Fun City Heist

by Michael Kardos

A washed-up rockstar gets his old band back together for one final gig . . . and one daring robbery! A brilliantly funny, twisty heist caper from Pushcart Prize-winning author Michael Kardos.

Mo Melnick used to be a drummer in rock band Sunshine Apocalypse. He used to be someone. These days he rents beach umbrellas on the Jersey Shore.

The last thing he expects is for Johnny Clay, his old bandmate turned enemy, to ask him a favor. Johnny’s dying, and before he passes he wants Sunshine Apocalypse to reunite for one last gig at Fun City, the beachfront amusement park where their musical journey began.

Mo’s in—reluctantly. But then Johnny reveals his real He doesn’t just want to play at Fun City on the fourth of July. He wants to rob it.

The plan is crazy. It has more holes than a golf course. But Mo’s sick of barely keeping his head above water, and, ironically, this crime may provide Mo’s one chance to connect with the daughter he’s never known. So he and his gang of middle-aged has-beens dive into what will be the most outrageous heist New Jersey’s ever seen—if, that is, they can pull it off alive . . .

Packed with astonishing twists and laugh-out-loud moments, Michael Kardos’ unique comedic thriller is perfect for fans of Elmore Leonard and Donald Westlake.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller

208 pages, Hardcover

Published December 2, 2025

About the author

Michael Kardos is a two-time Pushcart Prize winner and the author of the novels FUN CITY HEIST, BLUFF, BEFORE HE FINDS HER, and THE THREE-DAY AFFAIR, the story collection ONE LAST GOOD TIME, and THE ART AND CRAFT OF FICTION: A WRITER'S GUIDE.

Michael grew up on the Jersey Shore, received a degree in music from Princeton University, and played the drums professionally for a number of years before focusing on fiction writing. For 15 years he co-directed the creative writing program at Mississippi State University, where he was awarded the John Grisham Master Teacher award, the university's highest teaching honor. ​He currently lives with his family in Delaware. www.michaelkardos.com

Reviews

[Lou Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review
Fun City Heist
Michael Kardos
reviewed by Lou Jacobs


readersremains.com | Goodreads


Ex-drummer and Pushcart Prize–winning author Michael Kardos spins a delightful, fun-filled heist novel laced with heart, nostalgia, and rock and roll. It’s been decades since the Sunshine Apocalypse Band disbanded in a state of defeat—both broken and exhausted.

The drummer, Mo Melnick, has resigned himself to plopping down daily on a beach chair, renting umbrellas and chairs to Jersey Shore visitors. In the offseason, he makes do working for a landscaping company.

Mo formed the band with his childhood best friends—Johnny, Ed, and Ricky. Johnny, the band’s lead singer, suddenly returns from Florida and begs his buddies to reunite for one last gig—where it all started—Fun City, Quartz Beach, New Jersey, on July Fourth, the date of the amusement park’s official closure. Mo thinks this is a terrible idea, until his friend Ed convinces him to reconsider. Ed works at a local bar as a bartender and emcee for the weekly “open mic.” He informs Mo that Johnny is dying of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) at age forty-five and wants to go out honoring his past love.

The group reunites and starts rehearsing their old discography. Unfortunately, Ricky gets in a car accident and breaks his arm, making it impossible to play guitar. In the meantime, Mo incidentally crosses paths on the beach with his estranged daughter, Janice. Janice’s mother, Ivy, was a band groupie who periodically hooked up with Mo, resulting in a pregnancy. She had made it clear she would raise the child on her own. Over the years, Mo saw Ivy and Janice briefly during their annual summer visits to the beach and amusement park—but a lasting relationship never developed.

This summer, Janice comes alone and is staying at a friend’s place. When that arrangement falls through, she approaches Mo about staying “for a while” at his house. Ricky’s dilemma is soon solved when Janice picks up his guitar and, to everyone’s surprise, admirably plays the band’s entire discography—songs she had secretly learned on her own.

Then Johnny reveals his real plan: he’s using the performance as cover for an elaborately planned heist of the park’s cash proceeds from the Fourth of July. He feels he needs a big bankroll to support himself as his disease progresses.

In The Long Shadow, Michael Kardos infuses his deep musical knowledge into a twisted heist tale that layers nostalgia with heartfelt emotion, ratcheting up both suspense and intrigue. The absurdity of the ever-changing plan is mixed with humor and pathos, culminating in a satisfying denouement.

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House Publishing for providing me with an Uncorrected Proof in exchange for an honest review. I sincerely hope that our unlikely hero, Mo Melnick, will make an encore appearance in a sequel.
Published at MysteryAndSuspense.com ....

[Martin Maenza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Severn House provided an early galley for review.

This is the first book by this author that I have read. The colors of the cover and the description is what drew me into this novel. It sounded like it would be a fun read.

Turns out, it rather was fun. The length of the story works; I did not find it needlessly padded which is always a good sign. The cast of characters kept me interested, and the shifting sands of the plot, while predictable at times, kept things moving forward. I wanted to see if the band was going to succeed in their mission or not.

