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Slow Down
How far would you go to make your dreams come true? For budding writer and filmmaker Noah Spaeth, being a Production Assistant in director Dominick Bambach’s new avant-garde film isn’t enough. Neither is watching Dominick have an affair with the lead actress, the gorgeous but troubled Nevie Wyeth. For Noah’s dream is to get both the film and Nevie in the end, whatever the cost. And this obsession may soon become a reality once Dominick’s spurned wife Isadora reveals her femme fatale nature with a seductive plot to get rid of her husband for good. Slow Down, a cross between the noir styling of James M. Cain and the dark satire of Bret Easton Ellis, is a thrilling page-turner that holds a mirror up to a media-saturated society that is constantly searching for the fastest way to get ahead, regardless of consequences.
270 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2015
6 people are currently reading
1774 people want to read
About the author
Lee Matthew Goldberg
29 books1,452 followersLee Matthew Goldberg is the author of fourteen novels including THE ANCESTOR and THE MENTOR along with his five-book DESIRE CARD series. His YA series RUNAWAY TRAIN is currently in script development with actress Raegan Revord from TVs Young Sheldon off his original written pilot. The GREAT GIMMELMANS comes out in 2023. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for an Anthony Award, the Lefty, and the Prix du Polar. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared as a contributor in Pipeline Artists, LitHub, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Electric Literature, The Millions, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, LitReactor, Mystery Tribune, The Big Idea, Monkeybicycle, Fiction Writers Review, Cagibi, Necessary Fiction, Hypertext, If My Book, Past Ten, the anthology Dirty Boulevard, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Maudlin House and others. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City. Follow him at LeeMatthewGoldberg.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
May 19, 2020
Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
SLOW DOWN by Lee Matthew Goldberg is a noir style thriller.
Noah Spaeth is the protagonist of this story. He is rich, entitled, spoiled and tremendously annoying and yet I was rooting for him in the end. The story is narrated by Noah retelling the last four years of his life on a tape recorder for Producer Barry Bronfeld’s assistant.
It is a story of drugs, alcohol, parties, sex, deception and betrayal that begins when wanna-be-author Noah becomes the Production Assistant for the famous Director, Dominick Bambach on his latest film. As the secondary characters are introduced and the plot begins to increase in pace, I realized that even though none of the characters are likable, I could not put the book down. Usually I cannot finish a book with no redeemable characters, but through all the surprising plot twists, I continued to hope that Noah would surprise me. The ending leaves you with questions and is not tied up in a pretty bow.
This is not your normal thriller. It is dark and filled with unlikable characters and yet I enjoyed it and can recommend it if you are looking for something different.
SLOW DOWN by Lee Matthew Goldberg is a noir style thriller.
Noah Spaeth is the protagonist of this story. He is rich, entitled, spoiled and tremendously annoying and yet I was rooting for him in the end. The story is narrated by Noah retelling the last four years of his life on a tape recorder for Producer Barry Bronfeld’s assistant.
It is a story of drugs, alcohol, parties, sex, deception and betrayal that begins when wanna-be-author Noah becomes the Production Assistant for the famous Director, Dominick Bambach on his latest film. As the secondary characters are introduced and the plot begins to increase in pace, I realized that even though none of the characters are likable, I could not put the book down. Usually I cannot finish a book with no redeemable characters, but through all the surprising plot twists, I continued to hope that Noah would surprise me. The ending leaves you with questions and is not tied up in a pretty bow.
This is not your normal thriller. It is dark and filled with unlikable characters and yet I enjoyed it and can recommend it if you are looking for something different.
March 14, 2015
There is something special about Slow Down by Lee Matthew Goldberg that I just can’t seem to put my finger on. Sure the plot is quick moving and focuses on some of my favorite noir material, sure the dialogue is witty at places and insightful in others, and sure the characters seem to come to life as you read it…but the sum seems to be even bigger than all those respective parts would indicate it would be. This was a dynamite read from beginning to end and I dare say there are elements within the book that seem to indicate Goldberg is going be putting out even better novels in the future.
This firecracker of a book centers on Noah Spaeth, a trust fund type of guy who wants for nothing; except to be a big time writer. Things begin to look up when he strikes up a friendship with Dominick Bamback, the new “it” director of Hollywood. The two men bond; yet remain like water and oil.
…then us two men, differing a little in age, laughed obnoxiously: at our new friendship based on who could be the bigger a##hole. At the time, neither of us realized what the other one had planned, both thinking we had the upper hand, while in reality a war was about to begin. ..
The friendship between a somewhat snobby Noah and the world-at-his-fingertips Dominick is one based on getting the upper hand and being willing to go to all lengths to do just that. When you mix in Dominick’s wife and Noah’s desire to possess her, the sparks begin to fly for the reader.
This book does everything right. It contains everything you could want in a tightly written piece of literature. Goldberg penned the type of book that makes you want to shake people who aren’t aware that there are authors that exist outside the aisles of Barnes & Noble and their local Costco. This is a perfect example of why people need to look at the smaller presses to find the best books being published.
New Pulp Press has put out yet another winner. The emergence of the E-Reader has allowed noir lovers to be drenched with novels, novellas, and short stories that are published by publishers that seem to be run by noir readers and noir lovers. These books are cheap to access and there is no reason for you not to drop a few dollars on this book. Great read!
This firecracker of a book centers on Noah Spaeth, a trust fund type of guy who wants for nothing; except to be a big time writer. Things begin to look up when he strikes up a friendship with Dominick Bamback, the new “it” director of Hollywood. The two men bond; yet remain like water and oil.
…then us two men, differing a little in age, laughed obnoxiously: at our new friendship based on who could be the bigger a##hole. At the time, neither of us realized what the other one had planned, both thinking we had the upper hand, while in reality a war was about to begin. ..
The friendship between a somewhat snobby Noah and the world-at-his-fingertips Dominick is one based on getting the upper hand and being willing to go to all lengths to do just that. When you mix in Dominick’s wife and Noah’s desire to possess her, the sparks begin to fly for the reader.
This book does everything right. It contains everything you could want in a tightly written piece of literature. Goldberg penned the type of book that makes you want to shake people who aren’t aware that there are authors that exist outside the aisles of Barnes & Noble and their local Costco. This is a perfect example of why people need to look at the smaller presses to find the best books being published.
New Pulp Press has put out yet another winner. The emergence of the E-Reader has allowed noir lovers to be drenched with novels, novellas, and short stories that are published by publishers that seem to be run by noir readers and noir lovers. These books are cheap to access and there is no reason for you not to drop a few dollars on this book. Great read!
September 9, 2022
Slow Down is a parody of the Hollywood scene and the creative process in general. Moviemaking in its essence is all about improvisation and, if no one quits gets what you are doing, that’s not important. What’s important is that people are so hungry and desperate for a role that they’ll do whatever they are told no matter the consequences. Often though the consequences teeter on tragic because fame and booze and drugs all seem to coalesce. But everyone wants whatever someone else has. It’s only when you get everything you always desired that you realize the emperor has no clothes or the person you have desperately reached for all these years is just another drug addled groupie.
May 15, 2020
Slow Down is a fast-paced thriller written as though memoir from the perspective of protagonist and wannabe writer and film director Noah Spaeth. He’s about twenty-six looking back on events of four years prior and how he came to create his debut film Slow Down. Set in Manhattan, Slow Down depicts a privileged, entitled, pretentious and extremely decadent social milieu, mostly centred in the film industry. Debauchery and drug-taking abound in this behind-the-scenes exposé that focusses on the lengths a director will take to capture a great scene, produce a great movie.
Noah opens his tale by explaining how he came to meet the obnoxious Adonis Dominick Bambach, the original creator and director of the movie Slow Down, a movie then in genesis. Dominick is also a manufacturer of the designer drug Fast. This drug, akin to methylamphetamine, soon takes up stage centre when Noah becomes Dominick’s assistant. As he is drawn into his mentor’s world, he finds himself appalled, frustrated and challenged. He comes to loathe Dominick as much as fear him. And then he decides he is capable of creating a much better movie. Arrogant, cruel, out-of-control and almost deranged, Dominick tests Noah’s loyalty and as he does, Noah becomes more and more disillusioned. From there, the narrative descends into increasingly extreme and bizarre acts. The pace quickens in the second half of the novel, the final twist unexpected and arresting, one of those moments that make you want to start back at the beginning to figure out who was justified in doing what.
The architecture of this story is impressive. There is nothing to fault in the plotting and pacing. Written in punchy, upbeat and acerbic prose, Goldberg nails the voice of a washed-up, drugged-up young film director, a style that is self-mocking, self-contemptuous and self-justifying by turns. Stories like Slow Down are not easy to construct; Goldberg is to be commended and displays himself as a formidable literary talent.
