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| View Larger Image | Ten Little New Yorkers: A Novel
by Kinky Friedman
| | List Price: | $12.95 | | Price: | $11.65 | | You Save: | $1.30 (10%) |  | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours | | | | | Sales Rank: | 635077 | | Studio: | Simon & Schuster | | | Binding: | Paperback | | Number Of Pages: | 208 | | Publication Date: | January 29, 2008 | | Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Kinky Friedman has always proven himself to be a master of the offbeat and irreverent, and still manages to pull off a helluva whodunit in the process. Now the Kinkster may have met his match in this superbly crafted, fiendishly clever tale of a murderer who's methodically killing off unsuspecting Manhattan men. Gallingly, all clues point toward Kinky.Greenwich Village is the setting for Ten Little New Yorkers, a tale of murder and mayhem as only Friedman can warble it and featuring his usual suspects, including Ratso -- Dr. Watson to Kinky's singular Sherlock Holmes. As the clues and bodies pile up and the cops strong-arm Kinky as their man, he has to jump through hoops to find the real killer, all the while maintaining his outrage and, of course, his innocence. The murderer may be someone close to Kinky, which leads to a shocker of an ending that will surely take Kinky devotees completely by surprise. With a wink and a nod to Dame Agatha (as in Christie), after which all resemblance to those classic mysteries fades, this is one of Friedman's most complex and irresistible page-turners yet. Cunningly tentous issues of life, death, guilt, innocence, love, loss, and the danger of false confessions, this is Kinky Friedman at his wily, suspenseful, and sacrilegious best. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 9 reviews)
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Has the Kinkster lost it? 
Kinky Friedman has been entertaining me for years until I read Ten Little New Yorkers. I found it very boring for nearly sixty pages before any mystery developed. Then inserting filler about other things maintained the boredom right to the end which was very upsetting. The culprit was pretty obvious from the very beginning of the mystery, and it was a pretty weak plot at that.
Kinky still has a way with words which always makes his writing fun to read. But even his wit couldn't maintain my interest... I just wanted to finish the book.
Yes, the ending was a hugh surprise, but I hope the Kinkster and his friend can rise above this mess. Perhaps he'll be motivated to return with a new adventure without the chaff!
Norm
January 02, 2008 | |
Stunningly Good 
Sure, Kinky Friedman has made a spectacular yarn from mediocre mystery, with his laugh-out-loud humor, insightful character sketches (mainly of himself), and occasional heart-stopping philosophy. But what surprised me about Kinky was his ability to bring a tear to my eye. His eulogy of life-long friend and housekeeper Lottie Cotton was touching, sentimental, brilliant, and loving. And the creative inclusion of Texas death-row inmate Max Soffar's story is near-genius. There's a lot of "good stuff" in this book. Whether you're a New Yorker or a Texan, or something else, READ THIS BOOK.
July 15, 2007 | |
The Cat Is Gone
I first saw Kinky Friedman on the Box in connection with his political ambitions in Texas. Imagine my surprise when I accidentally find some novels by the said Kinkster, and not just one or two. Any novelist described as "politically incorrect" has to be worth a try, and "Ten Little New Yorkers" was the choice.
The main character, (Kinky himself, no less), gets sucked into a bizarre case in which he is among the suspects for some brutal murders that have a sense of sickening creativity about them. Of course, like all things, the timing of it totally sucks. Kinky had left New York for a relax in Texas, only to get called back by the police, and his cat had also gone. Throw in some healthy doses of Kinky's wisdom and observations on just about every facet in life, (including taking a dump), and you have the makings of a quirky and entertaining read.
Kinky's turn of phrase is something that stood out to me personally, adding a sense of charm to his style of writing. At times, it was a bit taxing on the brain, (neither being Texan nor having set foot inside the USA), but overall I found it manageable. In fact, I learned a few new words, which is always good thing.
To sum up, I would have to say this was a good introduction to the world of Kinky Friedman. I like his style, and the story itself was good too. Not too cerebral, but enough meat to keep one lightly entertained. However, lightly entertained is about where it ends. For serious crime buffs, this will probably not hold its own against meatier authors. But it is fun, that is for sure.
October 30, 2006 | |
Love the Kinkster! 
You don't mind if I do something of a Kinky career retrospective, do you? I'll fit this book in there.
TEN LITTLE NEW YORKERS by Kinky Friedman
If you've read any of his novels, any at all, ask yourself how in the heck you describe the guy. It's a matter of sifting through superlatives, knowing they all apply, and hoping you chose the most accurate ones.
Kinky Friedman was a county and western musician who was probably too original for the establishment. Do you remember when Willie Nelson was too innovative for Nashville? A mere wisp of ganja smoke away, Kinky was singing a pro-choice song, and a song called "Homo Erectus," and a big ole pile of songs equally unfriendly to radio airplay. Damn intelligent lyrics.
The only hit to ever come out of Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys was "Lover Please" by Billy Swan, who was formerly a Jewboy. Don Imus listeners have quite probably heard Kinky's "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore."
After that, Kinky tried his hand at writing murder mysteries. The main character is some guy named Kinky Friedman, a former country musician turned amateur detective. This is the nineteenth book in what may well be the most unique and unforgettable series in the history of literature.
Keen insight. Brilliant word play. An honesty and utter disregard for political correctness that most authors only dream of, and that make me hope you Texans elect this guy as your next governor. An unforgettable cast of Village Irregulars and a tip of the ten-gallon hat to Sherlock Holmes. And cats! You'll always laugh and you'll always think.
In April, I wrote: "Kinky Friedman is my favorite novelist. If you've never read him, I suggest ROADKILL, or a trilogy including it, at your local library. After Kinky almost died, his fiction evolved, and you can see that in THE PRISONER OF VANDAM STREET. I haven't had time to read TEN LITTLE NEW YORKERS, which he wrote next and which is in our flat. But now he's also written some essays. The collection, entitled SCUSE ME WHILE I WHIP THIS OUT, is so perceptive and well written that I alternate between (as a reader) genuine appreciation and (as an essayist who'd like to be one of the best) much wailing and gnashing of teeth."
Well, I've read TEN LITTLE NEW YORKERS and will do so again later on. It might be his finest. It's damn sure a contender. Y'all get it. Then, if you live in Texas, vote for a man who inhaled and ain't afraid to tell ya straight.
August 27, 2006 | |
well, not quite a blaze of glory...
It's clear that da Kinkstah's books have been losing steam the last few years. They kept getting shorter, and sadder. More chapeters devoted to dead friends and lost lovers. All worth the read, but increasingly unsatisfying compared to materpieces like Elvis Jesus and Coca Cola. This book, to be honest, is no exception.
So it was with mixed emotions that I found author Kinky Friedman killing off the detective Kinky Friedman in this novel. Sure, their paths have long diverged - the real Kinky has moved from Greenwich Village back to Texas and even Greenwich Village itself has moved on. The Village Irregulars have probably all lost their rent-controlled apartments and moved to Brooklyn and there's no way lesbian dance instructors or washed-up country singers could afford warehouse space. Keep hope alive though - there's no mention of a body, so Kinky Friedman the detective may just be resurrected one day when the real Kinky starts to miss him.
July 22, 2005 | |
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