Arnold Falls

Arnold Falls #1

by Charlie Suisman

Grand Prize Winner, 2021 Mark Twain Award from Chanticleer International Book Awards


"Arnold Falls has the feel of an instant classic." —BlueInk


"Delightful...incredibly funny." —Kirkus Reviews
Arnold Falls is a small town in upstate New York filled with people who went a little further north than they planned: eccentrics, rat-race refugees, artists, self-promoters, self-medicators, the kind and the cranky, the brilliant and the dim, the delightful and those who should be avoided at all costs.

Jeebie, a voiceover artist, isn't looking for love. He's too busy helping his pal, Jenny, become the first female mayor of the town; rescuing Chaplin, a much-loved turkey, from a dastardly diva chef's Thanksgiving plans; and battling a proposed tire factory by the Hudson River. But Jeebie gets increasingly distracted by Will, the farmer's market apple seller, whose charms leave him more befuddled by the day.

This comedic novel, which tips its hat to Armistead Maupin and P. G. Wodehouse, is "as funny as it cozy" (BlueInk), threads together a town full of characters, agendas, plots and counter-plots, leaving it up to Jeebie and his pals to restore the right kind of disorder in a town that always does the right thing...after exhausting all other possibilities.

Arnold Fall is a place where friendships, community, and love at least have a fighting chance. "A tale that will make readers want to move to the author's heartwarming fictional town." (Kirkus)

Genres: Fiction, Humor, LGBT, Contemporary

280 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 12, 2020

About the author

Charlie Suisman launched Manhattan User’s Guide in 1992, creating the first city newsletter.

He has written several guide books to New York, including Manhattan User’s Guide, published by Hyperion, Shop Talk, The New York Times Guide to Hotels in New York City, and The New York Holiday Guide.

Hot Air is his new novel, the second in the Arnold Falls series.

Reviews

[Mack Lipkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go to Arnold Falls, you won’t want to leave

The perfect read for these difficult times: a laugh out loud satirical portrait of small town life rich with deftly drawn quirky characters thriving through fire, malevolence, aging and death. I began to read slower because I didn’t want it to end! Take a trip to Arnold Falls, you won’t want to leave.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love quirky small towns and this one was funny and charming, but alas, it didn’t seem like there was much to it besides that

[Billy Buttons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A WISHING SHELF BOOK REVIEW
30th April 2020

TITLE: ARNOLD FALLS
AUTHOR: Charlie Suisman

Star Rating: 5

‘A fun, always engaging story packed full of unforgettably odd characters. Highly recommended.’ A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review

REVIEW
Just like most of the world, I’m presently in lockdown. It’s not all bad. I get to spend time with my wife and children and I have even started writing chapter three of that novel I have been procrastinating over for twenty years. I also get a lot of time to read. And, right now, when the world is in a right old pickle, I need a book that will cheer me up. Well, I’m happy to tell you, Arnold Falls did the trick.
This novel is a very cleverly plotted look at small town America. The protagonist is a young(ish) gay man and, along with a number of delightfully eccentric characters, they offer the reader an endless supply of belly laughs whilst they enjoy the ups and down of town life.
Is there a plot? Yes, sort of. It’s in there. But if you are looking for a plot-driven story, this is probably not for you. But what you will find is a host of splendidly-developed, often hilariously funny characters that will not only fascinate you but will also force you to think. There’s a lot of commentary hidden in here, on how small towns work or, indeed, how they don’t work. But the author’s sly and has such competent writing skills, he can put over his message without the reader ever feeling overwhelmed.
Now to the writing style. Well, what can I say other than this author is rather talented – and when I say ‘rather’, I’m understating, as us Brits tend to do. Many new novelists tend to describe setting and characters in hefty lumps of text. But this can kill the pace of the story. Thankfully, this writer seems wise to this, cleverly mixing up speech and the describing of character and setting. Subsequently, the writing felt light and not at all like wading through cauliflower-cheese. And, where there is description, it is imaginatively written.
But what I loved the best were the comic elements. They spill from every tiny chapter and every eye-widening nonsensical happening. This author is funny. But not ‘silly funny’ but ‘clever funny’. He has, what is called, ‘comic timing’; a ton of it
Enjoy!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Small 🏡🏠 community with loads of quirk, supporting each other. Timely message for these troubled days👍

4-4.5🌟stars
This book took me on a unique journey to a lively but seen-better-days small New York State town where most of the characters are heavily invested in each other's welfare and the common good for their Arnold Falls community. So many quirky, zany characters from a highly social tom turkey called Chaplin, to a 93 year-old waitress with a big secret and even bigger heart. There's clean romance afoot, thievery, dirty politics in a hotly contested mayoral race and a community at war with land development that promises dire environmental effects, to name a few of the bigger plot threads. And it's all told in a wonderful, warm and humorous tone, occasionally outright laughable but mostly rendering a quirk to my lips or a smile. The sad parts never dominated and served to bring the characters even closer.

