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The Upper Hand
From Johnny Shaw, the Anthony Award–winning author of Big Maria, comes a wild tale about the wonderful things that bring a family together—larceny, deception, and revenge.
Fifteen years ago, Axel, Gretchen, and Kurt Ucker lost their father. At the same time, they learned that he had secretly been a thief their whole lives—and left a fortune unaccounted for. Since then, the Uckers have lived a precarious existence. Their small town shunned and shamed them. Their mother, Bertha, retreated into her religion and her favorite televangelist, Brother Tobin Floom. Axel got a dead-end job. Gretchen turned to petty crime. And Kurt stayed with his mom and his garage band.
When Bertha dies, she leaves everything she has to Floom and his gold-plated revival. The Uckers are at a loss for words. And an inheritance, a house, and a future.
Until their long-lost aunt shows up with a secret: Floom is their grandfather; some new relatives: a family of liars, cheats, and thieves; and best of all, a plan: infiltrate Floom’s multimillion-dollar ministry and pull off the grandest heist in Ucker family history.
When you’ve got nothing left to lose, you might as well risk it all.
Fifteen years ago, Axel, Gretchen, and Kurt Ucker lost their father. At the same time, they learned that he had secretly been a thief their whole lives—and left a fortune unaccounted for. Since then, the Uckers have lived a precarious existence. Their small town shunned and shamed them. Their mother, Bertha, retreated into her religion and her favorite televangelist, Brother Tobin Floom. Axel got a dead-end job. Gretchen turned to petty crime. And Kurt stayed with his mom and his garage band.
When Bertha dies, she leaves everything she has to Floom and his gold-plated revival. The Uckers are at a loss for words. And an inheritance, a house, and a future.
Until their long-lost aunt shows up with a secret: Floom is their grandfather; some new relatives: a family of liars, cheats, and thieves; and best of all, a plan: infiltrate Floom’s multimillion-dollar ministry and pull off the grandest heist in Ucker family history.
When you’ve got nothing left to lose, you might as well risk it all.
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First published July 3, 2018
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About the author
Johnny Shaw
28 books282 followersJohnny Shaw was born and raised on the Calexico/Mexicali border, the setting for his award-winning Jimmy Veeder Fiasco series, which includes the novels DOVE SEASON and PLASTER CITY. He is also the author of the Anthony Award-winning adventure novel, BIG MARIA.
His shorter work has appeared in Thuglit, Crime Factory, Shotgun Honey, Plots with Guns, and numerous anthologies. He is the creator and editor of the fiction magazine, BLOOD & TACOS, which recently added a phone app, a Podcast, and a book imprint to its empire.
Johnny received his MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA and over the course of his writing career has seen his screenplays optioned, sold, and produced. For the last dozen years, Johnny has taught writing, both online and in person. He has taught at Santa Barbara City College, UC Santa Barbara, LitReactor, and numerous writing conferences.
Johnny lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, artist Roxanne Patruznick.
His shorter work has appeared in Thuglit, Crime Factory, Shotgun Honey, Plots with Guns, and numerous anthologies. He is the creator and editor of the fiction magazine, BLOOD & TACOS, which recently added a phone app, a Podcast, and a book imprint to its empire.
Johnny received his MFA in Screenwriting from UCLA and over the course of his writing career has seen his screenplays optioned, sold, and produced. For the last dozen years, Johnny has taught writing, both online and in person. He has taught at Santa Barbara City College, UC Santa Barbara, LitReactor, and numerous writing conferences.
Johnny lives in Portland, Oregon with his wife, artist Roxanne Patruznick.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
May 16, 2018
3.5 stars
I love Johnny Shaw's writing. If you haven't read him you need too. Yes, I'm bossy about it. Go read one of his Jimmy Veeder Fiasco's. They are the best! This one is still really good but I think that Bobby Maves from the Veeder books is my boyfriend. I judge accordingly.
Axel, Gretchen, and Kurt Ucker lost their father at a young age. The whole town has made the family live under a cloud of suspicion because daddy turned out to be a thief. They and their mother stayed in the area and put on their best faces. Axel plans crimes out but never acts on them because he had been busy falling in love with a con artist and buying a house he could never afford, Gretchen has been stealing rare comic books and the closest to normal one Kurt has a band and still lives at home with mom. Then mom dies. (Not really spoilery so calm down)
Then the kids are contacted by their long lost aunt. Mother Ucker.
And the rest of the family...who all happen to be crooks. It's an Ucker tradition.
Mother Ucker tells them that they can get revenge for their mom giving all her possessions to the TV preacher she watched all the time and the kids decide to live up to their family tradition and jump on board with the plan.
Stuff happens.
Booksource: I was contacted by the author and asked if I wanted this one. To which the answer was "hell yeah". I'll read anything this guy writes. Even if it's alien spacebots sexing up Bart Simpson. *I'd probably five star that one*
I love Johnny Shaw's writing. If you haven't read him you need too. Yes, I'm bossy about it. Go read one of his Jimmy Veeder Fiasco's. They are the best! This one is still really good but I think that Bobby Maves from the Veeder books is my boyfriend. I judge accordingly.
Axel, Gretchen, and Kurt Ucker lost their father at a young age. The whole town has made the family live under a cloud of suspicion because daddy turned out to be a thief. They and their mother stayed in the area and put on their best faces. Axel plans crimes out but never acts on them because he had been busy falling in love with a con artist and buying a house he could never afford, Gretchen has been stealing rare comic books and the closest to normal one Kurt has a band and still lives at home with mom. Then mom dies. (Not really spoilery so calm down)
Then the kids are contacted by their long lost aunt. Mother Ucker.
And the rest of the family...who all happen to be crooks. It's an Ucker tradition.
Mother Ucker tells them that they can get revenge for their mom giving all her possessions to the TV preacher she watched all the time and the kids decide to live up to their family tradition and jump on board with the plan.
Stuff happens.
Booksource: I was contacted by the author and asked if I wanted this one. To which the answer was "hell yeah". I'll read anything this guy writes. Even if it's alien spacebots sexing up Bart Simpson. *I'd probably five star that one*
June 22, 2018
I received a free copy for review from the author.
Having a group of thieves and con men as your extended family sounds kind of cool, but you’d better keep your hand on your wallet at the reunions.
The three Ucker kids have drifted apart since their father died and was shown to be a thief. Axel has a good job at a bank, but his hobby is drawing up elaborate plans for robberies that he never pulls. Gretchen makes her living by stealing valuable comic books from nerds. The youngest, Kurt, stayed in their old hometown to take care of their aging mother and keep playing death metal with his friends in a garage band.
