The Big Exit

Starred review from September 24, 2012
Carnoy follows his 2010 debut, Knife Music, with a thriller set in California’s Silicon Valley that has it all: a convoluted but convincing plot, a likable protagonist facing terrible odds, and a meaty supporting cast working for and against him. While Richie Foreman served seven years in prison for vehicular manslaughter, the friend he claims was actually behind the wheel, Mark McGregor, not only achieved success as “a hotshot Internet entrepreneur” but also married Richie’s former fiancée, Beth Hill. When Beth finds Mark’s bloody body on the floor of the garage of their pricey Menlo Park home, she and Richie become natural suspects in Mark’s murder. Evidence suggests that Richie was at least involved in the killing. While troubled lawyer Carolyn Dupuy represents Beth, and charismatic Marty Lowenstein (aka “the DNA Dude”) defends Richie, local legend Det. Sgt. Hank Madden seeks definitive proof of Richie’s guilt. This exceptionally satisfying murder puzzle should whet readers’ appetites for more. Agent: John Silbersack, Trident Media Group.

Starred review from November 1, 2012

Driver Richie Forman served time for a tragic car accident in which he accidentally killed someone. Or he might have been framed for the crime--he really doesn't remember. But Richie's fiancee, Beth, moved on and married Silicon Valley wunderkind Mark, the other man in Richie's car. One fateful afternoon following Richie's release from prison, Mark is found bludgeoned to death and, not surprisingly, Richie moves to the head of the suspect list. Thanks to their Silicon Valley location, the local cops must match their old-time methods against a fast-paced social media scene that muddies the investigation. Suffice to say that reality shifts at 4G speed in Richie's search for a killer. VERDICT Twisty and dark, this addictive thriller (after the originally self-published Knife Music) showcases Carnoy's ability to surprise the reader. Match with Barry Eisler (Fault Line) or Kirk Russell ("Ben Raveneau" series).

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2012
Carnoy (Knife Music, 2008) heads to high-tech Silicon Valley for his sophomore thriller, but the story is as old-fashioned as betrayal, greed and murder. Colorful characters abound in Carnoy's legal caper. Richie Forman was big in dot-com marketing before ending up in prison. There was a bachelor party for Richie, after which he and his best friend, Mark McGregor, headed out in Richie's classic Cadillac. What followed was a missed red light and a young woman dead. Richie's blood alcohol was .12, but he was certain he wasn't driving. Convicted anyway, he spent years in the pen. While Richie was doing hard time, his financee, Beth Hill, gave in to the wiles of the best friend, Mark, and married him. Now Richie's out, making a living as a Sinatra impersonator and volunteering at the Exoneration Foundation run by the DNA Dude, attorney Marty Lowenstein. Mark, still in the dot-com business but on apparent shaky financial ground, has been murdered. The police have suspects, including Beth, but the police like Richie the most. Enter Hank Madden, a detective involved in the accident investigation, and Beth's attorney, Carolyn Dupuy, the prosecutor who put Richie in the clink and who is now coping with an off-and-on doctor boyfriend and a ticking biological clock. Then there's the muckraker guy, Tom Bender, a Drudge-digital-clone with a must-read website covering the dot-com business world. Carnoy knows the territory perfectly, and with judicious use of clever phrases that never distract from the crime caper, he's spot on with his characterizations, all of which seem both archetypal and yet sparkling with individual personalities and interesting back stories. Add an intriguing semi-red herring or two, and the climax comes with a satisfying twist. A first-rate crime caper.

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October 15, 2012
Seven years ago, Rick Forman was convicted of vehicular manslaughter despite his insistence that the apparent passenger, his friend Mark MacGregor, was driving. Evidence seemed to contradict Rick's story, and he served the manslaughter sentence, plus some. While Rick is away, MacGregor adds insult to injury by marrying Rick's fiancee, Beth. Now released, Rick is building a life around his job with the Exoneration Foundation and steady gigs as a Sinatra impersonator. But when Beth finds MacGregor horrifically murdered in their garage, she and Rick become suspects. This time, though, Team Rick includes famed attorney Marty Lowenstein, Rick's sleuthing coworker Ashley, and a hilariously narcissistic blogger bent on breaking the case. Carnoy's skilled backstory navigation in this follow-up to his well-received debut, Knife Music (2010), invites new readers to jump right in. Multiple narratives are somewhat unbalanced and maybe unnecessary, but the characters' round-robin of distrust will keep readers guessing, and the ever-present humor (ranging from sharp irony to snort-worthy scenes) warrants a recommendation on its own.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)