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A Man's Game
When the man responsible for a number of Seattle rape-murders turns his attention to the daughter of Jake Baird, Jake takes matters into his own hands, secretly winning the trust of this ruthless killer as he plots the ultimate revenge. Reprint.
300 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
8 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Newton Thornburg
13 books47 followersBorn in Harvey, Illinois, Thornburg graduated from the University of Iowa with a Fine Arts degree. He worked in a variety of jobs before devoting himself to writing full-time (or at least in tandem with his cattle farm in the Ozarks) in 1973.
His 1976 novel Cutter and Bone was filmed in 1981 as Cutter's Way. The New York Times called Cutter and Bone "the best novel of its kind for ten years." Another novel-to film Beautiful Kate was filmed in Australia in 2009 and starred Bryan Brown and Ben Mendelsohn. It was directed by Rachel Ward, who is Bryan Brown's real-life wife.
Thornburg died on May 9, 2011, a few days shy of his 82nd birthday.
His 1976 novel Cutter and Bone was filmed in 1981 as Cutter's Way. The New York Times called Cutter and Bone "the best novel of its kind for ten years." Another novel-to film Beautiful Kate was filmed in Australia in 2009 and starred Bryan Brown and Ben Mendelsohn. It was directed by Rachel Ward, who is Bryan Brown's real-life wife.
Thornburg died on May 9, 2011, a few days shy of his 82nd birthday.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 24, 2021
This is one of Thornburg's most terrifying books. Terrifying on quite a number of levels. First of all, it is a story about a face-off between serial rapist stalker Jimbo Slade and Baird, a paper salesman. Slade has become obsessed with Baird's college-age daughter Kathy and has taken to following her from the bus stop announcing to her all the filthy things he intends to do to her. Slade is a serial rapist and killer with a long sordid history and the Seattle police believe him guilty of heinous offenses but lack the evidence to put him away. Baird feels helpless to protect his family and stunned to learn there is little the police can do but serve a worthless scrap of paper known as a restraining order.
Although such face-offs between twisted serial criminals and their intended victims is not uncommon, few novels or movies have ever been this good at setting out the sheer terror and helplessness that Baird feels. How can he protect his daughter? What can he do? He sets out to get under Slade's skin and beat him at his own game -stalking the stalker - and, in creepiest fashion, even sits down with Slade.
But, this being a Thornburg novel, not merely another thriller, there are other stories bubbling up too. Many of Thornburg's books explore rootlessness and guilt and estrangement and Baird's family is falling apart. And this may just send his family relationship's over the falls.
In the end, it's really a story about Baird, not Slade, and what he becomes because of his journey into Slade's twisted world of perversion.
Thornburg was an incredibly talented writer and his books are always amazing with this being no exception.
Although such face-offs between twisted serial criminals and their intended victims is not uncommon, few novels or movies have ever been this good at setting out the sheer terror and helplessness that Baird feels. How can he protect his daughter? What can he do? He sets out to get under Slade's skin and beat him at his own game -stalking the stalker - and, in creepiest fashion, even sits down with Slade.
But, this being a Thornburg novel, not merely another thriller, there are other stories bubbling up too. Many of Thornburg's books explore rootlessness and guilt and estrangement and Baird's family is falling apart. And this may just send his family relationship's over the falls.
In the end, it's really a story about Baird, not Slade, and what he becomes because of his journey into Slade's twisted world of perversion.
Thornburg was an incredibly talented writer and his books are always amazing with this being no exception.
February 24, 2023
What can a straight-arrow family man do? Jimbo Slade is hell-bent on dating the dad's ripe daughter. The last girl who "dated" Slade needed three hundred random stitches and will never have any children -- "Best fuckin day of her fuckin life." Jimbo has some progressive views on rape:
"After all, what’s happenin to her ain’t no different than what’s happenin to the guy--they both havin sex, right? So what’s the big deal?"Baird, the helpless dad, decides to try the strategy: "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em." It was excruciating -- he makes so many reckless decisions that you could fill a book with them. As Baird slips further down the sandy slope the story gets more unpredictable. It felt like I was reading a Highsmith novel.
