I picked up this book at Forbidden Planet on my jaunt up to London to support the Grimbold Publishing team, so to that extent I am declaring an interest. That said, I don’t know Jason personally and my opinions of the book are entirely my own.
When a bank worker takes a wrong turn in life and on the road, he finds himself trapped in a remote 
village hiding from the police. Before he can find his freedom, he has to find himself, and it’s not just about escaping, it’s about settling up. Because everybody settles up in the end.
This intriguing story could be characterised as Psycho (the opening sequence, anyway – this isn’t horror) meets Groundhog Day. The protagonist, tired of trudging through life where he constantly sees others more dishonest and less deserving achieve their aims, decides to rob the bank where he has worked his way up to Assistant Manager over a number of years. On the way to the airport, however, his car breaks down and he finds himself rushing to the nearest village to try and find someone who can help him so he can catch his flight.
Things don’t quite work out that way… While he finds a village handily close, trying to find someone who can fix the car so he can be on his way again, proves to be unexpectedly difficult. And then the car disappears… I really enjoyed this story. It’s quirky, otherworldly feel is perfectly realised. Whittle does a good job of balancing the characterisation, pacing and narrative tension so that this novella works really well. I often find novellas unsatisfactory because just as I am getting into the swing of the story, they abruptly come to an end.
This isn’t the case with Escaping Firgo, as I was well aware of the approaching climax and found the ending appropriate and satisfying. Since I have finished reading it, I find myself thinking about it, and wondering what I’d do if I found myself in the same situation.
This little gem is recommended for anyone who enjoys reading, well told, quirky stories.
8/10
Brainfluff 