After their mother dies the three siblings are shocked to learn that she left everything including her house to her favorite TV evangelist, Brother Floom. Another surprise comes when they meet their aunt, an imposing woman who calls herself “Mother”. (Yeah, that’s right. She’s Mother Ucker.)
Mother informs the three that most of the extended Ucker family are criminals, and she introduces all of them. Then she reveals that Brother Floom is really their grandfather who assumed another identity years ago. This is all part of Mother’s pitch to teach them the family business with the ultimate goal of ripping off Floom.
Johnny Shaw always delivers a great mix of crime and humor, and this story plays to his strengths with this comic caper that involves a variety of schemes, double crosses, elaborate robbery plans that never quite work, and a family with more than its share of dysfunction. It’s a romp with a plot that’s constantly moving and a varied cast of characters that has a genuine laugh on almost every page. It’s also got enough heart and brains to it to keep it from being more than just a collection of gags and goofy situations.
My one complaint is that there are so many moving parts to the plot that some things just don’t end up making any sense, and Shaw even acknowledges that in the wrap up with one character shrugging off inconsistencies by saying that they were ideas and improvisations that weren’t needed in the end. That’s a bit of a cheat, but it didn’t really bother me because stories built around elaborate cons and schemes are frequently designed to keep things from the audience, not necessarily to make sense within the story. See the scene in Oceans’s 11 when George Clooney is questioned about why one of their own crew wasn’t told about a key piece of the plan. Clooney’s response is to essentially wink at the camera and say, “What fun would that have been?”
It’s a similar thing here. If you like the story, it works. I liked this just fine, and it worked for me.
Full disclosure – I once contributed an unpaid review to Shaw’s Blood & Tacos e-zine.
Having a group of thieves and con men as your extended family sounds kind of cool, but you’d better keep your hand on your wallet at the reunions.
The three Ucker kids have drifted apart since their father died and was shown to be a thief. Axel has a good job at a bank, but his hobby is drawing up elaborate plans for robberies that he never pulls. Gretchen makes her living by stealing valuable comic books from nerds. The youngest, Kurt, stayed in their old hometown to take care of their aging mother and keep playing death metal with his friends in a garage band.
After their mother dies the three siblings are shocked to learn that she left everything including her house to her favorite TV evangelist, Brother Floom. Another surprise comes when they meet their aunt, an imposing woman who calls herself “Mother”. (Yeah, that’s right. She’s Mother Ucker.)
Mother informs the three that most of the extended Ucker family are criminals, and she introduces all of them. Then she reveals that Brother Floom is really their grandfather who assumed another identity years ago. This is all part of Mother’s pitch to teach them the family business with the ultimate goal of ripping off Floom.
Johnny Shaw always delivers a great mix of crime and humor, and this story plays to his strengths with this comic caper that involves a variety of schemes, double crosses, elaborate robbery plans that never quite work, and a family with more than its share of dysfunction. It’s a romp with a plot that’s constantly moving and a varied cast of characters that has a genuine laugh on almost every page. It’s also got enough heart and brains to it to keep it from being more than just a collection of gags and goofy situations.
My one complaint is that there are so many moving parts to the plot that some things just don’t end up making any sense, and Shaw even acknowledges that in the wrap up with one character shrugging off inconsistencies by saying that they were ideas and improvisations that weren’t needed in the end. That’s a bit of a cheat, but it didn’t really bother me because stories built around elaborate cons and schemes are frequently designed to keep things from the audience, not necessarily to make sense within the story. See the scene in Oceans’s 11 when George Clooney is questioned about why one of their own crew wasn’t told about a key piece of the plan. Clooney’s response is to essentially wink at the camera and say, “What fun would that have been?”
It’s a similar thing here. If you like the story, it works. I liked this just fine, and it worked for me.
Full disclosure – I once contributed an unpaid review to Shaw’s Blood & Tacos e-zine.
May 13, 2018
When their mother dies and leaves everything to a televangelist, Axel, Kurt, and Gretchen Ucker are left out in the cold. A long lost aunt, Mother Ucker, shows up and introduces them to their long dead father's family, a family of con artists and thieves. The Uckers soon set their sights on Reverend Floom, the man their mother left everything to...
Even though I'm getting to the point where I refuse almost every ARC, I got this from Netgalley after Johnny Shaw hit me up. Totally worth it.
The Upper Hand is a hilarious tale about what it means to be a family, even if that family is entirely criminals. When the story begins, the Ucker kids aren't really talking to each other. Kurt still lives at home and wants to be a rock star. Axel just broke up with his girlfriend and lives in a house he can't afford, one that she talked him into buying. Gretchen is a burglar specializing in rare comics. When their mother dies, they are forced together out of necessity.
There's a lot going on in this. The dialogue is trademark Johnny Shaw: hilarious, Joe Lansdale by way of southern California. Much like Lansdale, I would have highlighted half of the book if I was keeping track of all the funny lines.
I really liked how the Uckers were brought into the fold and taught the family business by Mother Ucker and Fritzy, although we all knew how things would eventually go down. The Uckers run a few cons, both as a group and individually, crime bringing them together and eventually break them apart. And together again. It's like The Sting, only hilarious.
While I didn't like it as much as the Jimmy Veeder fiascos, The Upper Hand was hilarious and at least as good as Big Maria. Four out of five stars.
Even though I'm getting to the point where I refuse almost every ARC, I got this from Netgalley after Johnny Shaw hit me up. Totally worth it.
The Upper Hand is a hilarious tale about what it means to be a family, even if that family is entirely criminals. When the story begins, the Ucker kids aren't really talking to each other. Kurt still lives at home and wants to be a rock star. Axel just broke up with his girlfriend and lives in a house he can't afford, one that she talked him into buying. Gretchen is a burglar specializing in rare comics. When their mother dies, they are forced together out of necessity.
There's a lot going on in this. The dialogue is trademark Johnny Shaw: hilarious, Joe Lansdale by way of southern California. Much like Lansdale, I would have highlighted half of the book if I was keeping track of all the funny lines.
I really liked how the Uckers were brought into the fold and taught the family business by Mother Ucker and Fritzy, although we all knew how things would eventually go down. The Uckers run a few cons, both as a group and individually, crime bringing them together and eventually break them apart. And together again. It's like The Sting, only hilarious.
While I didn't like it as much as the Jimmy Veeder fiascos, The Upper Hand was hilarious and at least as good as Big Maria. Four out of five stars.
May 28, 2018
Johnny Shaw is a very, very funny guy, as anyone who has read his Jimmy Veeder "Fiascos" can attest. He was also the creator of the magazine Blood & Tacos, the first volume of which includes what remains one of the most hilarious short stories of all time, featuring Chingon, "The World's Deadliest Mexican."