Slow Down is ultimately a disturbing morality tale and a meditation on truth, deception and corruption.
Noah opens his tale by explaining how he came to meet the obnoxious Adonis Dominick Bambach, the original creator and director of the movie Slow Down, a movie then in genesis. Dominick is also a manufacturer of the designer drug Fast. This drug, akin to methylamphetamine, soon takes up stage centre when Noah becomes Dominick’s assistant. As he is drawn into his mentor’s world, he finds himself appalled, frustrated and challenged. He comes to loathe Dominick as much as fear him. And then he decides he is capable of creating a much better movie. Arrogant, cruel, out-of-control and almost deranged, Dominick tests Noah’s loyalty and as he does, Noah becomes more and more disillusioned. From there, the narrative descends into increasingly extreme and bizarre acts. The pace quickens in the second half of the novel, the final twist unexpected and arresting, one of those moments that make you want to start back at the beginning to figure out who was justified in doing what.
The architecture of this story is impressive. There is nothing to fault in the plotting and pacing. Written in punchy, upbeat and acerbic prose, Goldberg nails the voice of a washed-up, drugged-up young film director, a style that is self-mocking, self-contemptuous and self-justifying by turns. Stories like Slow Down are not easy to construct; Goldberg is to be commended and displays himself as a formidable literary talent.
Slow Down is ultimately a disturbing morality tale and a meditation on truth, deception and corruption.
December 31, 2021
This novel is sold as a tense noir in the same vein as a classic James M. Cain book with a successful filmmaker recounting his cutthroat rise to fame by stealing his mentor’s film and wife. It had some potential but ultimately, there’s not enough there to really live up to its hype and promise.
The characters aren’t nearly as compelling as they should be and once the lumbering plot gets going about halfway through, it proves to be barely existent beyond a maddeningly basic noir skeleton that can be summarized in a couple of sentences. The entitled asshole protagonist got on my nerves and the femme fatale was completely without nuance. And the ending…goodnes, what a timid cop-out that doesn’t at all stand up to the stories that it professes to be influenced by.
The characters aren’t nearly as compelling as they should be and once the lumbering plot gets going about halfway through, it proves to be barely existent beyond a maddeningly basic noir skeleton that can be summarized in a couple of sentences. The entitled asshole protagonist got on my nerves and the femme fatale was completely without nuance. And the ending…goodnes, what a timid cop-out that doesn’t at all stand up to the stories that it professes to be influenced by.
August 22, 2020
"God, Noah, stop reading too much into everything. I do Fast all the time, and look at me, I'm fine. The world is made up of strong people and weak ones, and if some of those weak people have to go to make more room for the strong, then so be it."
Not long not until Lee Matthew Goldberg's The Ancestor (US) is released. It's a real tour de force and I wholeheartedly recommend that you get yourself a copy and indulge yourself, not matter what your usual genre choice. I thought I'd warm up for the big day by reading Slow Down to get a sense of the author's earlier work.
Slow Down (US) uses the familiar noir structure of being told in retrospect by the protagonist, in this case one Noah Spaeth. He's struggling to meet a deadline to produce a biography that will form the basis of a book and a film. At the last minute, a ghost writer turns up to rescue him from his inability to settle to work and from that point we step into his past, beginning with the path that introduced him to film director Dominic Bambach. It turns out that the love of Spaeth's life is currently Bambach's mistress and he's soon seduced by the director's desire to find a fresh writer untainted by the industry. As Spaeth sets out to become the next big thing, he finds huge piles of bizarre at every turn.
There's a new drug on the scene. Something called Fast. Not only has it taken off among New York's cool set, it's allowed it's creator, a certain maverick film director, to capture the lives of a number of would-be stars via a yellow sun tattooed containing heavy doses of the drug onto their backs. Though the actors are happy to prostitute themselves to find their big break, it's Spaeth who is prepared to sell his soul. His goal is to become known by everyone. To have his name at the tip of the world's lips. The success might fill the hole left by his absentee parents, to mend his broken heart or to bring energy to the stale and sterile life of his rich family who have nothing to do other than to seek fun.
In order to achieve his goals, Spaeth feels he has to outdo his mentor. This means he has to shed all inhibitions and must be prepared to steal, exploit, cheat, manipulate and indulge in the cold and extreme ways. Empathy, compassion and concern are all binned. Real life and fiction blur and overlap. Identity becomes fluid and interchangeable. The web of interplay becomes dangerous as Spaeth attempts to work out the motivations of all the other ruthless bastards around him to fathom which side will come out on top. Eventually he chooses the most dangerous of them all as a superbly crafted femme fatale lays out a path before him and paves it with the promise of gold.
There's a lot going on in this novel. Fact fuels fiction and vice versa. Tension and drama come from all angles, whether it be from Spaeth's relationships, extreme movie-making techniques or the sticky web into which he is lured. As the plot thickened, my favourite setting throughout came in the form of Spaeth's domestic life where he interacts with his brother, sister and maid. This provides a great contrast to the action and as a counterpoint illustrates from what a great height he has fallen.
Writing about the avant-garde cinema and its creators contains the inherent danger that the fictitious pretensions may taint a story, but Lee Matthew Goldberg manages to avoid such potential pitfalls with some skill while still managing to point out the shallow and hollow desperations of those striving for success for its own sake.
Slow Down is a tense and thought-provoking read and it's one that's well worth getting hold of. If, however, you're pennies are few and you need something to satisfy whatever reading needs you have right now, I'll point you in the direction of The Ancestor instead. Both books are original, well-written and compelling, it's just that the upcoming release reaches deeper and further and has a set of characters that inspire a wider range of emotional response. Ideally, of course, you should treat yourself to a copy of both. In that way you'll be royally entertained and supporting both the author and one of the best independent publishers around.
Not long not until Lee Matthew Goldberg's The Ancestor (US) is released. It's a real tour de force and I wholeheartedly recommend that you get yourself a copy and indulge yourself, not matter what your usual genre choice. I thought I'd warm up for the big day by reading Slow Down to get a sense of the author's earlier work.
Slow Down (US) uses the familiar noir structure of being told in retrospect by the protagonist, in this case one Noah Spaeth. He's struggling to meet a deadline to produce a biography that will form the basis of a book and a film. At the last minute, a ghost writer turns up to rescue him from his inability to settle to work and from that point we step into his past, beginning with the path that introduced him to film director Dominic Bambach. It turns out that the love of Spaeth's life is currently Bambach's mistress and he's soon seduced by the director's desire to find a fresh writer untainted by the industry. As Spaeth sets out to become the next big thing, he finds huge piles of bizarre at every turn.
There's a new drug on the scene. Something called Fast. Not only has it taken off among New York's cool set, it's allowed it's creator, a certain maverick film director, to capture the lives of a number of would-be stars via a yellow sun tattooed containing heavy doses of the drug onto their backs. Though the actors are happy to prostitute themselves to find their big break, it's Spaeth who is prepared to sell his soul. His goal is to become known by everyone. To have his name at the tip of the world's lips. The success might fill the hole left by his absentee parents, to mend his broken heart or to bring energy to the stale and sterile life of his rich family who have nothing to do other than to seek fun.
In order to achieve his goals, Spaeth feels he has to outdo his mentor. This means he has to shed all inhibitions and must be prepared to steal, exploit, cheat, manipulate and indulge in the cold and extreme ways. Empathy, compassion and concern are all binned. Real life and fiction blur and overlap. Identity becomes fluid and interchangeable. The web of interplay becomes dangerous as Spaeth attempts to work out the motivations of all the other ruthless bastards around him to fathom which side will come out on top. Eventually he chooses the most dangerous of them all as a superbly crafted femme fatale lays out a path before him and paves it with the promise of gold.
There's a lot going on in this novel. Fact fuels fiction and vice versa. Tension and drama come from all angles, whether it be from Spaeth's relationships, extreme movie-making techniques or the sticky web into which he is lured. As the plot thickened, my favourite setting throughout came in the form of Spaeth's domestic life where he interacts with his brother, sister and maid. This provides a great contrast to the action and as a counterpoint illustrates from what a great height he has fallen.
Writing about the avant-garde cinema and its creators contains the inherent danger that the fictitious pretensions may taint a story, but Lee Matthew Goldberg manages to avoid such potential pitfalls with some skill while still managing to point out the shallow and hollow desperations of those striving for success for its own sake.
Slow Down is a tense and thought-provoking read and it's one that's well worth getting hold of. If, however, you're pennies are few and you need something to satisfy whatever reading needs you have right now, I'll point you in the direction of The Ancestor instead. Both books are original, well-written and compelling, it's just that the upcoming release reaches deeper and further and has a set of characters that inspire a wider range of emotional response. Ideally, of course, you should treat yourself to a copy of both. In that way you'll be royally entertained and supporting both the author and one of the best independent publishers around.
June 10, 2020
"Slow Down is a frenetic first novel...full of unedifying characters scrambling for the elusive, perhaps imaginary, brass ring."
--Publishers Weekly
"Lee Matthew Goldberg writes like a young Bret Easton Ellis doing a line of uncut Denis Johnson off the back of a public urinal. Memorable in the best possible way, also mostly illegal, Goldberg's Slow Down is a mad man's tour of Manhattan's vices, follies, and ultimate betrayals."
--Urban Waite, author of The Terror of Living and Sometimes the Wolf
"What would happen if one of Raymond Chandler's 1940's femme fatales were to join forces with one of Jay McInerney's enfant terribles? Lee Matthew Goldberg wrings every delectable trope imaginable out of this mashup while still managing a fresh spin. A writer to watch out for."
--David Kukoff, author of Children of the Canyon
"Slow Down starts fast and gets faster quick, gunning through yellow streetlights on its way to a full collision with your shattered soul. Lee Matthew Goldberg takes on the American Zeitgeist in this stunning debut."
--Stephen Jay Schwartz, LA Times bestselling author of Boulevard and Beat
"Slow Down is a brilliant rush of a work charting the rise and fall of Noah and other pretentious losers. Savor this book."
--Foreword Reviews
"Dark and hard-boiled writing that grabs you by the throat. Slow Down is one of those rare novels that's so good you want it to go on forever!"
--Nick Pengelley, author of Ryder: An Ayesha Ryder Novel
"The plot takes off...there's no denying it's fun to watch rich snots destroy themselves."
--Booklist
"Goldberg's portrayal of the New York demimonde is one of the book's strengths and brings to mind Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero. He also succeeds in marshalling a complicated plot."
--CrimeFictionLover.com
--Publishers Weekly
"Lee Matthew Goldberg writes like a young Bret Easton Ellis doing a line of uncut Denis Johnson off the back of a public urinal. Memorable in the best possible way, also mostly illegal, Goldberg's Slow Down is a mad man's tour of Manhattan's vices, follies, and ultimate betrayals."
--Urban Waite, author of The Terror of Living and Sometimes the Wolf
"What would happen if one of Raymond Chandler's 1940's femme fatales were to join forces with one of Jay McInerney's enfant terribles? Lee Matthew Goldberg wrings every delectable trope imaginable out of this mashup while still managing a fresh spin. A writer to watch out for."
--David Kukoff, author of Children of the Canyon
"Slow Down starts fast and gets faster quick, gunning through yellow streetlights on its way to a full collision with your shattered soul. Lee Matthew Goldberg takes on the American Zeitgeist in this stunning debut."
--Stephen Jay Schwartz, LA Times bestselling author of Boulevard and Beat
"Slow Down is a brilliant rush of a work charting the rise and fall of Noah and other pretentious losers. Savor this book."
--Foreword Reviews
"Dark and hard-boiled writing that grabs you by the throat. Slow Down is one of those rare novels that's so good you want it to go on forever!"
--Nick Pengelley, author of Ryder: An Ayesha Ryder Novel
"The plot takes off...there's no denying it's fun to watch rich snots destroy themselves."
--Booklist
"Goldberg's portrayal of the New York demimonde is one of the book's strengths and brings to mind Bret Easton Ellis' Less Than Zero. He also succeeds in marshalling a complicated plot."
--CrimeFictionLover.com
June 9, 2020
This was a book I got from Blackthorn Book Tours. I gotta tell you, they have access to some pretty incredible authors. This is the second book by Goldberg that I have read in the last three months. He does NOT disappoint. Ever.
This is the blurb that enticed me to read the book:
How far would you go to make your dreams come true? For budding writer and filmmaker Noah Spaeth, being a Production Assistant in director Dominick Bambach’s new avant-garde film isn’t enough. Neither is watching Dominick have an affair with the lead actress, the gorgeous but troubled Nevie Wyeth. For Noah’s dream is to get both the film and Nevie in the end, whatever the cost. And this obsession may soon become a reality once Dominick’s spurned wife Isadora reveals her femme fatale nature with a seductive plot to get rid of her husband for good. Slow Down, a cross between the noir styling of James M. Cain and the dark satire of Bret Easton Ellis, is a thrilling page-turner that holds a mirror up to a media-saturated society that is constantly searching for the fastest way to get ahead, regardless of consequences.
***(We don't yet have an Amazon buy link yet as this is a re-release.)***
Okay? So, right away I identified “key elements” that automatically gave the plot promise.
1. Main character with a drive to make their dream come true
2. That dream will come at ANY cost, no limits, no holds barred, no one is safe
3. Multiple love triangles
4. Murder
5. Jealousy
I could go on, but you get the idea. So, I’m thinking this has some serious potential. That’s why I signed up to review it.
I swear to you, it was so difficult to put this book down. Noah is quite the broodish young man with a dream he can’t wait to bring to fruition. Not to mention, he has a crush that runs so deep on Nevie that he basically salivates like one of Pavlov’s dogs every time she speaks to him, touches him, looks at him…name your stimuli. If it comes from Nevie, Noah will do anything for it…and her.
Now, Nevie and Noah have known each other a long time. She doesn’t see him the way he sees her. So, she’s sleeping with Dominick, an arrogant, blustering, braggard who says he has a vision for the next big thing in movies. Luckily, because of Nevie, Noah becomes not only Dominick’s Production Assistant, but also his sounding board, his confidante, his friend…I suppose. Remember, Noah is out for Noah. And Nevie.
But working with Dominick gives Noah the backstage pass he needs to get his feet wet in the industry. It also lets him keep an eye on Nevie. That is until Dominick’s wife, Isadora, decides she wants in on the action too. And Dominick and Isadora obviously don’t have much of a marriage. Dominick thinks he’s the Hugh Hefner of the film industry and as such, he parties, drinks, drugs and sleeps with whatever or whoever he wants. And he flaunts it in front of Isadora, having these parties at their house.
The biggest thing that bothers Noah is that Nevie has this yellow circle tattoo on her lower back. It’s not that she has a tattoo or where it is that irritates him. It’s what the tattoo represents.
The more involved Noah gets with Dominick and the making of his movie, the more tense things become. Everyone involved has their own agenda. Nevie wants to be famous. Dominick wants to be an icon in the filmmaking industry. Noah wants what Dominick wants…and has. And Isadora wants to get rid of Dominick.
That’s where the twists and turns start happening, people start making plans behind others’ backs, and everyone is getting suspicious. It’s only a matter of time before wires start to get crossed and things blow up. Who will be left standing in the aftermath of this cataclysmic whirlwind of desire, jealousy, pleasure and pain?
THE END
I loved this book. I am quickly becoming a fan of Lee Matthew Goldberg. He truly has a way of not only pulling things together and building a story, but he can also manage to make almost every page in the book a necessity to read, because you don’t want to miss a thing. And honestly, it’s almost as if each page holds some little piece of important information that is critical to the story.
The suspense is spectacular and, at some points, leaving you with this feeling of “Wait…what? What happens? Turn the page! Turn the page! Quickly!”, like if you don’t you ARE going to miss out on something killer in the story.
Personally, I really liked the Noah character. I think Goldberg did a fantastic job creating this person and bringing him to life. He’s so relatable. He’s raw and vulnerable. And he’s hungry for his success. That brings a lot to the story. If it weren’t for Noah, the very lifeblood of the entire plot would be exsanguinated. He’s the reason you keep reading. You want to know what he does next, what happens next, is he okay, how he feels. He’s truly a massive character.
There’s much more in the story that is absolutely intriguing and strange and weird in such a wonderfully entertaining way, I just don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
Here’s a little about the author:
Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of the novels THE DESIRE CARD, THE MENTOR, and SLOW DOWN. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar. The second book in the Desire Card series, PREY NO MORE, is forthcoming in 2020, along with his first Sci-Fi novel ORANGE CITY. His new endeavor will be as the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Fringe Press and Fringe Digital, dedicated to publishing fiction that’s outside-of-the-box. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, Cagibi, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City. Follow him at leematthewgoldberg.com.
Website – Leematthewgoldberg.com
FB – https://www.facebook.com/leemgol
IG – https://www.instagram.com/leematthewg...
