Something Missing

A career criminal with OCD tendencies and a savant-like genius for bringing order to his crime scenes, Martin considers himself one of the best in the biz. After all, hes been able to steal from the same people for years on end—virtually undetected. Of course, this could also be attributed to his unique business model—he takes only items that will go unnoticed by the homeowner. After all, who in their right mind would miss a roll of toilet paper here, a half-used bottle of maple syrup there, or even a rarely used piece of china buried deep within a dusty cabinet?

 

Even though he's never met these homeowners, he's spent hours in their houses, looking through their photo albums and reading their journals. In essence, Martin has developed a friendship of sorts with them and as such, he decides to interfere more in their lives—playing the part of a rather odd guardian angel—even though it means breaking many of his twitchy neurotic rules.

 

Along the way Martin not only improves the lives of others, but he also discovers love and finds that his own life is much better lived on the edge (at least some of the time) in this hilarious, suspenseful and often profound novel about a man used to planning every second of his life, suddenly forced to confront chaos and spontaneity.    

"Lowry's wry debut combines a caper story with foodie culture in an entertaining mix...a zestful first novel." —Publishers Weekly "Lowrys fast-paced tale is reminiscent of Kurt Russells Big Trouble in Little China, or an off-center Philip Marlowe from a Raymond Chandler story. That is, its a chaotic, intriguing, and fun read that delivers quite a punch." —Booklist "Lowrys engaging first novel is as accomplished as its young hero—smart, skillful, self-possessed. And who wouldnt love a hipster martial arts devotee who cooks authentic Asian cuisine? Warning: do not read this book without a good Chinese restaurant on speed-dial!" --Hilary Fields, author of Bliss "The clever and unique mix of martial arts, Chandler-worthy banter, mouth-watering feasts, and an extremely likable protagonist made me want join chef Tucker and his coterie for Chinese food and late-night sleuthing. Absolutely delicious." --Sarah Skilton, author of Bruised "Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is a road-tripping love story spiced with snappy repartee and a dash of running-for-your-life, told by a memorable narrator who never picks up strangers at a highway rest stop -- unless they speak Mandarin. An enjoyable, witty, comic adventure that will also make you very, very hungry." --Kristina Riggle, award-winning author of The Whole Golden World

"The story of an obsessive-compulsive housebreaker whose every waking moment is jam-packed with finicky clockwork ritual--the kind of intense micro-planning that might have made even Napoleon back off...Matthew Dicks has created an unforgettable character that will have you torn between wanting to throttle him--or adopt him."
--Alan Bradley, author of the New York Times bestselling Flavia de Luce novels

A career criminal with OCD tendencies and a savant-like genius for bringing order to his crime scenes, Martin considers himself one of the best. After all, he's been able to steal from the same people for years on end--virtually undetected. Of course, this could also be because of his unique business model--taking only items that will go unnoticed by the homeowner. After all, who would notice a missing roll of toilet paper here, a half-used bottle of maple syrup there, or even a rarely used piece of china buried deep within a dusty cabinet?

Even though he's never met these homeowners, spending hours in their houses, looking through their photo albums and reading their journals, he feels like he knows them. So Martin decides to meddle more in their lives--playing the part of a rather odd guardian angel--even though it means breaking many of his neurotic rules.

In this hilarious, suspenseful and often profound novel about a man used to planning every second of his life, Martin comes to realize that life is much better lived on the edge (at least some of the time).

A rollicking debut novel about a young man who gets kicked out of college, becomes a Chinese restaurant chef, and inadvertently gets in the middle of a Chinese gang's search for their stolen diamonds.

Driving home after being kicked out of college, Tucker meets and picks up the mysterious Corinne Chang at a rest stop. Infatuated, and with nothing better to do, he ends up with her in St. Louis, where he gets a job as a chef in a Chinese restaurant. Even though hes a gwai lo—a foreign devil—his cooking skills impress the Chinese patrons of the restaurant, and his wooing skills impress Corinne when she joins him there as a waitress. But when Chinese gangsters show up demanding diamonds they believe Tuckers kind-of, sort-of, dont-call-her-a-girlfriend stole, he and his friends—which luckily include a couple of FBI agents—have to figure out just who is gunning for Corinne and how to stop them. Good thing Tucker is a Mandarin-speaking martial arts master who isnt afraid to throw the first punch.

With its one-of-a-kind hero, Chinese Cooking for Diamond Thieves is perfect for anyone who loves cooking, Chinese culture, bad jokes, and young love. Diamonds are forever . . . unless Chinese mobsters decide they want them back.

DAVE LOWRY is the restaurant critic for St. Louis Magazine and writes regularly for a number of magazines on a wide variety of subjects, many of them related to Japan and the Japanese martial arts. He is the author of numerous nonfiction books.

1. Discuss the novels title. What is missing from Martins life? What is missing in the lives of his clients?

2. Traditionally, a client is someone who asks for services. Why do you think Martin views his victims as clients? What services does he provide?

3. What do Martins obsessive-compulsive tendencies say about his emotional state? Besides the practical reasons, what are the common emotional threads running throughout his various rules (such as acquiring only items that wont be missed, and never falling into a routine for entering and exiting)? Why is he drawn to a profession that makes him invisible?

4. How did your impressions of Martin shift throughout the novel?

5. In chapter two, Martin meets Alfredo, the Grants parrot. What makes Alfredo the ideal new friend for Martin?

6. How did you react to the excess possessions of Martins clients? Did you see it as waste or as enviable abundance when the Reeds disposed of their uneaten fresh produce, or when the Grants accumulated a hutch full of unused china, crystal, and silverware?

7. Would you have gone to the trouble of replacing Cindy Claytons toothbrush with a clean one? Why does Martin?

8. Chapter five describes Martins triumphs on eBay (spurred when he invents “Barbara Teal”) and his obsession with creating a perfect business model. As a scavenger, does Martin in some ways follow the traditional principles of successful corporations?

9. When Martin sends the note to Alan Clayton at the end of chapter six, he very likely saves a marriage. Why was Alan so blind to one of the most intimate aspects of his own life?

10. Why does Martin feel so compelled to help Justine Ashley keep her husbands party a surprise? What accounts for the level of involvement he feels with so many of his clients?

11. Discuss Martins relationship with his mother and stepfather, and his reunion with his father. How did his childhood affect his sense of self-worth? How would you respond if one of your grown children took household items from you without permission?

12. When Martin rescues Sophie and Sherman Pearl, he opens the door to a new life. How did the reality of meeting them (after circumstances that resembled Jims lateral-thinking riddle) compare to his fantasy of them? What is it like for him to experience an honest conversation with Sophie? How would you have reacted to his story if you had been in her shoes?

13. How did you feel about the security of your own home after reading Something Missing? Will you think twice the next time something turns up missing?

14. What do you predict for Martins future with Laura Green?

15. If you were going to pursue Martins profession, which houses in your neighborhood would you want to “investigate”? Whose house are you most curious about?