Why I read the book: I looked up another Lileks book in the library card catalog and saw this one listed. It looked interesting enough, so I checked it out.

What the book was about: Jay Simpson is a reporter in a small Minnesota town. He gets word that he has inherited a huge, old Minneapolis mansion from his aunt, so he quits his job and heads down. He gets a job as the food critic at a small paper and meets up with Sarah, an old girlfriend who is rooming with a guy named Mac.

The state is reeling from attacks by a group called AIL who want to force everyone to eat healthy. They’re attempting to accomplish this by poisoning junk food. Somehow Jay becomes their contact and gets exclusives. While he’s trying to figure out who’s involved, he meets up with Marya, a cute reporter from another paper who competes with him — and sleeps with him — for the story. In spite of himself, Jay falls in love with Marya, but Sarah thinks she’s pregnant.

In the end, it turns out that Mac is the lead terrorist — he’s doing it to manipulate stock prices — but he’s gotten involved with some serious wackos who believe in AIL’s aims. The grab Jay and hole up in his mansion, insisting that the police bring them Mac. There’s a shootout, and the bad guys get caught. Jay ends up in the hospital, and Marya shows up and vows her love.

What I liked about the book: I’m not sure. It kept my interest somehow.

What I didn’t like about the book: There were a lot of other plot devices strung throughout, most of which connected to the plot ridiculously.

Recommendation: I gave it a 6. I’m not in a hurry to find more of his books, fiction or nonfiction.