361 by Donald E. Westlake

This is a stand-alone early novel (only his third published book) by the prolific Donald E. Westlake.  I came in to it with no expectations, content to know it was a Westlake novel and had some sort of mob plot line.  Suffice it to say that my faith in this author's ability to deliver the goods is secure.

Originally published in the early 1960's this is a story about a young man, Ray Kelly, recently discharged from the Air Force and now back home in New York, intent upon reconnecting with his father, brother and his brother's new wife and child.  But when his father is murdered in front of him, Ray begins a wild ride that forces him to take on the mob...from the inside.  The author is developing some of the characteristics that he has become well known for in later years, especially his penchant for surprises.  Just when you think you know where this is going, it takes a different direction.  

As an aside, there were two passages that were of interest, outside the plot of the novel.  The first: there is a scene in which Ray Kelly is forced to wait around and do nothing for several days, so he buys four novels to help pass the time.  He calls them "adventure mysteries".  But Ray soon discards them (actually rips them apart) because he thinks the main characters don't change at all, they don't grow with the experiences they endure.  Since Ray, himself is going through a similar type of "adventure mystery" and he feels the experience is changing him a lot...the books just aren't realistic for him.  But what I found really interesting is that he talks about the authors' need to keep the character from growing/changing because they need to keep them around for the next book in the series.  Westlake, himself, of course would go on to write series with the same lead character, such as Parker (as Richard Stark) and Dortmunder. Does he follow his own axiom from this book?

The second interesting item, just a tidbit, really, and not intended to be humorous at all, was when several characters were standing around talking about how unlikely it was that a certain event would come to pass (no spoilers here).  Keep in mind this was written in 1961 or 62. One of the characters said that it was about as likely to happen as marijuana becoming legal to smoke.  The times certainly do change.

Another keeper from Donald E. Westlake.