Forced Out

by Stephen W. Frey

Spotting a remarkable minor-league ballplayer, unhappily retired Yankees scout Jack Barrett hopes to re-enter his former life by bringing the young athlete into the big leagues, an effort that is challenged by the boy's bad attitude and a dangerous secret.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook

336 pages, Hardcover

Published August 5, 2008

About the author

For the last 15 years I’ve been lucky enough to be a novelist. Until recently the books were set in the worlds of Wall Street and Washington. In addition to writing, I’ve also had a career in finance with specialties including merger & acquisition advisory and private equity at firms like J.P. Morgan in New York City and Winston Partners just outside D.C. in northern Virginia.

So, it seemed natural to write about those two worlds and, fortunately, the publishing industry agreed. My first book was published in 1995, The Takeover; about a secret group of men who were trying to destroy the U.S. monetary system by engineering a massive corporate takeover. I have followed The Takeover with 13 more novels all set in high-level finance and national politics.

Recently, I decided to alter the theme. The novels will still have a financial focus, but Wall Street won’t be the backdrop. We’ll get out into the world more. And there will be a man versus nature element for the hero in every novel. Hell’s Gate, available August 2009, is set in Montana and involves forest fires and why many of them start.

I live in southwest Florida with my wife, Diana, and we have since 2004 after moving down here from northern Virginia. Given the new direction of my books, it seems like a hurricane ought to make an appearance in a novel sometime soon.

Reviews

[Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had such potential and then...
I really liked the premise behind Forced Out: a young baseball player hides from the New York mob by playing single A ball in Florida but he is discovered by a former Yankees talent scout. Soon enough, the mob is on the hunt again.

But... (WARNING: Spoilers, sort of...)

The book gets increasingly complicated (which is fine, life is complicated) and the only way Frey resolves anything with any character in this book is by having someone killed off. I expected lots of people to die (it is about the mafia, after all) but this story gets ridiculous. The book ends up feeling like Frey was either: a) under a tight deadline; or b) unable to figure out how to end this complicated book in a reasonable way so he just started killing everyone off.

Either way, it was a very unsatisfying ending. In good conscience, I cannot recommend this book to all but the most ardent of Stephen Frey fans.

http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...

[Linn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was tempted by this book because it has something to do with baseball and the Yankees - but it is utter crap: dumb plot, stupid characters, ridiculous occurrences and poor writing.

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young man borrows money from a loan shark to pay for a surgery that would save the life of his mother. The loan shark recalls the debt early and when the young man can’t pay, the loan shark sends assassins to kill him. The young man escapes in his car with the assassins following killing the loan shark’s grandson in their quake--the assassins blame the death of the grandson on the young man. I liked the twists and turns Stephen Frey takes to bring resolution to the story. The ending was totally unexpected but necessary to keep the key characters story in tact for the next installation in the series.

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

This could have been a good book. The story line was good...to bad the writing was not...

I'm not one of those readers who wants every story to be a 'Happily Ever After', but too many characters were killed in this book. Some parts of this book were too unrealistic (like the cops handing a baby over to some guy, asking him to keep her for a while?!?)! And all the 'Daddy' and 'Princess' stuff was just nauseating! I listened to this book on audio CD and the reader was not great (certainly no Scott Brick!), so maybe that was part of the the problem? Anyway, this was no Homerun for me!

[mosley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have read a bunch of Stephen Frey's books and enjoyed them, but I cannot say the same for this one. The characters were week, and not sure why the ones that died had to die. I thought he was all over the place.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This convoluted story is one of the most difficult novels I have rated. It’s unfortunate that too many characters ruin what could have been an outstanding novel. Nonetheless, 7 of 10 stars.

[Ftkinard · Rating 2 out of 5]

baseball setting

[Johnnie Gee · Rating 3 out of 5]

A entertaining book which is what I seek so it is a solid three stars.

There is nothing that is overly exciting nor nothing that is overly boring. A entertaining book.

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really captivating story and an interesting spin on mafia families. Frey gives great detail throughout the book but the last few chapters felt very rushed.

[Michelle]

I liked it, but didn't love it. still recommend!

[Maurice Cummings · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seemed a bit like a reciepe book if that makes sense. It was 3.75 at best but I rounded up.

