cover image COLLATERAL MAN

COLLATERAL MAN

Alex Ferrara, . . Grafica Andina, $16.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-987-43-6563-7

Based on a popular Argentinian television miniseries (and modeled on the Faust legend), this smart, cheeky thriller begins when a Manhattan psychotherapist learns that his soul is the price to pay off an old family debt. Martin Mondragon is an accomplished, erudite therapist whose chief problems are dealing with his eccentric clients and recovering from a breakup with a gorgeous model. But Mondragon's life goes completely haywire when he is approached by a stranger named Joe Sagasti, who informs him that his Argentinian grandfather reneged on a deal after signing his soul over to the devil, making Mondragon the so-called "collateral man" who must pay off the debt. Mondragon dismisses Sagasti as deranged until the stranger begins using his dark supernatural powers to wreak havoc on Mondragon and those around him. The hokey conceit might have produced a cartoonish novel in the hands of lesser writers, but the authors' flair for light irony and razor-sharp storytelling keeps the tale fun and fast-moving. The plotting gets a bit busy in the closing chapters, but the payoff is an entertaining showdown between Mondragon and Sagasti. Despite its unlikely provenance, this is a devilishly satisfying entertainment. (Sept. 1)