February 25, 2024
I've spent the last year reading through most of Newton Thornburg's bibliography.
Here's my takeaways:
It's clear that "Cutter & Bone" is his best work. And really, that's the only book of his I would ever recommend to any reader.
I dug the audacious nature of "Valhalla" -- which read like dystopian fantasy fulfillment on part of the author. I wouldn't exactly call that novel good, so much as irreverent and entertaining. Lots of "holy shit" moments in that one. A fun little 70s "anything goes" time capsule, if anything. (That would never be written, let alone published today).
"To Die In California" was also good, semi-great even, but a little too one-note to justify being so long-winded. It was sort of of a pulpy preamble to "Cutter". It's widely considered to be his second best novel... I'd concur. It has the same great philosophical grit to its cynical prose as "Cutter", just not as memorable in plot or characters.
"Dreamland" was fun in parts, but it also seems like a product of watching detective movies and television shows, rather than culled from any insight or life experience. Thornburg puts his own 70s spin on the detective novel, to be sure. It's his "Inherent Vice". Your mileage might vary. Pretty good, not great. But not boring.
The rest, man? I don't know...
Every novel of his could be trimmed by a 100 or so pages. It's a shame that didn't happen, since he repeats himself so much, especially early on, that it becomes tiresome and annoying.
With the exception of "Black Angus" and "Beautiful Kate", the bulk of his other books all seem to be written (rather ineffectively) to be optioned as movies.
Reading up on the author, it was no surprise to find out that he wrote an earlier novel ("Knockover") with exactly that intent. His later books also reek of this ("A Man's Game", "Lion At the Door", "Eve's Men", and "Dreamland" especially).
Some of his works are also depressing and cynical, which is fine... Lord knows, I read A LOT of depressing and cynical books, but Thornburg's brand seems to his own narcissism and pissyness at work, rather than anything relatable or universally true (sans "Cutter"). It's clear from his writing that Newton Thornburg is a slighted man, but not in any fun, relatable way... and certainly not in Richard Yates way.
Newton's slighted tone reads more of having "small man syndrome"... Which makes me think Newton was a short dude who never got over being cut from the football team.
In short (no pun intended), Dead Newt's bitterness seems to stem from jealousy and envy, rather than the fact that world is incredibly corrupt and hopeless (again, sans "Cutter" -- which really IS universal in its cynicism and hopelessness).
Dude's also OBSESSED with incest. It's in or alluded to in just about every one of his novels. In "Beautiful Kate" it's the main theme. It's hard to get behind so much incestuous thrusting.
Reading through his novels, it's clear that for Ol' Thorny, incest is a personal fetish.
Now, normally I wouldn't make an accusation like that, but it's painfully obvious as you read his work that father-daughter incest was his kink. It's rampant throughout most of his novels. Maybe all of them, actually...
Sometimes it's an actual father-daughter, sometimes it's a man who finds a surrogate in a younger Nymphette culled straight out of "Lolita", 'cept she's usually a hick or naive (but also punchy and prescient) and in need of a White Knight, though his girls in need of rescue are always resistant towards being saved and guided by a Real Man... until the plot makes sure they need the man they originally dismissed as their savior and hero).
The incestuous overtones in his work gets old... It's a kink I don't give a shit about.
I'm no prude, but incest is a subject, that to me, is depressing, not titillating or even psychologically interesting. For Newton, it seems to be his muse. And holy fuck, does he ever shoehorn it in inside his books.
"A Man's Game" also has a father-daughter incest theme, although it's a subplot to the main thrust of vigilantism.
The villain here, "Jimbo Slade", is preposterous. He's straight out of a bad episode of "Rockford Files" or "Quincy", except X-Rated.
"Jimbo Dumbname" wears a snakeskin vest with no shirt (in Seattle, which ain't exactly snakeskin weather) and a cowboy hat all while stalking girls with a knife with a gift for the gratuitous gab.
There's the bitchy wife... The naive daughter in need of protection... The chick detective who plays by her own rules cuz her captain thinks she's a hot headed hot shit.
The Chick Dick in question bands together with the main protagonist, Daddy (my father, the hero), to help facilitate some street justice on behalf of his daughter towards the badder-than-bad "Jimbo Snakeshirt".
(And who would have technically broken his parole from the get-go and be sent back to the pokey with zero hesitation by law enforcement in the real world. Here, the cops do that thing where they keep on saying "There's nothing we can do! Until he breaks the law, of course..." -- which, Jimbo not only breaks the law repeatedly, but also violates the terms and conditions of his parole... Even doing so right in front of the cops -- does any cop tolerate such flagrant displays of criminality from a suspected rapist and murderer???).
Jimbo Slade, like his name, is cartoon levels evil. He's basically described as a serpentine n' swarthy Iggy Pop. He's a tough lothario and you can count his ribs with the tip of a hunting blade. He's a bisexual street hustler, a violent robber, a serial rapist, and a psychotic killer with a vendetta against pilot society... I think he even licks his bloody Rambo knife at one point!
I've lived in a lot of cities, including the PNW. I've also no known (and worked with) my fair share of career criminals who come in and out of major metropolises, but I've never seen this caricature anywhere except the movies.
MAYBE if the setting was the backwaters of Louisiana, I could have held my suspension of disbelief (I'd have still rolled my eyes incessantly any time the character entered the picture), but as it stands... I couldn't stop thinking about the absurd image of Bayou Billy walking around 90s Seattle, in and around Microsoft employees and coffee sipping lefty grunge hipsters...
I mean, Washington State has its fair share of hick, meth-head career criminals, but they tend to wear jogging pants and look like bums, not like a Crocodile Dundee. If a real life "Jimbo Slade" has ever set foot in Seattle, it's only as part of a film production.
Alright... So that's where I'm going to end my review. The overall repetitiveness of the narrative AND character descriptions, was way too great to finish the last 1/3rd of the book, so I didn't.
This isn't even Thornburg's worst. That goes to "The Lion at the Door". This one at least as a sense of playfulness that one lacks. I could see "A Man's Game" being some cheapie 80s Vestron or Cannon movie (starring Wings Hauser and Lance Henriksen).
I'm also pretty certain that Newton Thornburg occupies that rare territory of being simultaneously underrated (for one great book, maybe two, maybe two and a half books -- depending on who you're asking) and overrated (for the rest of his ouvre) by genre enthusiasts who, in desperation to get people to read "Cutter" and "California", talk up his status as a diamond in the rough.
No, man. He's not. Those two books are great, don't get me wrong.. A couple of his other books are somewhat okay. And the rest, like this one, stink to high heaven (though better written that most crap in the same wheelhouse).
I'm glad to be done with the guy, to be honest. I'll reread "Cutter", maybe "California", definitely "Valhalla" (for kicks), and I'll keep "Dreamland" (maybe it's a grower?)... the rest I'm never touching again.
Here's my takeaways:
It's clear that "Cutter & Bone" is his best work. And really, that's the only book of his I would ever recommend to any reader.
I dug the audacious nature of "Valhalla" -- which read like dystopian fantasy fulfillment on part of the author. I wouldn't exactly call that novel good, so much as irreverent and entertaining. Lots of "holy shit" moments in that one. A fun little 70s "anything goes" time capsule, if anything. (That would never be written, let alone published today).
"To Die In California" was also good, semi-great even, but a little too one-note to justify being so long-winded. It was sort of of a pulpy preamble to "Cutter". It's widely considered to be his second best novel... I'd concur. It has the same great philosophical grit to its cynical prose as "Cutter", just not as memorable in plot or characters.
"Dreamland" was fun in parts, but it also seems like a product of watching detective movies and television shows, rather than culled from any insight or life experience. Thornburg puts his own 70s spin on the detective novel, to be sure. It's his "Inherent Vice". Your mileage might vary. Pretty good, not great. But not boring.
The rest, man? I don't know...
Every novel of his could be trimmed by a 100 or so pages. It's a shame that didn't happen, since he repeats himself so much, especially early on, that it becomes tiresome and annoying.
With the exception of "Black Angus" and "Beautiful Kate", the bulk of his other books all seem to be written (rather ineffectively) to be optioned as movies.
Reading up on the author, it was no surprise to find out that he wrote an earlier novel ("Knockover") with exactly that intent. His later books also reek of this ("A Man's Game", "Lion At the Door", "Eve's Men", and "Dreamland" especially).
Some of his works are also depressing and cynical, which is fine... Lord knows, I read A LOT of depressing and cynical books, but Thornburg's brand seems to his own narcissism and pissyness at work, rather than anything relatable or universally true (sans "Cutter"). It's clear from his writing that Newton Thornburg is a slighted man, but not in any fun, relatable way... and certainly not in Richard Yates way.
Newton's slighted tone reads more of having "small man syndrome"... Which makes me think Newton was a short dude who never got over being cut from the football team.
In short (no pun intended), Dead Newt's bitterness seems to stem from jealousy and envy, rather than the fact that world is incredibly corrupt and hopeless (again, sans "Cutter" -- which really IS universal in its cynicism and hopelessness).
Dude's also OBSESSED with incest. It's in or alluded to in just about every one of his novels. In "Beautiful Kate" it's the main theme. It's hard to get behind so much incestuous thrusting.
Reading through his novels, it's clear that for Ol' Thorny, incest is a personal fetish.
Now, normally I wouldn't make an accusation like that, but it's painfully obvious as you read his work that father-daughter incest was his kink. It's rampant throughout most of his novels. Maybe all of them, actually...
Sometimes it's an actual father-daughter, sometimes it's a man who finds a surrogate in a younger Nymphette culled straight out of "Lolita", 'cept she's usually a hick or naive (but also punchy and prescient) and in need of a White Knight, though his girls in need of rescue are always resistant towards being saved and guided by a Real Man... until the plot makes sure they need the man they originally dismissed as their savior and hero).
The incestuous overtones in his work gets old... It's a kink I don't give a shit about.
I'm no prude, but incest is a subject, that to me, is depressing, not titillating or even psychologically interesting. For Newton, it seems to be his muse. And holy fuck, does he ever shoehorn it in inside his books.
"A Man's Game" also has a father-daughter incest theme, although it's a subplot to the main thrust of vigilantism.
The villain here, "Jimbo Slade", is preposterous. He's straight out of a bad episode of "Rockford Files" or "Quincy", except X-Rated.
"Jimbo Dumbname" wears a snakeskin vest with no shirt (in Seattle, which ain't exactly snakeskin weather) and a cowboy hat all while stalking girls with a knife with a gift for the gratuitous gab.
There's the bitchy wife... The naive daughter in need of protection... The chick detective who plays by her own rules cuz her captain thinks she's a hot headed hot shit.
The Chick Dick in question bands together with the main protagonist, Daddy (my father, the hero), to help facilitate some street justice on behalf of his daughter towards the badder-than-bad "Jimbo Snakeshirt".
(And who would have technically broken his parole from the get-go and be sent back to the pokey with zero hesitation by law enforcement in the real world. Here, the cops do that thing where they keep on saying "There's nothing we can do! Until he breaks the law, of course..." -- which, Jimbo not only breaks the law repeatedly, but also violates the terms and conditions of his parole... Even doing so right in front of the cops -- does any cop tolerate such flagrant displays of criminality from a suspected rapist and murderer???).
Jimbo Slade, like his name, is cartoon levels evil. He's basically described as a serpentine n' swarthy Iggy Pop. He's a tough lothario and you can count his ribs with the tip of a hunting blade. He's a bisexual street hustler, a violent robber, a serial rapist, and a psychotic killer with a vendetta against pilot society... I think he even licks his bloody Rambo knife at one point!
I've lived in a lot of cities, including the PNW. I've also no known (and worked with) my fair share of career criminals who come in and out of major metropolises, but I've never seen this caricature anywhere except the movies.
MAYBE if the setting was the backwaters of Louisiana, I could have held my suspension of disbelief (I'd have still rolled my eyes incessantly any time the character entered the picture), but as it stands... I couldn't stop thinking about the absurd image of Bayou Billy walking around 90s Seattle, in and around Microsoft employees and coffee sipping lefty grunge hipsters...
