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Matchstick Men: A Novel of Petty Crimes
THE INSPIRATION BEHIND RIDLEY SCOTT’S NEXT MOVIE—STARRING NICOLAS CAGE AND SAM ROCKWELL—BY ERIC GARCIA, THE ACCLAIMED CULT AUTHOR OF ANONYMOUS REX .
“After the first of Eric Garcia’s Rex books, I found myself thinking, ‘I wonder what he’s up to now.’ After Matchstick Men , a lot of other people will begin wondering, too.”—Thomas Perry, author of Pursuit
Roy and Frankie are matchstick men—con artists. Partners in elegant crimes for years, they know each other like brothers and have perfected the rules of the game.
Roy is the careful one. Saves every penny. Takes his medication regularly. Without the pills, his obsessive-compulsive disorder kicks in and he is too nauseated to do anything but stare at the dirt on the carpet.
Frankie is the adventurous one, hungry for a big score. He wants Roy to join him in running a tricky game, but Roy is distracted—for good reason. Roy has just discovered that he is the father of a punky teenage daughter from a brief marriage that ended years ago. Much to the frustration of Roy’s partner, the kid wants to get to know her father. She also wants to learn the family business.
Novelist Eric Garcia takes readers into the fast and funny world of grifters with issues. Matchstick Men is a dazzling literary con game that will keep readers guessing until the last page.
matchstick men (mach•stik men) n. pl. 1. simply drawn characters, meant to represent the human form 2. tavern betting game, invented circa 1920 3. con artists or grifters, those who steal via wit, trickery, or confusion 4. a mob of people, easily enraged 5. a deviously suspenseful and surprising novel by Eric Garcia, acclaimed cult author of Anonymous Rex 6. a major motion picture, directed by Ridley Scott, starring Nicolas Cage and Sam Rockwell, coming in 2003 from Warner Bros.
“After the first of Eric Garcia’s Rex books, I found myself thinking, ‘I wonder what he’s up to now.’ After Matchstick Men , a lot of other people will begin wondering, too.”—Thomas Perry, author of Pursuit
Roy and Frankie are matchstick men—con artists. Partners in elegant crimes for years, they know each other like brothers and have perfected the rules of the game.
Roy is the careful one. Saves every penny. Takes his medication regularly. Without the pills, his obsessive-compulsive disorder kicks in and he is too nauseated to do anything but stare at the dirt on the carpet.
Frankie is the adventurous one, hungry for a big score. He wants Roy to join him in running a tricky game, but Roy is distracted—for good reason. Roy has just discovered that he is the father of a punky teenage daughter from a brief marriage that ended years ago. Much to the frustration of Roy’s partner, the kid wants to get to know her father. She also wants to learn the family business.
Novelist Eric Garcia takes readers into the fast and funny world of grifters with issues. Matchstick Men is a dazzling literary con game that will keep readers guessing until the last page.
matchstick men (mach•stik men) n. pl. 1. simply drawn characters, meant to represent the human form 2. tavern betting game, invented circa 1920 3. con artists or grifters, those who steal via wit, trickery, or confusion 4. a mob of people, easily enraged 5. a deviously suspenseful and surprising novel by Eric Garcia, acclaimed cult author of Anonymous Rex 6. a major motion picture, directed by Ridley Scott, starring Nicolas Cage and Sam Rockwell, coming in 2003 from Warner Bros.
240 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
12 people are currently reading
761 people want to read
About the author
Eric Garcia
48 books73 followersEric Garcia grew up in Miami, Florida, and attended Cornell University and the University of Southern California, where he majored in creative writing and film. He lives outside Los Angeles with his wife, daughter, and dachshund. He is also developing a series for the Sci Fi channel based on the Rex novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews
August 28, 2017
I hadn't seen the movie version, so I went into this book without knowing much about it. It's a book about con men and the schemes they pull. I kind of guessed what was going on after the incident at the pharmacy, but that didn't diminish my enjoyment of the story. That ending! :(
February 10, 2016
4.5/5. Matchstick Men was a movie I watch when I was around 9-10, and almost 8 years later I decided to pick up the book. Having forgotten the plot of the film I really enjoyed the book and that ending! It left me feeling angry and sympathetic but also really glad that it ended the way it did. It was the perfect melancholic ending. The characters of Frankie, Roy, and Angela are really well fleshed out and we really grow a liking to all three. The book is fairly short in length, but it is a good length; the perfect length.