The ending could have gone a different way and I still would have been happy with it.

[Robert Goodman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun City Heist by Michael Kardos delivers what it promises on the cover. While the Fun City of the title is an ageing New Jersey boardwalk fun fair, this novel is, as advertised, a lot of fun. Kardos understands and uses all of the common tropes of the heist genre but delivers something that has plenty of verve but also has a little bit of heart.
Mo was the drummer in a 1980s band called Sunshine Apocalypse. He now spends his days renting out beach chairs and umbrellas on the Jersey Shore in the shadow of the Fun City Amusement park. When his old lead singer John turns up and talks about getting the band back together for one last gig at Fun City, Mo is at first reluctant. But after connecting with his other two old bandmates who are as keen as Jonny, Mo finds himself drawn in. And when their guitarists Rick injures himself and they find themselves subbing in Mo’s estranged daughter Candice (who ends up living with him when her Jersey accommodation falls through), Mo is in further. And that is before he finds out the Jonny wants to use the gig as a cover to rob the park, an idea he has had since their first ever gig there thirty years before.
That is before a whole slew of complications. Mo finds himself dating a local policewoman, the band are threatened and blackmailed by local thugs and of course, the whole plan is so crazy that it probably won’t work. But all of the band members are desperate, he finds himself connecting with his daughter for the first time and and so Mo finds himself caught in a bind and trying to find a way to make this work.
Fun City Heist is tense, it is funny and it oozes with nostalgia – Mo and Jonny formed the band when they were in high school and it went on to some moderate success. And while this generally follows the heist narrative playbook, Kordas still manages to deliver some unexpected twists which play a little with reader expectations. One word review: fun, as promised.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about unhappy people living unhappy lives who fall into further unhappy situations throughout the novel. Awhile ago I looked into "what makes something funny." There has actually (or not) been a progression of what is deemed funny. In ancient (or not so ancient) times, people found humor in the misfortune of others (the Superiority theory of humor). Allegedly, society has progressed to the point that funny is supposed to be innocuous incongruity (This theory posits that humor comes from the unexpected or absurd contrasts in situations, catching the audience off guard.). So I'm a bit surprised that so many reviews describe this book as funny. But those reviews also use the word "caper" an awful lot. So either those reviewers were all hypnotized, believers in old timey humor, or, well, they're not legit.

I enjoyed Kardos' writing style and voice. The characters weren't given much depth (the book is only about 200 pages long). The only character I liked was the daughter - interesting that the 17-18 year old is the only one who seems to have her act together. I think the story would have been better served if the caper had been left out, and this was just a story about old bandmates getting together for one last gig. Then time could have been spent expanding the character development and generating some legit emotions. As it was, I didn't really care what happened to anyone (except the daughter). Only about two or three paragraphs were used to describe the performance - a missed opportunity to create some pathos.

I did like the ending, but 10 pages wasn't enough to make me recommend the book to anyone. If you like the band aspect, I recommend Daisy Jones & the Six. If you like the caper aspect, I recommend anything by Hiaasen or Dorsey.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun City Heist by Michael Kardos is a fun read.

"Mo used to be the drummer in a rock band - Sunshine Apocalypse. They had a nice run with a couple of Top 40 hits but it ended badly like a lot of bands do. Now their former Front Man - Johnny - wants to get everyone together for one last gig. The Fun City amusement is closing at the end of the summer and will be torn down for condos. It was the site of one of their first big gigs. Johnny wants the band to go out with a bang...and he wants to rob it."


Mo is the voice of the story. He's guy that enjoyed his moment as a Rock Star but has settled into a relatively boring existence working for low wages renting chairs and umbrellas on the beach. He has a daughter he's hardly seen who appears and turns out to be quite the musician. You find out she has some other skills too. The interactions they have are nice to see.
One thing I really liked about this story was how immersive it is. When the guys are playing music, it felt like I was in the room. When they're onstage, I could hear the crowds yells and applause. In the middle of the robbery, you feel the tension.
It would be so easy for Kardos to slip into cliches in this story but he mixes it up. The robbery is a surprise. The aftermath is a surprise. And I loved the ending.
This is a relatively short book - 208 pages - and would make a great beach read. Should have been more buzz for this one.

