Scavenger Hunt

Jimmy Gage Mystery #2

by Robert Ferrigno

Philip Marlow and Lew Archer would recognize a kindred spirit in Jimmy Gage, reporter for SLAP magazine, troublemaker by trade and inclination, and the hero of Robert Ferrigno’s sinuous new crime novel. While taking part in a Hollywood scavenger hunt, Jimmy meets Garret Walsh, a bad-boy movie maker in the truest He’s just been released from prison after serving seven years for the murder of a teenaged girl. But Walsh claims he was framed and is writing a screenplay to prove it. He wants Jimmy to help him peddle it, sight unseen. The next time Jimmy sees the director, he’s floating face-down in a koi pond and “The Most Dangerous Screenplay in Hollywood” has disappeared. Is Walsh a casualty of bad habits or has somebody crossed him off a list? And is Jimmy next? Combining nerve-shredding suspense and heat-seeking satire, Scavenger Hunt is an addictive read.From the Trade Paperback edition.

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime

336 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Robert Ferrigno is an American author of crime novels and of speculative fiction. I've written twelve novels in the last twenty years, most crime thrillers. Sins of the Assassin was a finalist for the Edgar, Best Novel, by the Mystery Writers of America in 2008, and my comic short story, "Can I Help You Out?" won the Silver Dagger, Best Short Story, by the Mystery Association of Great Britain.

Series:
* Jimmy Gage Mystery
* Assassin Trilogy

My most recent book is The Girl Who Cried Wolf (2013), a contemporary crime thriller.

Reviews

[Leonardo Etcheto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really liked this book, mainly because the characters seemed so alive and real. The story was quite interesting, but the plot for me was secondary to the world and the characters. The personalities were fantastic, and while they are almost all a bit eccentric in never seemed gratuitous. Very enjoyable reading, good plot, great setting. First book I have read by this author, now I need to get the rest.

[Andrew Vachss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hardboiled, hard-edged, hard truthed, and brilliantly written. This is one guy you'll be thanking me for telling you about for years.

[Richard L. Haas III · Rating 4 out of 5]

As it turned out, this is sort of the "second book" ("Flinch" just features the same character) and I found out after I had read it. My inner OCD made me freak out when I read it, but honestly I don't think it's fully necessary to have to start with the first novel, but I did feel as if something was missing, perhaps in the sense that the first novel rounded out Jimmy Gage. I loved the twists and turns and thought it flowed well enough to be adapted into a film. Although I will admit that I think I was a tad bit too young when I read this, so I plan on reading both "Flinched" and this novel again and writing a proper review in the future. Stay tuned!

[Chariez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have attached my resume for your reference and hope to hear from you soon as I am currently working on the same

[Bart · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this poolside on a vacation, and it was perfect for that. Lots of good characters. Tons of attitude.

[Bob Box · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read in 2003. An exceptional thriller writer.

[Penny Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tacky, too many Americanisms for me, so difficult to read.

[Elise March · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 once again this was just another murder mystery holiday read! I liked the basketball assault.

[Elisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Robert Ferrigno’s “Scavenger Hunt,” SLAP magazine writer Jimmy Gage exposes the seedy underbelly of Hollywood as he seeks the truth behind a movie director’s death. As Jimmy delves deeper into the director’s past, he threatens to uncover secrets that were long thought buried for good—then the accidents start.

A tenacious entertainment journalist with a cop’s eye, Jimmy brings sexy back to the genius detective trope and, in many ways, turns it on its head. While the story includes the usual suspects of a tale set in Hollywood—agents, aspiring actors, film industry bigwigs, trophy wives—Ferrigno has sketched his characters out so artfully, down to quirks and imperfections, that I felt engaged from the very first page. This fast-paced novel carries the reader through many twists and turns, even down a dead end or two, before arriving at its dark (albeit satisfying) conclusion. I’ve read a few mystery novels in my time, and I can heartily recommend this one.

[Karschtl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it that the title of the book not only refers to the little game at the very beginning of the book, but to the whole investigation of Jimmy. He wants to find out if an Oscar winning director, whom he recently met und only a couple of days later turns up dead in a Koi fish pond, really did murder a young girl 7 years earlier.
Every person he interviews about this matter can give him only a small piece of the puzzle, (and sometimes he doesn't even realize that he is handed a piece at all), but after a while the picture is slowly taking shape. And with this, Jimmy himself gets more and more in danger.

I enjoyed the research process, although I wasn't so much drawn in by the story that I participated in guessing who is behind this whole scheme. I was just sitting back, enjoying the show and waiting for it all to be revealed at the end.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great modern-noir detective story set in the seedy underside of Hollywood. I love it when L.A. itself becomes a character in the story. Even the douche-bags can be likable then because they're an integral part of the scenery.

I didn't know this was the second in a series until now, but there were quite a lot of references in the story to earlier events, so it makes sense. Fortunately, they didn't derail the story too much. I've read a couple of other Ferrigno novels, but none with the Jimmy Gage character. I like the use of a reporter as a way to expand the detective genre, and he does it well here. Same kind of just-outside-the-bounds personality that doesn't have to follow all the rules.

[Ozzie Cheek · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very, very good mystery/thriller. The Hollywood types are dead-on (I was a TV writer for ten years). The plot zips along with enough twists to keep the reader turning the page. Only one thing keeps this book for being a great mystery worthy of five stars. Ferrigno kills one too many characters, one that need not and should not have died. No pun intended, but it was overkill. Otherwise, Ferrigno writes like Elmore Leonard meets Carl Haissen, and that's good!

[Corey Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

Man, what a disappointment. I loved FLINCH, which introduced the character Jimmy Gage. That book was funny, insightful, unpredictable, and filled with interesting and quirky characters. So I was very much looking forward to this second novel. But wow. This novel is almost all pure exposition - as dry and slow as a Law and Order episode. All the personalities have been leached from the characters, and I found myself skimming pages to get through it. Too bad.

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

A readable but unremarkable story set in the pit of all excess, Hollywood.

This is not the first book with the Jimmy Gage protagonist, and it would be helpful to start at the beginning. The story contains a few plot twists to keep it interesting, but they could have been more artfully done. The Killer's ultimate motivation is never made clear. In addition, the protagonist's coup de main's are executed just a bit too easily.

This book is OK for the beach.

[Joe Moffa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Hollywood sleaze detective yarn. Chandler would still recognize LaLa Land.

[Pat Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent! Ferrigno is an underappreciated author. But I think he is fine!