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LeeMatthewG
I suggest following him on social media or visit his site for release dates for this newer version. What is available on Amazon right now is the older version, without the new pages.
RATINGS
5/5 Stars
This is the blurb that enticed me to read the book:
How far would you go to make your dreams come true? For budding writer and filmmaker Noah Spaeth, being a Production Assistant in director Dominick Bambach’s new avant-garde film isn’t enough. Neither is watching Dominick have an affair with the lead actress, the gorgeous but troubled Nevie Wyeth. For Noah’s dream is to get both the film and Nevie in the end, whatever the cost. And this obsession may soon become a reality once Dominick’s spurned wife Isadora reveals her femme fatale nature with a seductive plot to get rid of her husband for good. Slow Down, a cross between the noir styling of James M. Cain and the dark satire of Bret Easton Ellis, is a thrilling page-turner that holds a mirror up to a media-saturated society that is constantly searching for the fastest way to get ahead, regardless of consequences.
***(We don't yet have an Amazon buy link yet as this is a re-release.)***
Okay? So, right away I identified “key elements” that automatically gave the plot promise.
1. Main character with a drive to make their dream come true
2. That dream will come at ANY cost, no limits, no holds barred, no one is safe
3. Multiple love triangles
4. Murder
5. Jealousy
I could go on, but you get the idea. So, I’m thinking this has some serious potential. That’s why I signed up to review it.
I swear to you, it was so difficult to put this book down. Noah is quite the broodish young man with a dream he can’t wait to bring to fruition. Not to mention, he has a crush that runs so deep on Nevie that he basically salivates like one of Pavlov’s dogs every time she speaks to him, touches him, looks at him…name your stimuli. If it comes from Nevie, Noah will do anything for it…and her.
Now, Nevie and Noah have known each other a long time. She doesn’t see him the way he sees her. So, she’s sleeping with Dominick, an arrogant, blustering, braggard who says he has a vision for the next big thing in movies. Luckily, because of Nevie, Noah becomes not only Dominick’s Production Assistant, but also his sounding board, his confidante, his friend…I suppose. Remember, Noah is out for Noah. And Nevie.
But working with Dominick gives Noah the backstage pass he needs to get his feet wet in the industry. It also lets him keep an eye on Nevie. That is until Dominick’s wife, Isadora, decides she wants in on the action too. And Dominick and Isadora obviously don’t have much of a marriage. Dominick thinks he’s the Hugh Hefner of the film industry and as such, he parties, drinks, drugs and sleeps with whatever or whoever he wants. And he flaunts it in front of Isadora, having these parties at their house.
The biggest thing that bothers Noah is that Nevie has this yellow circle tattoo on her lower back. It’s not that she has a tattoo or where it is that irritates him. It’s what the tattoo represents.
The more involved Noah gets with Dominick and the making of his movie, the more tense things become. Everyone involved has their own agenda. Nevie wants to be famous. Dominick wants to be an icon in the filmmaking industry. Noah wants what Dominick wants…and has. And Isadora wants to get rid of Dominick.
That’s where the twists and turns start happening, people start making plans behind others’ backs, and everyone is getting suspicious. It’s only a matter of time before wires start to get crossed and things blow up. Who will be left standing in the aftermath of this cataclysmic whirlwind of desire, jealousy, pleasure and pain?
THE END
I loved this book. I am quickly becoming a fan of Lee Matthew Goldberg. He truly has a way of not only pulling things together and building a story, but he can also manage to make almost every page in the book a necessity to read, because you don’t want to miss a thing. And honestly, it’s almost as if each page holds some little piece of important information that is critical to the story.
The suspense is spectacular and, at some points, leaving you with this feeling of “Wait…what? What happens? Turn the page! Turn the page! Quickly!”, like if you don’t you ARE going to miss out on something killer in the story.
Personally, I really liked the Noah character. I think Goldberg did a fantastic job creating this person and bringing him to life. He’s so relatable. He’s raw and vulnerable. And he’s hungry for his success. That brings a lot to the story. If it weren’t for Noah, the very lifeblood of the entire plot would be exsanguinated. He’s the reason you keep reading. You want to know what he does next, what happens next, is he okay, how he feels. He’s truly a massive character.
There’s much more in the story that is absolutely intriguing and strange and weird in such a wonderfully entertaining way, I just don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
Here’s a little about the author:
Lee Matthew Goldberg is the author of the novels THE DESIRE CARD, THE MENTOR, and SLOW DOWN. He has been published in multiple languages and nominated for the 2018 Prix du Polar. The second book in the Desire Card series, PREY NO MORE, is forthcoming in 2020, along with his first Sci-Fi novel ORANGE CITY. His new endeavor will be as the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Fringe Press and Fringe Digital, dedicated to publishing fiction that’s outside-of-the-box. His pilots and screenplays have been finalists in Script Pipeline, Book Pipeline, Stage 32, We Screenplay, the New York Screenplay, Screencraft, and the Hollywood Screenplay contests. After graduating with an MFA from the New School, his writing has also appeared in the anthology DIRTY BOULEVARD, The Millions, Cagibi, The Montreal Review, The Adirondack Review, The New Plains Review, Underwood Press and others. He is the co-curator of The Guerrilla Lit Reading Series and lives in New York City. Follow him at leematthewgoldberg.com.
Website – Leematthewgoldberg.com
FB – https://www.facebook.com/leemgol
IG – https://www.instagram.com/leematthewg...
Twitter – https://twitter.com/LeeMatthewG
I suggest following him on social media or visit his site for release dates for this newer version. What is available on Amazon right now is the older version, without the new pages.
RATINGS
5/5 Stars
July 26, 2020
What I Loved:
I loved the dark edge that this story had. It’s a twisted book with a noir theme, and I loved that!
How I Felt:
This story is a crazy ride! Noah Spaeth gives us a view into the previous 4 years of his life in a twisted world of film, actors, drugs, and debauchery. Noah meets Adonis Dominick Bambach, the creator of Slow Down, the movie just as the creation is beginning. He’s also the creator of a drug called Fast. Noah becomes his assistant for the movie and gives us a first-view look into this world. Noah soon realizes that he can do a better job of creating this movie. The book is fast-paced and filled will dark twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
The characters in this book were easy to hate. It’s funny, I’m usually one that is saying, “Oh I loved the characters, they made it hard to put the book down”. In this case though, I didn’t like the characters, and yet I found myself utterly enraptured in their story! Noah is the main character, and he is spoiled, self-centered, and irritating. I found myself still connecting to him, and hoping he can make it all work out in the end. I think that Lee Matthew Goldberg did an exceptional job at creating characters that were not likable, but still enjoyable, readable characters!
Overall, I was really invested in Slow Down. I liked the portrayal of the characters and their downward spirals. I loved the surprising twists, and felt they made the story something that I continue to think about after finishing the book!
To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend Slow Down to readers that enjoy dark novels with twists that don’t wrap up with a nice bow at the end!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
My full review of this book will post to my blog on 7/31/20. All of my reviews can be found at https://shejustlovesbooks.com/all-boo...
I loved the dark edge that this story had. It’s a twisted book with a noir theme, and I loved that!
How I Felt:
This story is a crazy ride! Noah Spaeth gives us a view into the previous 4 years of his life in a twisted world of film, actors, drugs, and debauchery. Noah meets Adonis Dominick Bambach, the creator of Slow Down, the movie just as the creation is beginning. He’s also the creator of a drug called Fast. Noah becomes his assistant for the movie and gives us a first-view look into this world. Noah soon realizes that he can do a better job of creating this movie. The book is fast-paced and filled will dark twists that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
The characters in this book were easy to hate. It’s funny, I’m usually one that is saying, “Oh I loved the characters, they made it hard to put the book down”. In this case though, I didn’t like the characters, and yet I found myself utterly enraptured in their story! Noah is the main character, and he is spoiled, self-centered, and irritating. I found myself still connecting to him, and hoping he can make it all work out in the end. I think that Lee Matthew Goldberg did an exceptional job at creating characters that were not likable, but still enjoyable, readable characters!
Overall, I was really invested in Slow Down. I liked the portrayal of the characters and their downward spirals. I loved the surprising twists, and felt they made the story something that I continue to think about after finishing the book!
To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend Slow Down to readers that enjoy dark novels with twists that don’t wrap up with a nice bow at the end!
I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.
My full review of this book will post to my blog on 7/31/20. All of my reviews can be found at https://shejustlovesbooks.com/all-boo...