Shaw's new book, The Upper Hand, features the Uckers, a dysfunctional family the likes of which you have never met. Two brothers and a sister--Axel, Kurt, and Gretchen--are the progeny of a thief who simply couldn't change his ways. When he died, fifteen years before the book opens, he left behind his three very young children and their mother who quickly went off the rails and turned to religion for her solace. In particular, she became enamored of a television evangelist named Brother Tobin Floom, whom she has watched religiously ever since (pun intended).
When he died, Dad also allegedly left behind a pile of loot from the last job he pulled, but it's never been found. Now, as the book opens, Mom dies, leaving her children adrift in the world, but not before leaving her home and all of her money to the Reverend Floom.
At this darkest moment, "Mother" Ucker, an aunt that the children never knew, suddenly appears on the scene. Their mother had closed off any contact with their father's family because they were all a bunch of swindlers and cheats, but it turns out that Axel, Gretchen and Kurt have a fairly large, if hugely disreputable, extended family. Even more shockingly, "Mother" announces that the Reverend Floom is actually their grandfather and has managed to cheat them out of their inheritance!
"Mother" invites the three Ucker children into a scheme to fleece the not-so-good Reverend and get their inheritance back. The three agree and at that point, the story dissolves into one of the funniest caper novels I've ever read. All of the characters are inspired and could only have come from a mind as profoundly warped as Johnny Shaw's; the plot is pure pandemonium, and the soundtrack is provided by Skinripper, the worst metal band you fortunately never heard.
As much as I've enjoyed his earlier work, this may be Shaw's best. I literally laughed out loud at virtually every scene and the entire enterprise left me shaking my head in amazement. I can hardly wait to see what the author does next.
Shaw's new book, The Upper Hand, features the Uckers, a dysfunctional family the likes of which you have never met. Two brothers and a sister--Axel, Kurt, and Gretchen--are the progeny of a thief who simply couldn't change his ways. When he died, fifteen years before the book opens, he left behind his three very young children and their mother who quickly went off the rails and turned to religion for her solace. In particular, she became enamored of a television evangelist named Brother Tobin Floom, whom she has watched religiously ever since (pun intended).
When he died, Dad also allegedly left behind a pile of loot from the last job he pulled, but it's never been found. Now, as the book opens, Mom dies, leaving her children adrift in the world, but not before leaving her home and all of her money to the Reverend Floom.
At this darkest moment, "Mother" Ucker, an aunt that the children never knew, suddenly appears on the scene. Their mother had closed off any contact with their father's family because they were all a bunch of swindlers and cheats, but it turns out that Axel, Gretchen and Kurt have a fairly large, if hugely disreputable, extended family. Even more shockingly, "Mother" announces that the Reverend Floom is actually their grandfather and has managed to cheat them out of their inheritance!
"Mother" invites the three Ucker children into a scheme to fleece the not-so-good Reverend and get their inheritance back. The three agree and at that point, the story dissolves into one of the funniest caper novels I've ever read. All of the characters are inspired and could only have come from a mind as profoundly warped as Johnny Shaw's; the plot is pure pandemonium, and the soundtrack is provided by Skinripper, the worst metal band you fortunately never heard.
As much as I've enjoyed his earlier work, this may be Shaw's best. I literally laughed out loud at virtually every scene and the entire enterprise left me shaking my head in amazement. I can hardly wait to see what the author does next.
August 4, 2018
The Upper Hand is a humorous crime caper which has instant appeal for readers of Carl Hiaasen and Victor Gishler.
Three siblings, shortly after learning of their mother's death are contacted by a lawyer who swiftly advises them that their inheritance has been left to a televangelist. The trio are given a matter of days to vacate the family home. Not knowing where this sad and unexpected event leaves them, a long lost auntie arrives at the funeral promising wealth and recompense through criminal enterprise.With a degree of reluctance, the trio agree to join the Ucker clan and from there the fun really starts.
The Upper Hand is a great read; both lighthearted and loaded with emotional depth. The Ucker family are unique and complex but easily readable and enjoyable.
My rating: 5/5 stars. Readers who enjoy a smile with their crime must read this book. Instantly addictive and a great read all the way through. No doubt one of my top reads of 2018.
Three siblings, shortly after learning of their mother's death are contacted by a lawyer who swiftly advises them that their inheritance has been left to a televangelist. The trio are given a matter of days to vacate the family home. Not knowing where this sad and unexpected event leaves them, a long lost auntie arrives at the funeral promising wealth and recompense through criminal enterprise.With a degree of reluctance, the trio agree to join the Ucker clan and from there the fun really starts.
The Upper Hand is a great read; both lighthearted and loaded with emotional depth. The Ucker family are unique and complex but easily readable and enjoyable.
My rating: 5/5 stars. Readers who enjoy a smile with their crime must read this book. Instantly addictive and a great read all the way through. No doubt one of my top reads of 2018.
May 27, 2018
Shaw’s the Upper Hand 🤚 is a hilarious offbeat journey into the world of con artists, confidence men, bunco artists, and televangelists. It explores family dynamics as three mismatched siblings ( the Uckers) who are thieves and dweebs in a lost town at the edge of the California desert join together to pull a con on a long lost uncle who stole their inheritance right under their noses. Punk bands, real estate swindles, touring preachers, live at first sight, backstabbers, trust issues, rogue FBI agents, secret gypsy family meetings, and undercover work fill out the bill. It’s gritty crime fiction but kind of like the Blues Brothers getting the band back together, half serious, half hilarious.
August 18, 2018
OK, so I’m not going to bore you with my own synopsis of the book because the official one was extremely well done and beats anything I could write, so I’ll move on to why I liked it so much.
No one has the ability to make you love degenerate criminals like Johnny Shaw. And I say this for all his books. He writes about people you steer clear of in real life but can’t get enough of in his stories. However, he also writes about people who do bad things for (sometimes) good reasons and not thoroughly evil people. In this case, we’re talking about the Ucker kids. Not overtly bad people but willing to do some criminal activity to right a wrong. Then con job gets piled onto con job and bada-boom, bada-bing, everyone’s a felon.
Shaw also has a flair for slapstick because there are chuckles throughout even though it isn’t meant to be a comedy. He’s just very good with his characters and their potential as Darwin Award winners.
Seriously, if you like a caper story with a dash of humour and good characters, you just can’t go wrong with this.
No one has the ability to make you love degenerate criminals like Johnny Shaw. And I say this for all his books. He writes about people you steer clear of in real life but can’t get enough of in his stories. However, he also writes about people who do bad things for (sometimes) good reasons and not thoroughly evil people. In this case, we’re talking about the Ucker kids. Not overtly bad people but willing to do some criminal activity to right a wrong. Then con job gets piled onto con job and bada-boom, bada-bing, everyone’s a felon.
