Johnson’s book is a shape-shifter ... Despite the thematic depths it mines, it is a rocket of a book that can and should be consumed in a headlong dash for maximum effect ... Johnson may slip here and there as he slides down his chosen rabbit holes, but his gambits are more than worth the reader’s while ... One hell of a yarn.
Fascinating ... There is some unfortunate overreach in The Con Queen, particularly Mr. Johnson’s weak attempt to link the Indonesian con with his own family history of secrets and lies. Mr. Johnson certainly doesn’t need to add any emotional ballast to what is already a gripping story, and the snippets of memoir he includes feel out of place here.
Johnson deploys victim interviews, international travel, and even encounters with Harvey himself to reveal the details of the sociopathic behavior that enabled him to deceive his victims and avoid detection.
While the cast of characters and events can be confusing at times, readers looking for a unique international true crime story likely won’t be disappointed ... A chilling study of deception and evil.
Although Johnson’s obsessive investigation results in a penetrating picture of a sad, sick man, it is his portrayals of Harvey’s vulnerable victims that prove more compelling. A grifter exposed in sordid detail.
