The Lesson Plan

Robert Klayman’s life hasn’t turned out as he hoped. A substitute teacher living in Los Angeles, Klayman is unmarried, lives in a tiny bachelor apartment with his dog, and has neither money nor a prestigious career. He’s in the midst of a mid-life crisis and attempting to career-jump into private detecting. “I thought up a career path you can’t find in one of those self-help guides at the local bookstore… I was hungry for action and all set to go,” Klayman says, “I just needed a way to get started.” His quiet, boring life is suddenly turned upside-down when he stumbles into the middle of a criminal drug ring. If he doesn’t hone his detective skills fast, he’ll quickly end up in dire straits.

First-time-novelist G.J. Prager’s The Lesson Plan takes readers on a fast-paced adventure through Los Angeles, offering unique perspectives on its inhabitants and the human pursuit of success. I loved Prager’s short chapters, snappy commentary, and unique plot line. I’ve never read a murder mystery before that took place in the ranks of a prominent school district! Prager, a drama and literature teacher at a Los Angeles school, provides insight only someone on the inside can describe.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I found the underage, teacher-student sex to be inappropriate and repulsive. There’s too much of that in current events today to make it “cutting edge” and “witty.” I hope that in his future novels, Prager focuses more on character development and knock-down mystery and leaves bad romance alone. It’s not his strong suit.

The Lesson Plan was a fabulous first novel and I’ll definitely try another book by this author.