and his children's educations. It's getting harder to keep up with everything. He keeps trying though. Life in New York is tough and leads to violence. The night of a mob scene of demonstrations on various sides of several issues outside the building becomes so dangerous that Chicky brings a gun to work. Inside the building is just as dangerous. The routine, boring life of a doorman suddenly accelerates. The marital difficulties Emily and her husband have been facing and the impact of her affair with Julian Sonnenberg, another tenant, on the situation have their own collision with an armed robbery. Don't ignore the bit players: The Longworths have a driver/bodyguard and maids; Chicky has a building manager and family and friends with shady connections. Expect violence and surprises.
March 1, 2025
As readers can easily find an online synopsis of this book, I am not going to summarize it other than to say it is the story of a doorman at an exclusive upper Manhattan apartment building and some of its inhabitants set in the social and political sphere of contemporary times. I don’t like to compare one book to another, but, for me, it is this generation’s Bonfire of the Vanities.
Well plotted and suspenseful, Pavone’s characterizations are masterful. He captures the pulse of New York City, along with the nuances and issues reflective of our societal and political culture. Here is social class, fiscal struggling and striving, racism, prejudice, blowback from so called woke values and initiatives. There are sharp, attuned, sometimes poignant observations of life. I did not want to put this book down and flew through it. Oh, and, yes, it is also a thriller.
Thanks to #NetGalley and @fsgBooks for the DRC.
Well plotted and suspenseful, Pavone’s characterizations are masterful. He captures the pulse of New York City, along with the nuances and issues reflective of our societal and political culture. Here is social class, fiscal struggling and striving, racism, prejudice, blowback from so called woke values and initiatives. There are sharp, attuned, sometimes poignant observations of life. I did not want to put this book down and flew through it. Oh, and, yes, it is also a thriller.
Thanks to #NetGalley and @fsgBooks for the DRC.
December 29, 2024
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of The Doorman by Chris Pavone in exchanged for my review.
After reading Two Nights in Lisbon I was looking forward to reading more from Chris Pavone. Unfortunately, this book is an DNF for me.
I got about a third of the way through and lost all interest. The book is bogged down by politics, class, and race. The central plot takes a back seat to the authors commentary on the politics of modern day America. This may interest some but it is not what I expected and not something I want to spend my free time reading.
After reading Two Nights in Lisbon I was looking forward to reading more from Chris Pavone. Unfortunately, this book is an DNF for me.
I got about a third of the way through and lost all interest. The book is bogged down by politics, class, and race. The central plot takes a back seat to the authors commentary on the politics of modern day America. This may interest some but it is not what I expected and not something I want to spend my free time reading.
May 23, 2025
How many ways can I find to say how I enjoyed this book?….many I am sure but maybe none could convey how much I actually did enjoy it…
We meet Chick who is a Doorman at The Bohemia,a more than well to do NY apartment building and his life is in crisis,and about to get worse but as a true professional he will not let his work suffer nor the residents know anything about his woes…albeit that most wouldn't care
We also meet and focus on some of the residents,some repugnant,some not so,all richer than rich and with very un perfect lives
However NY and the world is turning against people of mega wealth and questioning how they acquired it,times are scary,tempers are short and danger is everywhere….a doorman can only do so much to save you…billionaire or not
‘Wokeness’ and privilige,cancellation,gender,race,sexuality are all hot topics in the book as they affect the residents and staff BUT this is not a preachy book,I cant abide that,but this is a book that covers all angles,all views ( good and bad ) and all scenarios and makes you think,question and understand thought processes,it is fascinatingly done it really is and manages to involve everyone,it is quite amazing
The writing is brisk and poignant yet somehow delicate when needed,it is emotive,strong and then at times gentle and caring
I admire this writer for what he has done in this book
And it is,on top of all that,a mesmerising unforgettable story
Top notch read
We meet Chick who is a Doorman at The Bohemia,a more than well to do NY apartment building and his life is in crisis,and about to get worse but as a true professional he will not let his work suffer nor the residents know anything about his woes…albeit that most wouldn't care
We also meet and focus on some of the residents,some repugnant,some not so,all richer than rich and with very un perfect lives
However NY and the world is turning against people of mega wealth and questioning how they acquired it,times are scary,tempers are short and danger is everywhere….a doorman can only do so much to save you…billionaire or not
‘Wokeness’ and privilige,cancellation,gender,race,sexuality are all hot topics in the book as they affect the residents and staff BUT this is not a preachy book,I cant abide that,but this is a book that covers all angles,all views ( good and bad ) and all scenarios and makes you think,question and understand thought processes,it is fascinatingly done it really is and manages to involve everyone,it is quite amazing
The writing is brisk and poignant yet somehow delicate when needed,it is emotive,strong and then at times gentle and caring
I admire this writer for what he has done in this book
And it is,on top of all that,a mesmerising unforgettable story
Top notch read
June 23, 2025
I was attracted by the idea that this was a Bonfire of the Vanities for the 2020s. The book's flaws ended up making me wonder what I would make of Bonfire, if I read it today instead of when I did (riding the subway to my summer job as a college student eager to become a true adult New Yorker). Then, I was ready to soak up whatever Wolfe told me about how the rich (a species I got glimpses of among my college classmates but was otherwise entirely ignorant of) lived, as well as anything he had to tell me about the law and the criminal justice system. I might be more skeptical now.
Nearly 40 years later, Pavone is not so lucky. I'm not a billionaire by a long shot, and I don't live on Central Park West (although plenty of friends do) but my work and life have taken me into the milieus Pavone is trying to depict, and every inverosimilitude in a book that so very much wants to capture the zeitgeist irks. I could cavil about kitchen decor, or various behaviors at various income levels, but the book's real sin is the endless speechifying - woke and anti-woke - that takes up so many of its pages. Never mind the cartoon-ish views depicted, no one talks like this! And it's wearisome. Is anything fresh about this debate in 2025? The book seems a bit ripped from the headlines of 2020, and in today's world, that's ages ago. And the ending! 50 Shades of entirely improbable!
Nonetheless, the book had its entertaining moments, and I would be inclined to try some of his books set in Europe, where perhaps it will be easier for me to engage in the necessary suspension of disbelief.
Nearly 40 years later, Pavone is not so lucky. I'm not a billionaire by a long shot, and I don't live on Central Park West (although plenty of friends do) but my work and life have taken me into the milieus Pavone is trying to depict, and every inverosimilitude in a book that so very much wants to capture the zeitgeist irks. I could cavil about kitchen decor, or various behaviors at various income levels, but the book's real sin is the endless speechifying - woke and anti-woke - that takes up so many of its pages. Never mind the cartoon-ish views depicted, no one talks like this! And it's wearisome. Is anything fresh about this debate in 2025? The book seems a bit ripped from the headlines of 2020, and in today's world, that's ages ago. And the ending! 50 Shades of entirely improbable!
Nonetheless, the book had its entertaining moments, and I would be inclined to try some of his books set in Europe, where perhaps it will be easier for me to engage in the necessary suspension of disbelief.
March 9, 2025
Reminiscent of Bonfire of the Vanities in that it provides an overall portrait of the City populated with characters that have it all and those that make it possible for them to live their lives in luxury, all brought together by an act of violence. Not a perfect novel due to a lot of needless repetition and some cookie cutter characterizations, but a good read nonetheless.
December 10, 2025
Loved Pavone’s Writing Skills But He Took Forever To Provide Excitement!
I won’t provide a description of The Doorman as this can be found on Amazon and Goodreads.
I will say, though, that if you want to experience Pavone’s excellent writing skills in terms of credible multi-dimensional characters, richly described geographic locales, creating a realistic sense of time and place, all grounded in (mostly) socio-political realism, then The Doorman is a book I think you’ll enjoy. However, if a book that quickly provides a strong, exciting, fast-paced plot is what “floats your boat”, then I suggest you pass on reading The Doorman. It’s not that Pavone doesn’t provide these plot elements. He does, and he does them well. But, they all don’t come together until about the last quarter of this 402 page (Kindle edition) book.
For me, I enjoyed The Doorman; but it’s likely that a lot of readers will feel that the long delay in getting to the action and excitement is a case of “too little, too late”.
I won’t provide a description of The Doorman as this can be found on Amazon and Goodreads.
I will say, though, that if you want to experience Pavone’s excellent writing skills in terms of credible multi-dimensional characters, richly described geographic locales, creating a realistic sense of time and place, all grounded in (mostly) socio-political realism, then The Doorman is a book I think you’ll enjoy. However, if a book that quickly provides a strong, exciting, fast-paced plot is what “floats your boat”, then I suggest you pass on reading The Doorman. It’s not that Pavone doesn’t provide these plot elements. He does, and he does them well. But, they all don’t come together until about the last quarter of this 402 page (Kindle edition) book.
For me, I enjoyed The Doorman; but it’s likely that a lot of readers will feel that the long delay in getting to the action and excitement is a case of “too little, too late”.
May 14, 2025
The Doorman by Chris Pavone is one of those books that lured me in with the blurb and the fact that Chris Pavone is a New York Times Bestselling author. For me, it was a frustrating book. Most of it consisted of telling me all about the rich and their life style. The mystery came at the end and felt rushed after reading so much about politics and the American caste system (you know what I mean). Getting to the end did make it worth reading because of the mystery, which was a nice little twist.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux for the opportunity to read The Doorman by Chris Pavone.
See more at http://www.fundinmental.com
I would like to thank NetGalley and Farrar, Strauss and Giroux for the opportunity to read The Doorman by Chris Pavone.
See more at http://www.fundinmental.com
May 29, 2025
I didn't hate this, despite this not really being a thriller. It was interesting enough, I wanted to know wtf was going on, but it was also slow enough, I kept thinking, can somethinggggggg happen already. 😂
June 24, 2025
An outstanding novel that reminded me of The Bonfire of the Vanities. Highly recommend.
August 3, 2025
If you want an entertaining ride set in the upper echelons of New York City wealth, you will enjoy The Doorman. The setting is The Bohemia, a high end building on Central Park West, and the main character is Chicky, the doorman. Other important characters include Emily, who is married to an extremely wealthy, unlikable man who made his money in a questionable business, and Julian, an art dealer. The reader experiences their lives in wonderful detail. In contrast, we also see Chicky’s personal life, which, of course, takes place in a completely different environment. I thought the characters were well drawn and very human. But what won me over were the scenes in and related to the Bohemia and its residents. The novel provided an interesting and entertaining view of life in New York City today, including excessive expenditures, required charitable giving (and heartfelt charity), chauffeurs, body guards, building superintendents, very expensive art, and racial and political conflict. This novel was billed as a “thriller”, but it wasn’t - - which was absolutely fine by me. It was just an entertaining read about the “high end” world we know is out there but cannot approach.
May 20, 2025
This felt very New York and extremely relevant as it really focuses on current politics. The mystery itself is a slow build and almost felt secondary to the story itself. This story serves kind of like a snapshot of the city. The wealthy, the poor, the working class, white supremacist mindset alongside social justice activist mindset and everything in between. It felt preachy and tried to walk a middle line of both sides are ridiculous rhetoric. It's written by a white man and that is reflected in the text. I've heard it compared to Bonfire of the Vanities which I never read though I did see the movie in the late 80's as a kid. Parts of this are literally just partisan rants. It kinda reminded me of the scene in Do The Right Thing where each character is on the screen alone repeating racial stereotypes and other offensive nonsense. This is the predominant focus of the novel. Honestly it was well written and the characters were well developed. None the less I did not like this. It felt too preachy and I'm not interested in whatever lesson or viewpoint this author was trying to convey. I just wanted a decent thriller. The reveals weren't bad, just late, the focus on this novel was to capture the social divisions of the moment.
This audiobook is narrated by Edoardo Ballerini. The narration for this story was excellent. As this deals with class, race, etc and suffers from a bit of repetition, I felt that the narration really elevated this novel. I'd definitely recommend this on audiobook.
Thank you to Chris Pavone, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
This audiobook is narrated by Edoardo Ballerini. The narration for this story was excellent. As this deals with class, race, etc and suffers from a bit of repetition, I felt that the narration really elevated this novel. I'd definitely recommend this on audiobook.
Thank you to Chris Pavone, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to and review this audiobook. All opinions and viewpoints expressed in this review are my own.
May 30, 2025
This is my first novel by Chris Pavone and it definitely won't be my last.
The Bohemia is the most famous apartment house in the world, home to New York's elite, celebrities and financiers. And Chicky Diaz is everyone's favourite doorman.
The Bohemia holds many secrets and on the one night Chicky decides to bring a gun to work the secrets are about to explode.
Not everyone will survive the night.
A pulse-pounding tale of greed, lust and crime.
Excellent narration by Edoardo Ballerini.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
The Bohemia is the most famous apartment house in the world, home to New York's elite, celebrities and financiers. And Chicky Diaz is everyone's favourite doorman.
The Bohemia holds many secrets and on the one night Chicky decides to bring a gun to work the secrets are about to explode.
