A review by saneshfrancis
The Con Artist by Fred Van Lente

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I feel like a comic lover might appreciate the authentic seeming comic con setting, which the author illustrated well, given his background in the comic industry. However, more focus seems to have been put on the comic con world building than the actual mystery. On top of that not many of the characters are actually likeable. The protagonist’s wife in particular is very unlikeable, yet the protagonist bends over backwards for her, making him seem either stupid or pathetic. Maybe if they added some nuance to her it would have worked, but honestly she just came across as a selfish villain and it was hard to understand why the protagonist would

feel sad about her death