Yes, there is a whole tribe of characters but each one has such a distinct story and they are added gradually, so I had no problem keeping them straight. Jeebee, the quintessential observer at the heart of the tale, gets thrown with gusto into the community campaigns and has his own relationship issues to resolve. Jeebee and his friends are also crazy about music and the many references to songs and lyrics were one aspect that I could take or leave. So many individual highs and lows in the lives of this fictional town's denizens, but the general impression I was left with: the efforts you make to help others will come back to enrich your life.

Arnold Falls is a paean to friend supporting friend, neighbor helping neighbor, totally on point as a philosophy essential for these troubled times.

Thanks to the author, the Independent Book Publishers Association, and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

[McKenzie Tozan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charlie Suisman has created an interesting and unique cast of characters, alternating smoothly between first- and third-person perspectives, in his latest creative work, ARNOLD FALLS.

From the beginning, we join the main character, Jeebie, in a small New York State town that has obviously seen better days, but we are carried through the book on creativity, hilarity, and genuine depictions of its people. Timely to its core, the book's undertones emphasize the community's investment in each person's welfare and success, largely for the common good of the whole New York State area. Given what is currently going on around us, the construct is well-received, if not even somewhat cathartic.

Also saturated with clean romance and frequent introductions to new characters from around the town, the book invites a sense of normalcy amidst the need for growth and healing among its many characters. Readers of this book will get a genuine look into what an introduction into a small town feels like, and they may also close the book, feeling as though they've just said good-bye to a cast of old friends.

[Cha Cha · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Arnold Falls" allows one to slow down the pace and become immersed in the daily goings-on of small town life. At times laugh out loud funny, Charlie Suisman's novel is endlessly entertaining and full of personality. "Arnold Falls" is truly a "feel good" read, perfect for getting one's mind off of "social distancing" and pandemics! Thank you, Charlie!
There are a lot of characters, plenty of room for a sequel! Here is my attempt at a list of characters, I don't think there are any spoilers!

Alec Barnsdorf - Author, Arnold Falls new resident
Annie O’Dell - TV chef
Armoor - Closed mental hospital
Aunt Doozy - 93 yr old waitress at Chicken Shack, Miss Georgia’s daughter, Emma Rose's best friend
Bender - Record store owner, ‘evergreen’ member
Bridget Roberts - Talent Agent
Darnell - Owns Red Light Museum
Dubsack Polatino - Rufus’ campaign manager?
Duncan Elmore - Jeebie's best friend, owner Pluggy’s farm
Emma Rose - Doozy’s best friend, Rufus’ grandmother, a Pumphrey?
Hamster - Courthouse maintenance man
Haralambie - Mayor of sister city in Romania
Ivan Borger - Owns Dutch House, wants to build tire factory
Jeebie - Narrator
Jenny Jagoda - Running for mayor
Jim Ebbens - Town butcher
Judge Lionel Harschlt - judge, town council, zoning board
Juliet - Librarian
Julius O’Dell - Annie’s husband
Karen - Works for Annie O’Dell, Chaplin enthusiast
Lillie - Sofia’s sister
Lou Pastorella - Post master and ‘evergreen’ member
Mac - Lillie’s husband
Madora - Argos owner
Marybeth Elmore - Duncan’s wife
Miles - Jeebie’s ex
Monge - Elk’s Club manager
Nelle, Janelle - Jeebie meets in record store, fast friends
Nils Nyqvist - Perfect Swedish family son
Noly Spinoli - Animal rights advocate, town councilwoman
Otts & Barry Barkenshaw - Hail Pail Day
Percy Tunnion - Owner of Traitor’s Landing
Pumphrey’s-First brothel in Arnold Falls
Rufus Meierhoffer - Incumbent mayor
Sadie - Marybeth and Duncan’s daughter
Sofia - Bartender at Argos
Susanne Nyqvist - Perfect Swedish family
Tishy - Rufus' secretary
Trudy - Dates Bridget
Wanda Velez - Town police woman
Will - Eiderdown Apples Employee

[JM · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received a free ARC from BookSirens in exchange for my honest opinion.

Well, I gave this one a try because one of the blurbs said it was similar to P.G. Wodehouse, whose work I've always enjoyed.

