It’s Christmas Eve, 1979, in Wichita, and Charlie Arglist, a crooked lawyer and strip-club owner, is drunkenly making the rounds before he blows town for good. Getting progressively drunker and deeper in trouble, Charlie needs to drop off a photograph of a local official in a compromising position and steal some drug money. Before it’s all over, a lot of people are going to wind up dead.
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"I read this novel in one evening. I enjoyed it but I believe some of that came from living in Wichita for a time so I was trying to pinpoint what area of town the author was describing. The characters were fleshed out without too many words, which I felt added to the story." — Helen (4 out of 5 stars)
"I read this novel in one evening. I enjoyed it but I believe some of that came from living in Wichita for a time so I was trying to pinpoint what area of town the author was describing. The characters were fleshed out without too many words, which I felt added to the story."
“A funny, craftily malevolent first novel, an ice-pick-sharp crime story that sustains its film noir energy all the way to an outrageous whammy of an ending.”
“A deliciously nasty little book…Phillips writes in a spare, straightforward prose style that’s perfectly suited for the Midwestern setting. It also allows for flashes of wicked wit.”
“[An] astonishing debut novel from a writer who manages to put a funny, modernist spin on a piece of our noir past…”
“A pitch-perfect foray into pulp fiction, witty and bitter, with an ironic conclusion that makes a neat package.”
“The narrator is one of the best, Grover Gardner, whose 13 Earphones Awards attest to his abilities in interpreting character. Never mind that his voice is also one of the most pleasant to listen to, something only God could have bestowed.”
" I was digging this book... right up until the ending. A really uneven read, as it seemed to build towards an ending that never came. Maybe I should watch the movie instead? "
" slow starting out, but the ironic ending was worth it. "
" Again, one of the rare instances where the movie is better than the book. (The other is "The Ice Storm." Maybe having "Ice" in the title is a prerequisite...) But in this case, the book is still great. The movie is just a little better because it has a happy ending. "
" Just because I didn't like it doesn't mean you shouldn't read it! But, only if you like crime novels where weak, bad people do bad stuff to each other and the lives of quiet desparation keep chugging on all around and it's set at christmas go for it. Better is: already dead by [denis johnson]. "
" Again another unread book found on my shelves. It was an easy and quick holiday read. "
" I could see how this would make a good movie: its full of strippers, mafia folks, and yuletide sentiment. Fun all around. "
" Not as good as Adjustment, his next book, but a sign of things to come. "
" great gritty noir, in our very own kansas. "
" Didn't really grab me. Only became an exciting read the last couple of chapters. It seems like the sort of book you would read in English class and have to analyze. Not that those are bad books, but generally not the sort you would check out for leisure reading. "
" Read it in preparation for the movie (which isn't bad) and got turned on to Phillips' writing. The Walkaway and Cottonwood are even better. "
" I couldn't get into this book, it was just boring. Or maybe it wasn't the right book to be reading at the moment - I may go back and try again at a later date. "
" Read this in a day. A quirky, dark & funny tale with seedy characters and an outrageous plot that hangs together on its humor. "
" I read this for a college class because it's set in Wichita, but there's really nothing that makes it "Kansas" literature. It's a quick, forgettable, mildly entertaining read, and the ending made me smile. "
" Significantly different from the movie, and not as good. There was something a bit vacant about the personality of the protagonist, Charlie Arglist -- the film fleshes it out much more, among other things. "
" I read this every other Christmas time when my interest in alcohol spikes and my dreams of strippers run wild. "
" Brutal crime, gory "
" If you saw the movie, you'll know the book - except for the ending. I think the book's ending is better - darker, but better. "
" May have read this dark Christmas tale before; probably saw the movie. Double-crossing, sex and violence make for atypical holiday fare. Worked for me. "
" ok, probably wouldn't read it again "
" Seldom have I read a book with more unlikable characters, but I still couldn't put this down. "
" The Ice Harvest was funny and quirky. It is a good read for a rainy day. I got a little confused in p laces, but once the plot was clear, it got better. The movie portrayed it well with less confusion. "
" 12th - 2011Bwahaha... nice ending!Catatan: Kayaknya aku pernah nonton filmnya, deh... tapi teteup nggak hapal jalan ceritanya, padahal yang main John Cusack dan Billy Bob Thornton... "
" Cold, dark comedy of errors. "
" HATED IT! Gratuitous vulgarity, not even an interesting story line. I had to start another book right away to get that one out of my brain. YUCK! "
Scott Phillips was born and raised in Wichita, Kansas, and lived for many years in France. He now lives with his wife and daughter in Southern California.
Grover Gardner (a.k.a. Tom Parker) is an award-winning narrator with over a thousand titles to his credit. Named one of the “Best Voices of the Century” and a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, he has won three prestigious Audie Awards, was chosen Narrator of the Year for 2005 by Publishers Weekly, and has earned more than thirty Earphones Awards.
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