Not everyone will survive the night.
A pulse-pounding tale of greed, lust and crime.
Excellent narration by Edoardo Ballerini.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
March 26, 2025
I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. I liked the main story with Chickie, but all of the other characters were horrible people in one way or another. The book dragged down with so many anti-PC things which already are coming at us from all angles under the current presidential administration so I did not find it enjoyable at this point in time because I read to escape reality.
June 23, 2025
This book was terrible. I read 2 nights in Lisbon it was so much better. I couldn’t follow this one, too much woke and political garbage. I couldn’t have done without the cursing and vulgar references just wasn’t needed, and I am by far a prude I got 4 hours in and just couldn’t do it anymore. I returned the book…
Read
July 26, 2025Nope. Not for me. Too much absurd tension, dirt, city crime angst, bad language and paranoid politico for me. DNF at just over 1/3rd. Ugh!
March 20, 2025
I am a long-time fan of Pavone's spy thrillers, and when I saw he had a new title I immediately sought it out. I wound up listening to an audio ARC. I loved the narrator and even though I usually prefer complex stories in book format, wound up finishing the book on audio - and I'm SO glad I did!
This is an absolutely incredible story. It is thought-provoking and moving, emotionally charged and frustrating. It is not at all like the spy books Pavone is famous for, and I've seen a number of reviews that appear to have punished him for that. I, on the other hand, applaud him for taking on such difficult and timely subjects as privilege, classism and racism - and for handling them so well. He is a very talented storyteller, and he applied that gift to this book as well as he has to all of his others.
This is not an easy book to read, in the sense that it stirs up A LOT of emotional responses because of the no-holds-barred approach that Pavone takes in his writing (on whatever topic). This book will make you angry and irritated and frustrated. You will groan out loud at the ridiculousness of so many decisions. You will roll your eyes at the hypocrisy and excess. But you will also - if you pay attention - stumble on tidbits of thoughtful social commentary and a recognition of the inherent tensions in unfettered capitalism.
There's a lot going on here that is current and political. But set aside all the socioeconomic and sociopolitical elements of this one and you will also find a story about how we are all interconnected, whether we want to be or not and whether we acknowledge that we are or not. To me, that's the true magic here. Pavone's story reminds us that at the end of the day, consequences can and will find any one of us and no amount of money or privilege (or lack thereof) will prevent that.
It was a brilliant story that I thoroughly enjoyed, even when I was frustrated and yelling at the characters the loudest. The narration captured these tensions perfectly and was spot-on fabulous.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
This is an absolutely incredible story. It is thought-provoking and moving, emotionally charged and frustrating. It is not at all like the spy books Pavone is famous for, and I've seen a number of reviews that appear to have punished him for that. I, on the other hand, applaud him for taking on such difficult and timely subjects as privilege, classism and racism - and for handling them so well. He is a very talented storyteller, and he applied that gift to this book as well as he has to all of his others.
This is not an easy book to read, in the sense that it stirs up A LOT of emotional responses because of the no-holds-barred approach that Pavone takes in his writing (on whatever topic). This book will make you angry and irritated and frustrated. You will groan out loud at the ridiculousness of so many decisions. You will roll your eyes at the hypocrisy and excess. But you will also - if you pay attention - stumble on tidbits of thoughtful social commentary and a recognition of the inherent tensions in unfettered capitalism.
There's a lot going on here that is current and political. But set aside all the socioeconomic and sociopolitical elements of this one and you will also find a story about how we are all interconnected, whether we want to be or not and whether we acknowledge that we are or not. To me, that's the true magic here. Pavone's story reminds us that at the end of the day, consequences can and will find any one of us and no amount of money or privilege (or lack thereof) will prevent that.
It was a brilliant story that I thoroughly enjoyed, even when I was frustrated and yelling at the characters the loudest. The narration captured these tensions perfectly and was spot-on fabulous.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
May 19, 2025
The Doorman is a different sort of book from Chris Pavone. There are no spies or secret agents. Everything happens mostly at the fictional Bohemia building in NYC.
"Chicky Diaz is everyone's favorite doorman at the Bohemia - an exclusive building full of New York's cultural elite. There are affairs, old money and new money that no one wants to really admit where it came from. But tonight Chicky has come to work with a gun. He's on high alert after a run-in with a gangster. Tonight there are demonstrations and counter-demonstrations - people will die and secrets will be revealed."
Lots of social commentary in this book from Pavone. It's from both sides and it's never preachy. It's normal characters discussing what's bothering them. There are more rich people behaving badly. There are blue-collar workers just trying to survive paycheck-to-paycheck. Pavone takes all these characters and weaves them into a story that explodes on a night in NYC. It takes a while to get to it but Pavone keeps the action going to keep you invested the whole time. The ending is wild - and even then you think you know what's going on but Pavone has some surprises for you - even after that night.
Edoardo Ballerini is great with the narration. There are many characters and many emotions and he gets them all.
A wildly, entertaining story from Pavone.
"Chicky Diaz is everyone's favorite doorman at the Bohemia - an exclusive building full of New York's cultural elite. There are affairs, old money and new money that no one wants to really admit where it came from. But tonight Chicky has come to work with a gun. He's on high alert after a run-in with a gangster. Tonight there are demonstrations and counter-demonstrations - people will die and secrets will be revealed."
Lots of social commentary in this book from Pavone. It's from both sides and it's never preachy. It's normal characters discussing what's bothering them. There are more rich people behaving badly. There are blue-collar workers just trying to survive paycheck-to-paycheck. Pavone takes all these characters and weaves them into a story that explodes on a night in NYC. It takes a while to get to it but Pavone keeps the action going to keep you invested the whole time. The ending is wild - and even then you think you know what's going on but Pavone has some surprises for you - even after that night.
Edoardo Ballerini is great with the narration. There are many characters and many emotions and he gets them all.
A wildly, entertaining story from Pavone.
June 4, 2025
2.5 stars. I agree with the other reviewers who say that you have to push through the first half of this book. There is a lot of MAGA and BLM talk as well other current political and cultural movements ranging from wokeness to white supremacy that you have to suffer through until you get to the good bits. I honestly think that it was overdone to the extreme with characters either portrayed as all good or all bad and it wasn't necessary for the story at all. The last quarter of the book, where the thriller actually kicks in, would have worked just fine without all of the political commentary.
The book takes place during the span of one day in a luxury apartment building in NYC. In an Upstairs/Downstairs nod, we get the perspective of Chicky, the doorman, along with the residents of a couple of apartments. Emily & Whit live in the penthouse with their 2 young children. Whit is MAGA and Emily is woke, so you can see the immediate conflict. But Emily can't leave Whit because there is an iron-clad prenup that will only give her $900,000 a year, which is nowhere near enough for her and her 2 children to live on. Yup, Emily is "woke." Sigh... Not to say that Whit is a saint, quite the contrary. He likes to choke women while having sex, he owns a military contracting company that sells to foreign authoritative governments and has just been accused of profiteering in an explosive investigative article.
Julian is a resident in another apartment where he lives with his wife and 2 teenagers. He owns an art gallery and helped Emily select paintings when she moved in but the real family money comes from his wife's corporate job. He has just been diagnosed with a serious heart condition and he doesn't tell his wife or his lover. Yup, you guessed it, Emily & Julian are having an affair. Another one of my complaints about this book. It is evident that both Emily & Julian are having affairs but it isn't until at least halfway through that it is revealed that they are having an affair with each other. That was just unnecessary. It wasn't suspenseful, just annoying that we didn't know who their partners were for so long. The book goes out of its way to portray both as do-gooders. Julian sponsors scholarships for young artists from historically disadvantaged cultures and serves as a mentor to many. His business partner is gay and black, a double bonus. Emily, meanwhile, volunteers at a soup kitchen but doesn't use her real name. She has also been squirrelling money away and has saved $15M for her eventual split from Whit. The thing that pushed her over the edge was that he started keeping a loaded gun in the house so she plotted her escape while removing the bullets from the gun to protect her children.
Chicky has his own problems and a lot of time is spent on them but most of it is just useless filler. His wife died from cancer and he is buried in debt. He is behind on his rent and borrowed from a loan shark. But that is not the bad guy who is after Chicky. No, that is some punk gangster who he kicked out of the club when he was a bouncer at his cousin's club. His cousin tells Chicky that he has to apologize and the gangster wants Chicky to help him break in and rob the residents at the apartment building. Chicky is avoiding his calls.
That night, riots break out amongst those who are protesting another police killing of a black man and white supremacist groups. Additionally, Whit is being hounded by protestors upset with his profiteering. A gang of criminals pull up outside the apartment building and take Chicky hostage and force him to use his master key to go into apartments where the thieves take jewelry and paintings. Their last stop is the penthouse where it is clear that they are after Whit. Whether they intend to kill him or take him hostage is unclear, but the shooting starts when Emily enters the apartment and Julian tries to save her, getting himself killed in the process. Chicky manages to kill at least one of the robbers but was injured in the process and Emily uses the thief's gun to shoot Whit and kill him. It is unclear if she knew that the raid was going to happen or if she had a hand in setting it up. She knew the ringleader, who was one of the white supremacist militants who Whit used to associate with before he became too radical. Chicky comes up with a split-second plan to protect Emily and they coordinate stories to say that the thief killed Whit first and then Chicky killed the thief. In exchange, Emily pays all of his medical expenses and gives him a lump sum so that he can pay off his debts.
While I had a hard time putting the book down during the last quarter, the rest was a slog to get through and I'm not sure that it was worth it. There were a lot of loose ends that were never tied up and that bugs me. And I just did not need all of the political commentary. So you might want to skip this one.
The book takes place during the span of one day in a luxury apartment building in NYC. In an Upstairs/Downstairs nod, we get the perspective of Chicky, the doorman, along with the residents of a couple of apartments. Emily & Whit live in the penthouse with their 2 young children. Whit is MAGA and Emily is woke, so you can see the immediate conflict. But Emily can't leave Whit because there is an iron-clad prenup that will only give her $900,000 a year, which is nowhere near enough for her and her 2 children to live on. Yup, Emily is "woke." Sigh... Not to say that Whit is a saint, quite the contrary. He likes to choke women while having sex, he owns a military contracting company that sells to foreign authoritative governments and has just been accused of profiteering in an explosive investigative article.
Julian is a resident in another apartment where he lives with his wife and 2 teenagers. He owns an art gallery and helped Emily select paintings when she moved in but the real family money comes from his wife's corporate job. He has just been diagnosed with a serious heart condition and he doesn't tell his wife or his lover. Yup, you guessed it, Emily & Julian are having an affair. Another one of my complaints about this book. It is evident that both Emily & Julian are having affairs but it isn't until at least halfway through that it is revealed that they are having an affair with each other. That was just unnecessary. It wasn't suspenseful, just annoying that we didn't know who their partners were for so long. The book goes out of its way to portray both as do-gooders. Julian sponsors scholarships for young artists from historically disadvantaged cultures and serves as a mentor to many. His business partner is gay and black, a double bonus. Emily, meanwhile, volunteers at a soup kitchen but doesn't use her real name. She has also been squirrelling money away and has saved $15M for her eventual split from Whit. The thing that pushed her over the edge was that he started keeping a loaded gun in the house so she plotted her escape while removing the bullets from the gun to protect her children.
Chicky has his own problems and a lot of time is spent on them but most of it is just useless filler. His wife died from cancer and he is buried in debt. He is behind on his rent and borrowed from a loan shark. But that is not the bad guy who is after Chicky. No, that is some punk gangster who he kicked out of the club when he was a bouncer at his cousin's club. His cousin tells Chicky that he has to apologize and the gangster wants Chicky to help him break in and rob the residents at the apartment building. Chicky is avoiding his calls.
That night, riots break out amongst those who are protesting another police killing of a black man and white supremacist groups. Additionally, Whit is being hounded by protestors upset with his profiteering. A gang of criminals pull up outside the apartment building and take Chicky hostage and force him to use his master key to go into apartments where the thieves take jewelry and paintings. Their last stop is the penthouse where it is clear that they are after Whit. Whether they intend to kill him or take him hostage is unclear, but the shooting starts when Emily enters the apartment and Julian tries to save her, getting himself killed in the process. Chicky manages to kill at least one of the robbers but was injured in the process and Emily uses the thief's gun to shoot Whit and kill him. It is unclear if she knew that the raid was going to happen or if she had a hand in setting it up. She knew the ringleader, who was one of the white supremacist militants who Whit used to associate with before he became too radical. Chicky comes up with a split-second plan to protect Emily and they coordinate stories to say that the thief killed Whit first and then Chicky killed the thief. In exchange, Emily pays all of his medical expenses and gives him a lump sum so that he can pay off his debts.
While I had a hard time putting the book down during the last quarter, the rest was a slog to get through and I'm not sure that it was worth it. There were a lot of loose ends that were never tied up and that bugs me. And I just did not need all of the political commentary. So you might want to skip this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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