I'm not sure I'd agree that there's that much of Wodehouse in there but I did notice a few touches here and there. Funnily enough, for some reason it reminded me, tone-wise, more of a mix of J.K. Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy" with that part at the middle of Neil Gaiman's "American Gods" where Shadow is hiding out at some small town where the New Gods can't find him. It also felt at times reminiscent of the TV show "Parks & Recreation," oddly enough. Now, none of this is a complaint, since I like all of those things.

The story itself was engaging and entertaining, and the characters were evocatively described and likeable, or at least unlikeable in a straightforward manner, if that makes any sense, so that it's easy to become invested in what's happening to them and their small town even if the plot of the novel doesn't include any world-shattering events or anything of the sort.

The whole narrative is mostly built around a local woman campaigning to unseat the current mayor for the good of Arnold Falls (a small town with a pretty colorful history) because he's an incompetent dumbass, and his attempts at foiling her and getting re-elected. As you'd expect, this creates friction among the locals, and just like it happens in real life, people just live their lives in the middle of all of this.

I enjoyed this quite a bit. It was fun, for sure.

[Lucas Tennen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finishing this book was like having to say goodbye to old friends. Suisman gives the reader a window into the town of Arnold Falls, sweeping you through into the most intimate corners of its resident's lives. Much like the town, the novel starts off slow, but grows on you in a very surprising way.

Once the characters are established, you find yourself invested in their struggles and successes. Told mostly through Jeebee, the newcomer. He acts as a very strong protagonist to anchor the reader in the vast cast of characters and various plot threads.

It's also worth mentioning that you don't often read fiction where LGBT relationships are portrayed in a small town. For this reason I found the romantic storylines to be particularly catching. They showed that the simple pleasures of falling love touch everyone from all walks of life.

Would recommend!

[Hannah Barry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A truly delightful read. This book was a lot more fun and funny than I was expecting it to be. It was also incredibly lovely to see queer representation at the forefront of this novel. This felt like such a reminiscent read for me; think The Casual Vacancy.

Fantastic character development and great attention to detail. i was never bored but instead found myself wanting to savor this read, dreading the moment I would have to leave these new friends of mine.

A success with beautiful movement and a definite recommendation.

[Geanne Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lighthearted jaunt

An easy to read, well written story with lots of colorful characters. I enjoyed the different stories that intertwined in this small town. I recommend it to anyone who wants a fun read with characters you will think about long after you're finished.

[Beth Ann Warg · Rating 5 out of 5]

quirky and lovable

The characters make their own stories just by their names. My next dog just has to be named Dubsack or Doozy.

[Pâmela da Silva Lima · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful reading from the beginning to the end, this is a really fun book. If you're looking for a very light story, with fun characters and a fast plot, this one is for you.
Maybe it's the author background, but it feels like a column at New York Times talking about the life in a little city in a sly and cheeky way. When I start reading it the language was a little difficult, since English is not my first language, but I got used to it and learnead a lot along the way.
The main character is great, but the truth is, is hard to talk about a main character here. There's a lot of people living in this small town! But all of them feel like old friends at the end of the book. I wish some of them were real people in my life.
I don't have any specific criticism. It's not the type of story I'm used to read, so I don't have a lot to compare. But I do recommend it!

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry! I just can’t get into this book. I may not be the intended audience, but the style didn’t work for me at all. I found the writing far too detailed and there were so many characters introduced that I couldn’t even keep them all straight. There were parts of it that seemed quite funny.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Arnold Falls is a very unique book. I haven’t ever read anything like it, which maybe isn’t so surprising since I tend to read sci fi fantasy and this is definitely not that.

What is is, however, is a delight. Witty, warm and welcoming to the core, Arnold Falls is full of bright characters, a handful of slightly slow but interesting plots and a lot of heart. Chaplin the turkey won me over from the first gobble and Jeebie the protagonist (The book is kind of an ensemble cast, it’s a mesh of third person POV sections for the other residents of the town and then first person POV sections for Jeebie) is fantastic.

The romance aspect is very much a side plot arc that doesn’t get a whole lot of attention for the first half of the book, but once it gets going it’s super lovely. Jeebie is a bit of a mess and Will is sweet and together they’re just plain adorable. It’s nice to see a m/m relationship that’s as soft as this, and although I do wish they’d have got a little more screen time as a couple there was also a f/f relationship which got a lot of focus and I absolutely loved that too. I don’t wanna spoil anything so that’s all I’ll say but I really enjoyed it.

Overall this book is lovely. It’s a fun, easy read and it made me smile. It isn’t the usual kind of book I’d read so there were some moments where I was a little bored I’m afraid, especially as the plot is very slow moving, but the writing was always smooth and well structured. I definitely recommend it.

