FEELERS
The First of the Morty Martinez novels

I DESCRIPTION I REVIEWS I EXCERPT I

"Brain M. Wiprud's whacked-out FEELERS is fast, foxy fun."
— Janet Evanovich


Morty Martinez is a “feeler”; he empties homes in Brooklyn for resale and hopes to find stashes of cash left by deceased occupants who didn’t trust banks. He also lives in hope that a big find will allow him to assume “his birthright,” a hacienda in Baja California befitting his conquistador ancestry. When a job presents him with an $840,000 windfall, he quickly learns that a recently released Sing Sing prisoner, a retired cop, a devious and clever hairdresser, and a rival feeler are all after the same score. Actually, it’s more complicated than that, and Wiprud uses a lengthy letter Morty writes to a Mexican priest to tell his story. This epistolary form works well and allows the author to endow Morty with occasional Runyonesque speeches, bring a dozen quirky characters to life, and paint a vivid portrait of life in East Brooklyn. Although the body count rises steadily, this is a rollicking, high-energy tale that recalls Donald Westlake’s comic caper novels.
--Thomas Gaughan, BOOKLIST
 


REVIEWS

“A highly amusing mystery from Lefty-Award-winner Brian M. Wiprud.”
Publishers Weekly – Starred Review

“Rollicking, high-energy tale that recalls Donald Westlake’s comic caper novels.”
— Thomas Gaughan, Booklist

“You’ll gasp with laughter and surprise all the way to the hospital.”
Kirkus Reviews

“Required Reading.”
New York Post