What do readers think of Green Monster by Rick Shefchik? Write your own review.

One does not expect great literature in picking up a mystery novel. Rather, it is the expectation of interesting characters, suspense, grit, crime, and unexpected turns of events peppered with surprising glimpses of humor. Green Monster is not great literature, but as a mystery/intrigue novel, it is most satisfying. The characters were interesting and well drawn, the events seemed both possible and mostly unpredictable. And for those who, like me, have powerful feelings associated with baseball, the Red Sox, and specifically the 2004 team, it is a way to enter for a moment into a world we could only dream of. Good fun. A good read. I would enjoy reading others by the same author.

I was excited about reviewing this book because, being a baseball mystery, I thought boys in the high school where I teach might enjoy it. The mystery had lots of baseball information especially about the Boston Red Sox and the Green Monster which is a big green wall in the Boston outfield. I love sports and that part was good along with an ok mystery. Unfortunately, the book was filled with gratuitous sex which, for me, only made it difficult for me to get through. I felt the author was showing off his manhood or something and just throwing all the hook-ups in to be "manly"?! What the offensiveness did was make this book unsuitable for all but some men who are real Red Sox fans.

Author Rick Shefchik isn‘t from Boston, but he definitely understands New England fans’ passion for baseball. The story lines of World Series, athletes and drugs, love, families, guns, murder, and power weave together in a fast tho often confusing pace. Red Sox fans will want to love this book but the characters are one-dimensional. This is not a brainy book, but it’s a fun and enjoyable mystery.

Mysteries are my preferred genre and I enjoy baseball, esp. the Twins. Unfortunately, I can't say I enjoyed Rick Schefchik's Green Monster. I found the characters rather stereotypical and predictable. Don't know that I would have finished the book if it would have been much longer or I hadn't committed to writing the review. I felt the plot moved very slowly at times and was a little disjointed.

The main character, Sam Skarda, could develop into an interesting and likable protaganist, but needs some fleshing out. It would also help if his fellow characters had a little more substance.

Maybe more enjoyed by a true Red Sox fan.

I requested Green Monster, because I am always looking for books which will entice teenage boys to read - especially those interested in sports. This will fill that niche for baseball fans particularly.

It is not great literature, but I didn't anticipate that it would be. It was a fun read although parts seemed less than plausible and somewhat contrived.

I think some of my teenagers will find it to be a good read.

This is a moderately entertaining story. It is no more or less than described: a straight forward mystery novel. For me to become fully engaged in the mystery the characters needed more depth, the plot needed more sizzle and I needed to find a reason to care about the outcome. Anyone who enjoys a mystery that plows straight ahead, who likes sports - especially the Boston Red Sox and who doesn't want too work to hard will enjoy this book.

Although this was a quick read, I found the mystery to be too predictable and the characters too shallow. The beautiful blond, who is intelligent, in a high-powered job, sexually promiscuous, and every man's dream is such a shop-worn cliché. I saw the twist to the plot and the ending coming three-quarters of the way through. An enjoyable enough beach read for someone interested in the Red Sox, but a real disappointment for anyone interested in a smart and well-written mystery.

For sports fans, particularly baseball fans, the idea that the Red Sox's 2004 World Series victory of the Cardinals may have been tainted is intriguing. Could it be that the Red Sox were part of the biggest ruse in sports history? Does this mean the Curse of the Bambino still lives?

Author/Sportswriter Rick Shefchik explores this fictional concept in his novel, "Green Monster". It is a blend of sports fiction with gumshoe detective novel. The idea and premise are interesting - especially for fans of the Red Sox - but the combination of actual facts/dates with the use of fictional names for all the players involved proved to be distracting and took away from the "reality" of this fictional concept.

Overall, an interesting read - but nothing special.