May 15, 2020
I wasn’t too sure about this one when I first started reading but I was sucked in by the Talking Heads quote in the front end matter not that it is my favorite quote from my favorite Talking Heads album it must be said. I’m a big fan of True Stories the film and the soundtrack and the record. But it also must be said that the song “This Must Be the Place” does relate to the story of Slow Down and David Byrne is a New Yorker and he represents the kind of New York presented in the novel as anyone who is a fan of the former ‘Heads front man would know.
Goldberg makes his readers wait a long time for the thrilling side of his thriller as he lays out the setting of clubs and parties and presents his cast of messed-up characters filled with drugs and aspirations to become movie stars and directors wanting to hit the big time. Slow Down is narrated as a memoir looking back on the previous few years by twenty-something rich kid Noah. A tight knot of players interweave as the plot unfolds in one long breathless descent into craziness and betrayal and deception. Goldberg writes well and it might be said too well in places as I could smell the putrescent odours and taste the absinthe.
I’ve always considered the spoiled brat elite to be tremendously annoying as characters and hardly worth the author’s time of day. Goldberg has changed my mind about that. The ending of this novel comes with a backwards slap as Noah is forced to reassess everything he believed was and wasn’t true.
Slow Down is most definitely a thriller to look out for.
Goldberg makes his readers wait a long time for the thrilling side of his thriller as he lays out the setting of clubs and parties and presents his cast of messed-up characters filled with drugs and aspirations to become movie stars and directors wanting to hit the big time. Slow Down is narrated as a memoir looking back on the previous few years by twenty-something rich kid Noah. A tight knot of players interweave as the plot unfolds in one long breathless descent into craziness and betrayal and deception. Goldberg writes well and it might be said too well in places as I could smell the putrescent odours and taste the absinthe.
I’ve always considered the spoiled brat elite to be tremendously annoying as characters and hardly worth the author’s time of day. Goldberg has changed my mind about that. The ending of this novel comes with a backwards slap as Noah is forced to reassess everything he believed was and wasn’t true.
Slow Down is most definitely a thriller to look out for.
May 15, 2020
Please note: I was gifted a free copy of this book in return for an honest review
What a book! It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. Lee Matthew Goldberg explores society and hunger for fame in Slow Down, where we follow an ambitious amateur filmmaker from Manhattan who is willing to do whatever he can to further his career despite the cost.
Two things really struck me with this book - one, that Goldberg writes an obnoxious and self-absorbed anti-hero so well that I couldn't help but want him to succeed despite how awful I thought he is, and two, the candid yet almost poetic descriptions weaved into the text. Every moment feels lived, experienced, and it's hard not to get completely sucked in. Definitely the sort of book you won't want to put down!
Slow Down is similar to novels like Fight Club and The Dice Man so won't be for everyone - very graphic, explicit text with sex, drugs, illicit desires, and more. Keep this in mind, but if you like frank, clever writing that doesn't hold back then this is 100% for you.
You can read my full review here:
https://pagesplacesandplates.com/2020...
What a book! It's hard to believe that this is a debut novel. Lee Matthew Goldberg explores society and hunger for fame in Slow Down, where we follow an ambitious amateur filmmaker from Manhattan who is willing to do whatever he can to further his career despite the cost.
Two things really struck me with this book - one, that Goldberg writes an obnoxious and self-absorbed anti-hero so well that I couldn't help but want him to succeed despite how awful I thought he is, and two, the candid yet almost poetic descriptions weaved into the text. Every moment feels lived, experienced, and it's hard not to get completely sucked in. Definitely the sort of book you won't want to put down!
Slow Down is similar to novels like Fight Club and The Dice Man so won't be for everyone - very graphic, explicit text with sex, drugs, illicit desires, and more. Keep this in mind, but if you like frank, clever writing that doesn't hold back then this is 100% for you.
You can read my full review here:
https://pagesplacesandplates.com/2020...
May 16, 2020
Slow Down is kind of slow-burn story as Lee Matthew Goldberg sets the stage for some not so likable characters. Yes, I said what I meant to say - these characters are not likable, including our main character, Noah. Yet, like him or not, I wanted to see what would happen. This one has a decidedly noir feel to it, which was an interesting way to take it in my opinion. Nevertheless, it works. It's also pretty graphic and explicit, which also works. I have to hand it to the author - his timing is quite good, and he's managed to pen a character that I can simultaneously dislike and kind of root for. I spent a good deal of this book trying to decide if the not so nice Noah was redeemable or not. Now, maybe I was on the wrong track all the way round, but it felt like that was a central question to this tale. Whether that answer is yes or no is something you'll have to read to find out, and I would certainly recommend that you do.
December 27, 2020
Goodreads Kindle Copy Win
An aspiring writer and director finds himself coveting his boss job as director as he finds himself lusting after the lead actress whom the director is having an affair with. To make matters even more interesting, we are thrown in the spurn wife who comes up with her own nefarious plot for her cheating husband demise.
It is a fun thriller with people who are willing to do what they want despite the consequences to get ahead without caring what they actions will do.
An aspiring writer and director finds himself coveting his boss job as director as he finds himself lusting after the lead actress whom the director is having an affair with. To make matters even more interesting, we are thrown in the spurn wife who comes up with her own nefarious plot for her cheating husband demise.
It is a fun thriller with people who are willing to do what they want despite the consequences to get ahead without caring what they actions will do.
September 4, 2015
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not usually a fan of books where I don't particularly like the main character, but with Slow Down, I found myself rooting for the man even though he wasn't so nice. What seems, at face value, to be a pretty straight forward book about the dangers of working for a film director on the edge, becomes so much more by the end of the book. Quite impressive.
I'm not usually a fan of books where I don't particularly like the main character, but with Slow Down, I found myself rooting for the man even though he wasn't so nice. What seems, at face value, to be a pretty straight forward book about the dangers of working for a film director on the edge, becomes so much more by the end of the book. Quite impressive.
May 18, 2020
It's not often that a book claiming to take a mirror to society actually does so effectively while still being enjoyable to read. Slow Down does this perfectly: it delves into the underbelly of Hollywood, teeming with drugs, sex and betrayal. Goldberg doesn't shy away from the depravity of the industry; it presents the highs and the lows without sparing us the gritty details.
Slow Down is a genuinely intriguing novel, especially considering the very first chapter tells us how it's going to end. The use of an unreliable narrator makes Noah's journey from amateur filmmaker to ardent fanboy to award-winning director so much deeper than it initially appears. The threads weaved through the novel - the drug, the tattoos, the colour yellow, the constant filming - are tied together expertly at the end.
It's a tale drenched in jealousy and ambition, and it was so much fun to read. I highly recommend Slow Down.
Slow Down is a genuinely intriguing novel, especially considering the very first chapter tells us how it's going to end. The use of an unreliable narrator makes Noah's journey from amateur filmmaker to ardent fanboy to award-winning director so much deeper than it initially appears. The threads weaved through the novel - the drug, the tattoos, the colour yellow, the constant filming - are tied together expertly at the end.
It's a tale drenched in jealousy and ambition, and it was so much fun to read. I highly recommend Slow Down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2020
Title: Slow Down
Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg
Rating: ★★★.5☆☆
How far would you go to make your dreams come true? For budding writer and filmmaker Noah Spaeth, being a Production Assistant in director Dominick’s Bambach’s new avant-garde film isn’t enough. Neither is watching Dominick have an affair with the lead actress, the gorgeous but troubled Nevie Wyeth.
For Noah’s dream is to get both the film and Nevie in the end, whatever the cost. And this obsession may soon become a reality once Dominick’s spurned wife Isadora reveals her femme fatale nature with a seductive plot to get rid of her husband for good. Slow Down, a cross between the noir styling of James M. Cain and the dark satire of Bret Easton Ellis, is a thrilling page-turner that holds a mirror up to a media-saturated society that is constantly searching for the fastest way to get ahead, regardless of consequences.
A Drug Induced Story
I had an idea of what I was getting in to when I started Slow Down, but I don’t think it’s possible to entirely understand a book until you start reading it.
Slow Down reminded me of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; both drug filled adventures that keep you on the edge of your seat.
I’m not always the biggest fan of these stories. Often the characters are out of their minds the entire time and they try to sound like the smartest man in the world; having reasoned out why humans suck, and it gets annoying.
Slow Down had this aspect to it, and at times it was too much, but it wasn’t intolerable.
For the most part, the characters are just high on drugs and partying, which I would usually find annoying, but Goldberg is able to tame it down and give us more of a mystery in the background of it all.
Blunt and Vulgar
With an entire story focused on being high on drugs, you can expect some vulgarness. Swearing, disrespecting women, death and more are all commonplace in Slow Down.
It makes sense in some parts of the story, but others it just felt like the character choice, and that made the story contradictory in a sense.
