The Man in the Blizzard: A Novel

By Bart Schneider

If Marlowe lived in Minnesota . . . If Spade spouted poetry . . . If the Big Lebowski were a small-time private eye . . . Meet Augie Boyer, private detective "Once upon a time, Sam Spade, Miles Roby,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 030723813X
• ISBN13: 9780307238139
• Release Date: August 2008
• Publisher: Broadway Books
• Length: 290 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.0" x 0.6" x 5.2"

Customer Reviews

A Surprisingly Good Read

It was this book's hook -- a pot smoking private detective -- that caught my attention. I'd assumed, though, that The Man in the Blizzard was going to be something of a novelty and that, beyond a lead character with an endearing peccadillo, there wasn't going to be much there. Boy, was I wrong. Actually, Bart Schneider has considerable writing chops. His work is both thoughtful and readable. In Augie Boyer, he has created an engaging protagonist who straddles the indistinct border between hero and anti-hero, much as Parker's Spenser does. (Perhaps it's a reflection of my own sensibilities but Augie's musings on weed are lots more entertaining that Spenser's alcoholic dysfunction.) There were times when the book's plot struck me as a bit contrived but I seldom come across anything in this genre where that's not the case so it's hard to hold Schneider's feet to the fire in that regard. And the poetry motif, to tell you the truth, was somewhat overdone. Overall, though, my complaints are minor. I'd be delighted if The Man in the Blizzard turned out to be the first in a series of Augie Boyer novels.

All Things Considered - A Great Book

All things considered, I found this to be a great book. It was entertaining, evocative and brought to life a quirky character much like Block's Rhodenbarr or Monk. If you like slightly flawed anti-hero "defective detectives", this book will delight you. If you prefer shallow unrealistic caricatures such as the lead schmuck on "24" and can't get past political views unlike your own, then you might want to take a pass. As resident of the area in described in the book, I found the author's descriptions very accurate (except for a possible typo confusing Hwy 10 with Hwy 100) and found his assessments dead-on. It's always a treat to find a good new author to read and Mr. Schneider is definitely one of those rare finds.