Rating: 
Summary: good light reading
Review: (3 1/5 stars)
This book isn't great, but it isn't as bad as the people who obviously hate Bill O'Reilly (and have probably never read the book) try and make out.
Unlike some books that are only published because they were written by a celebrity, this book would actually be more widely-praised if it were written by an unknown.
It's fast paced and the dialogue is refreshingly wry. He doesn't take himself too seriously. Like O'Reilly himself, the characters are outspoken, ambitious people, who get stuff done and don't waste time whining.
If you know anything about O'Reilly's career, you'll recognize parts of this book as being almost autobiographical. Only unlike real life, he gets to kill people off here.
This is a suspense novel that tries to present itself as a mystery. Only it's one of those mysteries where the killer's identity is clear from about a quarter of the way in. You figure it can't be that obvious, and wonder if the author ever meant for the identity to be a secret in the first place.
The best thing about the book is that once a victim is marked for death, readers are left in suspense, wondering how the next gruesome murder will take place.
Rating: 
Summary: A new side of Bill O'Reilly
Review: . Tom Cooper (JTCooper35@aol.com), book reviewer for a radio network, March 6, 2004,
A new side to Bill O'Reilly
As a book review editor for Funseeker's Radio Network I read and listen to a lot of thrillers and mysteries. Those Who Trespass is a great story and features Tommy O'Malley a tough detective and Ashley Van Buren a tabloid reporter who are both looking for a talented murderer who is killing network executives and people who have wronged him in the past. Those he kills are the sort you run into in radio and television, particularly CBS and CNN. It starts slowly, and even though Bill is not George Guidall he keeps your interest up throughout the entire story. I found myself sitting outside my home listening to a particularly interesting part and unable to leave my car until a chapter was finished. The plot twists are good ones and the ending is well written. Bill, you should write more fiction and I for one can't wait until your next novel.
Rating:
Summary: Insights into Workplace Terrorism and Network Corruption
Review:
Novels by authoritative figures are a proven way of telling shocking truths without having to deal with lawyers. Richard Marcenko did this to U.S. Navy Special Operations with "Rogue Warrior", Winn Schwartau did this for American's vulnerability to anonymous electronic terrorism with "Terminal Compromise."
O'Reilly was written a fascinating novel, one that is not only a first-rate thriller in its own right, but that also lays out some of the really outrageous manipulative and corrupt behavior that is common among senior network managers. He introduces the concept of workplace terrorism (by managers), of "bigfooting" (the theft--plagarism--of good work by field reporters so that the pretty face names (both male and female) can be reinforced); and the falsification of market surveys for the purpose of slandering and firing really good people who refuse to be cowed by bad and unethical network managers. This novel has it all--engaging truths, a solid plot, a sentimental love story, good police thread, and a dramatic climax. I ended up buying a used copy and am glad I took the trouble. If you ever wondered what traitors to our national intelligence community and some senior network managers have in common, read this book--O'Reilly has put a stake through their hearts.
Rating:
Summary: Insights into Workplace Terrorism and Network Corruption
Review:
Novels by authoritative figures are a proven way of telling shocking truths without having to deal with lawyers. Richard Marcenko did this to U.S. Navy Special Operations with "Rogue Warrior", Winn Schwartau did this for American's vulnerability to anonymous electronic terrorism with "Terminal Compromise."
O'Reilly was written a fascinating novel, one that is not only a first-rate thriller in its own right, but that also lays out some of the really outrageous manipulative and corrupt behavior that is common among senior network managers. He introduces the concept of workplace terrorism (by managers), of "bigfooting" (the theft--plagarism--of good work by field reporters so that the pretty face names (both male and female) can be reinforced); and the falsification of market surveys for the purpose of slandering and firing really good people who refuse to be cowed by bad and unethical network managers. This novel has it all--engaging truths, a solid plot, a sentimental love story, good police thread, and a dramatic climax. I ended up buying a used copy and am glad I took the trouble. If you ever wondered what traitors to our national intelligence community and some senior network managers have in common, read this book--O'Reilly has put a stake through their hearts.
Rating:
Summary: He's no Scott Turow
Review: An average mystery novel. My expectations were probably a bit high, because whatever you think of Bill O'Reilly, he's an exceptionally bright, literate man with a great deal of knowledge about the political spectrum--and he has worked in television at the network level for years. I figured all the ingreidients were here for an excellent read.