They were supposed to be enlightened and brilliant, yet they are disrespectful towards women and were prone to violence.
It’s a subtle touch by Goldberg, to show readers that the character’s are just as ignorant as they claim they aren’t, and that was a part of why I gave it a slightly higher rating than I normally would have.
Fast-Paced Read
Another aspect of this story that made me appreciate it more than I normally would for this type of story, is that the story was written around the drugs involved in the story.
If your story is just one drug-induced trip pretty much, then let the story be written that way. Don’t give me some slow burning story about drugs and their effects on people and the protagonist’s slow demise down the drug-filled rabbit hole.
I want something fast-paced, non stop, keeping me excited and waiting to see what happens next.
Goldberg does that well with Slow Down. Thing start a bit slow, but they ramp up at a nice pace and eventually things are happening left and right, you can’t help but keep reading.
Final Thoughts
Slow Down isn’t my go-to choice of book to read. I usually prefer something with a bit more subtlety to it and not as in your face as drug focused stories often are, but Slow Down had a lot going on in the background which I appreciated.
I enjoyed reading it, and it is a short read, so you can definitely get through it quickly.
What did you think about Slow Down? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
Author: Lee Matthew Goldberg
Rating: ★★★.5☆☆
How far would you go to make your dreams come true? For budding writer and filmmaker Noah Spaeth, being a Production Assistant in director Dominick’s Bambach’s new avant-garde film isn’t enough. Neither is watching Dominick have an affair with the lead actress, the gorgeous but troubled Nevie Wyeth.
For Noah’s dream is to get both the film and Nevie in the end, whatever the cost. And this obsession may soon become a reality once Dominick’s spurned wife Isadora reveals her femme fatale nature with a seductive plot to get rid of her husband for good. Slow Down, a cross between the noir styling of James M. Cain and the dark satire of Bret Easton Ellis, is a thrilling page-turner that holds a mirror up to a media-saturated society that is constantly searching for the fastest way to get ahead, regardless of consequences.
A Drug Induced Story
I had an idea of what I was getting in to when I started Slow Down, but I don’t think it’s possible to entirely understand a book until you start reading it.
Slow Down reminded me of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas; both drug filled adventures that keep you on the edge of your seat.
I’m not always the biggest fan of these stories. Often the characters are out of their minds the entire time and they try to sound like the smartest man in the world; having reasoned out why humans suck, and it gets annoying.
Slow Down had this aspect to it, and at times it was too much, but it wasn’t intolerable.
For the most part, the characters are just high on drugs and partying, which I would usually find annoying, but Goldberg is able to tame it down and give us more of a mystery in the background of it all.
Blunt and Vulgar
With an entire story focused on being high on drugs, you can expect some vulgarness. Swearing, disrespecting women, death and more are all commonplace in Slow Down.
It makes sense in some parts of the story, but others it just felt like the character choice, and that made the story contradictory in a sense.
They were supposed to be enlightened and brilliant, yet they are disrespectful towards women and were prone to violence.
It’s a subtle touch by Goldberg, to show readers that the character’s are just as ignorant as they claim they aren’t, and that was a part of why I gave it a slightly higher rating than I normally would have.
Fast-Paced Read
Another aspect of this story that made me appreciate it more than I normally would for this type of story, is that the story was written around the drugs involved in the story.
If your story is just one drug-induced trip pretty much, then let the story be written that way. Don’t give me some slow burning story about drugs and their effects on people and the protagonist’s slow demise down the drug-filled rabbit hole.
I want something fast-paced, non stop, keeping me excited and waiting to see what happens next.
Goldberg does that well with Slow Down. Thing start a bit slow, but they ramp up at a nice pace and eventually things are happening left and right, you can’t help but keep reading.
Final Thoughts
Slow Down isn’t my go-to choice of book to read. I usually prefer something with a bit more subtlety to it and not as in your face as drug focused stories often are, but Slow Down had a lot going on in the background which I appreciated.
I enjoyed reading it, and it is a short read, so you can definitely get through it quickly.
What did you think about Slow Down? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
July 20, 2021
"I met Dominick Bambach four long years ago". He let out a laugh that sounded like he was gagging. "And I can't help but wonder, what if I never had? Where would I be now? Who would I be? Sometimes I feel like the real me died a long time ago, or at least whatever part of me was worthwhile."
Noah Spaeth, mid-twenties, reflects on his hedonistic introduction to the film industry several years prior. Bookended by chapters in which present-day Noah recounts his tale to a ghostwriter, the bulk of the book is an in-depth recollection of the Bacchanalian baptism-by-fire Noah encounters amongst his fellow Manhattan moviemakers.
Our narrator recounts his introduction to Dominick Bambach, an unpleasant womaniser, drug abuser, and filmmaker. Known for one major, critically-acclaimed feature, he is working towards a second when Noah crosses his path. Recently sacked from a dead-end job, Noah is seeking something more creatively fulfilling from life. Nevie, a girlfriend of Noah's and an actress in Dominick's film, introduces Noah to Dominick at a party. Seduced by the prospect of success and attention, Noah seeks to inveigle himself in Dominick's life, and the two build something akin to a mentor-mentee rapport. Inevitably, often tragically, it comes at substantial moral cost - think classic noir meets Wolf of Wall Street.
Along the way, Noah also finds himself involved sexually and emotionally with several women, each adding a fresh layer of complexity to the uncomfortable terrain he finds himself navigating; and repels his wealthy siblings, who soon find their own selves entangled in Dominick's web of debauchery. His occasional domestic recesses are the novel's only real breathing space, and while clearly coming from a home of privilege, a number of scenes there offer a nice counterbalance to the darker material happening on-set and at parties.
Slow Down's prose is propulsive, fast-moving and fast-living. Goldberg clearly has a knack for writing a quick-moving, continuously enthralling story. Tension is continuously high, and stakes ratchet up quickly. Noah's tale becomes increasingly high-wire, as early optimism gives way to tragic femmes fatales and disturbing darkness. That's not to say the book is ever truly light, though; from only the second chapter, iniquity and immorality begins to splatter across the peppy, sunny upper-middle-class landscape. By book's end, there's little exoneration to be found for many of our characters, and given the genre, it's no spoiler to note that death and destruction lie in the tale's wake.
The characters here are well-drawn - often shallow and hollow, but entirely by design. Noah, our protagonist, feels particularly three-dimensional, with a depth that feels entirely realistic and motivations that feel authentic, yet clearly home to traits that unerringly unpleasant - a narrow line to walk, but Goldberg nails the tone entirely. Disagreeable Dominick is a variant on a classic archetype, but he is no less realistic for it, an entitled manipulator who has let his own desires dictate his entire life, and feels doomed to a tragic end. Secondary characters - Nevie, Dominick's wife Isadora, Noah's siblings - feel equally precise.
A pulpy, Sunshine Noir thrill ride that dares to venture into the bleakest, blackest corners of the human psyche.
I received an e-book in exchange for an honest review
September 16, 2020
4.5 stars
While reading, I kept imagining how this story would come to life through the lens of Nicolas Winding Refn. If you're a fan of movies such as The Neon Demon or American Psycho, where the delirious obsession with fame drives one to extreme actions—Slow Down will be right up your alley.
Essentially a story about a filmmaker being pressured to write his next 'big' movie, Lee Matthew Goldberg blends many familiar 'Rags to Riches' themes within a razor sharp narratives about filmmaking: life imitating art (or vice versa), never meet one's hero, and power struggle within relationship. The story is purposefully filled with unpleasant characters; if you're familiar with the aforementioned films and Chuck Palahniuk.'s Fight Club (which was referenced multiple times), you'll have a good grasp of the archetype populating this story: self-righteous, headstrong, and turbulent. Slow Down satisfies our macabre curiosity of just how far one would do, with extreme malevolence and beyond morality, to quench assumed life-depending desire or reputation.
It might be bizarre to call a book 'cinematic', but that is exactly how Slow Down reads; Lee Matthew Goldberg set up multiple recurring visual cues, which all come to satisfying revelation as the story wraps up. My only minor gripe with Slow Down is it's truncated ending, which abruptly brings everything to closure in a way that is too naive and dainty for the events prior. BUT, within its meta, cyclical storytelling structure, the choice is also completely intentional and justified; so the final verdict really depends on personal preference: would you prefer an all-out, emotionally gutted ending, or one that is less thrilling, but thematically appropriate?
To close, if you have been a fan of hypnotic Neo-noir narrative where characters self-destruct and being their absolutely worst to others for questionable victory, then you'll definitely find Slow Down a worthwhile read.
