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Golden Gizmo
 
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Golden Gizmo (Paperback)

by Jim Thompson (Author)
3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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From Library Journal

Another of Thompson's autobiographical titles and supposedly true, fans know that half of this is inseparable from his crime writings. Whether fact or fiction, this 1954 title makes for fun reading. Also look for Thompson's novel The Golden Gizmo (ISBN 0-375-70032-3), now also available from Vintage.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.


Ingram

Toddy Kent was born with a talent for finding easy money, but Toddy's gift has the habit of deserting him when he needs it most. When he discovers a seemingly limitless ( and illicit) source of pure gold, Toddy's wife suddenly is murdered and he himself is on the run from a sinister man with no chin and a singing Doberman. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
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4 Reviews
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3.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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2.0 out of 5 stars Bizarre and confusing, Aug 22 2002
By Westley (Stuck in my head) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Golden Gizmo (Paperback)
I'm a big Thompson fan; THE GOLDEN GIZMO is the 12th of his books I've read. Unfortunately, it may be my least favorite so far. The story is about Toddy Kent, a typical Thompson grifter who is working as a door-to-door gold buyer (does anyone really do this job?). He's semi-legit now because he's working for an honest gold buyer. However, in a typical Thompson ploy, he accidentally gets into trouble by knocking on the wrong door while trying to buy gold. In this house, Toddy encounters a chinless man, a Hispanic woman, and a talking dog. Yes, the dog talks. I like some surreal writing, but the device of having the dog talk wasn't really used to much benefit here and really just undermined the action for me. Toddy becomes entangled in various problems related to the chinless man and corrupt gold sellers. The plot hinges on far too many coincidences for my taste, and it really was just too confusing. Almost every other chapter ends with someone else clobbering Toddy or pulling a gun on him. All of Thompson's skills as a crime noir writer seemed to have deserted him with this book, much like Toddy's golden gizmo. If you're a fan of Thompson, THE GOLDEN GIZMO is a passable read. Otherwise, I suggest Thompson classics like THE GRIFTERS or THE GETAWAY.
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2.0 out of 5 stars Mission Improbable, April 30 2000
By Isaac Rabinovitch (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Golden Gizmo (Paperback)
This is almost a decent novel. If it didn't come from the author of that masterpiece, "The Grifters," I might have given it an extra star or two.

What's really painful is that there's a lot of good stuff here. The characters, as always, are fascinating. And only Jim Thompson could make a talking dog a convincing player in a noir thriller! But his cleverness here only serves to highlight his childish plot gimmicks. When you find out what happened to The Missing Body, you'll want to scream in frustration.

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5.0 out of 5 stars What happens to the confidence man who tries to go straight?, Mar 4 2000
By James L. Roberts "Jim Roberts" (Liberty, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
This review is from: The Golden Gizmo (Paperback)
Like most of Jim Thompson's novels, the story turns on a series of criminal events. Toddy Kent is a man with the "golden gizmo" -- a psychic sense that can lead him to riches just as readily as to disaster. This book is textured with curiosities -- Teddy is married to a woman who drives him mad; a gold buyer for a reputable dealer, he stumbles into a steady supply of the highest grade gold and finds himself pursued by a ruthless, chinless man, a beautiful young woman, and a blood-thirsty dog that can talk and sings hymns. Most other writers would see the story fall around their ears, but Thompson deftly, gleefully pulls it off!
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3.0 out of 5 stars Nice little comedy from Thompson
This isn't a necessary Thompson read, but it is enjoyable, especially parts concerning the dog. Those expecting something warped will be disappointed, but it's decent for those... Read more
Published on Jul 10 1999

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