Jonathan Stone never fails to surprise. My first book of his was MOVING DAY, which prompted me to pick up his backlist and keep moving forward. Each of his novels is somewhat different from the others, though his primary theme seems to concern people who, while not necessarily ordinary, are identifiable to varying extents and find themselves confronted with forces more powerful than themselves. It’s a classic thriller plot, but Stone consistently takes the theme to places it rarely or never goes. TWO FOR THE SHOW continues this practice while taking a unique approach within a setting that, while almost divorced from practical reality, makes for interesting reading nonetheless.

"While requiring a continuing suspension of disbelief, TWO FOR THE SHOW is worth hanging onto for the duration of its wild ride. The term 'go with the flow,' while not created specifically for this book, is certainly applicable."

For the most part, the book is narrated in the first person by a private investigator named Chas, who is somewhat unusual for a number of reasons. One of the lesser reasons is that he has only one client, an entertainer named Wallace the Amazing. Another is his method of investigation; he performs his investigative tasks entirely online. The reason for this is that Chas is tasked with finding out everything he possibly can about the members of the audience before whom Wallace will perform on any given night. Wallace then memorizes the information with his photographic memory, picks people out of the audience, seemingly at random, and tells them about themselves. Thanks to the wonders of internet databases, Chas is able to go far beyond the usual address and date of birth type of information about those in attendance. He also can glean nuggets about their lives, such as where they lived as a child and, even more incredibly, discern elements they may have in common with fellow attendees.

Chas is fascinated by his employer, who he (almost) never sees in person. But he does watch his performances on television and is enthralled by the way he does what he does, night after night. Everything changes, though, when a pair of ringers show up in the audience who are not who they purport to be. It develops that they’re seeking money. While they’re somewhat aware of the relationship between Wallace and Chas, their intentions are far more nefarious. Chas initially wants to protect his employer and do everything he can to keep things as they are --- until he begins making discoveries that shake his assumptions about Wallace, and himself, down to the core of his being. Alliances are changed, reforged and broken as more is revealed and, conversely, less is known. By the end of the book, Chas is not sure exactly what he knows. And neither is the reader.

While requiring a continuing suspension of disbelief, TWO FOR THE SHOW is worth hanging onto for the duration of its wild ride. The term “go with the flow,” while not created specifically for this book, is certainly applicable. It is a departure of sorts from Stone’s past efforts, and an intriguing one. It will leave you scratching your head as he answers all of the questions that form in the reader’s mind throughout the novel and then turns everything posterior over tea kettle.

Audiobook available, read by R.C. Bray