Fun story from Kardos.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another amusing, light, quick read from Michael Kardos. I gave the book the following SCORE:
Setting: Present day, Quartz Beach and Fun City amusement park on the East Coast
Characters: Mo Melnick, musician and beach worker, his daughter, and former members of his band, including the unpredictable lead singer, Johnny Clay
Overview of plot: Sunshine Apocalypse was a band that actually made the charts back in the days. Their lead singer has returned to Quartz Beach with an illness and convinces the boys in the band to perform one last gig on the final day of the Fun City amusement park. The concert will be highlighted by his ludicrous plot to rob Fun City’s overflowing safe on the 4th of July and spread the wealth among band members, all of whom can use the income. Of course, nothing goes as planned with the intervention of bad guys, the arrival of Mo’s daughter with surprising talents, and major flaws in the presumed, complex robbery plan.
Recommendation: 4 stars
Extras: As a musician, so many of the side stories and life in the side-gig business ring true – many brought back great memories. Kardos deserves a wider readership. His previous stories, including “The Three-Day Affair” and “Bluff” were also surprisingly interesting and enjoyable reads.
Thanx to NetGalley and Severn House for the opportunity to provide this candid review.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun City Heist by Michael Kardos is just that—an entertaining and literary caper novel. Fun City is an amusement park reminiscent of past times when families and kids would walk the boardwalk near the ocean, eating junk food and playing games that were surely rigged.

Our heroes reunite for one last music performance. After being in a band for 10 or so years, the frontman has returned to the East Coast from Florida, begging the drummer and protagonist to perform one more gig. It takes a little while for the reader to find out precisely what is going on. But when that tidbit is exposed, the reader is in for a wild ride, as if getting on a Ferris wheel and never being able to get off.

Fun City Heist combines superior writing, a familiar yet well-executed plot, crystal-clear character portraits, and memorable dialogue.

Take a visit to an imaginary East Coast boardwalk, smell the cotton candy, and play a few rigged games. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you will run into some of the guys who make Fun City Heist what it is, a fun book, a sad book, but most of all a well-written book that readers will remember.

[Connie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I randomly picked this up at my library and was intrigued by the premise. Amusement parks, musicians, and a heist in a beach town??? What could go wrong? I started reading it at the library and was hooked. I also liked that its a relatively short read.

I had so much fun with this! I love all the different characters we get, and that the author weaves comedy into this book. As a fellow musician myself, I really appreciated all the nods to music he made. This was overall a decent story about a bunch of musicians who decide to reunite and play in their former band one last time, and also carry out a heist while they're at it. I think my only issue was that this book spends quite a bit of time building up the heist, and also explaining the aftermath. I kind of wish more time was spent on the actual heist.

If you're into music or amusements parks or heists, I'd recommend this one!

[Kristie Kieffer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun City Heist is a fast, clever, and wildly entertaining caper that delivers exactly what the title promises—fun, chaos, and heart. It’s got all the best elements of a heist story: a ragtag crew, razor-sharp dialogue, unexpected twists, and that perfect balance of tension and humor.

The pacing is pitch-perfect, moving from setup to showdown with just enough breathing room for character moments that make you actually care who gets away with what. Each member of the crew feels distinct and memorable, their banter alone worth the read.

Smart, stylish, and brimming with personality, Fun City Heist is the kind of story you devour in one sitting and wish you could watch on screen the moment you finish. Fans of Oceans 8, Six of Crows, or Knives Out will love every minute.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast paced caper novel with heart. Mo has been bumping along keeping tourists happy at the Jersey Shore so when his old band mate Johnny turns up, well, he's willing to do his part. Johnny has ALS and needs money for treatment, more money than they can make by playing a reunion concert so he's planned to steal it from the Fun City Amusement park. Unfortunately, the guitarist has broken his arm but fortuitously, Mo's daughter, with him he has never had a real relationship knows the band's whole catalog. This is as good in the set up as it is in the execution of the heist (and no spoilers about that). Kardos is a lively storyteller and he's created some very cool characters. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A couple of former rock stars are cruising through life as low level hourly employees in a beach front vacation area when another group member asks them to reunite. He's dying and wants to shine one more time. But he isn't being totally upfront and supposed hijinks ensue. Well, they were supposed to. But for me, there remained this overlying fog of depression for both the characters and the story. I couldn't get past the reality of the situation. Maybe it was just me? It was a good story and I liked the interaction between Mo and his daughter, but it wasn't the fun read I was hoping for.

Thanks to NetGalley and Severn House for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.

[G.P. Gottlieb · Rating 5 out of 5]

FUN CITY HEIST (Michael Kardos) is about a forty-something, aging drummer who gets talked into pulling the old band together for a final gig. However, the gig is a cover for a major robbery that the band’s old singer convinces the other old bandmates to commit. He’s sick and dying, he says, and needs the money for his treatment. What could possibly go wrong in this adorable, action-packed story about camaraderie, aging, and hope? https://newbooksnetwork.com/michael-k...

[Kirk Weikart · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a splash of fame being in a band with one big hit, Mo simply exists in his small Jersey coastal hometown. Out of the blue, the band's leader suddenly reappears and wants to do a reunion concert. What transpires is a slow reveal of the realities of the concert.

The characters are well developed, but a bit depressing. The book picks up momentum as it progresses, and I loved the ending.

I would definitely read this author again.

[Violeta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally different from what I usually read, but such a fun ride!

[Barondestructo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a fun read with a great protagonist, but the stakes feel pretty lightweight.