Review: The Finger Trap

The Finger Trap by Johnny Worthen
Mystery, Thriller
☆☆☆☆

This was a lot of fun to read; I loved it. It’s part snarky conversation, part mystery/thriller. It takes the classic noir mystery and places it in the modern day.



Tony Flaner drifts from hobby to hobby and job to job. Now he’s a ticket counter agent at the airport.

I sympathize with modern travelers. People like me vex them, frustrate them, and humiliate them. We search them, screen them, rob them, and then, if they didn’t complain, we’ll identify them as suspicious and bring out the guys with the big fingers and blue rubber gloves just to see how far we can take it. There is a good reason weapons aren’t allowed in airports; any sane person would use them after going through the post-9/11 hell of American air travel.

When Tony gets charged with murder, it’s up to him to solve it and prove his innocence. It’s dangerous and suspenseful yet still plenty snarky. I think Johnny really enjoys showing jerks getting their comeuppance. It’s a wish-fulfillment thing we can all enjoy.

There are some typos. Moderate amount of strong language. Sexual content is mostly innuendo.