Now, off to watch the movie...again.
Now, off to watch the movie...again.
September 17, 2021
This is a great novel. The beauty of the story is the narrator. A "matchstick man" is a con-artist. This is told from the point of view of Roy. He is the master of the plan and the person who has everyone eating out of his hands. He is a genius, at least that is what the readers are led to believe. The majesty of this story is discovering who has been fooled in the pages of the book. Eric Garcia is a genius. This story is a fantastic ride.
April 16, 2014
A quick read that lacks depth. But still, it's kind of fun... well, maybe not precisely. I was ready for the story to be over, and was sourly disappointed with the ending. So maybe I'd call this a greasy spoon burger book.
On the cover, it states "Grifters with issues." This made me laugh, then it prompted me to lookup the word. It's a good word. If you don't know it, slide that fat dictionary off the shelf and put it to use. Wait. Do folks still use dictionaries and bookshelves? I do, but I'm not the typical techno-wizard with a pocketful of Google.
This book is all about cons. Cons within cons within cons. The pacing is brisk, the writing is somewhat clipped, and the story turns stale the more you read. I was hoping for characters with a bit more depth, but we can't have everything we want.
In the end, this book was like eating a cheap cheeseburger topped with pale lank lettuce and thick loose slabs of aging onions. The first bite tastes good because you're starved. You happily bolt down the pieces of meat and bun, knowing you should slow down but not caring. You're a'hungry. You guzzle bubbling Coke from a sweating finger smudged glass, mash greasy fries between salty lips, and then bury your teeth in the burger again. During mastication, you experience a fat and sodium food high. When you finally push away from that scuffed Formica and slump back in that fat-bottom booth, its sunk coils a bit too forgiving, heartburn is already slinking in at the edges.
But sometimes, it's okay to eat a meal like this, or read a book like this. You just don't want to make it a regular thing.
Despite my 2-star rating, I still had fun, or something akin to fun. If you're looking for a quick rainy-day kind of read, this will do the trick nicely.
On the cover, it states "Grifters with issues." This made me laugh, then it prompted me to lookup the word. It's a good word. If you don't know it, slide that fat dictionary off the shelf and put it to use. Wait. Do folks still use dictionaries and bookshelves? I do, but I'm not the typical techno-wizard with a pocketful of Google.
This book is all about cons. Cons within cons within cons. The pacing is brisk, the writing is somewhat clipped, and the story turns stale the more you read. I was hoping for characters with a bit more depth, but we can't have everything we want.
In the end, this book was like eating a cheap cheeseburger topped with pale lank lettuce and thick loose slabs of aging onions. The first bite tastes good because you're starved. You happily bolt down the pieces of meat and bun, knowing you should slow down but not caring. You're a'hungry. You guzzle bubbling Coke from a sweating finger smudged glass, mash greasy fries between salty lips, and then bury your teeth in the burger again. During mastication, you experience a fat and sodium food high. When you finally push away from that scuffed Formica and slump back in that fat-bottom booth, its sunk coils a bit too forgiving, heartburn is already slinking in at the edges.
But sometimes, it's okay to eat a meal like this, or read a book like this. You just don't want to make it a regular thing.
Despite my 2-star rating, I still had fun, or something akin to fun. If you're looking for a quick rainy-day kind of read, this will do the trick nicely.
September 30, 2014
I guessed the ending fairly early on, or I might have rated this higher. But finding out the details kept me interested to the end.