[Scott Semegran · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw great reviews for Arnold Falls on book review services like BlueInk Review and Reedsy Discovery and thought I'd give this novel a try. The last few books I read were great but heavy, so a comedic novel sounded just about right. Arnold Falls is a funny book, for sure.

From the publisher: Spend time in the funny, oddball village of Arnold Falls, where larger-than-life characters deal with the smallest of problems. Somehow, it all comes out right in the end. Arnold Falls is a novel that tips its hat to Armistead Maupin and P. G. Wodehouse, creating a world in which food, music, friendship, love, and tending your own garden are connected in surprising ways.

Main character Jeebie is the glue between all the characters. He's a voice over artist who moved to Arnold Falls with his boyfriend, but the boyfriend quickly departs and leaves Jeebie behind. Jeebie finds himself in a number of community hijinks and misadventures, all amusing.

But the town itself really is the main character. The narration of the novel is brisk and charming. The dialog between the townsfolk is amusing and rapid fire, a bit like a TV comedy show firing on all cylinders ala Parks and Recreation mixed with Northern Exposure. There isn't a lot of exposition to bog down the whimsical story. Many hilarious tidbits about Arnold Fall's history is told, like the origin of the quirky holiday Hail Pail Day or the mostly unaltered interior of The Chicken Shack, the longstanding diner and favorite town hangout.

Unfortunately, once the litany of characters are introduced, there isn't a lot of character descriptions either as the story barrels on. So when many characters are introduced later, only their dialog or actions describe them, but none of their physical characteristics or mannerisms are given. For instance, when Jeebie's parents meet him and Nelle for dinner at Pumphrey's, no physical descriptions of the parents are given at all. The only thing said is the mother likes to paint (she's talented) and the father still thinks he's an ad exec from the 1950s (but he's a decent guy). Are they thin or plump? Tall or short? Nervous or confident? Well-dressed or shlubs? Who knows.

This lack of character description is an unfortunate oversight in an otherwise funny and endearing ensemble piece. I'm keeping my eye out for Suisman's next novel. I'd give this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Arnold Falls was a great book to read just for the enjoyment of reading. I wasn't forced to take sides, or learn something, or be emotionally overwhelmed-- I was able to just relish a pleasant reading experience, taken away from the real life drama of today.

The genre for this was listed as LGBTQIA, and yes, there were gay characters- but I would consider this general fiction. This book is about what a real COMMUNITY looks like. (Good and bad.) As quirky as some of the character may seem, each unique individual in Arnold Falls adds their own 'color' and purpose that contribute to the whole.

I live in a community just big enough to be called a 'city', but in reality, is about as 'small town' as you can get. I loved the similarities (and unique aspects) of Arnold Falls that can easily be compared to real life. This could be my town. These could be my friends.

Author Suisman has brought to life, a large cast of characters to create a community you long to meet. I liked that even though Jeebie Walker leads us through the story- he was not the main focus of it. We never get bogged down by the narrator's feelings or perspective. He's as much a witness, as he is an active character in this crazy little town. Is it 'sleepy' or is it 'magical'? I guess that's for you to decide.

This is an upbeat, frolicsome read that feels like home.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won a free copy through a Goodreads giveaway.

This was an adorable novel chock full of odd, intriguing characters. Judge Harschly is officially my favorite, as he acts exactly how I suspect I would act if I were a judge, lol.

"Was that hissing? Hissing?! You hissing people, do you want me to come over to your office and hiss you into next week? Because I will do that. I will make time for that."

There were a few places where it was difficult to distinguish whose point of view we were getting, until later in the chapter. In such instances, just assume it's Jeebie speaking, and you'll more than likely be right. Though we get to see the views of a sizable cast of characters throughout the story, each playing out their own stories in the midst of several larger interconnected ones, he seems to be the primary narrator. Likely because of his personal connections to so many of the other denizens of Arnold Falls.

Overall, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a (mostly) light-hearted, character-driven romp through a small town of closely knit misfits as they fight for the future of their beloved town, while haphazardly stumbling into their own versions of happily-ever-after.

[Doctor Nyk · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You're right, Giles, I'll fix it if you fix that man bun, by which I mean undo it!" -Page 100

Arnold Falls is a small town full of unique yet familiar characters. Exactly as you'd expect from a town named after a well known American traitor. The towns people are dealing with an interesting proposal from the towns Mayor.

The current mayor, Rufus made the mistake of sending fertilizer to Romania. This caused FBI agent Plank to come check out the small town.

Jenny and her squad are working the campaign road to win the vote for Mayor of Arnold Falls! They have until voting day to change people minds about zoning for a tire factory.

