Review: That Rat, Carter Janson by Amy Spector

Title: That Rat, Carter Janson

Series: States of Love

Author: Amy Spector

Length: 106 Pages

Category: Contemporary

At a Glance: All in all, That Rat, Carter Janson was a fun read, if a bit predictable, and was absolutely an enjoyable way to spend an evening.

Reviewed By: Jules

Blurb: Every man has secrets, but some are bigger than others….

Felix Peake escaped a shady past to carve out a successful career as an expert in Mesopotamian art and gain the respect of the Chicago art community. But when an assistant curator—a man Felix could easily see himself falling for—asks him to reauthenticate a cuneiform tablet to avoid a looming scandal, Felix’s carefully constructed life could crumble.

The tablet is a fake, and Felix is intimately familiar with the artist. Master forger Carter Janson—Felix’s ex and first love—disappeared from his life six years before without a word of explanation. Now, to hold his world together, Felix must find the original tablet, steal it back, and replace the forgery—all before the museum exhibit debuts. It’ll mean slipping back into a role Felix wanted to leave behind and risking his promising future. But even then, he can’t do it alone. He’ll have to confront that rat, Carter Janson.

States of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the United States.

Review: That Rat, Carter Janson—first, how fun is that title? I will freely admit to grabbing this book because of the title. That, coupled with the fact that I have enjoyed almost all the books I’ve read in the States of Love series, and I also liked Amy Spector’s Shiny Things very much, and the deal was clinched. And, I’m glad I did pick it up, because it was a lot of fun.

Felix Pike and Carter Janson moved together from Boston to Chicago to follow their individual dreams in the art world. Felix was to attend graduate school at the University of Chicago, while Carter pursued his artist’s path. At least Felix had thought they were moving together. He arrived in Chicago, having left a few days behind Carter, expecting to find his boyfriend waiting for him, but instead he received only a note with a single line: “I’ve changed my mind.”

Fast forward six years and we see that Felix didn’t crumble, didn’t let Carter Janson ruin his future. He received his degree, became an expert in Mesopotamian art, and had even written his thesis and a book about some ancient cuneiform tablets. He was also the owner of a small gallery specializing in ancient artifacts. One thing that’s merely hinted at early in the story is that Felix—and Carter—had very different lives before we’re first introduced to them. For one thing, Felix’s last name is no longer Pike, but is now Peake. And, it’s also clear that he isn’t proud of where he came from, but is proud of what he has become.

Felix Peake was the real deal. And Felix Pike, the one with the questionable scruples and the past better left buried? That Felix was long gone.

The main part of the storyline revolves around Felix being asked to verify a rare tablet’s authenticity by the assistant curator of a nearby museum, a man whom Felix has been lusting after for months. Felix pretty quickly realizes that Carter Janson is involved, and has to revisit his past in order to figure out what’s going on, and get things back in order. For the most part I enjoyed Spector’s execution. Her style is so easygoing and fun, and I loved how quirky and caperish (hush – it’s a word) the book is. However, I did feel that we needed further explanation as to why the tablet was stolen and replaced with a fake, as well as how that person was dealt with. Things seemed to be quickly glossed over in the last chapter as to the final resolution.

My favorite things about this novella had to be the fun premise, and the humor. Both Felix and Carter were hot messes, and had hilarious outlooks on life. I enjoyed them on their own, and for the short amount of time they were together. I also loved the supporting cast—Felix’s best friend and business partner, Hettie, was fantastic, and there were a number of other side characters who were just that…characters. And, I thoroughly enjoyed the setting. I love Chicago, so it was very cool to read about all the cool places, and be reminded of what a great city it is.

All in all, That Rat, Carter Janson was a fun read, if a bit predictable, and was absolutely an enjoyable way to spend an evening. 😊 I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Amy Spector in the future.

You can buy That Rat, Carter Janson here:
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