Click on cover image to purchase a copy
MWSA Review
The Long Game by Mark Fleisher is made up of four short works ranging from 88 pages for “Second Chances” to 15 pages for “A Round Trip.” The other two stories are 31 and 21 pages each. The Preface suggests the author was influenced by Mickey Spillane, and that is seen most clearly in “What’s Up, Doc” and “Dumpster Dilemma” with street slang and quick, short sentences. The endings are left up to the reader’s imagination – happy endings or problems to come.
Second Chances: Vic Russell defends himself in a bar when he steps in to protect a woman being harassed, but his strong punch results in the death of the harasser. He is assigned a public defender who has never handled a death case. Vic is sent to jail for manslaughter and serves every day of the 8-year sentence. When he is released, he gets a 2nd chance with help from friends. He builds a good life and meets a girl raised in money who loves him. Ultimately, Vic is given the opportunity to work for the Corrections Department in a program called Second Chances, counseling newly released inmates. The program has many professionals, but they want someone with experience serving time who then transitioned successfully to life outside prison.
What’s Up, Doc: Tucker Holliday is not a doctor, but his retired heart surgeon neighbor nicknames him Doc after the “Old West gambler, gunfighter, and one-time dentist.” His friend Dorrie, a clinical psychologist, asks Doc to help her friend Andrea, who is sharing custody of her daughter with her ex. Andrea wants sole custody of her daughter because her ex rarely spends time at home on his custody days. Further, he has just fired his nanny, which seems suspicious. Doc investigates and finds Andrea’s concerns are valid, although that takes some time and has some twists.
Dilemma in a Dumpster: A body is found in a dumpster, and it takes a good deal of detective work to solve the mystery. It looks like a mob hit, and possible witnesses are afraid to tell what they know. Lots of reality in how crimes are solved. Too good to offer any spoilers
Round Trip: Why would an experienced teacher head for California and then return 14 months later? Her writer friend has a friend who is a detective. But is the story over?
Review by Nancy Kauffman
Author's Synopsis
In The Long Game Mark Fleisher serves up a quartet of stories involving murder, mayhem, courtroom drama, and old-fashioned detective work. His locations are diverse: Kentucky, New York City, Boston, and western Massachusetts. All are places he describes with pinpoint accuracy and replete with local flavor and local characters. His moments of serious dialogue crackle and sizzle. Yet Fleisher writes tenderly of relationships and sprinkles humor throughout the stories. The final paragraphs of each tale will keep the reader guessing where the main characters will next journey.
Format(s) for review: Paper Only
Review genre: Fiction—Mystery/Thriller/Crime
Pages/Word count: 175 / 46,000