And ofcaurse there is Ivan, who wants to open a tire factory (with terrible environmental consequences).

Not a lot of description for the characters which I personally like, the author focuses more on the story and entertainment than the description of the characters and settings. Which I think helps add to the pacing of the comedy.

It's funny and a little silly and will remind you of any average small town.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author via Voracious Readers Only

[Kerri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quirky, fun little read.

The visuals in this book are great, and it builds the town in your mind easily. The characters are many and varied. I will admit to having trouble keeping track of the narrative changes between chapters, I really wish there would have been something denoting those changes, which is why this is three stars instead of four.

It feels very much like Gilmore Girls, so if that sort of vibe is something you'd enjoy, it's almost a given you'd enjoy Arnold Falls. The cast of characters all have heart and humor, and it was a fun little read.

I think it'd be a great beach read, or airport read while you're on vacation.

( I received an advanced review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. )

[Angie Boyter]

I stopped 30 pages in, so I won't rate it. Maybe it got better, but instead of being humorous, I found it very unappealing. Characters like the 93-year-old waitress who would have gone into a career in the family bordello if she hadn't had a flatulence problem got to be too much for me. And I must admit that, as someone who is active in my own local elections, I do NOT find stealing your opponent's election signs AT ALL funny.
I think I had been envisioning something like a Richard Russo book, so I went on and started Nobody's Fool. Ah, yes! THAT is what I was looking for!

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel was a bit hard for me to get into and just never really captured my attention. To be fair, I only made it to page 101 before I stopped. A little too much small town mentality was hard to grasp and there were quite a few characters to keep track of. Several of the characters were funny, but overall, just not my cup of tea or style of reading. I gave it 3 stars because I think the writing was good and there are probably a lot of people that would be interested in a story about a small town, it's history and all the going's on there.

[Coleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book through voracious readers only in exchange for an objective review. I had a grin on my face and a chuckle in my belly for the duration of the delightful story of the ups and downs of the folks in Arnold Falls. The writing style was fun and reminiscent of Tom Robbins and Armistead Maupin. Ultimately, it was a feel good story with a lovely use of language and a quirky cast of characters who worked their way into my heart. Looking forward to reading about further adventures in this idyllic little town!

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly amusing

This is one of those books that is hard to peg into a genre. Written in part 3rd person omniscient, part in first person. Our 1st person narrator is a middle-aged gay guy named Jeebie. He sort of ties all the various stories together. We have various love stories, the rescue of a Thanksgiving turkey, friendships, corrupt politicians, et al. I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, but it started slow and just kept building. If you are a Trump fan, you might not like it, as the stories definitely lean left. But I'm not, so I had fun.

[Jacqueline Allan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sincere thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me an ebook copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is not my usual genre, I’m more of a crime/thriller reader however this story intrigued me. I absolutely loved it, truly one of the best books I have read. I am extremely pleased and grateful to both for opening up my mind to something totally different.

[Franchesca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off a little rough, with a few unnecessarily added words (and some missing quotation marks) throughout that sometimes made reading feel a bit stilted. With this being said I found a few of the characters intriguing enough that I decided to hang in there and see where it would go. Overall this was a cute, entertaining, humorous read. Perfect for the election and Thanksgiving season. Thank you to Charlie Suisman and Goodreads giveaways for the signed copy!

[Eva Silverfine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This whimsical tale about a town along the Hudson River, filled with an eclectic group of eccentric, talented characters, at first struck me as a bit over the top. However, as the story unfolded and these characters improbably came together as the tight-knitted community that we might all wish we had, my earlier reservation faded. I enjoyed this light, well-written, entertaining read of a community fighting to save itself from incompatible development.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Save the town/Save the date

A story about a town called Arnold Falls. Told mostly through the eyes of Jeebie, the reader is introduced to many of the important people in the town. Jeebies friends take on larger roles throughout the book ending with a family send off.

#GoodreadsGiveaway

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

(I received a complimentary review copy of this novel from the author via Voracious Readers Only)

This book is very charming and lovely to read. The characters are all written very well and easy to keep track of, despite there being so many of them! I was very quickly taken in by the world the author has created and I look forward to reading the sequel.

[Linda Galway · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lucky to win this book from the Giveaways

This author sure can create some highly quirky characters! I found it quite a fun read but would at times would lose interest and then become quite amusing when I kept reading

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 2 out of 5]

Whimsy so thick you could cut it with a knife. It seemed like the author got bogged down in the minutia of creating such a deep and detailed bout of whimsy and while I could practically hear the author chuckling to himself I just couldn’t go along with the joke.