Blurb
For decades, Roy Orville fleeced money from fools. Now reunited with his grown daughter, he has found new purpose and a use for his particular set of skills beyond his own needs. But in the midst of the Great Depression, even an experienced con man has difficulty finding work.
Then, a golden opportunity: a wealthy target who could secure his daughter’s future. One hitch—the mark is locked in Greystone Asylum for the Insane. Undaunted, Roy dives in, certain that his talents will seal the deal. But Greystone hides dark secrets: predators masquerade as healers, and the stakes soar beyond his wildest bets.
In a race against time, Roy pits his wits against a sinister foe; a man holding more than one innocent life in the balance. It’s a gamble that will take him to the edge of his sanity.
Excerpt
“It all seems quite reasonable,” he said just before taking a small bite of his unseasoned boiled chicken.
Roy blinked. After all that, he had fully expected a polite refusal. To hear the contrary came as a most welcomed surprise. Perhaps it would be a productive day after all.
“Quite so,” he replied brightly. “We’re not greedy, after all, but we do know what we’ve got. Now, may I presume we can put you down for-”
“It’s this line here that’s giving me heartburn.”
And there it is.
“Eh?”
Chauncey shifted in his seat, turning the paper and indicating the offending line. Surprisingly somewhere halfway down the page. He had actually read the blasted thing.
“You don’t have the manufacturer lined up yet?”
“Oh, as to that…” He scrambled. “You see, we’re only modifying the chairs. Yes, Charlie’s cousin was able to acquire warehouse space late last year and there they remain until it’s time for the workers to go in and make the modifications – simple changes that may be performed with hand tools.” He waived his hand dismissively. “Isn’t that right, Charlie?”
The brute stared at him blankly. It took nearly five full seconds for the two electrodes between his ears to make a spark.
“Oh, yeah. Ah… Mickey’s got your stuff.” He wound up, about to elaborate more, but Roy cut in, somewhat to the man’s chagrin.
“So, there you have it, Chauncey. I assure you, sir, this isn’t my first rodeo.” That part, at least, was the truth, albeit not the way the mark understood it. Roy had parted more fools with their money than he could count. Though, admittedly, this one was proving to be a singular hard nose.
Review by Lisabet Sarai
Roy Orville makes his living as a con man. For decades he has worked diligently to separate prosperous but overly trusting individuals from their money. He’s quick-witted, observant, well-spoken, a shrewd judge of character and a master of social disguise. In the midst of the Great Depression, though, he’s barely surviving, despite his impressive skills. Living in an abandoned rail car, he eats at the cheap local diner and stays awake at night worrying about how he’ll manage to pay the hefty college tuition fees for his formerly estranged daughter.
Searching for his next mark, Roy zeroes in on an heiress who is locked away in the imposing Greystone Asylum for the Insane. Annie spiraled into acute depression when her bankrupt husband committed suicide and her child was still-born. After months in the asylum, her psychological state has improved, but Dr. Corbran, the powerful and corrupt Chief Attending Physician, keeps her prisoner for his own twisted enjoyment.
Desperate to get Annie’s signature on the papers that will transfer her inheritance to his pockets, Roy impersonates a psychiatrist and infiltrates Greystone’s wards. With his easy-going personality, active imagination and natural charm, he soon becomes enmeshed in the lives of both patients and staff. As he discovers more of the Asylum’s secrets, he comes to realize that George Corbran is more than just an inconvenient obstacle – he is a mortally dangerous enemy.
It took me a while to get into The Gold in the Grey, but by the time Roy donned his white coat and began his masquerade as Dr. Calvin Young, I was hooked. Flawed and morally compromised, painfully aware of his own weaknesses, determined to take advantage of other people but unable to suppress his empathy for them, Roy is a fascinating, likable and believable character.
Corbran, on the other hand, is so thoroughly villainous that he’s almost a cartoon. Almost, but not quite. The author occasionally gives us a chapter from the doctor’s point of view. We learn a bit about his unfortunate background, which helps provide some motivation for his evil intentions and actions. Certainly it allows him to personally feel justified in what he does.
Annie serves as a third voice in the novel, giving us a first-hand sense of her terrifying lack of control over her own fate. Institutions like Greystone can strip their occupants of humanity, turning them into playthings and pawns for their cruel or unscrupulous warders.
From a literary perspective, these three voices could have been more balanced. Roy is clearly the focus character, but his perspective is periodically interrupted by chapters featuring Corbran or Annie. In particular, the novel both begins and ends in with sections from Corbran’s point of view. The author seems fascinated by his own villain, perhaps because the doctor makes concrete the sinister possibilities of the imposing and mysterious asylum.
As I mentioned earlier, the book begins a bit slowly. Once the plot has been set in motion, however, the pace picks up, speeding along to a thrilling and suspenseful climax. Wes Verde does an excellent job bringing together the different threads to tie up the story in a satisfying, if somewhat gruesome, manner.
Overall, I found the The Gold in the Grey to be original and engaging. I was particularly interested to discover in the Afterword that the Greystone Asylum was a historical edifice – though one that has since been dismantled. I can appreciate how this might have inspired the author to weave it into a story.
About the Author
Writing has been a hobby in one form or another since 2006 when he started drawing 3-panel comics. When he is not putting words down, he is picking them up; the “to-read" pile only seems to grow larger.
A fan of nature, he spends as much time outside as possible.
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/wesverde7/
Website: https://wesverde.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/239923058-the-gold-in-the-grey
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FMFDNCBN
Wes Verde will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.