***This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!***
While reading, I kept imagining how this story would come to life through the lens of Nicolas Winding Refn. If you're a fan of movies such as The Neon Demon or American Psycho, where the delirious obsession with fame drives one to extreme actions—Slow Down will be right up your alley.
Essentially a story about a filmmaker being pressured to write his next 'big' movie, Lee Matthew Goldberg blends many familiar 'Rags to Riches' themes within a razor sharp narratives about filmmaking: life imitating art (or vice versa), never meet one's hero, and power struggle within relationship. The story is purposefully filled with unpleasant characters; if you're familiar with the aforementioned films and Chuck Palahniuk.'s Fight Club (which was referenced multiple times), you'll have a good grasp of the archetype populating this story: self-righteous, headstrong, and turbulent. Slow Down satisfies our macabre curiosity of just how far one would do, with extreme malevolence and beyond morality, to quench assumed life-depending desire or reputation.
It might be bizarre to call a book 'cinematic', but that is exactly how Slow Down reads; Lee Matthew Goldberg set up multiple recurring visual cues, which all come to satisfying revelation as the story wraps up. My only minor gripe with Slow Down is it's truncated ending, which abruptly brings everything to closure in a way that is too naive and dainty for the events prior. BUT, within its meta, cyclical storytelling structure, the choice is also completely intentional and justified; so the final verdict really depends on personal preference: would you prefer an all-out, emotionally gutted ending, or one that is less thrilling, but thematically appropriate?
To close, if you have been a fan of hypnotic Neo-noir narrative where characters self-destruct and being their absolutely worst to others for questionable victory, then you'll definitely find Slow Down a worthwhile read.
***This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!***
August 10, 2020
This is a tough book to review for several reasons. I didn't like any of the characters in this book. It was hard to find any redeeming characteristics in any of them. Noah does start to redeem himself near the end (or at least I wanted him to come out ahead in the end), but it takes many bad decisions for that to happen. It is also a very dark and gritty book, and by that, I mean lots of sex, drugs, drinking, and foul language. It is key to the progression of the book and characters, so just be prepared for those aspects. It also took me nearly 45% of the book to really understand what was happening and to have some of my own questions that I desired answers. I do believe all of the questions were answered, but the book does end with a few loose ends.
The book features entitled and spoiled characters, which is another reason why I don't like them. Perhaps it is not their fault since their parents have basically abandoned them (Noah and his two siblings), but this behavior is common today (sadly) and is hard to digest if one is not familiar with that type of lifestyle. Noah and his brother Dex have talent and potential, but seemingly take the easy way out of life.
Dominick is Noah's mentor and brings him on to help him with his film. This is Noah's dream but as a cocky 22 year old, feels like he could produce a better film. Maybe he could, but his ego tends to get the better of him. It is this relationship that dooms Noah to the life he ends up with at the end. There are also some love interests for Noah, his longtime friend Nevie and Dominick's wife, Isadora. Isadora is one messed up woman. That is all I am going to say about her because too much more would give away some of the storyline.
This is not normally a book I would pick up, but I did enjoy the twists and turns towards the end. We give this 3 1/2 paws up.
The book features entitled and spoiled characters, which is another reason why I don't like them. Perhaps it is not their fault since their parents have basically abandoned them (Noah and his two siblings), but this behavior is common today (sadly) and is hard to digest if one is not familiar with that type of lifestyle. Noah and his brother Dex have talent and potential, but seemingly take the easy way out of life.
Dominick is Noah's mentor and brings him on to help him with his film. This is Noah's dream but as a cocky 22 year old, feels like he could produce a better film. Maybe he could, but his ego tends to get the better of him. It is this relationship that dooms Noah to the life he ends up with at the end. There are also some love interests for Noah, his longtime friend Nevie and Dominick's wife, Isadora. Isadora is one messed up woman. That is all I am going to say about her because too much more would give away some of the storyline.
This is not normally a book I would pick up, but I did enjoy the twists and turns towards the end. We give this 3 1/2 paws up.
May 20, 2020
Slow Down is a terrifyingly addictive book. Like the drug which runs through it like a streak of poison, it completely takes you over. Gently at first (“An interesting little book I suppose, nicely written though I don’t like the character. I could put it down any time…”) then a little more insistent (“Well, I don’t need to, but I may as well just read another chapter before I go to bed; he’s not a nice man, but I’m kind of intrigued”) until eventually you have to succumb (“No, go away, can't you see I'm reading? Bed? Oh for goodness sake – scrap bed until it’s finished. What, I’ve been up 31 hours already? No, leave me alone! Just let me read my book.”
Did I like it? Who cares? It didn’t ask me to like it. The author is slick and clever enough that he sidesteps such requirements as “identifying with the hero”.
Let’s be clear. It’s a book about a thoroughly unlikeable man leading a hollow, empty, pointless, life, (rather worse than merely “without virtue or purpose”) in a world that is much the same. His attitude to women is appalling. His idea of romance doesn’t include leaving dinner early to check out the love of his life who he knows is probably killing herself. He’s a stranger to friendship, loyalty, compassion even. In fact, he is quite without redeeming features. I never wanted to be him, or to know him or to live in his world.
I can see all this. But I don’t have to feel responsible for enjoying this book. I never chose to spend the whole of my weekend with it. I’m its victim, see? It spiked my drinks then kidnapped me. (Don’t be in a rush to call an ambulance or pay the ransom though – before I come home I just want to check if this author has written anything else…)
Did I like it? Who cares? It didn’t ask me to like it. The author is slick and clever enough that he sidesteps such requirements as “identifying with the hero”.
Let’s be clear. It’s a book about a thoroughly unlikeable man leading a hollow, empty, pointless, life, (rather worse than merely “without virtue or purpose”) in a world that is much the same. His attitude to women is appalling. His idea of romance doesn’t include leaving dinner early to check out the love of his life who he knows is probably killing herself. He’s a stranger to friendship, loyalty, compassion even. In fact, he is quite without redeeming features. I never wanted to be him, or to know him or to live in his world.
I can see all this. But I don’t have to feel responsible for enjoying this book. I never chose to spend the whole of my weekend with it. I’m its victim, see? It spiked my drinks then kidnapped me. (Don’t be in a rush to call an ambulance or pay the ransom though – before I come home I just want to check if this author has written anything else…)
January 16, 2021
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The story taking place in Manhattan describes the adventures or un-adventures of Noah a young man from a wealthy family trying to come at peace with his longtime desired girlfriend Nevie who got enamored with Dominik a mature and moderately famous film director.
The characters in the story all stem from the happy-few heirs of people rich enough to be endlessly traveling for pleasure neglecting to take care of their left alone progeny, who wander around trying all artificial pleasures at their disposal, with one only single goal in life being famous, recognized and rich.
One popular access to fame seems to be the film industry where becoming actress, editor or writer requires being ready to whatever it takes to succeed: “the myth of Faust” being revisited.
Noah caught in the turmoil of this New Yorker ring sees in Dominik everything he wants to become and sees replacing him as the key to the re-conquest of Nevie, his wealth and to Isadora his wife.
The book hovers around the torment of people caught in the endless search for success were it to be a finding a soul mate or a sexual fulfillment, willing to forfeit their innocence and freedom against personal success.
It is a well written novel, portraying at best desperate characters caught in a game they do not seem willing to evade from, a world with a toxic atmosphere to it, only salvation in sight appearing for Noah being his true love with Nevie (?) and confessing his sins….. in a book, putting his freedom at risk.
I would advise reading it.
The story taking place in Manhattan describes the adventures or un-adventures of Noah a young man from a wealthy family trying to come at peace with his longtime desired girlfriend Nevie who got enamored with Dominik a mature and moderately famous film director.
The characters in the story all stem from the happy-few heirs of people rich enough to be endlessly traveling for pleasure neglecting to take care of their left alone progeny, who wander around trying all artificial pleasures at their disposal, with one only single goal in life being famous, recognized and rich.
One popular access to fame seems to be the film industry where becoming actress, editor or writer requires being ready to whatever it takes to succeed: “the myth of Faust” being revisited.
Noah caught in the turmoil of this New Yorker ring sees in Dominik everything he wants to become and sees replacing him as the key to the re-conquest of Nevie, his wealth and to Isadora his wife.
The book hovers around the torment of people caught in the endless search for success were it to be a finding a soul mate or a sexual fulfillment, willing to forfeit their innocence and freedom against personal success.
It is a well written novel, portraying at best desperate characters caught in a game they do not seem willing to evade from, a world with a toxic atmosphere to it, only salvation in sight appearing for Noah being his true love with Nevie (?) and confessing his sins….. in a book, putting his freedom at risk.
