COLD CALLER by JASON STARR

For my money, there is no better suspense writer than Jason Starr.  I have literally stayed up all night reading his novels, and 'Cold Caller' kept me awake until 7am.  The story revolves around Bill Moss, a preppy, pretentious snob in his 30's who works as a telemarketer after being let go from his previous job as a high powered ad executive.  Desperate to regain his once prestigious employment status, he makes a series of decisions that turn his life upside down and reveal just how cutthroat he can be. 

Everything about this book is wonderful.  It is akin to an Alfred Hitchcock movie, or a piece of noir writing from the 1950's.  Starr's style simply cannot be matched.  He writes with a flair for the suspenseful, and manages to keep the reader's heart beating faster and faster throughout the entire novel.  I have read 3 other novels by Jason Starr (Tough Luck, Hard Feelings, and Fake ID), and they each have had the same effect on me.  The characters penned by Starr are absolutely perfect in that they respond to their situations in a manner that creates the most possible friction, drama, and suspense that is possible.  The characters' reactions to their conditions are like a train wreck involving sideshow freaks-one simply cannot look away. 

Another element that defines Starr's novels is his use of setting to further the anxieties of his readers.  In 'Cold Caller', as well as the other novels I have read by Starr, the main characters all live in cramped apartments in New York, which only serve to further the rage and frustrations of the characters.  This also serves to create a sense of claustrophobia among the readers, as they can feel the walls closing in on the characters, both in their minds, as well as in their dwellings.  'Cold Caller' utilizes this perfectly, and it adds to the tension that is ubiquitous in every scene that takes place in the apartment.  The elements used by Starr make 'Cold Caller', as well as Starr's other novels, more than novels, but rather trips to the depths of a twisted and tormented mind. 

'Cold Caller' entertains from beginning to end.  Starr takes the reader on a descent into madness and depravity that will leave them longing for more.  Starr's use of the first person in this book makes it all the more real, and all the more terrifying.  Though it was Jason Starr's first novel, it reads like it was penned by a seasoned pro.  If you are a fan of suspense and excitement in your literature, then look no further than Jason Starr. 

'Fake ID' is another great read by Starr.  A past his prime aspiring actor who works as a bouncer decides to break the law in order to invest in a race horse.  Dire repercussions and far reaching implications ensue. 


'Hard Feelings' was the first novel by Starr that I read.  Similar to 'Cold Caller', it involves a businessman trying to make it in New York.  His struggles to be successful are seemingly all for naught until he meets a former bully and remembers something from his childhood that he had blocked out.  He takes matters into his own hands, and complications occur that make this novel a suspenseful masterpiece. 







'Tough Luck' is both heartbreaking and exhilarating.  You can't help but feel for the main character as he tries to maintain his sanity while dealing with an overbearing boss, a father with dementia, an unruly mobster, and his own gambling addiction.  This is a great read with an amazing ending that will make the reader's jaw drop.