Los Angeles Magazine Critics Picks: A Hole In The Ground Owned by a Liar by Daniel Pyne
Lee Garrison’s ticket out of middle age isn’t a red sports car—it’s an ad on eBay for a long-abandoned gold mine in a tiny Colorado town. Before you can say “He’s crazy!,” Lee’s the proud new owner. If he can just find the thing, that is. Helping out are some wacky townies, a pretty shop owner, and Lee’s brother Grant, an ex-con with a big heart. Is it gold Lee’s really after, or something else? This is more dark cartoon than fully realized novel. Caricatures outnumber characters 3 to 1; most of the set pieces strain credulity. You won’t find true gold until the book’s final chapter. But the payoff is great. You finish breathless, high on the spirit of adventure.Hyperlink: LAMag.com