The Free Press review of Spanish Fly

Well-written con keeps you guessing to the end

Liam Brennan

WITH the world on the brink of war, and America suffering through the Great Depression, young Jack McGreary is fast becoming the next great con man.

Leaving his small town of Paradise Flats to wither and die in a raging "black blizzard" dust storm, Jack has been scooped up by a pair of con artists intent on squeezing every last penny from the good-natured populace of the American Midwest.

This is the setting for Calgary author Will Ferguson's ninth book, a remarkable novel that is sure to become a modern-day classic.

Ferguson is best-known for his contemporary humour writing, including such titles as How to Be a Canadian and Beauty Tips From Moose Jaw. But here he ventures into more ambitious territory.

As the Nazis steamroll over Prague and capture Lithuania, Jack is an innocent adolescent who can't seem make it past the cotton barrier of his girlfriend Rebecca's undergarments.

Confident that he can win her over, Jack spends his days reading Roman poet Ovid's The Art of Love in the local library. Convinced a small token of his love for her will finally win her over, Jack works overtime at a nauseating salt mine to buy a $5 hair clip.

With the economy at an all-time low, Jack's imprudent father pours what little money they have into a phony investment scheme.

As his father urges him to head north to Canada and join the British militia to aid in the fight against fascism brewing overseas, Jack's heart is broken when Rebecca informs him they can no longer see each other.

Crestfallen, Jack happens across a pair of tricksters named Virgil and Rose who have swept into town to pull small-time cons on the unsuspecting locals, or "marks."

After providing Virgil with a tip worth $50, Jack is given his cut of the earnings and decides to take off with the mysterious duo.

Cascading across the Midwest in a 1939 Nash Ambassador, the trio goes on a rampant crime spree, conning thousands of dollars out of gullible townsfolk with their brilliantly conceived schemes. With Virgil's guidance, Jack becomes a master swindler, displaying an uncanny ability for committing cons.

However, as Virgil's ideas become increasingly sophisticated and sexual tension develops with Rose, Jack begins to suspect he may in fact be their next mark.

Tying vital plot points to the events of the Second World War, Ferguson combines fact and fiction to produce a compelling and surprisingly humorous coming of age tale that will appeal to all readers.

He tells the story from his young protagonist's perspective, allowing the reader to be equally as suspicious of the other characters.

Ferguson builds a tense climax by skilfully planting morsels of key information throughout the story. This leads to an exhilarating and unpredictable conclusion that will have readers guessing until the final page.

Thanks to his extensive research, Ferguson manages to effectively recreate a devastating era in America's history.

The Winnipeg Free Press
September 30, 2007