Shaw also has a flair for slapstick because there are chuckles throughout even though it isn’t meant to be a comedy. He’s just very good with his characters and their potential as Darwin Award winners.
Seriously, if you like a caper story with a dash of humour and good characters, you just can’t go wrong with this.
February 9, 2019
I loved this book. A beautifully realised combo of crime and comedy, with the laughs naturally flowing from compelling characters and a plot that goes surprising directions without ever feeling forced. Highly recommended.
May 28, 2018
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley to read and review.
THE UPPER HAND by Johnny Shaw is his 6th full length novel, of which 3 are in the much-loved “Jimmy Veeder Fiasco” series (definitely among my favorites), and the excellent novel “Big Maria”.
Axel Ucker is the brother of Gretchen and Kurt, a family with a difficult past after the death of their father years before due to his involvement in the commission of a crime, thereby branding the entire family as undesirables within the community in which they live.
Soon after finding out how he’s been swindled by his supposed girlfriend, he arrives back home in a drunken state after trashing the house he bought as part of his girlfriend’s scam.
Waking up the next morning, he and his siblings find their mother died in her sleep, and shortly thereafter a local lawyer arrives to give them a heads-up that she’s left everything (including the house that young Kurt lives in) to a television evangelist.
Attending the funeral is an unknown strange and vocal woman who later informs the siblings that she’s their aunt on their late father’s side, introducing herself as “Mother” Ucker, and invites them to a family gathering where they meet several alleged relatives that they’ve known nothing about, while also learning that the entire extended family are a group of modern day grifters, which both Axel and Gretchen have been in some ways, leaving Kurt apparently the only innocent one among the bunch.
Mother Ucker convinces them that the television evangelist who will receive their inheritance is actually their grandfather, and is responsible for the death of their father setting into motion a plan to exact revenge against him and steal back from him what’s been taken from them, if not more if possible.
Hilarious exchanges throughout the book, including bizarre events taking place are exactly what those familiar with a Johnny Shaw novel would expect, and he does not disappoint in this rollicking caper-filled story that shifts gears several times along the way.
While taking potshots at Christian ministries and music industry has been overdone nowadays, Shaw does it in a way that makes the story work, and it does not come off as a thinly veiled (or unveiled) agenda driven attack, which is the norm in books by other authors that I’ve read in recent years.
I really liked this one and can recommend it, although the books in the “Jimmy Veeder Fiasco” series and “Big Maria” are Shaw’s best novels in my opinion, yet this one approaches them and has certain elements of those aforementioned books that make this work quite well, and it’s understandable that an author wouldn’t want to be pigeonholed into only one series or style of writing.
Still, I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next “Jimmy Veeder Fiasco (Mavescapade)”.
4 stars.
THE UPPER HAND by Johnny Shaw is his 6th full length novel, of which 3 are in the much-loved “Jimmy Veeder Fiasco” series (definitely among my favorites), and the excellent novel “Big Maria”.
Axel Ucker is the brother of Gretchen and Kurt, a family with a difficult past after the death of their father years before due to his involvement in the commission of a crime, thereby branding the entire family as undesirables within the community in which they live.
Soon after finding out how he’s been swindled by his supposed girlfriend, he arrives back home in a drunken state after trashing the house he bought as part of his girlfriend’s scam.
Waking up the next morning, he and his siblings find their mother died in her sleep, and shortly thereafter a local lawyer arrives to give them a heads-up that she’s left everything (including the house that young Kurt lives in) to a television evangelist.
Attending the funeral is an unknown strange and vocal woman who later informs the siblings that she’s their aunt on their late father’s side, introducing herself as “Mother” Ucker, and invites them to a family gathering where they meet several alleged relatives that they’ve known nothing about, while also learning that the entire extended family are a group of modern day grifters, which both Axel and Gretchen have been in some ways, leaving Kurt apparently the only innocent one among the bunch.
Mother Ucker convinces them that the television evangelist who will receive their inheritance is actually their grandfather, and is responsible for the death of their father setting into motion a plan to exact revenge against him and steal back from him what’s been taken from them, if not more if possible.
Hilarious exchanges throughout the book, including bizarre events taking place are exactly what those familiar with a Johnny Shaw novel would expect, and he does not disappoint in this rollicking caper-filled story that shifts gears several times along the way.
While taking potshots at Christian ministries and music industry has been overdone nowadays, Shaw does it in a way that makes the story work, and it does not come off as a thinly veiled (or unveiled) agenda driven attack, which is the norm in books by other authors that I’ve read in recent years.
I really liked this one and can recommend it, although the books in the “Jimmy Veeder Fiasco” series and “Big Maria” are Shaw’s best novels in my opinion, yet this one approaches them and has certain elements of those aforementioned books that make this work quite well, and it’s understandable that an author wouldn’t want to be pigeonholed into only one series or style of writing.
Still, I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next “Jimmy Veeder Fiasco (Mavescapade)”.
4 stars.
August 10, 2018
Candy Corn, M&M's, Potato Chips-- and pages in Johnny Shaw's very entertaining "The Upper Hand" share something in common. You can't stop going in for just one more... and before you know it, you've consumed the entire bag/book. And that's a good thing, especially if you're a fan to begin with.
The 3 main characters, Axel, Gretchen, and Kurt Ucker are family-- kind of; they haven't remained in much contact with one another since they lost their father. Things become interesting at the death of their mother when they learn that dear ol' dad had secretly been a thief and left a fortune of ill-gotten gains unaccounted for.
Well, one thing quickly leads to another, with the discovery that mom left everything to a televangelist (Brother Floom), and "Mother Ucker," a long-lost aunt, appears at the funeral. She convinces the siblings that Floom is actually their grandfather, part of an entire clan of criminals and con-men, who cheated them of their inheritance. Inevitably, a caper is formed to steal back from Brother Floom what is, they believe, rightfully theirs. Along the way, we meet some other memorable characters (Shaw is brilliant at drawing wonderfully entertaining and quirky characters) who will play roles in this hysterically funny story.
There are crosses and double-crosses, schemes and scams galore, and enough laughs along the way to keep you reaching for "just one more." Shaw has become a favorite of mine in a short time. Mind you, this is nothing heavy, no big meanings, no serious noir style thriller mystery. This is zany, well written fun; like eating things that might not be prodigiously nutritious, but damn, they are tasty. I look forward to the next "bag" with eager appetite.
The 3 main characters, Axel, Gretchen, and Kurt Ucker are family-- kind of; they haven't remained in much contact with one another since they lost their father. Things become interesting at the death of their mother when they learn that dear ol' dad had secretly been a thief and left a fortune of ill-gotten gains unaccounted for.
Well, one thing quickly leads to another, with the discovery that mom left everything to a televangelist (Brother Floom), and "Mother Ucker," a long-lost aunt, appears at the funeral. She convinces the siblings that Floom is actually their grandfather, part of an entire clan of criminals and con-men, who cheated them of their inheritance. Inevitably, a caper is formed to steal back from Brother Floom what is, they believe, rightfully theirs. Along the way, we meet some other memorable characters (Shaw is brilliant at drawing wonderfully entertaining and quirky characters) who will play roles in this hysterically funny story.
There are crosses and double-crosses, schemes and scams galore, and enough laughs along the way to keep you reaching for "just one more." Shaw has become a favorite of mine in a short time. Mind you, this is nothing heavy, no big meanings, no serious noir style thriller mystery. This is zany, well written fun; like eating things that might not be prodigiously nutritious, but damn, they are tasty. I look forward to the next "bag" with eager appetite.
September 6, 2018
Interesting read with some definitely "unique" family dynamics. Great ending bumps up the final rating -- 8 out of 10.
August 9, 2018
The Upper Hand
follows three siblings, Axel, Gretchen and Kurt Ucker, who lose their mother at the beginning of the book. Fifteen years ago, they found out their father was an infamous criminal, and he was killed after a heist gone wrong. After he died, their mother became deeply religious, and spent most of her days watching her favourite televangelist, Brother Floom, on TV. Their mother dies peacefully in her sleep, and at the funeral, the siblings are approached by a large woman who informs them that she is her Aunt, on their father's side, and their mother has left everything, including her house which Kurt was still living in, to Brother Floom.
Upon meeting their Aunt, who likes to be called Mother Ucker (make of that what you will), they find out the whole Ucker family is full of criminals, and Mother recruits the three siblings to help pull off a heist, and get revenge on Brother Floom...
I've never read any books by Johnny Shaw before, but I had such a great time reading this book. It was sooo funny and crazy, and I laughed and laughed throughout reading. The Ucker kids (what a surname!) were flawed characters, as was everyone else in this book, but I found myself really wanting them to win, and pull some crazy heists off. I think my favourite of the three was definitely Gretchen. She was ballsy and confident, and was willing to put herself in situations her brothers wouldn't. Kurt, at times, was kind of a wet lettuce, and until the last third or so of the book, didn't add much to the story. And Axel, I just wanted to shake him at times, and tell him to get over himself!!
The writing in this book was hilarious, and there were multiple little snippets of text that were just crazy to read, in and out of context. I highlighted my favourite quote in the story and I'll share it below. It is said by a neighbour who was interviewed after the Ucker's father was killed and exposed for being a criminal:
"I'm never going to feel completely safe knowing there had been a criminal next door. Until my husband is released from prison next year, these doors stay locked."
The hypocrisy. But my god, it was hilarious.
I will definitely be reading more from Johnny Shaw! Loved this book!
Upon meeting their Aunt, who likes to be called Mother Ucker (make of that what you will), they find out the whole Ucker family is full of criminals, and Mother recruits the three siblings to help pull off a heist, and get revenge on Brother Floom...
I've never read any books by Johnny Shaw before, but I had such a great time reading this book. It was sooo funny and crazy, and I laughed and laughed throughout reading. The Ucker kids (what a surname!) were flawed characters, as was everyone else in this book, but I found myself really wanting them to win, and pull some crazy heists off. I think my favourite of the three was definitely Gretchen. She was ballsy and confident, and was willing to put herself in situations her brothers wouldn't. Kurt, at times, was kind of a wet lettuce, and until the last third or so of the book, didn't add much to the story. And Axel, I just wanted to shake him at times, and tell him to get over himself!!
The writing in this book was hilarious, and there were multiple little snippets of text that were just crazy to read, in and out of context. I highlighted my favourite quote in the story and I'll share it below. It is said by a neighbour who was interviewed after the Ucker's father was killed and exposed for being a criminal:
"I'm never going to feel completely safe knowing there had been a criminal next door. Until my husband is released from prison next year, these doors stay locked."
The hypocrisy. But my god, it was hilarious.
I will definitely be reading more from Johnny Shaw! Loved this book!
June 13, 2018
What a rip-snorting rollercoaster ride of a story! One family's legacy of con-men and women full of quirky characters and just the right amount of humor to go along with the twists and turns of an edge of your seat thriller. Nobody can trust the Ucker family....not even the Uckers! Great book!
July 13, 2018
An interesting story though I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as either "Big Maria" or the "Jimmy Veeder" books. This story reminded me more of "Floodgate" with a darker theme and way less humor than the books I liked. "Big Maria" might be the funniest book I have ever read.
November 26, 2023
This is a good offbeat comic crime novel that kept me turning pages with a smile on my face. It is the tale of the Ucker siblings, Axel, Gretchen and Kurt, whose deceased father was a notorious professional thief and whose mother is devoutly religious and in thrall to a TV evangelist. The three adult children are, unsurprisingly, somewhat conflicted. Axel has a straight job but entertains himself by planning complicated heists he never actually pulls off. Gretchen is a thief who specializes in stealing rare comic books. Kurt still lives with Mom and has a garage band that plays doom metal. When Mom suddenly dies in her sleep, things get weird fast. A mysterious three-hundred pound woman turns up at the funeral, claiming to be a long-lost aunt. She introduces the Ucker siblings to their father's extended family, a sketchy criminal clan. And she proposes that they go after the huckster TV evangelist, who she claims is . . . their grandfather.
That's the setup, but there are detours, misdirections and conflicting agendas galore. The action careens from San Diego to Mississippi and back. The characterization is sharp, the locales vividly evoked, and certain sectors of our national culture skewered with a caustic touch. And yes, family values, if a little twisted, are affirmed. Highly entertaining.
That's the setup, but there are detours, misdirections and conflicting agendas galore. The action careens from San Diego to Mississippi and back. The characterization is sharp, the locales vividly evoked, and certain sectors of our national culture skewered with a caustic touch. And yes, family values, if a little twisted, are affirmed. Highly entertaining.
July 2, 2019
How can you beat a story with a family of cons led by a matriarch called Mother Ucker? The plot and characters were wonderfully quirky and I never felt bored reading this. Kurt in particular was awesome as the youngest of the siblings with a heart of gold and singer for a doom metal band called Skinripper. I liked everything about his story arc and his relationship with Louder.
On the flip side, some of the humour didn’t hit home, and one of the story points was so frustrating...in general I felt that Axel and Gretchen were not as likeable or well rounded as their brother.
On the flip side, some of the humour didn’t hit home, and one of the story points was so frustrating...in general I felt that Axel and Gretchen were not as likeable or well rounded as their brother.
November 25, 2018
Johnny Shaw's The Upper Hand (2018) by is a very funny, very clever, and fast-paced crime thriller featuring a family of thieves and miscreants. It's a wryly witty, a satire on American crime.
The Uckers have a long history in Warm Springs, California. Father Henry's last gig was robbing a jewelry store, after which he was found dead of lead poisoning in the desert. Ever since Dad's outing as a thief, the family has been treated as pariahs on the "one bad egg means a spoiled carton" principle. This was fifteen years ago, and the despondent mother—a once-devoted churchgoer who thought her husband had given up on crime—took to her easy chair, stopped going to church where nobody would talk to her, and started watching TV's charismatic Reverend Tobin Floom.
The three children Axel, Gretchen and Luke are engaged in various schemes—Gretchen is a thief who steals from valuable comic book collections owned by school friends; Axel has been off the family radar for 20 years, has spent time in prison, and has just been left by Priscilla (nee Stephanie), the love of his life and a grifter who took him for every dime; Luke, the youngest, is lead singer for a terrible garage band and makes grilled cheese sandwiches.
They are all brought back together in Warm Springs when Mom dies in bed while watching Reverend Floom. At the funeral Axel gives her a sendoff before fifty residents, all there for the donuts:
Mother Ucker, like a government agent, has come to help the little Uckers. But not to walk the straight and narrow—No, all the Uckers have double doses of criminal genes. But what's her goal here? She can't be there for their money—they have none because Mom left everything to Brother Flood. Is she there out of familial devotion? But nobody's ever heard of her. This, it turns out, is a story of love and deceit, earning and thieving, and morality turned upside down; it's all in good fun.
We know we're on the way to finding answers when all three kids are kidnapped and taken to a party to meet the Uckers, a large clan of thieves living la vida loca. At the festive event, where intra-Ucker fights break out, they sit at Mother Ucker's knee and learn Ucker lore, including the fact that their grandfather, Dolphus Ucker, now has a very profitable TV show as the Reverend Tobin Flood. In effect, their grandfather stole the kids' patrimony. The Ucker kids also learn that Uckers never forgive, not even each other; in fact, at every family meeting they solve the difficult math problem of sitting as far away as possible from another Ucker.
But there is some inclination toward cooperation when it comes to theft. Mother Ucker enlists the kids in a scheme to rob Dolphus Ucker/Brother Floom at the end of his current crusade across America, when the accumulated gate receipts are at the maximum. The plot is limited to Mother, Alex, Gretchen, Kurt and Stephanie. That Mother Ucker is Floom's daughter doesn't enter the equation—money is money! Who, you ask, is Stephanie? She is the former Priscilla who bilked Alex and with whom Gretchen has found her inner Saphos. Oh, and Uncle Fritzy is involved; he is as crazy as any Ucker but a great wheelman.
It's quite a ride. No Ucker was harmed in writing this book.
Five Stars!
The Uckers have a long history in Warm Springs, California. Father Henry's last gig was robbing a jewelry store, after which he was found dead of lead poisoning in the desert. Ever since Dad's outing as a thief, the family has been treated as pariahs on the "one bad egg means a spoiled carton" principle. This was fifteen years ago, and the despondent mother—a once-devoted churchgoer who thought her husband had given up on crime—took to her easy chair, stopped going to church where nobody would talk to her, and started watching TV's charismatic Reverend Tobin Floom.
The three children Axel, Gretchen and Luke are engaged in various schemes—Gretchen is a thief who steals from valuable comic book collections owned by school friends; Axel has been off the family radar for 20 years, has spent time in prison, and has just been left by Priscilla (nee Stephanie), the love of his life and a grifter who took him for every dime; Luke, the youngest, is lead singer for a terrible garage band and makes grilled cheese sandwiches.
They are all brought back together in Warm Springs when Mom dies in bed while watching Reverend Floom. At the funeral Axel gives her a sendoff before fifty residents, all there for the donuts:
Everyone knows our story. When our father was murdered and the thief stuff came out, it destroyed Mom. . . You people could have had her back, but she got no help. Who knew people still shunned? . . . You were probably hoping I'd put the 'fun' back in 'funeral.' That you'd socialize and eat and have a good time, because college football ain't started yet. I couldn't do it. I find all of you contemptible. I find this town deplorable. I hope the whole damn place burns to the ground and the desert sand swallows up the ashes so there's no evidence Warm Springs ever existed—Oh! Refreshments will be served in the Bible study room after the service.The funeral service does have more than entertainment value. Who should arrive but a 300-pound loud-voiced woman in garish green garb who introduces herself as their aunt, "Mother Ucker." To Axel's eulogy she gives a two-finger whistle and a "You tell 'em, kiddo."
Mother Ucker, like a government agent, has come to help the little Uckers. But not to walk the straight and narrow—No, all the Uckers have double doses of criminal genes. But what's her goal here? She can't be there for their money—they have none because Mom left everything to Brother Flood. Is she there out of familial devotion? But nobody's ever heard of her. This, it turns out, is a story of love and deceit, earning and thieving, and morality turned upside down; it's all in good fun.
We know we're on the way to finding answers when all three kids are kidnapped and taken to a party to meet the Uckers, a large clan of thieves living la vida loca. At the festive event, where intra-Ucker fights break out, they sit at Mother Ucker's knee and learn Ucker lore, including the fact that their grandfather, Dolphus Ucker, now has a very profitable TV show as the Reverend Tobin Flood. In effect, their grandfather stole the kids' patrimony. The Ucker kids also learn that Uckers never forgive, not even each other; in fact, at every family meeting they solve the difficult math problem of sitting as far away as possible from another Ucker.
But there is some inclination toward cooperation when it comes to theft. Mother Ucker enlists the kids in a scheme to rob Dolphus Ucker/Brother Floom at the end of his current crusade across America, when the accumulated gate receipts are at the maximum. The plot is limited to Mother, Alex, Gretchen, Kurt and Stephanie. That Mother Ucker is Floom's daughter doesn't enter the equation—money is money! Who, you ask, is Stephanie? She is the former Priscilla who bilked Alex and with whom Gretchen has found her inner Saphos. Oh, and Uncle Fritzy is involved; he is as crazy as any Ucker but a great wheelman.
It's quite a ride. No Ucker was harmed in writing this book.
Five Stars!
January 20, 2020
Like a lot of people, I found Johnny Shaw after he'd written Big Maria but before he'd won a fancy award for that novel. Just sayin' that you could see how good he was early on.
For me, reading Shaw's stuff will always be like hanging out with a friend and drinking beers... knowing that, at some point in the night, he might try to get y'all to switch to tequila and then eventually head out into the night to cause a bit of a ruckus.
His latest novel has all the great, quirky characters you expect in his books. The Upper Hand also has its share of humor, which he's known for. He's one of the very, very few authors who is actually funny on the page.
The Upper Hand is about a family that loses their momma. They also lose all the stuff they'd hoped momma might have given to them after she'd left everything to a hellfire-and-brimstone preacher.
Out of the woodwork comes a long-lost aunt who hatches a plan to rob the preacher and hilarity ensues.
It's exactly the sort of caper you come to expect from Shaw, and I enjoyed it a lot. There were moments or characters that I would have liked to see more fleshed out... but I expect many Readers has that sort of feeling. Even my own Readers.
That's probably not a sign of laziness or oversight-- just writing good characters and scenes that people can't get enough of.
Go read it and, if you like it, I'd recommend Shaw's Jimmy Veeder series.
For me, reading Shaw's stuff will always be like hanging out with a friend and drinking beers... knowing that, at some point in the night, he might try to get y'all to switch to tequila and then eventually head out into the night to cause a bit of a ruckus.
His latest novel has all the great, quirky characters you expect in his books. The Upper Hand also has its share of humor, which he's known for. He's one of the very, very few authors who is actually funny on the page.
The Upper Hand is about a family that loses their momma. They also lose all the stuff they'd hoped momma might have given to them after she'd left everything to a hellfire-and-brimstone preacher.
Out of the woodwork comes a long-lost aunt who hatches a plan to rob the preacher and hilarity ensues.
It's exactly the sort of caper you come to expect from Shaw, and I enjoyed it a lot. There were moments or characters that I would have liked to see more fleshed out... but I expect many Readers has that sort of feeling. Even my own Readers.
That's probably not a sign of laziness or oversight-- just writing good characters and scenes that people can't get enough of.
Go read it and, if you like it, I'd recommend Shaw's Jimmy Veeder series.
July 26, 2018
This is a fun read and a realistic view into the world of a gritty bottom feeding crime family. I loved this book for its realism and how the author crafted such amazing realistic charcters throughout the story. The author has a talent for writing crime drama and this is one of the best I have read.
This is the story of a journey into the world of con artists, confidence men, scam artists, and even televangelists. It delves into family dynamics as three mismatched at odds siblings ( the Uckers) who are thieves. They live in a lost town at the edge of the California desert and decide to work together to pull a con on a long lost uncle who stole their inheritance right under their noses. They are a strange band of miscreants but somehow they make the con work.
This book has it all for a dark crime drama, Everything from bands, swindles, touring preachers, backstabbing family , major trust issues of the family, rogue FBI , secret gypsy family meetings, and undercover work . It’s a gritty but fun crime fiction that had me laughing out loud and rooting for the family siblings to regain their inheritance. What a fun read and one of my favorite of the summer. I highly recommend this book. What a fun read ! I enjoyed it from page one to the very end. Well done to the author.
This is the story of a journey into the world of con artists, confidence men, scam artists, and even televangelists. It delves into family dynamics as three mismatched at odds siblings ( the Uckers) who are thieves. They live in a lost town at the edge of the California desert and decide to work together to pull a con on a long lost uncle who stole their inheritance right under their noses. They are a strange band of miscreants but somehow they make the con work.
This book has it all for a dark crime drama, Everything from bands, swindles, touring preachers, backstabbing family , major trust issues of the family, rogue FBI , secret gypsy family meetings, and undercover work . It’s a gritty but fun crime fiction that had me laughing out loud and rooting for the family siblings to regain their inheritance. What a fun read and one of my favorite of the summer. I highly recommend this book. What a fun read ! I enjoyed it from page one to the very end. Well done to the author.
December 23, 2021
3.5 stars
I stumbled upon "Plaster City" in a Kindle First deal and could not put it down; or stop laughing. I found out it was actually a sequel to "Dove Season" and snatched that one up quickly. I liked that even better than the first one I read. "Imperial Valley" was my least favorite of the three but still a damn entertaining book!
"The Upper Hand" was definitely written by the same guy but the story feels much more hollow. Jimmy Veeder was not the brightest tool in the shed but he did have common sense. All of the characters in this book are idiots saying dumb shit for laughs. It is funny about 65% of the time but the times where it isn't just take me out of the plot. There is no way these guys could pull off a robbery or con scheme on any level. And the jokes fly so often that there is little context to them. It's like teh author thought of a funny line and had to create a situation where it would make sense to pull it off. The aforementioned series was the other way around. Jimmy wasn't trying to be hilarious, he just reacted hilariously to things that happened to him.
I still love this author and will likely buy anything he writes. But I'm likely to grab them on Kindle on some kind of deal rather than purchasing a hardcopy and putting them on my shelves.
I stumbled upon "Plaster City" in a Kindle First deal and could not put it down; or stop laughing. I found out it was actually a sequel to "Dove Season" and snatched that one up quickly. I liked that even better than the first one I read. "Imperial Valley" was my least favorite of the three but still a damn entertaining book!
"The Upper Hand" was definitely written by the same guy but the story feels much more hollow. Jimmy Veeder was not the brightest tool in the shed but he did have common sense. All of the characters in this book are idiots saying dumb shit for laughs. It is funny about 65% of the time but the times where it isn't just take me out of the plot. There is no way these guys could pull off a robbery or con scheme on any level. And the jokes fly so often that there is little context to them. It's like teh author thought of a funny line and had to create a situation where it would make sense to pull it off. The aforementioned series was the other way around. Jimmy wasn't trying to be hilarious, he just reacted hilariously to things that happened to him.
I still love this author and will likely buy anything he writes. But I'm likely to grab them on Kindle on some kind of deal rather than purchasing a hardcopy and putting them on my shelves.
June 26, 2018
My god is Johnny Shaw a hell of a storyteller.
Think Ocean's Eleven meets Matchstick men. Only with dumber people.
A conmen/women comedy where the forthright repartee of the 3 main characters (The Uckers Brothers and sister) is only matched by their tunnel vision in a world where everyone wants to con them out of something.
I went through the whole novel in one sitting, which doesn't happen often given my slow reading habits and lack of time, but to use an old and overdone cliché, The Upper Hand is a hard one to put down.
For the fans of the genre, there's also a few easter eggs, from characters named Beetner and Lauden, to the Mensa edition of playboy, to the Booby Trap in Mississippi and a few more i'm not telling you about, or I didn't catch.
