Fasman, Jon – THE GEOGRAPHER'S NOTEBOOK

[LJ Roberts]

THE GEOGRAPHER'S NOTEBOOK (Amateur Sleuth-International-Multiple Periods) – Poor Fasman, Jon – Standalone
The Penguin Press, 2005-
Hardcover

Paul Tomm is a young reporter in a small Connecticut town. When a local professor dies, Paul is asked to write his obituary. What starts as a simple assignment, leads to more than expected and others who die. Somehow tied into this are 15 priceless artifacts scattered throughout the world.

What started as an interesting plot, with a appealing, guileless protagonist just never went anywhere for me. The premise seemed less "Da Vinci Code" and more "The Eight," but this book was nowhere near either. The hook of the artifacts was never realized in the story, and I found myself skimming huge sections trying to find out the point of it all. Unfortunately, there never really was one. Worst of all, not only did the protagonist now grow with the story, but he regressed. I basically couldn't wait for the book to end, even with it's very disappointing ending, so I could get on to something else. I'd say to give this one a miss.