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In MONEY FOR NOTHING, Westlake combines his madcap antics with darkness and grittiness. Josh Redmont began receiving checks every month for $1000.00 from an organization called the "United States Agent." The mailing address is in Washington DC but lacks a street number and no one answers the phone number listed on the check. Josh has no idea why he starts receiving these checks but cashes them because he needs the money. Now Josh has a good paying job, a wife and a son. He no longer needs the money but since he does not have to do anything to receive the checks, he keeps cashing them. Then, he is activated. Josh received his monthly checks because a man named Nimrin was trying to scam his fellow conspirators and created undercover agents ? the majority of whom were unaware that they were part of this organization; hence Josh's activation is a surprise. A man by the name of Levrin approaches him and tells him that Josh has been called to duty. Currently this duty involves housing people in his apartment but it continues until Josh is plotting getaway routes. Josh quickly realizes that the "United States Agent" is against American culture and is composed of radicals. Josh finds himself involved in some unusual situations while he tries to protect his family and himself from death, to prevent the assassination of a political leader and to prevent his fellow agents from setting him up for the murder. Josh quickly realizes that one does not receive money for nothing. MONEY FOR NOTHING is a quick paced thriller about a subservient person forced to confront his fears and determine his true self. This seriousness is intermixed with hilarious situations and an actor who is in the same boat as Josh. Mitch Robbie embraces all of his character roles and has the ability to play off of any situation, whether he is seducing an agent or stalking Levrin. Unlike Josh, Mitch does not have a family that is threatened, nor is he expected to take the burden of going down for the murder. While Josh struggles to find his role in life, Mitch simply jumps from one situation to the next. The combination of humor and seriousness, the juxtaposition of Mitch and Josh help make MONEY FOR NOTHING an incredibly enjoyable book.
Reviewed by Sarah Dudley, June 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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