High points: O'Reilly paints a very accurate picture of the cut-throat network television world, and there's some black humor to be found (one of the corporate bosses is a female named Hillary, and the serial killer who murders her manages to sneak into her apartment building on Halloween night wearing a Richard Nixon mask). Moreover, the premise that a would-be star at the network level who was screwed over by the system might go on a killing spree to get even is not entirely out of the question. However, O'Reilly's writing is surprisingly ordinary. He goes to great lengths to point out where each scene takes place, but there's precious little to make those places come alive--the sights, sounds and scents a reader can feel from good prose is missing here. The dialogue isn't bad--the rapport between Tommy O'Malley and Ashley Van Buren is believable, and the exchanges between the network news executives ring true. The plot of this novel indeed holds your attention until the final page, although the killer's identity is made plain 60-70 pages before the end. The David Wayne character simply disappeared, which is a problem--since he's mentioned in the same breath as the eventual killer many times, he shouldn't simply dry up and blow away. What the heck happened to the guy? All in all, O'Reilly could have done far worse, and he deserves lots of credit for giving this a shot. If you like his political commentary, you'll get a kick out of the story. And it goes without saying that you could do far worse than this if you're looking for something to read on a lengthy airplane flight.
Rating: 
Summary: For Diehard Fans Only
Review: Believe it or not (and far too many people will not) this review has nothing to do with politics and everything to do with my love of the mystery form. O'Reilly, known primarily for his television and radio shows, decided to branch out into the world of genre fiction and has crafted a functional, but not very interesting, mystery in which TV network execs are getting clipped. It includes some fairly typical characters such as the ubiquitous tough-but-tender Irish cop, a hard-drinking veteran journalist, and an ambitious tabloid reporter.
The interesting part of the novel was Mr. O'Reilly's description of how ruthless TV politics can be. Because of this, I thought it would be far more interesting as a work of nonfiction. O'Reilly, apparently, is not crazy enough to bite the hands that feed him just yet.
My guess is that if you're a fan of Bill O'Reilly, you will enjoy the book. However, if it's a good mystery you're after you've so many other choices. Give this one a pass.
Rating: 
Summary: Douche
Review: Bill O'Reilly is such a big douche. this crappy book seemed so obviously based on his own fantasies. what a loser. why didn't he write about a loofah or a falafel.
Rating: 
Summary: Backscenes At The Networks
Review: Bill O'Reilly presents a murder mystery with characters from the life he knows--network news. Key people in the industry are being killed in different parts of the country by a killer who works cleanly leaving no clues at all. I bought the book because I liked the "O'Reilly Factor" and wanted to see for myself how Mr. O'Reilly's how first novel worked. His characters are built out of people he knows...Irish Americans, Catholics, and network people as well as some well developed policemen. The only problem for me was the female, a newspaper writer, who becomes involved with both the killer and the cop who is determined to solve the case. She hops into bed with the bad guy and thinks about hopping into bed with the cop almost at the same time which made that part of the story a little hard to believe. It was a good read, and I suspect his next book will be better yet. I would hope to see a series of Tommy O'Malley mysteries develop. Tommy is BIG in size and macho; he has a nasty black Irish temper; wants to take out the bad guys in a hard way; and takes good care of his mother. He's a nice tough guy.
Rating:
Summary: Fond of Money
Review: Bill O'reilly wrote this book a while back before he began his Fox-fueled ride into greatness. I became aware of this book (a book-lover friend told me about it). She said it was "unbelievable". I read it. It was. It reminded me of the soft core porno I tried to write for money in college. My girlfriend at that time read my work, laughed at me, and told me "Irish guys cannot write porno."
Now, post-Fox grandeur, O'reilly not only admits he wrote it, he goes along with reprinting "Tresspass" and re-releasing it. Jesus, has the man no sense? Or as I fear, has his love for $ consumed him? I think it's the later. (I think, underneath the bully persona, O'reilly is actually pretty smart)
Re the book: Well, as the woman said, "Irish guys can't write porno." O'reilly claims that this is a "thriller", but ,even by that genre's standards, "THT" doesn't make it. I just hope he's giving the profits for this book away to somebody worthy. The ACLU?
Rating:
Summary: Witty and Scathing O'Reilly
Review: Bill O'Reilly, Those Who Trespass New York: A Novel of Murder and Television 374pp - Onyx book (1998)
If you like watching Bill O'Reilly on Fox News, you will be delighted by this novel. You will wonder how O'Reilly ever kept his career in the industry when you learn that the novel is about a crazed newsman who is killing the people responsible for hurting his career and that the story has scathing images of venal, corrupt, cowardly, and dishonest newspeople.
This is a very entertaining book in which nasty careerist, anti-news journalists manipulate and cheat their way until they meet with deservedly bitter consequences. It is a nice mystery with an interesting New York detective and an attractive New York columnist, who, of course, fall for each other (actually told with more subtlety than I associate with O'Reilly). But the real entertainment is in the devastating description of television news and the maneuvering, commercial/careerist values, which dominate the profession.
A good read.
|