I would advise reading it.
May 21, 2020
This book starts slow, like one of those evil rollercoasters that lull you into calm and you wonder what the fuss was about – only to hurl you screaming into a fast and furious ride.
In a stifling, sickening world of too much money, too many drugs and utterly ruthless ambition, Noah is just another of the hopefuls: entitled, wealthy, self-absorbed, hungry – with no obvious justification – for a glittering future in the elite society of Hollywood talent.
No one gets on in this world without lucky breaks, but a lucky break, on its own is not enough. A lucky break must be cultivated, one must focus on the prize, be ready to do what is necessary to seize it, whatever it takes. No matter what. And Noah is ready. His lucky break – encountering film Director Dominick Bambach, a rising talent surrounded by cynical, addicted followers, a celebrated film behind him and another in the making – is an opportunity he won’t waste. From the outset the path is clear: Noah will ingratiate himself, make himself indispensable, get into Dominick’s limelight, then subvert, eclipse and discard him. It’s not as if Dominick is a victim – quite the contrary – indeed he is so unlikeable that one is occasionally tricked into rooting for Noah.
Only occasionally.
The plot is cleverly worked out, the world created with meticulous detail, the writing absolutely assured. It’s a thrilling, high octane ride, and you might notice a few messages as it spins you round, but you won’t have time to focus on them. It’s a rollercoaster remember. You’ll feel a bit sick when you get off.
In a stifling, sickening world of too much money, too many drugs and utterly ruthless ambition, Noah is just another of the hopefuls: entitled, wealthy, self-absorbed, hungry – with no obvious justification – for a glittering future in the elite society of Hollywood talent.
No one gets on in this world without lucky breaks, but a lucky break, on its own is not enough. A lucky break must be cultivated, one must focus on the prize, be ready to do what is necessary to seize it, whatever it takes. No matter what. And Noah is ready. His lucky break – encountering film Director Dominick Bambach, a rising talent surrounded by cynical, addicted followers, a celebrated film behind him and another in the making – is an opportunity he won’t waste. From the outset the path is clear: Noah will ingratiate himself, make himself indispensable, get into Dominick’s limelight, then subvert, eclipse and discard him. It’s not as if Dominick is a victim – quite the contrary – indeed he is so unlikeable that one is occasionally tricked into rooting for Noah.
Only occasionally.
The plot is cleverly worked out, the world created with meticulous detail, the writing absolutely assured. It’s a thrilling, high octane ride, and you might notice a few messages as it spins you round, but you won’t have time to focus on them. It’s a rollercoaster remember. You’ll feel a bit sick when you get off.
August 12, 2020
Slow Down is wild. It's strange. It's one crazy read. There's lies, betrayal, sex, drugs, and murder. What more could you ask for?
The story is a bit slow to begin with, but once it gets going, it'll make your head spin. It's narrated by Noah, the main character, who happens to be in his mid-twenties. He's discussing the last four years of his life, and boy, was his life insane. He's a rich, spoiled brat type, and you can't help but dislike him while also liking him quite a bit. He's an enigma. He also wants to be a famous writer/filmmaker, and he'll stop at nothing to reach that dream.
Noah befriends a new "hot" director named Dominick, someone he meets via a girl named Nevie. Noah went to school with Nevie, and they go way back. Nevie is also Dom's mistress (he's married), but Noah is keen on snatching her away to have for himself.
Then there's Isadora, Dom's wife. She starts off seemingly tolerant of Dom's playboy ways, but soon hatches a plot to get rid of her husband for good.
The characters are well-written and have a very real vibe to them.
The plot is paced nicely, and once you hit a certain point, you'll find yourself eagerly flying through the book, wanting to see just how it'll all play out.
If you're a fan of thrillers, you'll want to give Slow Down a whirl.
4 stars.
The story is a bit slow to begin with, but once it gets going, it'll make your head spin. It's narrated by Noah, the main character, who happens to be in his mid-twenties. He's discussing the last four years of his life, and boy, was his life insane. He's a rich, spoiled brat type, and you can't help but dislike him while also liking him quite a bit. He's an enigma. He also wants to be a famous writer/filmmaker, and he'll stop at nothing to reach that dream.
Noah befriends a new "hot" director named Dominick, someone he meets via a girl named Nevie. Noah went to school with Nevie, and they go way back. Nevie is also Dom's mistress (he's married), but Noah is keen on snatching her away to have for himself.
Then there's Isadora, Dom's wife. She starts off seemingly tolerant of Dom's playboy ways, but soon hatches a plot to get rid of her husband for good.
The characters are well-written and have a very real vibe to them.
The plot is paced nicely, and once you hit a certain point, you'll find yourself eagerly flying through the book, wanting to see just how it'll all play out.
If you're a fan of thrillers, you'll want to give Slow Down a whirl.
4 stars.
November 7, 2020
Slow down is a gritty novel about Noah who is dissatisfied with his mundane life dreaming of breaking into the seemingly illustrious lifestyle of a screenwriter. The love of his life is Nevie is always frustrated with his reckless lifestyle but longs for excitement herself they both fall into the seedy traps of excess in a Manhattan backdrop.
It's a disturbing but realistic portrayal of the dirty and selfish side of fame. The lengths people will go to, to be noticed, to become rich and an A list celebrity. It shows how much it can change people into unrecognisable and unlikable beings for greed.
If you want an exciting tale with a fairytale ending this isn't a love story for you, but if you want a gutsy believable story which shows fame and all it's ugliness and the love people can have for each other despite these failings you'll love it.
The character Noah reminds you of smart arses from other writers I love like Lee Child and Nelson Demille.
It's a disturbing but realistic portrayal of the dirty and selfish side of fame. The lengths people will go to, to be noticed, to become rich and an A list celebrity. It shows how much it can change people into unrecognisable and unlikable beings for greed.
If you want an exciting tale with a fairytale ending this isn't a love story for you, but if you want a gutsy believable story which shows fame and all it's ugliness and the love people can have for each other despite these failings you'll love it.
The character Noah reminds you of smart arses from other writers I love like Lee Child and Nelson Demille.
May 20, 2020
Slow Down is the tale of Noah Spaeth, the man who has everything, but wants more. It’s the story of one upmanship and how far Noah and Dominick will go to get what they want.
A fast paced thriller set in the film industry with all its decadence, drugs and greed. A gripping, disturbing story of excess, betrayal and corruption. Brilliant.
Thank you to Blackthorn Tours for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a free ecopy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.
A fast paced thriller set in the film industry with all its decadence, drugs and greed. A gripping, disturbing story of excess, betrayal and corruption. Brilliant.
Thank you to Blackthorn Tours for the opportunity to take part in this blog tour, for the promotional material and a free ecopy of the book. This is my honest and unbiased review.
December 6, 2020
A dark twisted plot that was strangely addictive. Right from the start I kept thinking this is brilliant and then my next thought was I shouldn’t be reading this....at least I shouldn’t be liking this.
Every character had a palpable desperation about them. People you just wanted to shake- some to death.
A debauched tale that lingers with you long after you stop reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Every character had a palpable desperation about them. People you just wanted to shake- some to death.
A debauched tale that lingers with you long after you stop reading.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
December 29, 2020
Thank you to author Lee Matthew Goldberg for this FREE Kindle copy of Slow Down. And thanks to Goodreads for hosting the opportunity.
The human animal. Like grabbing a typical soul, dissecting it and laying it open for all to see. What most turn from to believe it's not there.
Anywho, a well written first book from Mr. Goldberg, inside a nicely done cover. Also, some appreciated words about the story and it's origins. Well done. A good read.
The human animal. Like grabbing a typical soul, dissecting it and laying it open for all to see. What most turn from to believe it's not there.
Anywho, a well written first book from Mr. Goldberg, inside a nicely done cover. Also, some appreciated words about the story and it's origins. Well done. A good read.
October 3, 2020
A very modern thriller, I felt like the cynicism which seems to come for many in today’s world was captured perfectly. It reminded me of The Black Dahlia in terms of the atmosphere the author built. Not an uplifting read by any means, this book nonetheless appeals through the sheer artistry of the dialogue. A very impressive book indeed.
April 16, 2021
Honestly with just a basic idea of the premise I dived into this ARC not knowing what to expect given the shorter than usual amount of pages, I certainly didn't expect to be as blown away as I was by the end of it! Written more like a memoir this deliciously twisted and sexy noir novel is worth a read for every thriller fan looking for a story with an edge.
August 6, 2020
One of those books that twists your feelings from disliking the main character to rooting for him in the end . Highly enjoyable read.
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