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The Firecracker King
"Witty and gritty and paced like a rocket, Matt Bayan’s The Firecracker King is an utter gas to read. A kicker of a plot, wily characters deftly portrayed, a sneakily straightforward style that betrays a subtle, insightful mind—I was smiling with every turn of the page, when I wasn’t laughing out loud. Please excuse the all-too-obvious pun, but this book is an absolute blast.
"Matt Bayan understands a sneaky, subtle truth: that the harshest realties always come salted with an earthy wit. My God, what a funny, jarring, gripping book. You will be laughing as you compulsively turn the pages, wondering; how can this man known so much? How can he convey it so wryly? How can he understand the human condition so unapologetically. What a wicked, marvelous book. What a treat for any serious reader."
--David Corbett, award-winning author of DO THEY KNOW I'M RUNNING?, THE DEVIL'S REDHEAD, and DONE FOR A DIME
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"Bayan's description of the firecracker slugfest out on the lake had me howling with laughter. Not many authors can say they've achieved that. The only thing I can compare the writing to (and it holds up very favorably) is Stephen King's THE BODY – the story that inspired the film STAND BY ME."
--A.C. Crispin (The STARBRIDGE Series, Star Wars - THE HAN SOLO TRILOGY; Pirates of the Caribbean - THE PRICE OF FREEDOM)
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Set in 1965, The Firecracker King depicts a quiet lakeside neighborhood that is shocked by the brutal murder of a beautiful teenage girl.
Jake’s idealism is battered by hatred and betrayal as he tries to survive in a dangerous adult world. Part mystery, part coming-of-age story, THE FIRECRACKER KING builds its pace to a breakneck ending, yet along the way contains a full measure of humor and insight.
"Matt Bayan understands a sneaky, subtle truth: that the harshest realties always come salted with an earthy wit. My God, what a funny, jarring, gripping book. You will be laughing as you compulsively turn the pages, wondering; how can this man known so much? How can he convey it so wryly? How can he understand the human condition so unapologetically. What a wicked, marvelous book. What a treat for any serious reader."
--David Corbett, award-winning author of DO THEY KNOW I'M RUNNING?, THE DEVIL'S REDHEAD, and DONE FOR A DIME
-----
"Bayan's description of the firecracker slugfest out on the lake had me howling with laughter. Not many authors can say they've achieved that. The only thing I can compare the writing to (and it holds up very favorably) is Stephen King's THE BODY – the story that inspired the film STAND BY ME."
--A.C. Crispin (The STARBRIDGE Series, Star Wars - THE HAN SOLO TRILOGY; Pirates of the Caribbean - THE PRICE OF FREEDOM)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Set in 1965, The Firecracker King depicts a quiet lakeside neighborhood that is shocked by the brutal murder of a beautiful teenage girl.
Jake’s idealism is battered by hatred and betrayal as he tries to survive in a dangerous adult world. Part mystery, part coming-of-age story, THE FIRECRACKER KING builds its pace to a breakneck ending, yet along the way contains a full measure of humor and insight.
- GenresMystery
208 pages, ebook
First published March 15, 2012
26 people are currently reading
57 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 15, 2017
Firecracker King
First Thoughts:
Hard to say what kind of book this is. A YA novel for Baby Boomers? How’s that for a dichotomy?
Jake Johnson on a fishing trip finds a dead body and from then on his life is on a weird, wild ride where things and people are not what they seem on the outside.
The murder mystery happens in the small town of Lakeview in the summer of 1965, where boys tease and play firecracker games, blow up stuff and ogle at girls in the window.
The story was one I could on some level relate to since I was about ten at the time of the novel. The author writes very descriptively. You feel you’re there confronting the surly cop, the deadly Mr. Young or his insane son Ralph. Or the joy of swimming as fast as you can in the lake. Or the terror of such!
There were a few times I felt the story meandered some, but then towards the remaining chapters the story veered to the apparent solution of the murder mystery. Or was it? Jake makes his decision.
Final Thoughts: Recommended for the young and young at heart. A Nancy Drew feel to a novelette that promises a hot summer day and deadly nights.
First Thoughts:
Hard to say what kind of book this is. A YA novel for Baby Boomers? How’s that for a dichotomy?
Jake Johnson on a fishing trip finds a dead body and from then on his life is on a weird, wild ride where things and people are not what they seem on the outside.
The murder mystery happens in the small town of Lakeview in the summer of 1965, where boys tease and play firecracker games, blow up stuff and ogle at girls in the window.
The story was one I could on some level relate to since I was about ten at the time of the novel. The author writes very descriptively. You feel you’re there confronting the surly cop, the deadly Mr. Young or his insane son Ralph. Or the joy of swimming as fast as you can in the lake. Or the terror of such!
There were a few times I felt the story meandered some, but then towards the remaining chapters the story veered to the apparent solution of the murder mystery. Or was it? Jake makes his decision.
Final Thoughts: Recommended for the young and young at heart. A Nancy Drew feel to a novelette that promises a hot summer day and deadly nights.
January 1, 2026
I enjoyed this book so much that I read it completely in one day. The characters were so well scripted that I could actually feel what they looked like. There were some twists and turns in the story which kept me totally engrossed. 1st in a series and I intend to read the next one.
