With Convention season upon us again, I pulled a favored and topical book off my shelf. I am currently re-reading Con Job by my friend Laura VanArendonk Baugh. I remember how fun it was to read the first time with its ability to bring to the surface remembered emotions and experiences of conventions. Laura is very familiar with anime and gaming cons and it shows so well in her insider humor and descriptions. For those of you who have attended anime and game conventions, you will easily slide into the world of the novel. For those who are not familiar with these conventions, Laura will give you a glimpse behind the curtain as she weaves a tale of mystery set among cosplayers, gamers, exhibitors, and convention volunteers and staff.
From the back cover:
Jacob just wanted to have a good time with his friend Samantha and fellow geeks at the fan convention. But when dead bodies start turning up, Jacob has to start a little early on his hoped-for detective career. After all, the police are out of their depth in a world where nearly everyone wears a costume or uses an alias.
But Jacob has a secret of his own, and it looks like someone is bent on revealing him to the entire con. If Jacob’s history comes out, his police career will end before it begins, even if he can find the killer. And if he can’t, more fans will die.
I highly recommend picking up a copy if you like geek humor and a good murder mystery. If you are going to Gen Con in Indy or perhaps one of the anime conventions in the Midwest, you can find Laura running events with “…And Sewing Is Half the Battle!” and perhaps get her to sign your book for you.
When I read “Con Job” last year, it really helped this world of Conventions make more sense to me… and the characters, interesting plot, and colorful activity descriptions helped this mystery be a fun read, even to this girl who isn’t a part of this Con-world. 🙂
As you have attended Gen Con for a few Family Days, how has your experience reflected what you read in Con Job?