Book review: Wheelbase, the new motoring thriller from Porter Press

• 

“Wheelbase,” by Michael Kliebenstein. 288 pp., 7.8in. by 5.1in., soft covers. (Porter Press International, Hilltop Farm, Knighton-on-Teme, Worcestershire, 01584 781588 or www.porterpress.co.uk. £13.99)

All of us must be at least somewhat susceptible to nostalgia, since we find far more pleasure in jumping into a pre-war car than we can ever hope to extract from a supposedly much-improved modern one. Mike Chapman, one half of Chapman & Sunderland Vintage Motors, is acutely nostalgic—he has to be content with a 2009 Rolls-Royce Phantom for his everyday journeys, but he longs to be back at the wheel of his old Derby Bentley and appreciates any opportunity he can get to press an old thoroughbred motor-car into service. He surely also pines for a time when the title of “Lord” was restricted to affable gentlemen of the old order—think Freddie March, Earl Howe, old school ties, noblesse oblige and all that—because the lord he has to deal with is a brash specimen of the nouveau riche, probably a cash-for-honours beneficiary, and he’s out to make Mike’s life a misery.

Chapman, you see, is a long-standing member of the historic motor trade, and wishes it could all just be a bit nicer, like it used to be. Many readers will recognise and may even be acquainted with the author, Michael Kliebenstein, as the European representative of Vintage & Prestige, and doubtless there are parallels between his own experiences and those of the fictitious Michael (though the more violent criminal elements are, we hope, included only in the interest of making a good thriller).

Wheelbase opens with Mike and business partner Rick Sunderland attempting to secure the contract to sell the “Austrian Collection,” six Ferraris from the late ’50s and early ’60s, each steeped in provenance, for which the owners want £70 million. At the same time, they’ve got another problem on their hands when it emerges a 250 GT SWB they’d just sold was stolen en route to its owner and replaced with an amateurish replica. Thus the stage is set for a tense mystery, in the course of which Mike still has to whizz back and forth all over Europe, doing deals with the owners of some of the world’s finest automotive treasures.

The mystery unfolds quite gradually, with Kliebenstein taking advantage of the intervening chapters to present a sort of anthology of deals, such as might take place in the life of the high-end historic motor trader. He also speaks through Chapman to offer some of his thoughts and opinions on the industry, its problems and its future, and the insight it gives into the life of the dealer, away from the spit and polish of the showroom and the smoke and mirrors that are necessary to present a permanently-prospering public image, is one of the most fascinating aspects of the book.

Along the way, Kliebenstein manages to tap into the dreams of so many car enthusiasts, sending Chapman on a journey which might have readers reaching for the nearest travel brochure. Cruising under sunny Italian skies in a ’41 Cadillac convertible, inspecting secret collections locked away behind crumbling villas, concealing such jewels as an ex-motor show Isotta Fraschini Tipo 8B or a lost Aston Martin DB3, all while meeting knowledgeable friends at charming metropolitan cafés and bistros is a life which would be easy to envy… if it wasn’t for the various crooks involved and the nagging problem of those Ferraris.

Talking of knowledgeable friends, Kliebenstein has stated that Wheelbase is a book aimed squarely at car enthusiasts, so don’t expect interesting cars to only be mentioned in passing. Through Chapman’s conversations, the history of certain cars is brought to the fore, making Wheelbase informative as well as entertaining. There is perhaps a tendency to over-explain things on a few occasions (the typical enthusiast probably does not need to be told that monoposto means “single-seater” or that the 1000km de Buenos Aires took place in Argentina) but, on the whole, curious readers will be glad for the level of detail.

If one is to be critical, some of the dialogue sounds a little unnatural to a native English-speaker (Kliebenstein’s first language is German). It would benefit, too, from a few more slightly enigmatic characters. The villain of the piece is introduced quite early on, and in a way that leaves us in no doubt that he is the villain; if there could be a few more characters introduced to leave the reader questioning “whodunnit?”, that would serve to really enhance the sense of mystery and intrigue. There’s also scope for further development of the main characters, especially with regards to the backgrounds, but that’s the sort of thing that can be reserved for future novels, and we mention that with specific reference to the fact that a sequel is already in the pipeline.

Anyone looking for a quick read which is both informative and entertaining would do well to give Wheelbase a go.

Make a comment, ask a question, give your opinion, share additional information or start a discussion by filling in the fields below.