Author: Orr Agam

Publisher: Xlibris

ISBN: 978-1-6641-4682-2

The disclaimer on theinside jacket of Orr Agam’s The Fixer’s Mess states thetraditional text that the book is a work of fiction and the names,characters, business, events, and incidents are the products of theauthor’s imagination. Yet, throughout the book, I could not helpseparating the story from many of the incidents associated withDonald Trump and his team of sycophants.

If you recall,Trump’s personal attorney, Michael Cohen, characterized himself ashis “fixer.” Taking a page from Trumps’ unending saga, theprotagonist in this novella is a slick intimidating attorney, MaxCedar, whose sole client is the megalomaniac billionaire DuncanThomas. Sound familiar?

The narrative unfolds when Cedarreceives a phone call from Duncan, ordering him to fly from New Yorkto San Francisco. Cedar asks himself what kind of individual demandsthat his lawyer urgently fly cross-country just to be humiliated? Andhis answer: “This could only be “a narcissistic psychopathcompelled to prove his control and domination over my body and soul.”

Cedar confesses that he had done a rotten job with anassignment given to him by Duncan. A journalist for the New JerseyNews, Sarah Verand, had been working on an article that implicatedDuncan and a stripper by the name of London. Duncan loved attention,but not the kind that would involve this kind of scoop. This issomething he abhorred. When Cedar first visited London, he wassupposed to have “fixed” things up and not have her drivel abouther liaison with Duncan to a reporter. To keep London quiet, Cedarhad paid her off, but not in cash, which angered Duncan.

According to London,Verand had called her to confirm her intimate affair with Duncan.Although London tells Cedar that she revealed nothing, he doesn’ttrust her. London further tells Cedar that Verand got wind of theliaison from someone else. Still, she would not tell her who it wasthat revealed the information. Further on in the story, we hear thatDuncan’s relationship with London is further complicated thanoriginally reported to Cedar. It also involves his son, Duncan ThomasJr. and others in Duncan’s orbit, including his accountant Larry.

To “fix” things up,Cedar pays a visit to Verand to sway her to trash the storyconcerning Thomas and London. He tries to bribe her, promising herthat Duncan will grant her an exclusive to a new hotel opening inDubai. He will even fly her there, all expenses paid. Verand declinesthe offer and tells Cedar that the story is too big to ignore.Someone else will ultimately break it. Cedar becomes very aggressiveand threatens her if she publishes the piece. Shortly after Cedar’svisit, Verand is found murdered. Cedar is now caught up in hermurder. He realizes that Duncan’s accountant, Larry, had aided inframing him for murder, extortion, and witness tampering. He is nowcompelled to cover his butt to ward off being committed to prison.

Agam’s writing isdevilish, and he is not hesitant to imagine wildly or to take forgranted that you will travel with him down on an imaginative plot. Hehas produced a potent blend of suspense and cock-eyed humor that isheavily reminiscent of Trump’s transgressions as well as thecharacters that were in his employ.