Bait And Switch [Paperback]

Mass market paperbacks --- the ones that you find on the revolving display at the drugstore, or on displays by the hundreds at your local big box department store --- lend themselves for impulse buying. Got something long and boring on the horizon, like a plane ride, afternoon at the beach, or court-ordered marriage counseling? Grab a paperback on your way to the chip aisle. Who can resist a paperback? The price of admission is relatively low, so if the book turns out to be a dud, you haven't invested much; they don't take up a lot of room; and they can be held with one hand and, if you're practiced and/or dexterous enough, you can turn the page with your thumb. And, once in a while, you take a chance and find a treasure, like BAIT AND SWITCH by Larry Brooks.

The opening gambit of BAIT AND SWITCH would be only mildly interesting in the hands of a writer with lesser ability than Brooks. Wolfgang Schmitt is a former model currently stuck in an advertising job that he has come by degrees to abhor, and he is still reeling from the abrupt end of the relationship with the love of his life. It is ironic that he is also a part-time relationship expert, being the author of a monthly column on the subject for a women's magazine.

Nelson Scott is a self-made millionaire who can buy anything except his personal freedom. His wife, Kelly, holds the keys to that kingdom and is set to make him pay heavily. Scott's only hope is a condition of his prenuptial agreement that will enable him to escape the matrimonial bonds with his considerable fortune more or less intact. For that to happen, however, Kelly has to cohabit with another man for 30 days. It doesn't look like that's going to happen. Scott's plan, therefore, is to have Schmitt seduce Kelly. Given that Schmitt is an expert on relationships, this should be a piece of cake, especially with Scott's ability to manufacture a new identity for Schmitt right down to the last nuance. Schmitt, in return for his time and trouble, gets to play with lots of new luxury toys and receives a significant amount of money. Of course, wooing and seducing a beautiful woman is nothing to sneeze at either. Schmitt sets to work --- that term is applied loosely here --- and appears to be well on his way to accomplishing his mission.

BAIT AND SWITCH would be a great book if it was only a subtle reworking of INDECENT PROPOSAL. But it's much more than that. Brooks, a little over a third of the way through, begins dropping hints that there may be much more involved than divorce settlement machinations. And, indeed, what seems to be a fairly straightforward storyline takes some curves and turns that leave you smiling, shaking your head in wonder, and, most importantly, reading. For a while Schmitt thinks that he is the violinist to Kelly's Stradivarius; he is, in fact, only the bow. Schmitt is getting played, big time. But he's not the only one.

BAIT AND SWITCH has a complex plot, but Brooks is such a masterful writer that it doesn't seem so involved. Brooks is in no hurry here; he takes his time guiding the reader through a few labyrinths, but does so with a sure-footed assurance that never permits the plot to drag or droop. Surprises abound, practically to the last page, which contains a surprisingly satisfying ending and a tantalizing promise of more to come. I, for one, will be waiting.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

Larry Brooks has done it again. In the tradition of Darkeness Bound, Pressure Points, and Serpent's Dance, Mr. Brooks has created yet another intriguing and unique thriller, one with a guiltily likeable protagonist you can't help but root for.

Brooks has long been a must-read author for me. His plots are always unique (i.e., mayhem at a self-help seminar) and contain lots of fun twists and turns. But Bait and Switch isn't just summer fluff. Mr. Brooks knows how to write. He develops his characters, whose actions are not simply driven by the plot. He delves into the minds of male and female characters equally well. The dialogue crackles. This is Mr. Brooks's first attempt at first person narration (to my knowledge), and he handles it like a pro.

Bottom line: if you enjoy thrillers with well-written dialogue and page-turning suspense throughout, Brooks' novels are for you. This one is easily the equal of Brooks' prior three novels, which I also recommend you purchase and read immediately.

Wolfgang Schmitt is very disappointed with his job in a marketing company; he is a former model who attracts ladies by the thousands, but who has just been dumped by the love of his life. After a meeting with a client goes south, he is just about ready to quit. But that is exactly when he is faced with an astounding revelation; his assistant is working in the company just to determine if he is a good candidate for a very important mission.

Wolfgang does not have a lot to lose, so he jumps on a private plane that Nelson Scott, the real employer of Wolfgang's assistant, sends for him and starts an exciting journey. Nelson is separated from a wife that likes to sleep around and who will get a monthly alimony in the amount of $3 million for the rest of her life. Unless, of course, Nelson can provide proof of her adultery, in which case she gets nada. That is why Wolfgang receives an offer of one million dollars just for trying to seduce Kelly Scott; amount that will increase fourfold if he succeeds.

Brooks returns to the quality level he delivered in "Darkness Bound", providing the readers with an exciting plot full of twists and turns and that has a fair share of spicy moments too. Those of you who were somewhat disappointed with his second book, "Pressure Points", as I was, should give this author another opportunity. I am surely glad I did. Now I must go back and check "Serpent's Dance", which I hope is another page-turner that will keep me up all night as "Bait and Switch" did.

› Go to Amazon.com to see all 17 reviews  4.6 out of 5 stars