Necessary Larceny

Review from The Hamilton Spectator by Don Graves.


Ian Stout's debut novel, Necessary Larceny, should be on your reading list if a "feel-good-with-a-sharp-shot-of-reality" story appeals to you. It grabbed my interest and didn't let go.


This story is easy to fall into, a bit like eavesdropping on a comfortable but intriguing tale spun in a local pub. It's well told, charming and witty with a punch that makes you think.


A gentle collection of seniors ensconced in Florida retirement are conned out of their life savings. For some it's hardly noticeable, for others it's a major shift in lifestyle.


It goes beyond the fleecing of some old folks who had more money than they knew what to do with. They also fear their families reaction. Will they be labelled senile, unable to cope, requiring "help" to manage their affairs? Calling in the police means failure, and worse.


One victim tells his story to a friend, a Toronto businessman, and what follows is a sting operation of humor and determination. Lost talents are rekindled, energies rediscovered, friendships forged. A line on the back cover sums it up: "They're not getting old - they're getting even!"


Stout, a former Hamilton alderman, presents a tale that's well-crafted, funny and eminently readable.