Diamond

Alan Robertson
Outskirts Press (2009)
ISBN 9781432742003
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (6/09)


Jack Tramp, an idealist, a former minor league farm player, unsuccessful in several career pursuits, had settled into a seasonal job as a maintenance man at a ski lodge. He lived nearby in a small house which he rented from his uncle Harry. When Uncle Harry died suddenly of a heart attack, Jack and his brother Larry inherited his estate, furniture business, and other investments, which amounted to a small fortune.

During a protracted probate the will was contested by a woman purportedly Uncle Harry’s common-law wife. She claimed that Harry was the father of her unborn child. As a result of these delays Jack found himself short of cash. He took a job to find a young missing musician, Jimmy Wright. Jack anticipated earning some quick cash for a few days work.

Jack suddenly found himself drawn into a web of deceit and lies. In a complicated scheme to con Jack and Larry out of their inheritance a devious scammer masterminded a plan, involving a crooked record producer, Jimmy the missing musician, and a beautiful determined woman out to get everything.

In this first-person account narrative, Alan Robertson, through the voice of Jack Tramp, uses a satirical wit as he unfolds the personality and philosophy of his protagonist. Between his fast-paced encounters with a cast of colorful characters with divergent personalities, Jack settles back to rehash and speculate the whereabouts of the missing musician while enjoying a Sam Adams beer. In a self-deprecating way he reveals highlights of his days playing in the league, his career efforts, his choice for country living in Hunter over the fast pace of New York City, and his relationships with Uncle Harry and Brother Larry.

Robertson balances a wild imagination with a droll sense of humor that results in a writing technique and style that turns the unbelievable into an acceptable possibility. His short chapters, fast-moving action, tight dialogue, and intricate plot twists kept me engrossed right up to the unexpected climactic conclusion.

Far-fetched and funny this is escapist reading at its best. Whether describing the beauty of the Mendocino coastline in California or the back booth at Flanagan’s bar in midtown Manhattan, Alan brings a sense of realism to the locale and setting.

“Diamond” establishes Alan Robertson as well on the way to becoming an award-winning and best-selling author. I am looking forward to hearing more of Jack Tramp’s adventures.

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