- Hardcover: 289 pages
- Publisher: Henry Holt & Company; 1 edition (27 April 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0805080627
- ISBN-13: 978-0805080629
- Product Dimensions: 23.9 x 16.2 x 2.8 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 394,992 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
| ||||||||||||||||||
 Trade In this Item for up to £0.25
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in No Such Creature for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £0.25, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Product details |
More About the Author
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Something different from Giles Blunt
24 Oct 2008
Format:Hardcover
I have long been a fan of Canadian Giles Blunt and his John Cardinal crime series. Blunt is another one of those authors I just know is going to be a good read.
I was surprised to find that this was not part of the series, but a stand alone book. After the first twenty pages I was hooked and could not put it down.
Owen has been raised by his great uncle Max since he was orphaned at twelve. Max is a failed thespian, but is a very accomplished but genteel thief. Owen is now eighteen and their road trips across America robbing rich Republicans have honed his skills as well. Using acting skills, disguises and charm they have so far steered clear of violence. Owen is thinking of packing it in after this summer to attend Julliard and study drama. He plans to tell Max soon. It is in Vegas that things start to go sour. There is a shadowy legend among thieves about a gang called the Subtractors - mysterious men who steal from other thieves and use whatever means necessary to get what they want. And it looks like they want the riches from Owen and Max's last job. On the road with them now is Sabrina, the daughter of a former 'associate' of Max, who is running from a problem as well - named Bill.
As Sabrina says "Living with a criminal - or being one - is like living on the Titanic. You just know it isn't going to end well."
This is a story that grabs you and just doesn't let go. I kept turning pages well into the night. The plot is great but it is the witty dialogue and characters that stand out for me. The character of Max fairly leaps off the page, larger than life. Max's soliloquies, his manner of speech and pronouncements on life are funny yet poignant. Although we know they are thieves, Max's gang - including the trivia obsessed Roscoe and Pookie - are likable and Max, though flawed, is lovable even. Certainly he loves Owen.
This is a story of larceny, love, heartache, humour and life. Definitely not your typical crime story, but boy is it a good one!
I was surprised to find that this was not part of the series, but a stand alone book. After the first twenty pages I was hooked and could not put it down.
Owen has been raised by his great uncle Max since he was orphaned at twelve. Max is a failed thespian, but is a very accomplished but genteel thief. Owen is now eighteen and their road trips across America robbing rich Republicans have honed his skills as well. Using acting skills, disguises and charm they have so far steered clear of violence. Owen is thinking of packing it in after this summer to attend Julliard and study drama. He plans to tell Max soon. It is in Vegas that things start to go sour. There is a shadowy legend among thieves about a gang called the Subtractors - mysterious men who steal from other thieves and use whatever means necessary to get what they want. And it looks like they want the riches from Owen and Max's last job. On the road with them now is Sabrina, the daughter of a former 'associate' of Max, who is running from a problem as well - named Bill.
As Sabrina says "Living with a criminal - or being one - is like living on the Titanic. You just know it isn't going to end well."
This is a story that grabs you and just doesn't let go. I kept turning pages well into the night. The plot is great but it is the witty dialogue and characters that stand out for me. The character of Max fairly leaps off the page, larger than life. Max's soliloquies, his manner of speech and pronouncements on life are funny yet poignant. Although we know they are thieves, Max's gang - including the trivia obsessed Roscoe and Pookie - are likable and Max, though flawed, is lovable even. Certainly he loves Owen.
This is a story of larceny, love, heartache, humour and life. Definitely not your typical crime story, but boy is it a good one!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Cancel all your plans
18 Nov 2008
Format:Hardcover
Cancel your plans for the next few days! This one is hard to put down. Giles Blunt has given us an exciting ride through the States in the company of a likeable and complex set of characters. The details of the various settings, were triggering memories of my own travels to places like San Francisco. It was as if a movie was playing in my head. The description left me expecting to look up from the book and find the characters in my room. The story is unpredictable with twists that leave you satisfied until the very end. I felt like a fly on the wall of the Winnabago! This book was a treat!
Just OK
10 July 2011
Format:Hardcover
With No Such Creature the author of the John Cardinal series makes a departure - a very big departure - from his earlier books. A quick aside, if you are unfamiliar with this author and enjoy for instance Michael Connelly's Harry Bosch series, you won't go wrong with this author's previous books - well written, somewhat dark police procedurals that take place in Canada.
This stand-alone tale tracks the travels and at times, illegal escapades, of an 18 year old young man, orphaned at an early age, and his eccentric British great-uncle, who adopted him. During the summer the two take to the road equipped with disguises, a clever ruse, and rob rich Republicans. The portly uncle, an ex-actor, enjoys turning these criminal events into performances including roles, scripts and the occasional Shakespearian quotation. He also hires on quirky "extras" for these capers including a trivia addicted side-man.
Early on in our story while on the road, our duo meets up with the uncle's mentor's daughter - young and beautiful - who has her own problems with a born-again bible-thumping, proselytizing stalker. To add to the mix, all of them are being followed and terrorized by a psychopath who preys on fellow criminals, stealing their ill-gotten gains. And just to cap it off the elderly uncle is also slowly slipping into dementia.
If this all sounds somewhat like a Carl Hiassen novel to you, well I thought the same thing. The plot is crazy enough and the characters kooky enough to be funny or at least satirical. And occasionally the author tip-toes up to the comedic line but then just as quickly retreats. And that was the problem I had with this book, it was neither fish nor fowl, i.e. not serious enough to be a thriller nor funny enough to be satire. No Such Creature is interesting and even funny at times, but overall, just so-so. Again don't judge this author by this book - his earlier ones are excellent.
This stand-alone tale tracks the travels and at times, illegal escapades, of an 18 year old young man, orphaned at an early age, and his eccentric British great-uncle, who adopted him. During the summer the two take to the road equipped with disguises, a clever ruse, and rob rich Republicans. The portly uncle, an ex-actor, enjoys turning these criminal events into performances including roles, scripts and the occasional Shakespearian quotation. He also hires on quirky "extras" for these capers including a trivia addicted side-man.
Early on in our story while on the road, our duo meets up with the uncle's mentor's daughter - young and beautiful - who has her own problems with a born-again bible-thumping, proselytizing stalker. To add to the mix, all of them are being followed and terrorized by a psychopath who preys on fellow criminals, stealing their ill-gotten gains. And just to cap it off the elderly uncle is also slowly slipping into dementia.
If this all sounds somewhat like a Carl Hiassen novel to you, well I thought the same thing. The plot is crazy enough and the characters kooky enough to be funny or at least satirical. And occasionally the author tip-toes up to the comedic line but then just as quickly retreats. And that was the problem I had with this book, it was neither fish nor fowl, i.e. not serious enough to be a thriller nor funny enough to be satire. No Such Creature is interesting and even funny at times, but overall, just so-so. Again don't judge this author by this book - his earlier ones are excellent.
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