[Dianne]

Audio

[Glenda Bixler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forced Out
By Stephen Frey
Atria Books
ISBN: 9781416549635
326 Pages


Two men are tracking Mikey Clemant—one of them wants to help him; the other has been sent to kill him. Sounding exciting? Then you need to read Forced out by Stephen Frey—drama on nearly every page!

Jack Barrett had been a scout for the New York Yankees for many years until someone set him up for instant termination—by blaming him for revealing inside information. Still angry and defensive, he found after many successful years he was now forced to live with his daughter and bag groceries to scrape by. Bitter beyond words, he had even stayed away from going to ballgames until his daughter begged him to go with her and her new boyfriend. Once there he was forced to admit to himself that he missed the game—“like you missed the love of your life.” (p. 4)

And that’s when he saw him. Jack had scouted many potential stars; this player showed it even as he ran out with the rest of the team—the aura of talent, exceptional talent. And when the ball player made a number of outstanding plays during the game, Jack immediately realized that Mikey Clemant could very well be the man who would get him back into his job!

Johnny Bondano was paid a million dollars a year; his job was to act as a hit man for the local mob. And he really didn’t mind using a drowning-death torture technique to gain any information he needed. Interestingly, though, Johnny had a streak of decency—he only killed men who deserved to die. So when his boss offered him a million dollars for one murder—the man who had killed his grandson in a hit-and-run, he began his own investigation about the man and found that he was now playing ball on a small obscure team under the name Mikey Clemant. The problem was—he didn’t think he was the man who had killed the boy.

The cat-and-mouse chase between Jack Barrett as he tries to meet and gain Mikey’s trust is often trumped by the horror of Johnny’s torturous actions to others in order to find him. What it results in is an action-packed page-turner for readers!

Jack’s personal goals are soon set aside as his personal feelings and concern for Mikey grows, even while he realizes that Mikey could very well be one of the greatest baseball players ever. Personal hint to the story: think anagram...

Johnny’s streak of decency is lost as he falls in love with another man’s wife, and wants her more than he wants to retain his own personal integrity. Mikey Clemant stands in the way!

This book is simply a mindblower...it successfully merges a fairly in-depth look at baseball, while the thriller keeps us moving forward to a surprise ending that will leave you stunned! Of the new books out, I’m naming Forced Out! a must read!


G. A. Bixler
For Amazon vine

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jack Barrett was a scout for the New York Yankees for many, many years. He was one of the best. He could find talent like no other. Jack would travel to all kind of lengths to recruit someone if he believed in them bad enough. This includes almost getting arrested by the secret police in Cuba. Now, Jack is retired and living in Florida with his grown daughter. Jack’s daughter and her boyfriend drag Jack out to see the Sarasota Tarpons play. Jack is reluctant to go but that all changes once Jack sees Mickey Clemant in action.

Mikey Clemant is one heck of a ball player. He is magic on the field. He plays in the minor leagues. He could play in the majors except for one problem…he has a major attitude. Not to mention that Mikey has a deadly secret. Jack wants to help Mikey get into the majors but by doing so; he will be putting his life in danger.

Johnny” Deuce” Bondano is a sharpshooter. He works for Angelo Marconi, who is the number two man in the elite Lucchesi organization or otherwise known as the mob. Angelo wants Johnny to locate his grandson and kill him.

With so much going on between all the characters and the storyline, it sometimes can get a little muddled but luckily; Mr. Frey was able to keep everything in order, so that this didn’t happen. Two of the great things about this book was the characters were so likeable, even if they were playing for the other guys and two the story kept my interest the whole way through it. Forced Out by Stephen Frey is the first book I have read by this author. Now that I have discovered Mr. Frey, I will be checking out more of his books.

[Phyllis Sommers · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel is a major diversion from the typical Stephen Frey novels, whose themes are usually financial thrillers. Jack Barrett and his daughter, Cheryl, have moved to Sarasota, Florida after Jack's release from his longtime position as head scout for the New York Yankees. While the reader is deliberately led to believe there is mystery surrounding Jack's firing, we find Jack at such a low point in his life that he is losing his moral compass. When Jack finally allows himself to attend a baseball game, albeit a minor league game, 4 years after he's left the Yankees, his life suddenly takes on new meaning as he "discovers" a young baseball talent who reminds him of the all-time greats. Jack's sole purpose now becomes his intent to take this player, Mikey Clemant, to the Yankee organization and get him signed, with the hopes of Jack getting his old job back. There is no straight path from here to there, however, for Mikey is living a life of secrets, as well.

This novel is fast-paced and very enjoyable. There is just one incident near the end, where Frey introduces a question of doubt about what occurs with Mikey, that doesn't quite make sense to me. I'm not certain why this doubt is introduced, unless it's intended to keep the door open for a sequel. Even if that's the case, however, it's handled awkwardly and, in my opinion, creates a somewhat clumsy ending. It's minor enough, though, that the reader can ignore it and still feel a sense of fulfillment with the closing of the storyline.

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was shocked when I found out that Stephen Frey's new book wasn't a financial thriller but had a baseball aspect to it. I'm used to reading his style. However, this was a nice switch for him. After you got over the fact that you weren't reading a typical Frey novel then you could really enjoy the novel. It does start out kinda slow. I realize he was getting the reader used to the characters and trying to weave how the stories were all going to come together. You have a young phenom baseball player, an old retired baseball scout that has lost everything and a Mafia thug looking to right a wrong. When I read the first two chapter, I was thinking I'm definitely not going to get into this book. Mr. Frey switches around the points of view throughout the same chapter. It's hard to tell who's right and who's wrong and why. However, if you stick with it then the last 60 pages really get you. There are a lot of twists and turns that you don't expect. I would compare it to the movie The Departed. Things happen out of the blue that just make sense after the fact. I enjoyed the interactions of Jack with his daughter and with MJ. I loved that Mr. Frey wrote a black boy and white guy friendship that was real and not just thrown in there for the fun of it. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone out there looking for a fun quick book. You don't have to have read any of Mr. Frey's previous novels to enjoy it.

[Amy Harper · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an entertaining enough story of the "Mob" variety. For more than one character, it certainly provides plenty of support for the old saying, "Life's a bitch, and then you die." I found the ending both angering and partially satisfying. Don't expect The Godfather or Goodfellows, but Frey provides interesting twists interspersed with predictability.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to on audio book. The "Daddy" (from a 33-yr-old) and "Princess" (her father) thing was really starting to drive me nuts. He's supposedly a nice guy and he came across as very likeable but he surely is manipulative with his daughter.

The story of a reclusive baseball player (Kyle) was interesting. The whole thing about the Mob was scary. Wouldn't ever want to cross people like that. Supposedly Kyle killed the mobster's grandson via a hit-n-run, so they're after him. He's a fantastic ballplayer, but hides out in Saratota, FL and purposes flubs up sometimes to avoid attention. Doesn't talk to the other guys, etc.

Learned exactly what water boarding (torture) was. The author used it several, several times. Got tired of hearing, "The board was 18 inches off the floor . . . "

Disappointing ending when the ball player gets killed. But it almost had to end that way . . . the whole scenario was so ideallic, it would have been tough to maintain. Princess is pregnant by the ballplayer, Kyle AKA Mikey Clement after knowing him a day or two (she's 13 years his senior). She had been seeing a jerk Bobby who liked to play rough. So Daddy's real happy the baby is Kyle's and not Bobby's. Plus Kyle had written out a will and they got a bunch of money when he died.

[J.C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Didn't Know Where I Was Going, But I Liked Where It Took Me

Forced Out was not what I was expecting, not that I really knew what to expect from a book that attempts (and succeeds) at combining the NY mob and baseball. I believe that this book is largely successful because of the individual story lines that build away from each other, while constantly edging closer to a potentially explosive and unpredictable conclusion.

I will not say that it took me a while to get into this book (since I read half of it in my first sitting) but I did feel like it. The characters, being vaguely introduced and hardly compelling, became more so as every chapter ended. The individual story lines grew and evolved into people I did not think I could possibly care about to people I could not stop wondering about.

The story, although seemingly flat at the beginning, becomes more and more interesting as the plot unfolds. This book is not for everyone, and I think some may be turned off by it. I honestly can say I was only interested in reading this because it said "baseball" and "mafia" on the back. There is so much more to this book, and I truly have a difficult time describing the intriguing development of this story.

J.Stoner

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was rather disappointed in Frey's latest outing. What should have been a truly gripping novel, with three subplots that all come together at the end, was something of a slog. The disgraced baseball scout's strained relationship with his daughter is not really explained until the final couple of chapters; there was no need, in a third-person perspective book, to wait that long. The sections concerning the mafia family were somewhat more interesting, but there was not much character development. The plot concerning the fellow hiding out from the mafia was better, but likewise needed some development. The three situations come together at the end of the book in a less-than-satisfying denoument; even the theoretical climax of the book was so shallow that I actually had to go back and re-read it to be sure of what had happened. Not Frey's best work.

(Review based on Advance Reader Copy.)

[Keno · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just joined the Amazon Vine program, and this was my first selection for review. I'm adding it here because I definitely want to include some books that I haven't liked. This is one of those totally forgettable novels that, IMHO, is a good example of the milquetoast that comprises the greater portion of consumer "art".

I wasn't quite this harsh in the Amazon review, but I'm really nauseous at some of the crap that gets published, or released on record, etc., etc. Just because you can come up with a story and write it down does NOT make you a readable author- or, as more appropriately stated by my man Chuck P.: "Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken."

At the same time, there's clearly a market for BS, or the financial forces that market BS would be out of business. I'm seriously considering my epitaph as "There are too many people in the world."

Sigh.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been reading Frey's books from the beginning. Because of his background, he has been writing thrillers involved in the financial market. So when I picked up this book, I was shocked and excited to see what it was about. He combines baseball, mystery, Mafia, and murder - all my favorite subjects. I enjoyed his characters very much and the plot moved so quickly. It was a book I wanted to call the boss and say I was sick so I could stay home and read, but then I remembered I was the boss so that didn't work! The only complaint I have is it had a LOUSY ending. Maybe I should have taken one star from my rating..... but I just enjoyed this one too much even though I hated the ending!

[Tyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is quite a bit different than Frey's other works. No private equity. No Christian Gillete. I really like the new direction though. I think this is one of his better books. Especially if you like baseball. There is a fair amount of implied sexuality and like all thrillers (which involve the mob), it has its share of violence. But all and all, it is one of the better books I've read recently.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here was a crime thriller novel that was a fun read (even if it was a little spectacular). This is the first Frey novel I've read, and I would definitely read another!

Spoiler: I did NOT agree with how the book ended. The main characters dying unnecessarily at the end? It seems as if it were ONLY to say that it wasn't 'happily ever after' but didn't necessarily serve the plot any better? Boo.

[Michael Carlson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I slowly withdrawing from baseball this season, I picked up this (audio)book from the library. Stephen Frey may be familiar to others but not to me. I liked this baseball-themed modern crime novel. Like many other modern novels, a host of characters are introduced and moved forward one by one. But you don't know how they will interconnect until the novel finally brings you there.
A good (but not great) read.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book tells the tale of former Yankee scout Jack Barrett who goes to a minor league game and see an outstanding talent that he believes is his ticket back to the majors. He doesn’t understand the kids reluctance to talk to him. Little does he now that the kid is udner a death watch for killing a mafia dons son and is on the run. The mafia has found out that he is alive and has dispatched a hit man to take him out. Okay read.

[Joyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three men, one old, one young and one in-between, who's lives intersect and what lead to this intersection and what results from it is the simplest summary of the plot. The characters are well developed and interesting, the plot complex enough to satisfy us all. This was a good rainy weekend read.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Any book that is able to meld the mob and baseball is worth a shot. This was a gripping read, moving seemlessly back and forth between 2 stories that come together at an exciting precipise. I should have given this book only 3 stars, simply for the very end, but I have a sneaking suspicion there will be a sequel as Stephen Frey often writes two-parters.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

In spite of its predictability, I really liked this book, right up until the end, when predictability when out the window for no apparent reason. Kyle and MJ were by far my favorite characters in the book, and I really don't see how killing off either of them advanced the plot or made sense in any way. The other deaths/killings made sense; these just seemed gratutitous.

[Tyler · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought that the plot had great potential, but I ended up putting it down before finishing it. There was too much garbage (foul language and innuendo) to wade through. Since this is the first book I have read by this author (and the other reviews make this sound like a different type of genre for him), I will probably try one of his other books before completely writing him off.