June 4, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! The pacing was good although there were times when I wondered where things were going, however, it all helped to pull everything together in the end. I never thought I would feel bad for a con man! I truly felt for Roy and everything he went through and his fate, there is a real lesson here about knowing who your real friends are and being able to read people well. It's often the things and people right in front of us that can be the most blinding.
July 8, 2010
Not a bad story per se, but I've read and watched enough grifter stories to predict how this one was going to end. I'm not a big "I'm going to outsmart this story," person, either. There was just an image that made my brain flash onto the answer. I guess that's what people mean when they talk about "telegraphing the ending?"
I love con men, though. I'll still see the movie just for fun.
I love con men, though. I'll still see the movie just for fun.
September 27, 2014
Well written in all respects and reads much like a screenplay due to the copious dialog, flashback elements etc. The adaptation to screen is identical to the book and like any good story, there's a nice twist at the end. Fast read and entertaining too!
July 23, 2018
There's a point less than halfway through where the author recklessly telegraphs the twist ending, which is a real bummer. The novel features some riveting cons and memorable moments, but the plot is undermined by some glaring holes.
September 21, 2020
Matchstick Men by Eric Garcia
Please give my Amazon review a helpful vote - https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
I came to this book after re-watching the 2003 Nicholas Cage movie.
I liked the Cage movie a lot for the manic energy that Cage brought to "Roy" and for the eventual hopeful redemption arc that ended the movie.
I like the book somewhat less, which is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book.
In the book, Roy and Frankie are running short cons that net them an income - a pretty big, tax-free income if one is wise enough to bank it in the Caymans like Roy. The problem is that Roy has a pretty pronounced Obsessive-Compulsive disorder that is making his life miserable. Fortunately, his psychiatrist helps him formulate a father-daughter relationship with Angela, his long-forgotten daugher from his one, failed marriage.
Roy and Frankie are good at the con game. We see them effortlessly shake down marks throughout the book, which is part of the fun of the book. But through it all, we know that they are evil, miserable SOBs, particularly when they are coming up with games to fleece a widow or the victims of debilitating diseases.
The book is highly readable. I read it a few sessions. The prose style puts the reader at the level of the grifters who are always on the hunt for a score. I guess the reason that ultimately I related more to the movie rather than the book is precisely because the movie introduced a false to the story Hollywood redemption arc, whereas the book was truer to the reality of the characters and the story. Ultimately, I understood that Cage's character knew he was evil and regretted that fact, whereas book Roy is satisfied with his evil.
Please give my Amazon review a helpful vote - https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-re...
I came to this book after re-watching the 2003 Nicholas Cage movie.
I liked the Cage movie a lot for the manic energy that Cage brought to "Roy" and for the eventual hopeful redemption arc that ended the movie.
I like the book somewhat less, which is not to say that I didn't enjoy the book.
In the book, Roy and Frankie are running short cons that net them an income - a pretty big, tax-free income if one is wise enough to bank it in the Caymans like Roy. The problem is that Roy has a pretty pronounced Obsessive-Compulsive disorder that is making his life miserable. Fortunately, his psychiatrist helps him formulate a father-daughter relationship with Angela, his long-forgotten daugher from his one, failed marriage.
Roy and Frankie are good at the con game. We see them effortlessly shake down marks throughout the book, which is part of the fun of the book. But through it all, we know that they are evil, miserable SOBs, particularly when they are coming up with games to fleece a widow or the victims of debilitating diseases.
The book is highly readable. I read it a few sessions. The prose style puts the reader at the level of the grifters who are always on the hunt for a score. I guess the reason that ultimately I related more to the movie rather than the book is precisely because the movie introduced a false to the story Hollywood redemption arc, whereas the book was truer to the reality of the characters and the story. Ultimately, I understood that Cage's character knew he was evil and regretted that fact, whereas book Roy is satisfied with his evil.
April 3, 2019
Another book I read long ago, purchased from a secondhand store and then never read for about 15 years. Loved the movie, remembered loving the book when I first read it, and it holds up. It's still a good long-con mystery that moves right along and has you rooting for these bad guys to pull off score after score. But, and this is rare - the movie did it better. The differences between the book and the movie were all beneficial, especially the less open-ending ended that wraps things up, unlike the book where it just leaves you thinking...something will happen. Like with most book-to-movie adaptations, I recommend reading the book first and then watching the movie. Which is what I plan to do.
December 17, 2019
I read this in about 2002 and remembered liking it but the movie obviously took first position in my mind since 2003. This holds up nicely but it's a fascinating study in adaptation, which I won't go into too much here for spoilery reasons. On its own, this is a very smart, gritty and at times stark look at grifters worthy of...well, The Grifters. The cons here are very clever but not too clever like in bad con men stories where the whole world would have to be in on it to make it work. The father-daughter relationship has more resonance than it did 17 years ago as I have a daughter now. This made Roy relatable, which was interesting given he's a small time criminal. Check out the book and check out the movie too. Fascinating to see the translation.
February 12, 2020
Having seen the movie the book was a bit anticlimactic. However it is a good well written quick read/listen. The story is compelling and the characters are great.
If you have not seen the movie this is well worth reading/listening to. You would have to be a fan of the movie for me to recommend reading this. The main reason I read this is I have been sick with (among other things) an ear infection that is messing with my ability to read for more than a few minutes. As a result a friend dropped off a bunch of audio books and this was one.
If you have not seen the movie this is well worth reading/listening to. You would have to be a fan of the movie for me to recommend reading this. The main reason I read this is I have been sick with (among other things) an ear infection that is messing with my ability to read for more than a few minutes. As a result a friend dropped off a bunch of audio books and this was one.
August 9, 2020
Shocked. Bewildered. Stunned. Stupefied. Dumbfounded. Speechless.
I can’t find adequate words. I will just say this:
I thought the book started out a little slow, but was still worth the read. I was fully prepared to rate it three stars and move on to the next one. The ending changed everything. — That’s all I can say without spoiling it. Read it for yourself. You probably won’t regret it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I can’t find adequate words. I will just say this:
I thought the book started out a little slow, but was still worth the read. I was fully prepared to rate it three stars and move on to the next one. The ending changed everything. — That’s all I can say without spoiling it. Read it for yourself. You probably won’t regret it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 14, 2017
I wanted to be shocked by this plot, but unfortunately I feel like I've read it several times before. I did appreciate the chapters in reverse order--for what that's worth, anyway. I don't find myself having too much to say here.
March 8, 2017
Excellent book! I love a good book/movie about con-men. The story moved along at a nice pace and always kept me wanting more. I listened to the audio book so there were a couple of days when I got home from work I stayed in the car to finish a track/chapter. Now I need to see the movie!
January 1, 2022
I always loved this movie, and finally got around to reading the book. The endings are different, but otherwise they’re pretty true to each other. I really loved the smart, concise writing style and look forward to reading more from this author.
February 11, 2022
An easy read, interesting stories and characters. I've watched the movie based on it several times. They stuck to this novel pretty well until the end, this ending hits you in the gut more, but still well done by the author.
November 25, 2018
Saw the ending coming very quickly, but it was a fun journey
March 3, 2019
Genius... unique... great and brilliant...
Fucking damn brilliant plot and storylines....
Fucking damn brilliant plot and storylines....
March 16, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. A great author.
May 11, 2020
Quick and fun read. Must suspend belief a bit but being thin on details/sophistication is what makes it quick and fun so 'no harm, no foul.' Read it.
May 19, 2020
Really good book. Time to watch the movie for class. I wonder how they pulled it off on screen.
August 17, 2021
A very good read, engaging dialogue, not exactly like the movie plot wise con wise but still makes one nostalgic for it.
November 30, 2021
3.5 stars
July 6, 2022
Noodolls
'Nubtials' - R
'Nubtials' - R
August 14, 2022
Good beach read:fun, quick and engaging.
November 7, 2022
3.9 Stars
Milton
Milton
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 95 reviews