Fool's Errand

by Jeffrey S. Stephens

Overview

Years after the death of his gangster father, a young man discovers a letter that sends him reluctantly defying the mob as he races to locate a hidden treasure.

It’s been six years since the untimely death of Blackie—a charming rogue who endlessly pursued “The Big Deal”—when his son discovers an enigmatic letter telling of a cache of stolen money. Feeling no choice but to pursue his father’s dream, he embarks on a search that leads from New York, to the Strip in Las Vegas, and ultimately to the south of France. Along this life-altering journey, he is confronted by the dangers of his father’s past as he unravels a decades-old mystery, while revealing other long-buried secrets as well.

Poignant and entertaining, humorous and exciting, romantic and mysterious, Fool’s Errand leads him to discover both the treasure and himself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781642937381
Publisher:	Post Hill Press
Publication date:	12/08/2020
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jeffrey S. Stephens is the Amazon bestselling and PenCraft award–winning author of the Jordan Sandor thrillers, Targets of Deception, Targets of Opportunity, Targets of Revenge, and Rogue Mission; the Anthony Walker murder mystery Crimes and Passion; the Pencraft First Place award–winning novel, Fool’s Errand; and the Nicholas Reagan thrillers, The Handler and its sequel, Enemies Among Us.

A native of New York City, the author is a successful attorney in private practice, licensed in both New York and Connecticut. For more than forty years, he has lived in Greenwich, where he and his wife Nancy raised their two sons, Graham and Trevor.

Editorial Reviews

"Fool's Errand is another of Stephens' exceptional works, an intriguing tale in his captivating style, that draws readers in with depth of character, and the promise that time spent with this novel yields a satisfying reward."

Kate Michael

"The author did an exceptional job with the twists and turns throughout the story to keep you wondering about: is there really any treasure, who knows about the treasure and where could the treasure be? I definitely recommend this book for anyone who loves a fictional mob-inspired mystery!"

Southernlifestyle.com

"In Fool's Errand, the pages turn themselves. The plot twists in all the right places. Questions go unanswered until the very end. The story leaves the reader thinking about the character's life beyond the last page—the sign of any good tale."

Melissa Gay Powell

"With surprising twists and relatable characters, Fool’s Errand offers a masterful balance of humor and heart, adventure and romance. Ultimately, it’s an entertaining, fast-paced story of family ties and a parent’s never-ending influence that will keep readers guessing as each new secret is revealed."

Motherhood Moment

"While Fool's Errand brings elements of The Maltese Falcon (one of my all-time favorite films), Goodfellas, and even a dash of old-school detective thrillers and serial films, this tale is fully current. It's a great read and a worthy weekend escape from real life. It doesn't insult anyone's beliefs or intelligence. It's smart, it's sharp, and it will make a strong movie in the right creative hands. I picked up Fool's Errand and read it through, cover to cover, in a day. Stephens' prose is brisk and clean, to the point, and entertaining as it keeps you turning pages. Fool's Errand is a fun, satisfying read, full of heart and surprises."

PJ Media

"Fool’s Errand by Jeffrey S. Stephens, author of the popular Jordan Sandor thrillers, is an entertaining mystery that explores the complexity of a father-son relationship against the backdrop of an international treasure hunt and a romance that may be real love or real danger, while the mob races against time in search of the same cache of money. How far will one son go to fully understand, and appreciate, his enigmatic father’s legacy?"

Groovin' Moms

"Fool's Errand contains all the required satisfying ingredients of a mob-inspired mystery—intrigue, mystery, romance, valuables and even some tough guys thrown in for good measure... This is a pursuit that is not always what it seems, hang on for the ride!"

Dave Thompson

"Fool's Errand is poignant and entertaining, humorous and exciting, romantic and mysterious—an adventure that explores the relationship between a father and son, and the events that will ultimately lead that young man to discover both the treasure and himself."

newyorktrend

"Fool's Errand is primarily a cleverly-plotted mystery, but Stephens never loses sight of the personalities he's creating. Stephens continues to mature as an author; and he keeps his plots intriguing and his characters involving."

Elaine L. Mura

"With surprising twists and relatable characters, Fool’s Errand offers a masterful balance of humor and heart, adventure and romance. Ultimately, it’s an entertaining, fast-paced story of family ties and a parent’s never-ending influence that will keep readers guessing as each new secret is revealed."

Veterans Today

"The book was just pure pleasure, and as readers of this column know, I am typically NOT drawn to novels...but Fool's Errand is definitely an exception."

Diane Taylor

"Stephens deftly weaves poignant, entertaining, humorous, romantic, and mysterious elements into his narrative driven suspense thriller of a novel, Fool's Errand."

Midwest Book Review

"Told in the first person, this engaging mystery is both plot-and character-driven. Moving from past to present is deftly handled, and the mystery presented seems both plausible and intriguing. Love of family, albeit a flawed one, is key."

Kirkus Reviews

"This novel is a haunting tribute to a misunderstood father in a dysfunctional, highly emotional family. Complexities of family dynamics, secrets, and lies are shared with humor. There are unforeseen consequences for all involved as they struggle with the advice, 'great wealth or great difficulty.'"

Pen Award 2021

2021-02-23
A cryptic posthumous letter sends a New Yorker on a cross-country and trans-Atlantic treasure hunt.

Stephens’ latest mystery centers on a 27-year-old son’s discovering a secret his poetry-loving dad, who earned his living by occasionally breaking strangers’ arms for not paying their gambling debts, took to his grave. In the early 1960s, John “Blackie” Rinaldi’s son discovers at a young age that his dad works for the mob. Now, more than six years after Blackie met an early death, his widow calls their son to retrieve a box containing photographs and medals from when Blackie served in France in World War II. Also included is a letter he wrote to his son that hints about “something really big in the works” that only he, his buddy Benny, and an unnamed friend know about. Blackie’s son flies to Las Vegas to meet Benny, who doesn’t divulge the “big” deal but does reveal that the other friend mentioned in the letter is Frenchman Gilles de la Houssay. Benny suggests: “See if you can find Gilles, see if he’ll talk to you.” The scene shifts to France, but not before Blackie’s son meets beautiful, blue-eyed Donna on the plane home from Vegas. The plus of meeting her is followed by the negative of discovering his apartment was broken into while he was away. Someone, possibly a relative who is a “certified scumbag of the first order,” was hellbent on finding Blackie’s letter. The culprit wanted a piece—or more—of what its contents would lead to. Told in the first person, this engaging mystery is both plot- and character-driven. Moving from past to present is deftly handled, and the mystery presented seems both plausible and intriguing. Love of family, albeit a flawed one, is key. Blackie has a loving wife and a sweet, if sometimes contentious, bond with his son, whom he plays poker with. The historical fiction element concerning World War II adds depth to the story, as do thought-provoking takeaways, such as this observation by Blackie’s son: “An old friend once warned me that ‘catching up’ is the death knell of a relationship. When all you’ve got to talk about is how other people are doing, it means you have nothing in common anymore.”

A smooth balance between mystery and history.

Kirkus Reviews