What do you think?
Rate this book
Lost in the Ivy
Reporter Charley Hubbs has the story that any reporter would kill for. The problem is that he may have done just that.
As the dead bodies pile up around him, Charley sets out to prove to himself that he’s not the homicidal maniac the press has made him out to be. Enlisting the aid of seductive, whip-smart bartender Elizabeth “Lizzy” Parker, he makes a daring courthouse escape. From that point on, it’s a race against time for the truth. Along the way, Charley discovers that he can run, but not hide, from his past.
Against the backdrop of Chicago's storied Wrigley Field, a baseball shrine cursed by a billy goat, Charley is caught in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Only by unlocking the mysteries of his past and opening his heart again will he be able to find if hope truly does spring eternal.
As the dead bodies pile up around him, Charley sets out to prove to himself that he’s not the homicidal maniac the press has made him out to be. Enlisting the aid of seductive, whip-smart bartender Elizabeth “Lizzy” Parker, he makes a daring courthouse escape. From that point on, it’s a race against time for the truth. Along the way, Charley discovers that he can run, but not hide, from his past.
Against the backdrop of Chicago's storied Wrigley Field, a baseball shrine cursed by a billy goat, Charley is caught in a deadly game of cat-and-mouse. Only by unlocking the mysteries of his past and opening his heart again will he be able to find if hope truly does spring eternal.
226 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
241 people want to read
About the author
Randy Richardson
7 books44 followersAn accomplished attorney and award-winning journalist, Randy Richardson is the founding member and president of the Chicago Writers Association. His latest novel, "Havana Hangover," earned recognition as a 2023 Finalist for the Kindle Book Awards and the BestThrillers.com Book Awards and a Bronze Medalist in the Reader Views Reviewer’s Choice Awards. With two more novels, "Cheeseland" and "Lost in the Ivy," plus a coauthored nonfiction work titled "Cubsessions," Randy's influence spans genres. His essays grace anthologies like "Chicken Soup for the Father and Son Soul" and "Cubbie Blues," and literary journals such as Hypertext and Memory House. The first male recipient of the National Federation of Press Women’s Communicator of Achievement Award, Randy is featured on NewCity’s "Lit 50: Who Really Books in Chicago" list for 2019 and 2022.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 14, 2014
As it happened when I read Randy Richardson’s last book, Cheeseland, I was quickly engaged in his new novel, Lost in the Ivy, from the opening chapter. Richardson's writing is direct and crisp, and the short chapters of this taut mystery story—with likeable characters and deft prose—pulled me in, hit me hard, and urged me to continue reading, just the way a good mystery story should. His characters are believable and multi-dimensional and the plot kept me captivated until the very end. I'm from Chicago, and I especially enjoyed being caught up in a mysterious, journalistic, and murder-strewn world that was foreign to me while strolling and reminiscing about the memorable streets of my youth. I highly recommend Lost in the Ivy. It's an enjoyable, quick read that will keep you entertained, engrossed, and guessing until the very last pages.
April 10, 2014
Into Chapter 7. Love the Chicago setting, esp all references to Cubs and Wrigley Field in this year of Wrigley Field's 100th birthday. Suspenseful and interesting characters. Can't wait to find out more about Charley's past. Got to love him 'cause he's a Cubs fan!
August 5, 2016
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
I was afraid when I started this book that the story was going to be based heavily around baseball (which I don't know much about), but to my surprise it wasn't. This story is about a reporter named Charley Hubbs who finds himself involved in the deaths of three people, one of which he is suspected of. I found myself halfway through the book before I realized it, because the story was so easy to read and keep up with. It was very interesting, but there were times the story seemed to lose focus. I also wish Lizzy would have been in the book a little more, considering she just disappeared for about half of it. Overall, a good read.
I was afraid when I started this book that the story was going to be based heavily around baseball (which I don't know much about), but to my surprise it wasn't. This story is about a reporter named Charley Hubbs who finds himself involved in the deaths of three people, one of which he is suspected of. I found myself halfway through the book before I realized it, because the story was so easy to read and keep up with. It was very interesting, but there were times the story seemed to lose focus. I also wish Lizzy would have been in the book a little more, considering she just disappeared for about half of it. Overall, a good read.
April 23, 2014
Just won this book! And it just arrived in the mail today! Only took 3 days! Thank you Mr. Richardson!
Since I am a diehard Chicago Cubs fan ( don't ask!) I can appreciate the setting of this story, Wrigleyville, and all the references made to Wrigley Field and Chicago in general. Lost in the Ivy is a fast-paced romp through Chicago with unusual characters and at times LOL dialogue that any Cubs fan would enjoy. and relate to! I finished this book today, the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field. How appropriate is that!
Enjoyable read and remember "There's always next year!" Go Cubs!
Since I am a diehard Chicago Cubs fan ( don't ask!) I can appreciate the setting of this story, Wrigleyville, and all the references made to Wrigley Field and Chicago in general. Lost in the Ivy is a fast-paced romp through Chicago with unusual characters and at times LOL dialogue that any Cubs fan would enjoy. and relate to! I finished this book today, the 100th anniversary of Wrigley Field. How appropriate is that!
Enjoyable read and remember "There's always next year!" Go Cubs!
May 16, 2014
Remember that iconic scene from "Jerry Maguire" where Renee Zellweger tells Tom Cruise that "you had me at 'hello'?" Randy Richardson had me at the second paragraph of the "author's notes" before the novel even started. Seriously!! I'm not a baseball fan, and I remember often seeing Wrigley Field through a bus window on my way to high school, wondering what mysteries and rituals lurked within, But I DO appreciate obsession, and hopeless devotion, and rabid fan-dom, and hopeless causes, and quixotic faith. And I also DEEPLY appreciate seamless writing and intriguing characters and plot twists that catch me off guard. Without divulging too much, this tale of an amnesiac returning Chicago newspaper reporter who may or may not have murdered a call girl during one of his blackouts is wry, endearing, and thoroughly enjoyable. And filtered through the lens of die-hard, eternally hopeful yet brutally realistic Chicago Cubs fan Richardson, it's also a fascinating window into a game, and a neighborhood, and a passion, and a yearning that is so much more than just a wooden bat hitting a ball, or a set of championship dreams deferred.
June 22, 2014
Lively and entertaining. Kept my interest. Also, being from Chicago I enjoyed the landmarks and places mentioned. Not to skip the old Cubs ballpark, a must visit. Lots of twists and turns.
September 7, 2014
READ IN ENGLISH
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
Perhaps this book is filled with the most wonderful baseball metaphors. If so, they are completely lost on me, as I don't know anything about it.
To me, this book read like a complete mess. It's already a revised edition, but still it looks like the story needs a lot of work. It's just completely unbelievable. Everything is too easy, illogical or plain stupid. There's insta-love if I ever saw one. I mean, I hadn't noticed the main character was suffering from amnesia till the last third of the book! And another plot line doesn't really start till the last fifty pages, which made me feel cheated.
To give an impression of the stupid, insta-love reactions of the characters in this book. The main character needs help in doing something illegal. He doesn't have any friends but remembers a girl he's met months earlier (who suffered a strange attack during the one time they met). He walked out on her that same day but when he calls her after all this time without any kind of explanation and no time to think about it, of course it's completely normal to answer 'Yes' if he asks her to help him. *facepalm*
The writing wasn't all bad, but the ending was weak. And there were some points in the story that seemed to be written to be funny, only they weren't. Like the main character's cover story of a profession as a male exotic dancer, or the frequent (awkward) visits to gay (drag) bars. I think this revised edition could use some more revision...
Read all my reviews on http://urlphantomhive.booklikes.com
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you!
Perhaps this book is filled with the most wonderful baseball metaphors. If so, they are completely lost on me, as I don't know anything about it.
To me, this book read like a complete mess. It's already a revised edition, but still it looks like the story needs a lot of work. It's just completely unbelievable. Everything is too easy, illogical or plain stupid. There's insta-love if I ever saw one. I mean, I hadn't noticed the main character was suffering from amnesia till the last third of the book! And another plot line doesn't really start till the last fifty pages, which made me feel cheated.
To give an impression of the stupid, insta-love reactions of the characters in this book. The main character needs help in doing something illegal. He doesn't have any friends but remembers a girl he's met months earlier (who suffered a strange attack during the one time they met). He walked out on her that same day but when he calls her after all this time without any kind of explanation and no time to think about it, of course it's completely normal to answer 'Yes' if he asks her to help him. *facepalm*
The writing wasn't all bad, but the ending was weak. And there were some points in the story that seemed to be written to be funny, only they weren't. Like the main character's cover story of a profession as a male exotic dancer, or the frequent (awkward) visits to gay (drag) bars. I think this revised edition could use some more revision...
July 29, 2020
I read this book a while ago, by a then, up and coming new author. The storyline will capture you right away, but the plat twist in the end will be totally unexpected!! Still one of my favorite novels!
Want to read
April 14, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 12, 2023
Fun story for baseball lovers with all the references. I wasn't sure where we were heading until things got really interesting and the bodies starting dropping off.
August 8, 2015
Lost in the Ivy by Randy Richardson I received a free kindle copy of Lost in the Ivy by Randy Richardson, published by Eckhartz Press from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.
I gave this Chicago Cubs fan mystery four stars.
Charley Hubs walks into a diner & describes it like this. "With its cool black & white veneer aglow in neon, the diner's exterior looked like it came off the canvas of an Edward Hopper painting. Inside, rock 'n' roll played on the jukebox."
Charley has amnesia. He does have flashes of the past. "Why couldn't he just let it go? Why couldn't the past just stay in the past? Why couldn't he start anew? Why? Why? Why? So many questions haunted him. Too many of them unanswered. So he ran."
It was a convoluted story with many twists & turns. It was not always clear what was real. But it was interesting.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J...
I gave this Chicago Cubs fan mystery four stars.
Charley Hubs walks into a diner & describes it like this. "With its cool black & white veneer aglow in neon, the diner's exterior looked like it came off the canvas of an Edward Hopper painting. Inside, rock 'n' roll played on the jukebox."
Charley has amnesia. He does have flashes of the past. "Why couldn't he just let it go? Why couldn't the past just stay in the past? Why couldn't he start anew? Why? Why? Why? So many questions haunted him. Too many of them unanswered. So he ran."
It was a convoluted story with many twists & turns. It was not always clear what was real. But it was interesting.
Link to purchase: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J...
June 5, 2014
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. Charley Hubbs has gaps of time in his life whwre he can't remember anything. He has come to Chicago from California. When he stops at a bar he meets the bartender LIzzy and is somehow drawn to her. But because of his fuzzy past, he is afraid to get involved with her. He takes a job at a newspaper and becomes friends with their crime reporter, Piper. A cross dresser named Jimmie is his new friend and pal in his new apartment. While trying to get his life back together, strange things and murders seem to follow Charley around and he finds himself accused of being the murderer, even though hr knows he didn't do it, even if he can't prove it. Eventually, the real murderer shows his hand and Charley, and Lizzy almost lose their lived before it all ends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2017
How could I not enjoy a book set in Wrigleyville?
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews