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Property Values
The worlds of urban gentrification, overpriced real estate, and gang violence collide in this wry and sardonic crime novel by author and comedian Charles Demers (Vancouver Special, The Horrors).
As a shaky truce between suburban gangsters starts to unravel, schlubby civilian Scott Clark has other things on his mind: if he can't afford to buy out his former father-in-law, Scott's about to lose the only house he's ever called home. In Vancouver's red-hot real estate market, he doesn't have a chance--until he and his best friends take the last-ditch measure of staging a drive-by shooting on the property to push down the asking price. But when Scott's pretend gangland stunt attracts the attention of real criminals, his make-believe crew soon finds itself in the middle of a deadly rivalry.
With wicked humour and a brilliant cast of desperate characters, Property Values explodes the crime novel genre while exploring the absurd lengths to which a man will go to in order to hold onto his home in today's market.
As a shaky truce between suburban gangsters starts to unravel, schlubby civilian Scott Clark has other things on his mind: if he can't afford to buy out his former father-in-law, Scott's about to lose the only house he's ever called home. In Vancouver's red-hot real estate market, he doesn't have a chance--until he and his best friends take the last-ditch measure of staging a drive-by shooting on the property to push down the asking price. But when Scott's pretend gangland stunt attracts the attention of real criminals, his make-believe crew soon finds itself in the middle of a deadly rivalry.
With wicked humour and a brilliant cast of desperate characters, Property Values explodes the crime novel genre while exploring the absurd lengths to which a man will go to in order to hold onto his home in today's market.
176 pages, Paperback
Published October 16, 2018
14 people are currently reading
244 people want to read
About the author
Charles Demers
14 books33 followersCharles Demers (born 1980) is a Canadian writer, comedian and political activist. He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He is a lecturer at the University of British Columbia, where he teaches a Creative Writing course about writing comedy.
Demers has published three books: a novel and two collections of essays. His first essay collection, Vancouver Special, was nominated for a Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize. He also frequently performs comedy at live venues across Canada and on the CBC Radio One, where he often appears on the show The Debaters. Demers was one of the hosts of the CityNews show The List. He used to be the membership secretary for the Coalition of Progressive Electors.
He is the voice of Walter from Beat Bugs.
Source: Wikipedia.
Demers has published three books: a novel and two collections of essays. His first essay collection, Vancouver Special, was nominated for a Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize. He also frequently performs comedy at live venues across Canada and on the CBC Radio One, where he often appears on the show The Debaters. Demers was one of the hosts of the CityNews show The List. He used to be the membership secretary for the Coalition of Progressive Electors.
He is the voice of Walter from Beat Bugs.
Source: Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
December 31, 2018
This book is a light and amusing entry by Charlie Demers, noted local comedian, into crime fiction. I was filled with joy by so many aspects of this book, primarily its ludicrous setting (Coquitlam) and the commentary on Vancouver-area issues provided throughout. Every reminder that the story was unfolding in the bland, familiar, godforsaken cesspool that is Coquitlam, made the whole thing so much funnier/sadder. Thumbs up. More, please.
June 15, 2018
Loved the premise, and as a displaced Vancouverite, I loved the references to familiar locations.
Characters could have been further developed, but it was a nice, light, laugh out loud read.
Characters could have been further developed, but it was a nice, light, laugh out loud read.
August 27, 2018
A solid, light, fun, comedy/gangster adventure where what seems like a simple and foolproof plan quickly gets way out of control. I appreciated the diverse cast and the Canadian setting, although I think I would have found it funnier if I lived in or around Vancouver.
August 13, 2019
I loved this book! It has everything! Loads of humour, suspense and a very heartful core. I highly recommend this book. I love a great story where a plan goes from bad to worse to worst.
July 17, 2022
A light read, set in the Vancouver area involving property values and crime and what someone will do to keep their home.
December 15, 2023
Funny Vancouver read about a man who stages a drive-by shooting to bring down housing prices. #GodHatesHomeowners
April 10, 2019
The most poignant, sarcastically funny, satirical novel I've read since Paul Beatty's Man-Booker winning The Sellout. There is so much to enjoy about this genre-busting book on multiple levels. Demers is sentence for sentence one of the best writers in the country. Every sentence seems carefully constructed for maximum impact to both head and heart. It's the story of Scott, a bit of a shlemiel, and his 'non-aligned' buddies Pardeep and Josiah, who together create a kind of hapless multi-ethnic triumvirate. It's also a portrait of Vancouver, a lovable and impossible to love city, where skyrocketing housing prices have made planting roots (and keeping them planted) unlikely for most people these days. Demers understands how ironic that is considering the land was essentially stolen in the first place. There is also a touching backstory of Scott missing his late mom Bojana and the vacancy she left in his life and his dad's. It recalls that every house is built by first digging and filling a hole. But some holes are too deep to fill, and trying to escape them only gets you in deeper.
August 24, 2018
Clever read, especially if you live in British Columbia. Charles Demers is such a clever writer, love all that he creates.
March 20, 2025
Watching Charlie Demers doing stand-up comedy is a privilege. He is one of the smartest people I’ve ever met, and he frequently makes unexpected and brilliant connections in his jokes that make them not just hilarious but also mind-blowing.
He’s written a good handful of books too, and the only one I’d ever read was the Dad Dialogues, which he co-wrote with George Bowering, a cute and funny epistolary book about fatherhood. I loved it and gave my dad a copy for Christmas.
The other books Charlie has written are about mental health, Vancouver history and lately, a mix of both in his crime novel series featuring gumshoe counsellor Dr Annick Boudreau.
This book predates those and is his first attempt at writing a crime novel. I’d say that while it had me page-turning, it does feel inexperienced and clunky at times. I love the premise: nerdy suburban 30-year-olds staging a gang shooting to try to calm raging property values. As someone who was renovicted out of Vancouver with my young family, the desperation was all too relatable.
It’s more the method I have an issue with. I personally recoil a bit when I can see an author trying to stuff facts and opinions into the narrative and although I 100% agree with Charlie’s opinions, I still found it took me out of the flow and distracted me. His quality of making disparate connections can be great, as I said above, but in this book it felt kinda pasted on top. That may be unfair and vague as far as criticism goes, just my personal vibes-based opinion.
I don’t read enough crime fiction to know whether or not some of what I didn’t like was just inherent to the genre. Most plot points felt engineered, and telegraphed very obviously. The plot took precedence over character development, and seemed a bit too tidy to be plausible. Do I just not like genre fiction?
I have read two Vancouver-based crime novels by Demers’ friend Sam Wiebe, and can say that Wiebe does a similar thing with much more elegance in execution. The themes in Wiebe’s books emerge from the plots and have room to grow in the reader’s mind without being told. The transitions, the setting descriptions, the character details, all are a bit more interesting and complex. Check those out.
My wife Jenn has read the more recent Boudreau mystery novels and likes them, and mentioned that the second was better than the first, so I’m guessing that Charlie’s crime novel chops are only improving. Have I written any crime novels? No. I think Charlie is a fucking national treasure and his comedy career alone would give him that status. The fact that he is also building a body of work in fiction is astounding and I wish him well on all of it.
He’s written a good handful of books too, and the only one I’d ever read was the Dad Dialogues, which he co-wrote with George Bowering, a cute and funny epistolary book about fatherhood. I loved it and gave my dad a copy for Christmas.
The other books Charlie has written are about mental health, Vancouver history and lately, a mix of both in his crime novel series featuring gumshoe counsellor Dr Annick Boudreau.
This book predates those and is his first attempt at writing a crime novel. I’d say that while it had me page-turning, it does feel inexperienced and clunky at times. I love the premise: nerdy suburban 30-year-olds staging a gang shooting to try to calm raging property values. As someone who was renovicted out of Vancouver with my young family, the desperation was all too relatable.
It’s more the method I have an issue with. I personally recoil a bit when I can see an author trying to stuff facts and opinions into the narrative and although I 100% agree with Charlie’s opinions, I still found it took me out of the flow and distracted me. His quality of making disparate connections can be great, as I said above, but in this book it felt kinda pasted on top. That may be unfair and vague as far as criticism goes, just my personal vibes-based opinion.
I don’t read enough crime fiction to know whether or not some of what I didn’t like was just inherent to the genre. Most plot points felt engineered, and telegraphed very obviously. The plot took precedence over character development, and seemed a bit too tidy to be plausible. Do I just not like genre fiction?
I have read two Vancouver-based crime novels by Demers’ friend Sam Wiebe, and can say that Wiebe does a similar thing with much more elegance in execution. The themes in Wiebe’s books emerge from the plots and have room to grow in the reader’s mind without being told. The transitions, the setting descriptions, the character details, all are a bit more interesting and complex. Check those out.
My wife Jenn has read the more recent Boudreau mystery novels and likes them, and mentioned that the second was better than the first, so I’m guessing that Charlie’s crime novel chops are only improving. Have I written any crime novels? No. I think Charlie is a fucking national treasure and his comedy career alone would give him that status. The fact that he is also building a body of work in fiction is astounding and I wish him well on all of it.
October 2, 2018
This slim volume is deceptively enticing in that a reader might think it's a quick read. Indeed, it could be, but Demers' wit, cynicism and descriptive writing invite the reader to linger a little longer just to enjoy the great writing and the fun.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story of one man's desperate attempt to lower his property value in Coquitlam, BC. The novel is situated in the lower mainland of BC, where unprecedented rising property values have created massive difficulties for those who cannot afford to live where they work.
Well done, Charles Demers. I look forward to reading more from your delightful pen.
I thoroughly enjoyed the story of one man's desperate attempt to lower his property value in Coquitlam, BC. The novel is situated in the lower mainland of BC, where unprecedented rising property values have created massive difficulties for those who cannot afford to live where they work.
Well done, Charles Demers. I look forward to reading more from your delightful pen.
April 16, 2019
If you live in Vancouver or the lower mainland, you will hopefully be as excited as I was to read a book that is actually set here (and not just filmed here). It's not a perfect book, but it is a light comedy/crime novel that centers on an issue close to every Vancouverite's heart: the unaffordablility of this lovely city. Though I normally complain that books are too long, I actually found this one to be a bit too short and I would have loved to see more character development.
July 20, 2019
Property Values is a well written novel with competent storytelling, but it falls somewhat short in the comedic aspect it's sold on. The premise is entirely based on bad decisions made by stubborn characters, and while the satire is there, I didn't find it had the sort of wit I've come to expect from Charlie Demers as a fan of his comedy and his other book "The Horrors." Still, it's quick pace makes it worth a read, and it's not a bad page turner.
January 20, 2021
set in Vancouver in present time with the sky rocketing property values, the hero of the novel Scott can't afford to keep the family house he grew up in so he, with the assistance of his punjabi and asian two besties, decides to stage a drive-by shooting in the hopes of bringing down the values. well, all hell breaks lose when rival gangs think their territories are being invaded by some new gang members. It's funny and preposterous and a good, light read for the new year! i'll give it 3.5/5
July 4, 2019
Charlie Demer's writing style can be at times long winded, but the descriptions and allusions are so clever that I mostly didn't mind. I did, however, have to bust out the dictionary more than a few times. In any case, I really enjoyed this book. Its funny and sweet and a great story. I could see it becoming a movie.
November 3, 2019
Charlie Demers is a very funny and thoughtful man, but he STARTED the book with a dialogue-only section where he didn't identify either speaker for several pages. He used this device a few times in the first few chapters; I just couldn't follow. Which is too bad, because he clearly has many cogent things to say.
May 17, 2022
What a delight. This book felt like a Canadian Carl Hiaasan, with a fish out of water protagonist thrust into a dark and violent world of organized (and frankly, chaotic) crime. I had a few laugh out loud moments reading the conversations in the central friendships of the book, the bergamot argument really hit me as hilarious.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2023
Scott needs to buy out his ex-father in law's half of the house Scott grew up in, but he doesn't have the money. Not even close. He arranges a faked drive-by shooting to drive down the property values to something he can afford, but gets mixed up with local gangsters and a local crime reporter. I think if I were more familiar with the Vancouver area I would've gotten more of the humor.
July 15, 2018
What a hilarious send up of the overblown real estate market in Vancouver (and Toronto)! Millennials trying to get into the market- or stay in it- will surely be able to relate. The dialogue is snappy, the characters dopey and the action is non stop. Fans of Terry Fallis will like this one!
September 22, 2018
Light, but cutting take the insanity of the Vancouver housing market filtered through a foolproof-plan-gone afoul storyline lifted from classic noir. Demers’ too-clever prose sometimes gets in the way of what is otherwise a total riot.
September 10, 2019
This was a bit far fetched but that is what I enjoyed. Even if the story is hard to believe, it is fiction after all, it is well written. I especially liked when Charlie wrote about the main characters love for his mother and their relationship.
September 14, 2019
A very entertaining, fresh take on an organized crime novel. Captures the trials and tribulations of growing up in Vancouver suburbs in a hilarious manner. Especially relatable if you grew up in the Lower Mainland but I think it would be an entertaining read for all.
December 31, 2019
It was well written and I do want to read more of his work. I found myself wanting a little more character development in the story especially for the main character who seems to pivot completely but without justification. The ending was perfect though.
May 18, 2018
Good little book!
Exciting and great dialogue!
Great relevance to current markets in Canada!! Well worth the read and it’s fast!
Exciting and great dialogue!
Great relevance to current markets in Canada!! Well worth the read and it’s fast!
August 5, 2018
Pretty thin but had some funny lines
October 6, 2018
Not at all what I expected in the most wonderful way.
October 23, 2018
Funny, different from what's out there. Too short to spend much time with the characters, but an interesting message about "home" and what makes it valuable (even if I don't ultimately agree with the message).
November 2, 2018
Enjoyable AF. Read this book and if you've ever lived in Vancouver you should definitely read this book.
December 30, 2018
Enjoyable read, especially for those who know the city of Coquitlam, located in Vancouver, BC suburbs.
January 10, 2021
For me, the writing was 4/5 stars but giving it an extra star for the phenomenal Lower Mainland references and setting one of the scenes on the 104 Avenue exit.
August 9, 2022
4.5 - loved this book; Charlie Demers is a very good writer and being familiar with Vancouver made it particularly appealing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews