The Desperation of Harry
Good Romantic Suspense/Thriller Book To Read Online
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The Desperation of Harry
Genre: Mystery/Romantic
During what might turn out to be an unproductive search for mystery books online, you might consider a slight alternative to the mystery thriller books genre (I’ve dabbled a bit in that field myself by the way – see the wonderful Boulevard Dreams or The Ticket).
The thing is, if you combine general humor with mystery and add a touch of say, hmm, let me think, let’s say the very best aspects of a romantic comedies book genre, what comes out of the oven is – voila – The Desperation of Harry. You see, a mixture of comedy, mystery and romance is rare in a book – that is to say it is rare for all portions to be done equally well. Now, I think The Desperation of Harry is done well. I’d certainly be some kind of dope to think that it’s not.
So, what’s this supposed gem about anyway?
Well, in 1977, Monty Hill, moves to Hollywood from the Midwest to become a mainstream screenwriter. There he meets his new neighbor, Harry, an endearing yet mysterious man, who desires to assist Monty with his shaky finances. Harry steers Monty directly into the path of a possibly dangerous producer of adult films, who demands Monty write him the biggest moneymaker of all time. Meanwhile, Monty stumbles through a series of volatile romantic relationships with a variety of women in addition to other personal encounters.
There are shocks and secrets aplenty buried in this intelligent story based on actual events, but it’s up to the reader to figure out where they are hidden before they crash-land with thoroughly unexpected explosions.
So, that’s what it’s about!
Q & A FOR THE DESPERATION OF HARRY
I’VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR WHAT SEEMS TO BE FOREVER FOR MYSTERY BOOKS ONLINE, OR IN THE VEIN OF MYSTERY THRILLER BOOKS WITH VERY LITTLE SUCCESS. I MEAN, THEY HAVE SUCH SIMILAR AND OVERLAPPING STORYLINES THAT YOU MIGHT AS WELL HAVE READ ONE AND YOU'VE READ THEM ALL. SO, I'M LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN?
Not really.
WELL, IS THERE SOMEONE ELSE THERE I CAN TALK TO?
Yes, hi, this is Biff Steele, Mr. Janz’s personal assistant, bodyguard and chauffer for his dog. Okay, let’s see, ah, now if you’re looking for something different – a deliciously thrilling story that’s sprinkled with romance and intelligent comedy – you need to read The Desperation of Harry. This romantic comedy is like nothing you’ve ever read before. It artistically combines all the best elements of mystery and romance into a wonderfully unique roller coaster ride.
BUT I HEAR IT'S GOT A REAL DARK SIDE TO IT AS WELL.
It does, but it all blends together – a great story with memorable characters.
SO JUST WHO ARE THESE CHARACTERS I'M DESTINED TO FALL IN LOVE WITH?
Um, just a minute … Ryan! Will you get the hell out of here! Can’t you see I’m talking to a potential sucker – I mean customer! Okay, that’s better … he’s gone, him and his stupid talking dog. Anyway, um, what was I saying, oh yeah, there’s Monty, the narrator, and Harry, his best friend, and um, I forget everybody else’s names – but they are memorable.
SO, JUST WHAT IS THE GENRE OF THE DESPERATION OF HARRY? MYSTERY? THRILLER? ROMANCE? COMEDY? TRADEDY? WHAT?
All of the above and more. You mustn’t forget, it’s also a story based on actual events and is not one you’ll find in romantic comedies book fairs. You know what I’m sayin’? So, buy your online copy now! Otherwise, he and that damn dog of his won’t pay me this month.
This is the second in a series of wholly unnecessary articles written by Biff Steele regarding books by E Ryan Janz, discussing one of the best mystery romance books Mr. Steele has ever read.
The Desperation of Harry – A fast paced romantic suspense story for the ages
by Biff Steele (I have no idea how to write)
Let me begin by mentioning that If you’re familiar with my first dissertation on this website pertaining to one of the great comedy mystery books out there, Boulevard Dreams, you might have noticed that I often mention phrases relating to how people generally search for books online. They google expressions like best mystery romance books, or books with mystery and romance, romance and mystery books, romantic suspense books, romantic thriller books, and on and on. Tedious – isn’t it? Well, stay with me. It gets worse. Anyway, there must be millions of different combinations.
So please forgive me for it, but this is very important to our website because the more I mention these dopey phrases the better the chances this site can be found by readers and eventually grow. So, with that understood, and if you’re still reading this, let’s dive into yet another of the great comedy mystery books by E Ryan Janz, this one entitled The Desperation of Harry.
Let’s commence by mentioning that The Desperation of Harry is one of those rare romance and mystery books based on actual events. To me, this fact makes the story even more compelling, adding a quality of realism I do not believe many books with mystery and romance plots can match. You see, often these types of genres originate exclusively from an author’s imagination, reducing most comedy mystery books to an unrealistic world of fantasy. Nothing wrong with that of course. It can be great entertainment. But when you’re talking about the very best mystery romance books, romantic suspense books or romantic thriller books, true realism based on actual events can elevate a romantic mystery book from good to great.