I mean, Washington State has its fair share of hick, meth-head career criminals, but they tend to wear jogging pants and look like bums, not like a Crocodile Dundee. If a real life "Jimbo Slade" has ever set foot in Seattle, it's only as part of a film production.
Alright... So that's where I'm going to end my review. The overall repetitiveness of the narrative AND character descriptions, was way too great to finish the last 1/3rd of the book, so I didn't.
This isn't even Thornburg's worst. That goes to "The Lion at the Door". This one at least as a sense of playfulness that one lacks. I could see "A Man's Game" being some cheapie 80s Vestron or Cannon movie (starring Wings Hauser and Lance Henriksen).
I'm also pretty certain that Newton Thornburg occupies that rare territory of being simultaneously underrated (for one great book, maybe two, maybe two and a half books -- depending on who you're asking) and overrated (for the rest of his ouvre) by genre enthusiasts who, in desperation to get people to read "Cutter" and "California", talk up his status as a diamond in the rough.
No, man. He's not. Those two books are great, don't get me wrong.. A couple of his other books are somewhat okay. And the rest, like this one, stink to high heaven (though better written that most crap in the same wheelhouse).
I'm glad to be done with the guy, to be honest. I'll reread "Cutter", maybe "California", definitely "Valhalla" (for kicks), and I'll keep "Dreamland" (maybe it's a grower?)... the rest I'm never touching again.
March 25, 2017
A very poorly written book. The character development was non-existent, the climax was endlessly disappointing, and the plotline was implausible. I expected much, much more after reading "Cutter and Bone" by Thornburg a few months ago and loving it. I may try another Thornburg book, but not for a while after painfully trudging through this disaster of a novel and waiting for improvements that never came.
June 25, 2025
I'm a big fan of Newton Thornburg. This book is absorbing but feels a little disjointed. I'm thinking that was a choice made by the author. The first half is the stuff of nightmares - very Cape Fear.
The second half is muddled and unclear - I'm presuming Thornburg chose to do this to bring the reader closer to the main character's mindset. Although I felt it finished with a whimper and the resolution, if you can call it that, didn't seem robust enough to make any lasting impact.
There's a disturbing theme in this book between the main character and his daughter. I think on some level Thornburg thought he was exploring some deep psychological theories but, it doesn't really do that well enough imho, instead it just comes across as a bit strange.
The second half is muddled and unclear - I'm presuming Thornburg chose to do this to bring the reader closer to the main character's mindset. Although I felt it finished with a whimper and the resolution, if you can call it that, didn't seem robust enough to make any lasting impact.
There's a disturbing theme in this book between the main character and his daughter. I think on some level Thornburg thought he was exploring some deep psychological theories but, it doesn't really do that well enough imho, instead it just comes across as a bit strange.
August 12, 2023
How far would you go?
When family man Jack Baird’s life collides with that of violent criminal, Jimbo Slade at the focal point of his daughter, Cathy, both men are drawn into a dark and deadly game that will leave both of them changed forever. A Man’s Game is a gritty, dark, crime thriller from the master of the genre. Just when you think you know how it’s going to turn out, the road throws you a hairpin turn.
This is Thornburg at his best. Play A Man’s Game with caution, the stakes were never higher!
When family man Jack Baird’s life collides with that of violent criminal, Jimbo Slade at the focal point of his daughter, Cathy, both men are drawn into a dark and deadly game that will leave both of them changed forever. A Man’s Game is a gritty, dark, crime thriller from the master of the genre. Just when you think you know how it’s going to turn out, the road throws you a hairpin turn.
This is Thornburg at his best. Play A Man’s Game with caution, the stakes were never higher!
December 7, 2020
Great novel of middle class fall from grace. Interesting characters and beautifully-written.
December 29, 2022
This is a great read — well written with a plot that has plenty of twists. I really liked the way the book was constructed.
July 10, 2023
Fuck. Yes.
February 19, 2025
Real Good
Unpredictable.
Unpredictable.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews