Rating: 
Summary: What a Great Racket!!!
Review: It would be too easy to say that Ridley puts Jim Thompson's characters in the sub-basement of Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles. There are echoes of both masters in this book, but mostly in the sense that the people and places are made real by Ridley's skill. The pace is brisk, and the dialog sparkles. If there is one quibble, it is with one (unnecessary) sentence that telegraphs the ending, but this doesn't detract from the entertainment the book provides. It may not be great literature, but it is great fun.
Rating: 
Summary: The art of the con, artfully told
Review: It would be too easy to say that Ridley puts Jim Thompson's characters in the sub-basement of Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles. There are echoes of both masters in this book, but mostly in the sense that the people and places are made real by Ridley's skill. The pace is brisk, and the dialog sparkles. If there is one quibble, it is with one (unnecessary) sentence that telegraphs the ending, but this doesn't detract from the entertainment the book provides. It may not be great literature, but it is great fun.
Rating: 
Summary: Yeah it's good -- but not that good!
Review: John Ridley gets better with every book I read. I look forward to his novels with baited breath. I read Stray dogs (it became the movie Uturn, I believe) anyway The book was soo much better than the movie and then Love is a racket blew me away with the action and the things that can happen when you least expect it and then Everyone smokes in hell came out and I liked that even more, if he keeps it up he will be the only author I like enough to buy hardcover! if you like Quentin Tarantino movies you will like John Ridley's books even more. He is one of the best thriller/action fiction writers of his time.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite authors, he has done it again
Review: John Ridley gets better with every book I read. I look forward to his novels with baited breath. I read Stray dogs (it became the movie Uturn, I believe) anyway The book was soo much better than the movie and then Love is a racket blew me away with the action and the things that can happen when you least expect it and then Everyone smokes in hell came out and I liked that even more, if he keeps it up he will be the only author I like enough to buy hardcover! if you like Quentin Tarantino movies you will like John Ridley's books even more. He is one of the best thriller/action fiction writers of his time.
Rating:
Summary: What a Great Racket!!!
Review: John Ridley seems to have been inspired by the works of James M. Cain and Jim Thompson. He takes that inspiration and mixes it with his unique updated style and creates greatness. This story of Jeffty Kittridge trying to rise up from the bottom is funny, exciting and sad. If you are familiar with an urban environment, you will recognize some of these realistic characters. People like these really exist in cities all across this country. I really enjoyed this novel. I can't wait to read more from Mr. Ridley.
Rating:
Summary: the joke's on you
Review: John Ridley's new novel put's him right up there in the company of America's greatest crime writers. His first novel, "Stray Dogs", was a smart, nasty little noir, all full of twists and turns that kept Ridley and his book at least one step ahead of the reader, but in "Love is a Racket" he tells a great story and he creates some of the most memorable characters you'll meet in any recent fiction. He's also got a wonderfully sly sense of humor . This is a novel where someone's always the brunt of a con or a good joke, the reader included. (Yep, and when you've been fooled by a master -- and Ridley is a master -- it's surprising how good it feels.) Read "Love is a Racket" and you'll be reminded that Elmore Leonard's just a pit stop on the way to better stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Yeah it's good -- but not that good!
Review: Lot's of 5 star reviews for this book, but I want to disagree some. Yes, there's some very good writing and humor packed into this book. But a lot of it really seemed pointless - like what was the point of having Nellis with his brilliant trick -- only to get blown away? The real plot develops 3/4 into the book, and I'm not sure I even liked the ending. I kept expecting Jeffty to be a better man than he was, and Ridley kept letting me down.
Rating:
Summary: A brilliant must-read!
Review: Loved 'Stray Dogs' and loved this book even more. With cool, hip, witty dialogue, Ridley's storytelling will intrigue you and bring you into poor Jeffty's world. Dark yet funny, this is a must-read for any noir fan!
Rating:
Summary: Beyond brilliant.
Review: No author I've ever read writes with as much passion as John Ridley. Love Is A Racket is one of the great American novels of the 20th century and beyond... Each and every character (ranging from depraved to downright vile) is so well developed, you feel for all of them. John Ridley is without a doubt, the best crime noir author (if not the best author period) around right now. Top of the line.
Rating:
Summary: Loved it, loved it, loved it!
Review: This guy Ridley is crazy! Thank God he's writing books and not out wandering the streets. He really paints a sharp and dark picture of LA and fantstic characters to go with it. Please, please, please don't let me have to wait another couple of years for his next novel!
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