May 16, 2022
PERFECT SUNDAY AFTERNOON READ - 4 1/2 Stars
I downloaded this story into my Kindle yesterday morning and finished the book before dinner. I couldn’t put it down, and I woke this morning thinking of the setting, characters and ending. Perfect read for vacationers, commuters, or anyone looking for an escape.
16-year-old Jake Johnson and his friends can’t wait for the Fourth of July and the chaos of setting off fireworks. Unfortunately, the fun fizzles for Jake and his buddy, Eddie, when they find the corpse of a local girl in the lake behind their houses a few days before the big event.
As the story unfolds, Bayan masterfully transports his readers into the summer of 1965 and the neighborhood surrounding Granger Lake, New Jersey. It’s a time before helicopter parents, and latch-key kids ruled the summer. Boys will be boys and I found myself laughing out loud while simultaneously cringing at their angst, worrying who would get hurt, and wondering if justice would be served.
There’s a retro feel to the plot (and twist!) ensuring the reader will keep guessing and wondering who-dun-it. Look out for those “red Herrings!”
While it’s a five-star read, I have to take off a half point off for formatting issues. They’re minor but, unfortunately, they occur in the first four chapters. Never fear, though, as they clear up. This novel is well-worth the download and I’m happy to report there is a sequel I’ve purchased for next weekend. (scrubs her hands together in a greedy gesture.) Happy Reading!
I downloaded this story into my Kindle yesterday morning and finished the book before dinner. I couldn’t put it down, and I woke this morning thinking of the setting, characters and ending. Perfect read for vacationers, commuters, or anyone looking for an escape.
16-year-old Jake Johnson and his friends can’t wait for the Fourth of July and the chaos of setting off fireworks. Unfortunately, the fun fizzles for Jake and his buddy, Eddie, when they find the corpse of a local girl in the lake behind their houses a few days before the big event.
As the story unfolds, Bayan masterfully transports his readers into the summer of 1965 and the neighborhood surrounding Granger Lake, New Jersey. It’s a time before helicopter parents, and latch-key kids ruled the summer. Boys will be boys and I found myself laughing out loud while simultaneously cringing at their angst, worrying who would get hurt, and wondering if justice would be served.
There’s a retro feel to the plot (and twist!) ensuring the reader will keep guessing and wondering who-dun-it. Look out for those “red Herrings!”
While it’s a five-star read, I have to take off a half point off for formatting issues. They’re minor but, unfortunately, they occur in the first four chapters. Never fear, though, as they clear up. This novel is well-worth the download and I’m happy to report there is a sequel I’ve purchased for next weekend. (scrubs her hands together in a greedy gesture.) Happy Reading!
December 31, 2025
Undecided. I recently edited a friend's YA book, and this one felt similar. Teenagers involved in murder plots. Somehow I felt like it should be a YA book. But I read it all the way through - only to realize that to find the answer, really find the truth (which had 4 or 5 possibilities during the book), one would have to buy the next book in the series. I hate that. I like things to be tied up in a neat bow at the end, not the last paragraph leading me to the next book. If the next book does reveal the truth (I tended to believe the younger sister's final version to Jake), fine, but I won't be buying it to find out, because I wanted an ending to this book! I almost gave it a 3, so 3.5 rounded up.
May 13, 2017
Well written worth reading
First i liked the fact that the story was set in the 60's and i being of a certain age, could relate to how kids spent their summers back then.
The story felt very relatable, and brought back fond memories of the way we entertained ourselves.
A great read, keep writing, and I'll keep reading. maw
First i liked the fact that the story was set in the 60's and i being of a certain age, could relate to how kids spent their summers back then.
The story felt very relatable, and brought back fond memories of the way we entertained ourselves.
A great read, keep writing, and I'll keep reading. maw
May 27, 2017
This book was so atmospheric I could visualise the lazy hot summer, boys playing by the river. Slow paced getting faster and faster as the story unfolds of a boy finding a body in the river and the consequences of that find.
October 24, 2014
New Jersey, July, 1965. Fourteen-year-old Jake Johnson. A dead body. Add these three things together and what do you get? One unforgettable story!
A small town mystery speeds up one young man's road to maturity in this tale of boyhood friendships and rivalries. I love to read for character and Jake and his cohorts kept me thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. Magnetic personalities and a captivating plot effortlessly carried this story along and compelled me to keep turning those pages. Bayan's sharp, colorful writing style fills each scene with believable action inside visible settings while he strings you along through all types of delicious twists and turns as the mystery unfolds.
Though I was easily able to deduce "who done it" and was left with a couple of unanswered questions at the end, I enjoyed this well enough to consider re-reading again in the future.
Highly recommended!
A small town mystery speeds up one young man's road to maturity in this tale of boyhood friendships and rivalries. I love to read for character and Jake and his cohorts kept me thoroughly entertained from beginning to end. Magnetic personalities and a captivating plot effortlessly carried this story along and compelled me to keep turning those pages. Bayan's sharp, colorful writing style fills each scene with believable action inside visible settings while he strings you along through all types of delicious twists and turns as the mystery unfolds.
Though I was easily able to deduce "who done it" and was left with a couple of unanswered questions at the end, I enjoyed this well enough to consider re-reading again in the future.
Highly recommended!
April 12, 2017
Sucks you right in. Bayan's story of a teenage boy tangled in a murder mystery is full of excitement, twists, and turns. It's well-written and plotted and keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. If you enjoy a good mystery with plenty of action and enough light moments to make you smile while you read, then give this book a spin. You won't regret it.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews