Formerly Fingerman: A Novel

by Joe Nelms

"[A] delightful read--Joe Nelms is a talent to watch!" --W. Bruce Cameron, author of The Midnight Plan of the Repo Man

"A smart mix of humor and humanity... An energy drink for the funny bone." --Jane Wagner, author of The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe

Brad Fingerman was an art director in the glamorous world of New York advertising. He had the respect of his peers, a beautiful wife, and a bright future. That is, his future was bright before he spectacularly nuked his career, discovered his wife's infidelity, and witnessed a high-profile Mafia hit in a Midtown elevator. Now Brad's unemployed, divorced, and the government's key witness in a major murder trial.

Genres: Fiction, Comedy, Humor

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 11, 2015

About the author

Joe spent the last twenty years working in advertising, television and film including senior positions at DMB&B, Grey, BBDO and Warner Bros. serving clients like Pepsi, GE, Campbell's, Foot Locker, the Harry Potter series, the Ocean's 11 series, and The Matrix Trilogy.

Joe was co-founder, artistic director, producer and director of Live On Tape, a live sketch comedy show that was bought by NBC and turned into ten hilarious episodes. Additionally, he helped produce Between, a feature film that debuted in the Sundance Drama competition, and he co-wrote the teen horror parody film Shriek If You Know What I Did Last Friday The 13th (currently available on Netflix).

Reviews

[Stanley Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this based on some glowing reviews. A ways into it, I was bored and wondering what reviewers saw. I stuck with it and I'm glad I did. Very witty. Great characters.

[Brett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this a million years ago, I remember this being pretty funny. This dude is at the scene of a murder, doesn’t notice it happened, but fakes being a witness for the special treatment of being in witness protection.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable! A quick, fun, amusing read.

[Jonathan Nations]

Great read. Joe wrote a rocking book and continues. Keep on writing amigo.

[Kes Townsend]

I really liked this book. I like the way the author divided the chapters and loved the story line. Thanks for a great tale.

[Scot Wilcox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildly entertaining. Lame guy stops lying to everybody and himself in order to self actualize. The plot was fine, the characterization serviceable. My biggest problem with the book was the viewpoint. It keeps switching between close third and omniscient, to the point it's difficult to know who knows what. I'm not talking about how we change viewpoint characters every chapter. That's fine. But inside the same scene we'll head hop between characters with barely even a line break. And then the book will tell us some stuff none of the characters know, even though there's not a narrator for most of the book. Like when Brad gets the keys to a hot rod, and then the book goes on for half a page about the features of the car and its condition. I was thinking "Since when has Brad known this much about cars?" And then the book tells me Brad doesn't know any of this but just thinks the car is cool. So why did the book spend so much time describing the car? It doesn't help the plot or character and it's not a joke, either. Maybe I'm not smart enough to get this author's style, but another editorial pass could have tightened this up a ton.

[Nicole Bishop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the author's sense of humor immensely, but the ending felt rushed. The protagonist is easy to relate to, but also kind of the type of protagonist you actively dislike at times. Which I guess makes sense, we don't always like ourselves either.

Will definitely read any other novels from this author.

[Jeanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Gross. How could anyone think this is the least bit funny.

[Brian Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25/5

[Tanya Cruz · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short and light read, to be honest the premise didn’t caught my attention that much but I wanted to unhaul it so I decided to give it a try, what if I liked it?

This book has a light story with a comical tone to it, or at least it pretends to be comical. Regarding to humor, I’m really hard to please, what most people might find funny I don’t… still this seemed funny sometimes, not enough to make laugh but maybe I smiled or something while reading it.

The main character was interesting, he was from a different social class than me, so I couldn’t

actually identify myself with him but still I think he was kind of realistic given the setting and background he has. Brad is a flawed main character, he has realistic reactions to what happens to him but I didn’t like that he was a compulsive liar, and kind of shameless about it.

The book is written in third person and follows the story of 4 different characters, Brad; Britany, an FBI agent; Malcom, a judge; and Frank, the mafia leader. The story of Malcom, the judge, felt pointless, it didn’t add anything to the story and he wasn’t even important for the story to unfold, so I skimmed his chapters.

This is not the type of book I read, so I thought it was something fresh and gave me a break from my typical YA fantasy. The book has some action, unique characters and situations, and what I liked the most was the ending, it was unexpected and wanting to knowing how the problem Brad was facing was resolved was what kept me reading.

If you are looking for a light, short, kinda humorous and entertaining FBI/Mafia story with a clueless character, this book might be for you. It’s a story you don’t have to take seriously and has fast pacing, so it’s an easy and a quick read.

[Franklin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I downloaded this book after it popped up on Facebook as the funniest novel Lily Tomlin had read in a while. Then there was the cover blurb from Artie Lange calling it "hilarious". Sad to say it was neither and hardly original. Bill Fitzhugh, Carl Hiassen, and Tom Dorsey all do this kind of thing ten times better.

Not that it is a bad book or unenjoyable, it is just not on the level of better writers whose books I have genuinely laughed at. There is a seriousness that sneaks in here that ruins the flow and a subplot involving a judge that is unnecessary. It seems to be there just to tie a couple of characters together. Over all it serves no purpose.

If you are looking into something like this but much better, check out the above mentioned authors.

[Jamie E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun little jaunt. Irreverent, but amusing. I liked the characters, but wouldn't care to read a sequel (not entirely sure I'd read another book by this author simply because he wrote it...it would have to intrigue me in some other way). The ending was mostly satisfying.

It took me over a week to get through the first 150 pages and I have no idea why. The book is fast paced and I never lost interest, but I just couldn't get motivated to read it. I read the last 150 pages in about a day and a half, so that's promising. :)

[Joy Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The blurbs on the cover are exuberantly complimentary to the point of making me think it's overpromise. But this book is funny. Smart, well-written and full of great characters. I will admit to laughing out loud.

[Craig Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not laugh out loud funny...but humorous enough to make you smile. Nice pacing for book about a Advertising Creative Director who loses his job, his wife, his life (as he knows it) and is forced to start over again in the most undesirable of places and situations while avoiding the mob.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book, actually quite a while, maybe 70 pages?! But, it does gather some momentum, as it goes...... & I was glad I stayed with it. It had me chuckling out loud several times....it's a bit of an almost 'slapstick like' comedy of errors... It's pretty goofy!?

[Alex Kloiber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funnier than I expected. Lot of heart. Easy read. Would make a great movie.

[Jack Goodstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing comic thriller:out of work ad man doesn't quite witness a mob hit and gets into a witness protection program that doesn't quite protect.

[Michelle]

Very funny book!

[Mark Vargo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nothing bad...just nothing good.

[Stacey · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh... I just wasted how much of my life?

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good

Easy, fast , and enjoyable. Some funny parts too. I'd recommend for a long air plane ride or traveling situation.

[David Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Started off really entertaining and witty. Didn't end poorly, just not as strong.

[GaiB · Rating 4 out of 5]

A highly amusing read if you are in the mood for something light. Interesting and unusual, with subplots and twists and turns. All loose ends tied in a bow at the end, which I do like.

[Stephanie]

Laugh out loud funny!

[KarnagesMistress]

I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Rebecca Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deception, murder, knockoff attire and a chicken suit. Throw in some snippets of comedy and you have a storyline that has you laughing. I enjoyed this book and how wouldn't with the book cover.