Review: Rag Man

What happens when you abruptly discover that after years of ordinary labor, acquisition of all the usual attributes and goods of a reasonably calm and settled life, there’s a different person inside you? How do you react when you discover the dark side? What do you do when your moral compass breaks?

For decades, comfortably married Mack MacWray has worked away in the garment business in the Twin Cities. He’s good with machines, a hard worker and he gets the job done. Life in Minnesota is pretty much okay. If there aren’t a lot of soaring highs, there aren’t any disasters either. But then comes Lars Larson, the people person. He persuades Mack to take a flier, to reach for that brass ring. Mack remortgages his house, borrows heavily wherever he can, including from his in-laws and quits his job. He and Larson are in business together. They establish a new specialty garment manufacturing company. MackWray, the rag man, is in charge of production and Larson, the people person, handles sales.

The purchase orders pour in and Larson arranges with Mack’s friendly banker to lend money against those purchase orders. Money flows and things are looking great. And then one day, Mack discovers that Larson has disappeared, and he’s taken every cent of cash in the company accounts. It gets worse. MackWray discovers a whole web of theft, fraud and other assorted chicanery.

What do Mack and his wife do as creditors circle? They take a free vacation to Mexico. And what Mack discovers in Mexico, about Larson and about himself, will surprise and delight readers. In scene after snappy scene, the author brings us up short with sardonic and trenchant wit, with keen-sighted observation. The plot, well realized and fast-paced, has more than enough twists and reverses to satisfy the most ardent mystery/adventure fan. Hautman has peopled his novel with characters who climb off the page and dance you around the room. They are rich and multi-dimensional and their language is always true.

Through the length of this delightful and dark and often explicit novel, MackWray discovers dimensions to himself he never realized he possessed. You may not laugh out loud, but you’ll experience many a satisfying chuckle.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Carl Brookins - RAM

Book Review: Rag Man