Synopses & Reviews
A fast-paced, cleverly conceived, utterly surprising suspense novel about father and son grifters and the female con artist who comes between them Elmore Leonard meets Dennis Lehane meets Quentin Tarantino.
Kevin's dad, Jerry, is a crook. And he taught his son every trick in the book. Masters of identity theft, Kevin and Jerry move from one seedy motel to another, always trying for the big score. Colette is a runaway who dreams of conning her way into the upper echelons of high society. Just a teenager, she's already a tough and talented grifter, and soon becomes Jerry's girlfriend and accomplice.
When Jerry is arrested, Colette makes Kevin her willing shill, dragging him along in her endless pursuit of sophistication. Meanwhile, Kevin's compulsive pursuit of new cons, bolder hoaxes, and better forgeries leads them to violent and unimagined retributions. When Jerry is released on parole, the three are reunited for one final scam, a patchwork of old and new techniques that should set them all up for life. The question is, would they rather work together or show each other up? Hot Plastic is a hugely satisfying suspense novel about family and criminal intent from a fresh new voice.
Review
"[A] fascinating, funny, beautifully written addition to the genre. Readers will find themselves drawn into the intriguing lives of this delinquent outlaw family as they form and reform alliances and journey along their crooked path toward a surprising finish." Publishers Weekly
Review
"[A]n explosion of wit, creativity and superlative writing....Craig...gets it all right. The scams are fascinating, his writing is lovely, and he even wins our sympathy for his thieves." Patrick Anderson, The Washington Post Book World
Review
"[A] stylish romp, with characters witty enough to pick Scheherazade over Anna Karenina as a role model and smart enough to avoid most oncoming trains." Frank Sennett, Booklist
Review
"[A]n awkward combination of caper, picaresque, and crime novel....There's energy here, but the colorful details don't count for much in the absence of a fully coherent storyline." Kirkus Reviews
Review
"If Jim Thompson had attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop, the result might read something like this....[Craig] distinguishes himself not with his originality...but by limning this criminal family in rock-solid prose." Library Journal
Review
"From the electric, jazzy beginning to the startling climax, Hot Plastic is a funny, smart and compulsively readable joyride." Richard North Patterson, author of Protect and Defend
Review
"Buy an extra copy of Hot Plastic and keep it in mint condition. Peter Craig's novel of outlaw life at the end of the century will be a collector's item. It's a winner." Tony Hillerman
Review
"Hot Plastic is a terrific read. It's smart, fast and sexy. It's also funny-sad in a way that really got me. Peter Craig has a wonderful eye for the young, for fallen innocence, for all the ways our world fails us. Hot Plastic has depth and intelligence. I highly recommend it." T. Jefferson Parker, author of Cold Pursuit
Synopsis
In this cleverly conceived suspense novel about family and criminal intent, a female con artist comes between father and son grifters.
Synopsis
" A] compulsively readable joy ride."---Richard North Patterson "As close to the day-to-day workings of modern con men as any sane person would want to get. Hot Plastic is a fascinating look at changing times on the grift."---Nicholas Pileggi, author of Wiseguy and screenwriter of GoodFellas
"Buy an extra copy of Hot Plastic and keep it in mint condition. Peter Craig's novel of outlaw life at the end of the century will be a collector's item. It's a winner."---Tony Hillerman, author of The Wailing Wind
Kevin's dad, Jerry, is a crook. And he taught his son every trick in the book. Masters of identity theft, Kevin and Jerry move from one seedy motel to another, always trying for the big score. Colette is a runaway who dreams of conning her way into the upper echelons of high society. Just a teenager, she's already a tough and talented grifter, and soon becomes Jerry's girlfriend and accomplice.
When Jerry is arrested, Colette makes Kevin her willing shill, dragging him along in her endless pursuit of sophistication. Meanwhile, Kevin's compulsive pursuit of new cons, bolder hoaxes, and better forgeries leads them to violent and unimagined retributions. When Jerry is released on parole, the three are reunited for one final scam, a patchwork of old and new techniques that should set them all up for life. The question is, would they rather work together or show each other up?
Hot Plastic is a hugely satisfying suspense novel about family and criminal intent from a fresh new voice.
About the Author
Peter Craig grew up dividing his time between Los Angeles and an Oregon commune. A graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a recipient of a James Michener-Copernicus Fellowship, he is the author of The Martini Shot. The son of the actress Sally Field, he lives in Iowa City with his wife and children.