Book Review: Con Ed

By Sandy Amazeen Mar 19, 2007, 3:53 GMT

Con man Kip Largo figures he’s pretty much seen all the scams, probably done most of them at one time or another which is why he ended up spending eight years of his life behind bars. The only job he could land when he got out was working at a dry cleaner’s breathing fumes all day but at least it pays the rent. When a beautiful woman offers him a business proposition one night, he has no problem turning her down although he does accept her card out of politeness. Of course that was before his wastrel son Toby showed up on his doorstep trying to outrun a substantial gambling debt to the Russian mob. Now Kip begins thinking maybe Lauren Napier’s scheme to rip off her rich husband doesn’t seem so farfetched after all as that big payday is just what he needs to keep his son in one piece and his ex-wife off his back. Thus begins this engaging tale where it’s frequently difficult to tell who is scamming whom and everyone seems to have an ace up their sleeve. The background information about how various cons work is arguably the best part of the book and shows once again that truth can be even stranger then fiction.