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Don't Point that Thing at Me


by Kyril Bonfiglioli
Like nothing I'd ever read


A friend gave me ‘Don't Point that Thing at Me’ and recommended it highly. He didn’t explain why it was good, but merely placed it in my hand and urged me to read. I now understand the difficulty in communicating why this book is so wonderful. It is the characterization that shines in ways that is not simple to understand or describe.

The novel begins as Charlie Mortdecai, the clever main character, puts one over on the police in a light-hearted fashion. Only a few scenes later, Charlie is being tortured by these same people. I was surprised by the harsh turn and wasn’t sure how I felt about it (although Charlie took it with grace and kept the British end up). At this point I knew I wasn’t reading generic mystery fiction.

The novel swings like a pendulum between bright and murky so quickly that it is often bewildering. If strict plot is what you read a mystery for, avoid this novel as it has many plot holes and a conclusion that is fairly improbable. If, on the other hand, you enjoy oddly compelling characters (as unique as Suskind’s Grenouille from Perfume or Mcdonald’s Fletch), this book is a real find.