I discovered Shaw with Big Maria a few weeks ago and I'm just glad that I've got a couple more novels of him to go. The Upper Hand will leave the fans that have already read the whole Shaw catalogue waiting for more. Give the people what they want, damnit !!
Think Ocean's Eleven meets Matchstick men. Only with dumber people.
A conmen/women comedy where the forthright repartee of the 3 main characters (The Uckers Brothers and sister) is only matched by their tunnel vision in a world where everyone wants to con them out of something.
I went through the whole novel in one sitting, which doesn't happen often given my slow reading habits and lack of time, but to use an old and overdone cliché, The Upper Hand is a hard one to put down.
For the fans of the genre, there's also a few easter eggs, from characters named Beetner and Lauden, to the Mensa edition of playboy, to the Booby Trap in Mississippi and a few more i'm not telling you about, or I didn't catch.
I discovered Shaw with Big Maria a few weeks ago and I'm just glad that I've got a couple more novels of him to go. The Upper Hand will leave the fans that have already read the whole Shaw catalogue waiting for more. Give the people what they want, damnit !!
November 14, 2018
Axel was conned and dumped. Gretchen is a low level thief. And Kurt is the proverbial slacker son who still lives at home and is part of a Viking metal band. Add to this a deceased father who ruined the family's name in the community and a mother who leaves everything to a televangelist. Doesn't sound like the start of the humorous and campy book that this is, but it is! The three siblings decide they need to get back what they feel was stolen with them and antics ensue, including a Christian version of that Viking metal band. The best part is that during the adventures, the siblings reconnect with each other and learn what family is all about. Perfectly timed, this book will be a great addition to a vacation, beach, or lazy summer afternoon.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
A copy of this book was provided by NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2019
This is a full on caper, with all the comedic value that implies.
In fact the comedy is pretty relentless and at the beginning I found it a bit irritating - I almost gave up at about 20% of the way through the book.
But I'm glad I didn't. Because once I got into the swing of Johnny's writing style I really enjoyed this. It was a great story and would have worked equally well without the cracks and puns.
I'm one of those miserable b******s who doesn't often find things billed as "comedy" very funny. But I admit there were plenty of moments in this book where I was sideswiped and laughed right out loud.
I was mildly disappointed by the ending - it was a bit too neat and tidy for my liking, and stopped it being a 5* read. But it didn't matter that much, because I enjoyed getting there immensely.
In fact the comedy is pretty relentless and at the beginning I found it a bit irritating - I almost gave up at about 20% of the way through the book.
But I'm glad I didn't. Because once I got into the swing of Johnny's writing style I really enjoyed this. It was a great story and would have worked equally well without the cracks and puns.
I'm one of those miserable b******s who doesn't often find things billed as "comedy" very funny. But I admit there were plenty of moments in this book where I was sideswiped and laughed right out loud.
I was mildly disappointed by the ending - it was a bit too neat and tidy for my liking, and stopped it being a 5* read. But it didn't matter that much, because I enjoyed getting there immensely.
November 8, 2018
You know how people throw the term "lol" around, as in, laughed out loud? I very rarely actually laugh out loud while reading something, because then everybody on the bus wants to know what's so funny, or maybe if you're laughing at them. But this book made me actually, literally, laugh out loud, several times. And when people asked why I was happy to share.
The characters are fun, the plot was fun, and I recommend this one for people who like good writing and don't mind a certain amont of irreverence.
Quick simplified plot: A person has lost something. Other members of his family have also lost something. The dysfunctional family members get together to get it back. Various things ensue, including hilarity.
The characters are fun, the plot was fun, and I recommend this one for people who like good writing and don't mind a certain amont of irreverence.
Quick simplified plot: A person has lost something. Other members of his family have also lost something. The dysfunctional family members get together to get it back. Various things ensue, including hilarity.
September 18, 2018
Johnny Shaw is the most underrated author that I always recommend to my friends, but yet, the book club that I belong to, refuses to read any of his stuff. Shaw's writing isn't for everyone. It is almost like a summer read for anyone who have a high level of testosterone rather than estrogen. I read for his jokes, outrages adventures and quick character development. I always have fun reading any of his books.
As for his new one, "The Upper Hand", it wasn't as funny as his previous books and a bit of a let down with limited swearing, but I still got a chuckle here and there. All of his books take me back to my adolescent age. Just funny with no responsibilities.
As for his new one, "The Upper Hand", it wasn't as funny as his previous books and a bit of a let down with limited swearing, but I still got a chuckle here and there. All of his books take me back to my adolescent age. Just funny with no responsibilities.
August 6, 2020
I don't know why it took me so long to read this since I couldn't get enough of the Jimmy Veeder Fiasco series (Go read it if you haven't already). Probably COVID-19 induced lethargy. But I am glad I finally finished it. Shaw's characters are all interesting and funny in their own way. And how the heists will go is always up in the air. Also I am now adding this response to my repertoire of stupid comebacks, thanks to Mr. Shaw:
“You’re an idiot.”
“Idiot like a fox,”
Shaw, Johnny. The Upper Hand (p. 236). Thomas & Mercer. Kindle Edition.
And yes, I am called an idiot quite often. Why do you ask?
Now to start on Big Maria!
“You’re an idiot.”
“Idiot like a fox,”
Shaw, Johnny. The Upper Hand (p. 236). Thomas & Mercer. Kindle Edition.
And yes, I am called an idiot quite often. Why do you ask?
Now to start on Big Maria!
July 21, 2018
Never read anything by Johnny Shaw before but I will now. Some great lines in this which although is a crime book it is ultimately about family. The Uckers are disfunctional family. Axel has just split up with a girlfriend and is left with a house he can’t afford. Gretchen is a thief (she’s the only one following the family career) and Kurt is in a Viking metal band. Their mother dies and leaves everything to a tv evangelist and they are welcomed into the wider Ucker family where everyone might be double crossing each other.
Made me laugh quite a few times and some great characters.
Made me laugh quite a few times and some great characters.
July 31, 2018
As much as I was happy to win this book from Goodreads, I couldnt get into it. Im sure its a good read but not in my interest category perhaps. The main character had too many issues going on ,that it dragged getting to the other characters lives.
I gave up on the third chapter. I beleive its a mystery with a good storyline , and that may have held my intrest because Im not into a mystery unless its a romanc enovel.
I gave up on the third chapter. I beleive its a mystery with a good storyline , and that may have held my intrest because Im not into a mystery unless its a romanc enovel.
August 16, 2021
🌈 Chosen book for the 2021 Unleash The Mods™ (UTM™) challenge at Weaponized Pineapples —
Pick: Maraya | Month: April
🌈
DNF @ P21 (8% - Ch.5)
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