Publication Date: January 30, 2024
Matt Connell, a formerly successful literary agent who’s been in prison for four years for a crime of passion— homicide by strangulation after learning his wife slept with a friend— receives an early release from Sing Sing to join an FBI undercover investigation of multiple murders in Manhattan. Killings continue to mount as Matt does his best to calm his “Ferrari brain” — a condition in which his mind accelerates wildly into negative thoughts and worst-case scenarios— even as he falls in love with a suspect, then discovers disturbing truths about his past and hers. When he finds his own life in danger, can he stand up for the Bureau’s heralded principles of Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity? Not to mention genuine love?
A serial killer is on the loose, targeting young female authors. Matt Connell, a formally well-respected literary agent turned convict, is saved from a lengthy prison sentence to help the FBI find the killer in Necessary Deeds by Mark Wish.
Matt Connell is rotting away in prison, convicted of killing his now ex-wife’s lover and those 28 minutes changed his life completely, losing his career, his wife, and any semblance of his former life. However, one day, he is brought into the Warden’s office, faced with a stranger he blew off in the yard. It turns out this stranger is an FBI agent, brought in to bring Matt into their investigation of the “Success Killer.”
Matt’s life takes a 360, from a monotonous prison schedule to a free man, or at least free enough. Working with the FBI, he resumes his life as a literary agent, desperate to prove himself to the bureau to maintain his freedom. Through his investigation, he meets Em, a bright woman who seems to understand his fast-thinking brain that jumps to the worst conclusions without pause. But when Em becomes a suspect, the “Success Killer” draws closer and closer to Matt. Will he be able to find the killer, or will he become the next victim?
While this book starts off slow, once it gets going, it runs! I really enjoyed the level of suspense this book provides, and each character is unique and complex. The last half of the book was enjoyable and hard to put down. However, the beginning of this book is a struggle. It felt that the author had a wonderful idea and wrote all that with passion, and then realized he needed a beginning. It lacked the passion the end provided.
Also, I feel some of the dialogue was a little stilted, especially some of the female dialogue. Most women tend not to put themselves in the path of a murderer. True crime has taught us better than that. However, the women in this book don’t even seem to bat an eye at Matt’s past. In fact, it almost seems to intrigue them. While there are those who do find that intriguing, they are in the minority‚—by quite a bit. Finally, the main character’s motivation didn’t feel fully fleshed out. He went from wanting to work for the FBI to gain his freedom to wanting to be an FBI agent. Why? I don’t know because it was not clear in the book.
Necessary Deeds is a thrill ride with amazing twists and a unique main character’s perspective. If you love noir thrillers, make sure to pick this up.
Mark Wish’s previous novels have been praised by Daniel Woodrell, Delia Ephron, Salman Rushdie, Rebecca Makkai, Ben Fountain, Anne Serling, the CHICAGO TRIBUNE, and the LOS ANGELES TIMES. His short fiction has won a Pushcart Prize and appeared in more than 125 print venues including BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES. A renowned book doctor for thirty years, he now edits and publishes COOLEST AMERICAN STORIES, whose inaugural volume went to a third printing.