The best mystery romance books require two things, a great mystery and at least one sterling romance. The mystery and romance contained within The Desperation of Harry at first might seem difficult to gauge. Although the story is almost exclusively narrated by the protagonist, a second narrator appears periodically. Though I will not disclose anything specific about him, his first appearance immediately elevates the story into the genre of stellar romantic thriller books, and a frightening one at that. In fact, until this character showed up, I wasn’t even aware that I was reading a romantic mystery book, but by the end of the story, he kept me awake for several nights thereafter, and that’s the truth.
The tale begins during the summer of 1977 whereupon the protagonist, Monty Hill, arrives in Hollywood from the Midwest intent on becoming a major screenwriter. He soon moves into an apartment building where he meets his neighbor, the wonderfully affable but mysterious Harry. During that initial meeting, Harry also introduces Monty to two people that become very important to the story, Barbara, and her know it all mother, Lillian, who have also emigrated from the Midwest. Barb is currently suing the apartment complex for $500,000 due to alleged negligence from a fall she sustained several years before.
Harry invites Monty to accompany him to a club later that evening, a club called The Queen Mary. He tells Monty that both straight and gay people frequent it. Sure enough, Monty meets two girls there, including the ravishing Rachel. Additionally, while at the club, Monty meets a man named Otto, who physically appears very non-threatening, but he is identified as a producer of adult films and inexplicably demands Monty write him the biggest moneymaker of all time. It becomes apparent that Harry has recommended Monty to Otto due to his concern that Monty has a limited cash supply and no job. Despite Monty repeatedly stating he is not that type of writer, Otto demands Monty finish the screenplay in two weeks, with the implication that if Monty fails, he will suffer great bodily harm – or worse.
As you will soon discover, this novel’s mystery and romantic elements deepen gradually, but as you get further into the story, it develops into one of the finest romance and mystery books, romantic suspense books, or even romantic thriller books available. Oh no, there I go again with those annoying but necessary phrases clumped together. Okay, so let’s see, what can we do about it? Well, how about adding yet another one! Romance and mystery books. All right. Let’s relax and spend the remainder of this essay delving into the reasons why The Desperation of Harry is one terrific romantic mystery book. I admit that inserting these phrases is like some kind of a drug. I can’t get off the stuff. I need help!
Books with mystery and romance usually claims to have an edge of your seat type of plot and a mystery unanswered until the very end. But The Desperation of Harry really doesn’t contain any cliff hanger events to end each chapter because as I’ve stated, this story is based on actual events, and as you and I know life does not work that way. Yet it moves along briskly.
So, what are the essential elements that comprise a really good romantic mystery book? We’ve already stated it needs romance and a good mystery of course. But what else?
For starters, you need a sympathetic hero to root for, and you’ll find it in Monty Hill. And then there’s Harry, who like Monty, is a wonderfully complex character, and someone who you will quickly love. The same holds true with the second element, a strong and sympathetic heroine. In The Desperation of Harry, you have boatloads of them, as many as a half dozen. You’ll wind up rooting for one to wind up with Monty, and readers will differ on their choice.
A third element is a strong antagonist. As mentioned, from almost the beginning the reader is smacked in the face with the detestable second narrator. If there is one guarantee in life that I can make aside from the inevitability of death, taxes, and that I’ll soon insert another one of those annoying phrases, it is that you will hate this man. There are several other antagonists in the book, both male and female. I won’t identify who they are, but you’ll have fun discovering them.
A fourth element in books with mystery and romance is emotional tension or conflict, and The Desperation of Harry provides plenty. Again, like any good novel, the book takes its time creating these elements since they generally arrive as result of good character development. And The Desperation of Harry has great and memorable characters throughout.
Another trait I’ll mention shared by the top mystery romance books is a believable plot. As stated at the outset of this dissertation, The Desperation of Harry, from beginning to its end is based on actual events. So you really can’t get much more believable without the piece becoming non-fiction.
Another element, although it’s traditionally found within the sphere of comedy mystery books, is this novel is very funny. Indeed, there are many scenes that are delightfully hilarious, yet conversely there are quite a few worthy of tears. I myself cried at the end, and I’m not a crier, why, I don’t even cry at today’s retail prices.
The final element I’ll mention, usually associated with romantic suspense books, is that this one has a shocker of an ending. Associated with dark comedy thriller books as well, the ending should absolutely take your breath away. It certainly took away mine.
So, I think I’ll wrap this up. If anything comes through in this essay loud and clear, aside from that I’m dull and irritating, is that The Desperation of Harry is a great novel. I think it’s Ryan’s best.
Memorable characters, plenty of laugh out loud moments, a goodly share of tears, great romance, great mystery, a shocking ending, why, it pretty much contains everything an avid reader could want.
Before I leave though, does anyone out there know of any job openings? I don’t think I have much of a future in writing.
Thank you.
About the Author
Biff Steele has been employed at E Ryan Janz since its inception as a website in 1847. He also acts as Mr. Janz’s personal assistant, bodyguard, and chauffeur to Mr. Janz’s dog. This article is the second in a series of essays Mr. Steele will be writing for each of E Ryan Janz’s books, all done in order of their date of publication. Next up – Angie’s Occupation.