Review of "The Conman"

While I very rarely read sports fiction, this novel of a baseball pitcher's career that was based on the career of former major league pitcher Keith Comstock, I decided to take a look. This was solely due to the fact I recognized Comstock as a former pitcher of the Minnesota Twins, one of the teams Conor Nash pitches for in this book.  Here is my review of "The Conman"

Title/Author:

“The Conman” by Michael Murphey with Keith Comstock

Tags:

Baseball, professional, fiction

Publish date:

November 11, 2019

Length:

389 pages

Rating: to

4 ½ of 5 stars (excellent)

Review:

Every young boy who has played baseball has dreams of one day playing in the major leagues.  For Conor Nash, that dream not only became a reality, it became an obsession and addiction to be able to pitch as long as possible.  Conor's adventures into becoming a major league pitcher with MANY different teams in both the major and minor leagues is the story of this novel by Michael Murphey.  The story is based upon the real-life career of Keith Comstock, who was listed as a contributor to the book.

The premise of the story is that as Conor's career is winding down and he is becoming more and more delirious, he is talking to his baseball angel Rita while downing a bottle of champagne. This is an interesting symbol (the champagne) since neither drugs nor alcohol can be considered the vice that has gripped Conor.  He becomes a man that no one who has played with or managed him on the field recognizes.  This version of Conor is also unfamiliar to his wife Kate who has stood by Conor in every promotion to the majors, demotion to the minors, training camp, aborted trips overseas and countless releases. 

Nonetheless, the game has gripped Conor, a character that will grow on the reader, especially a reader who is a baseball fan. That reader will recognize many names from major league baseball in the 1980's.  Conor pitched for the Oakland Athletics organization, Minnesota Twins, San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners in that time, just for starters.  

Of course, Kate is another character whom the reader will identify with as well as some of Conor's friends such as AJ Brad and Basil. Well, maybe not Basil, who was the funniest of the bunch as he always found a way to attract women when he drank his scotch and when something went awry, he always claimed it wasn't his fault.

The career of a baseball player, no matter how far he advances, is a complicated journey, from the beginning to the end.  This book is much the same way, especially the ending, but it is an enjoyable and fun journey as the reader takes the mound with Conor Nash every step of the way.

I wish to thank Acorn Publishing for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

                                                             

Book Format Read:

E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:

https://www.amazon.com/Conman-Mike-Murphey-ebook/dp/B07ZJNDSHD/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8