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.

Furies of Calderon (The Codex Alera series) by Jim Butcher

I’ve been a fan of Jim Butcher for a number of years now, having poured through the Dresden Files books and stories. While waiting for more to come out, I decided to give this series a try as well, having heard many good things about it.  I always wonder if an author that is known for a certain style of writing (modern day humorous urban fantasy) can pull off a switch to something else (traditional epic fantasy).  Some might think these categories are both “fantasy” and conclude they really aren’t that different, but I would disagree.  Writing a crime/action thriller akin to Steve Berry or David Baldacci would be closer to a Harry Dresden novel than traditional epic fantasy.

So does he pull it off?  I would answer with a resounding “yes” to that question.  This is the first novel in a series of six books but is a complete story in itself with a beginning, middle, and an end.  In my mind many fantasy writers today forget that and write a single story spread over three or four books. This one certainly has lead-ins to follow-on books but if a reader were to stop here, I think they would be quite satisfied.

The magic system is pretty interesting and reminds me a lot of the sort of stuff Brandon Sanderson would devise.  It’s not fully explained but we know enough to follow along with the action.  That goes for the world building in general too.  I feel like I know a little about one corner of this world and that works well here.  No big info dumps to wade through on geopolitical systems or religious hierarchies or lengthy explanations of the flora and fauna.  The characters were well developed and I felt drawn to them, even the bad guys.  There is some gray here, fortunately.  I always appreciate it when antagonists are fully realized and may only be “bad” because they have different perspectives than the “good” characters.

There are some lengthy battle scenes, which may bog down the narrative for some people.  I’ve noticed this with the later Dresden books too.  Seems like Butcher can get carried away with those and sometimes they seem too long.  But the characters’ individual stories are all tied in to the action and the unexpected relationships that develop during these action sequences are a treat.

All in all, this was a wonderful beginning to the series and I am looking forward to following on with these characters in their adventures to come.

Go Down Together by Jeff Guinn

As an aficionado of crime fiction, I thought I would dip my toe into the non-fiction world of real life crime.  Like many people, I had heard bits and pieces about various criminal celebrities of the 1930s, like Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Ma Barker, and Bonnie and Clyde.  Part of my brain realized their real life stories were probably far from what has been depicted in the movies, TV, etc. so  at the recommendation of a good friend who studies this era of crime, I chose to read this book about Bonnie and Clyde.

What an eye opener!  Forget everything you may have heard or seen particularly if you have seen the movie starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway.  Jeff Guinn, the author of this book has meticulously researched this saga, and provides an extensive source listing.  It’s so complete that it seems almost every line in the text is sourced from a letter, an interview, police reports, etc.  Hats off to his comprehensive research efforts.

I was struck by the story of these two people, Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker.  Growing up in the West Dallas slums and maturing only as the Great Depression hit obviously had a huge impact on them.  But plenty of other people lived through those exact same circumstances and did not make the same choices.  To see how a combination of their life situations, extremely bad luck, their self-image, and extremely good luck led them to their life paths is fascinating reading.

Some tidbits:

   1) Clyde Barrow was the absolute leader of the duo as well as of all the reincarnations of the Barrow Gang.  Bonnie was really just along for the ride.  In fact up until the Warren Beatty movie, they were known as “Clyde and Bonnie” or more often, “The Barrow Gang”, not “Bonnie and Clyde”

   2) It’s hard to believe how much the law enforcement community was shackled during that era.  Very little ability to communicate, very poor resources, no federal support (J Edgar Hoover was just getting started).  They couldn’t even pursue a criminal across state lines.  Difficult to believe they ever caught anybody!

   3) The overall time frame of Clyde and Bonnie’s time in the sun, so to speak, was really very short.  From their rise to national fame after the Joplin incident to their ultimate death by ambush was a mere 14 months.

   4) The Barrow Gang (as did Dillinger) continuously robbed National Guard armories to get their weapons.  Dozens of times.  Hard to believe but that seemed far easier for them than robbing a bank or even a supermarket.

   5) Up until 1934 when the duo died, there were no penalties for harboring fugitives.  Clyde and Bonnie (and other members of their gang) visited their home in Dallas many, many times during their rampage.  This was well known by the local police but they simply didn’t have the resources for a stake out.  And the family and friends never worried about the consequences of harboring.  But, as a result of Clyde and Bonnie’s saga, the laws were soon changed.

   6) The myth of Clyde, Bonnie, and the Barrow Gang arose largely due to the times.  Depression era Americans were usually desperate for entertainment to take their mind away from their troubles.  Journalists of the era were more like fiction writers and frequently printed headlines with no basis in fact.  Both Bonnie and Clyde loved reading about their larger-than-life selves in “True Detective” magazine and the newspapers and yet also complained when they were blamed for crimes with which they had no involvement.

Overall, this is a fascinating read.  I actually took my time reading it so as to absorb the impact of each chapter.  To be there at the scene of a getaway when the Barrow Gang is trapped with no way out…and yet they somehow manage to escape is incredible.   And it wasn’t due to mastermind-like intelligence either.  Neither Clyde nor Bonnie displayed much smarts in their lives but they sure did benefit from mother luck. Many times various members of the gang were wounded horribly but kept on going.  Bonnie herself was almost crippled after Clyde, a dangerously fast driver at all times, slid off the road and the resulting accident spilled battery acid down Bonnie’s leg.   After that, Clyde had to carry her wherever they went. Their lives were not glamorous in the least but rather lived day-to-day, mostly camping out and eating on blankets.  By the end of their lives they were both extremely thin and, due to various injuries, could hardly stand. 

I could go on and on about various scenarios but suffice it to say, real life can, indeed, be stranger, and more unbelievable than fiction.  Reading this book has made me yearn to learn more about other “celebrity criminals” of the era.

Upgrade by Blake Crouch

A science fiction thriller set in the near future, “Upgrade” provides an intriguing look into what might be the future of the human species. It is set approximately 20-30 years in our future (Beyonce has just completed her farewell tour). The human genome has become a new battleground as we’ve learned how to edit our own genetic codes, to fight disease, etc. and make the world a better place. One problem is the age-old issue of people trying to make changes to what nature intended: the law of unintentional consequences. In fact, one brilliant scientist, Miriam Ramsey, accidentally created a mass-starvation event by altering the genetic code of locusts in China. Consequently, much of the world is currently starving and genetic manipulation has been outlawed.

The novel follows Logan Ramsey, Miriam’s son and an agent of the newly created Genetic Protection Agency. Logan participates in a raid and gets exposed to the SCYTHE virus. At first, nothing seems different but then he begins to notice the changes: better memory, better observational skills, better cognition all the way around. His bones are growing denser, as well. His genome has been hacked.

This is largely a thriller novel, as Logan learns to use his new enhanced abilities while getting tied up in a race against time to stop would-be saviors of the human race who want to use genetic enhancements to save the species. There is a lot of biological science thrown around throughout the novel, but I never felt it was overwhelming and in fact, I felt I followed along quite well even if I don’t have a complete understanding of gene structure or know my GRIN2B gene from my FOXP2.

Beyond the page-by-page thriller action lays the major theme of the novel. Why does the human race seem incapable of taking action to save itself from all the burgeoning threats that will very likely doom it to extinction. The point of humans being able to truly care for only a limited number of people is clear. The world watches breathlessly while a single child is trapped in a well but ignores the fate of several hundred thousand who are victims of a pandemic. The latter is just a statistic. How do we change that behavior…or should we?

This was a fun novel to read, fast paced, and with intriguing concepts. The level of research on the part of the author is mightily impressive. Blake Crouch fans will not be disappointed.

Town Tamers by David Robbins

David Robbins is one of the most prolific authors anywhere, having created and authored hundreds of novels under at least seven different pseudonyms, in a variety of genres. These include dozens of entries in both the ‘Endworld’ and ‘Blade’ post-apocalyptic series, 'The Executioner' series, and many stand-alone novels. The western genre has also been blessed with his output with over 70 books in the ‘Wilderness’ series under his David Thompson pseudonym, a handful of books under the Ralph Compton brand, as well as numerous contributions to 'The Trailsman’ series, writing as Jon Sharpe. 

This novel opens with Asa Delaware, well-known town tamer, about to take on his latest project.  Ludlow, Texas is being run by a group of rowdy and violent cowhands, but the town has hired Asa and his sawed-off shotgun to “resolve” the problem. Together with his son, a poetry loving strategic thinker, and his daughter, a danger-loving crack-shot, they rapidly fix the problem, leaving no baddie alive. There is enough action and well-written gun play here to satisfactorily fill most standard western novels, but all this comprises only the first third of the book.

The bulk of the novel is taken with the trio’s operations in the fictional town of Ordville, Colorado, having been hired by a victim instead of the town council. This is a different situation than they’ve faced before. No violent power-wielding thugs or shoot-outs in the streets here, but rather a peaceful, and amazingly prosperous town that the citizens love. Digging deeper though, Asa discovers a hidden puppet master who controls the town’s wealth, the local law, and has anybody who gets in his way brutally beaten or killed. Worse, the three town tamers have no protection from authorities to cover for their typically lethal methods. What unfolds is a masterful display of strategy, cunning, and unfolding tension.

Asa Delaware is a fascinating character and the author does an excellent job of balancing the bits and pieces of his backstory and characterization with edge-of-your-seat action. Robbins displays a talent for making a wildly over-the-top adventure seem perfectly logical and for keeping the reader completely engaged from the first chapter through the last. It’s no surprise that this book, rests easily in the high-quality pantheon of David Robbin’s portfolio.

Back Bay (Peter Fallon #1) by William Martin

I had read three or four stand-alone books by William Martin and enjoyed them all so I thought it was high time I began reading his Peter Fallon series.  Back Bay is actually the first novel he published, more than 30 years ago.  And, as expected, I enjoyed it very much.

This is a complex story that weaves historical events with a contemporary thriller/mystery-type plot.  Peter Fallon is a present-day student/historian working on his PhD and becomes entangled in a 200-year-old mystery concerning a silver tea set crafted by Paul Revere.  What follows is a multi-generational treasure hunt that drives the other aspects of the plot. I love the way the historical parts of the story are woven in among the contemporary scenes, allowing us to follow the history of the tea set and its impact on one very important and prominent New England family, the Pratts.  Chapters are presented alternately, with a historical chapter taking place in, say 1789, followed by a contemporary one.  I've read novels written this way before and sometimes they can be disruptive or downright confusing.  But not so with this one. There are a lot of plot threads here that have to connect across time and Martin does a fantastic job of keeping them all straight and allowing us readers to follow along easily, building suspense and intrigue along the way.

I also have to mention the setting.  Boston, especially historical Boston has long been a favorite of mine, ever since I read "Johnny Tremain" back in the 7th grade.  So along with the history of the Pratt family and the tea set, we get to witness the town of Boston grow through its history.  I've found the biggest theme in all of Martin's books is that we are the products of history and of our own personal decisions; the seemingly insignificant choice of some ancestor who made one small decision and thereby changed the lives of generations yet unborn, and of course, of the grand movements of history that affect us all.

The Spider Strikes by R.T.M. Scott

Richard Wentworth has been on the trail of a master criminal, an expert is disguise, for two years now, chasing him from one city to the next, from the US to France and back again, and now he’s finally getting close. But first he will have to go through a number of adventurous encounters including kidnappings, disguises, police suspicion, and plenty of gunplay before the final confrontation.

This very first novel in the Spider series is not an origin story. In fact, we get the impression that it’s been going on for years prior to this story. First published in October of 1933, this one and the second novel were written by R.T.M. Scott, the well-known creator of “Secret Service Smith” with the idea that his name would bring instant credibility to the new Spider character and drive initial sales. After that the reigns were handed over to “Grant Stockbridge”, a house name that was most often used by prolific pulpster, Norvell W. Page. The Spider character would change a lot over the course of the first several novels before settling into his most recognized persona. Here at the beginning, he is a fairly straightforward millionaire playboy but with a need to pursue justice as a criminologist. His vigilante streak is strong though, often taking the law into his own hands to dispense justice.

Even though the character would change a lot over the first several novels, many of the standards of the series are introduced here in the first book. Characters such as Police Commissioner Stanley Kirkpatrick, faithful servant Ram Singh, and girlfriend Nita Van Sloan are all present as are the Spider’s practice of leaving his mark on the forehead of his dispatched foes.

I enjoyed this one. Despite a rather basic premise, it was a fun romp of pulpy adventure just as I’d hoped. I understand the novels from Norvell Page are even better, as Wentworth morphs into a more interesting character, so it would seem my experiences with this character are just getting started.

Murder in Absentia (Felix the Fox #1) by Assaph Mehr

It's always fun to discover an intriguing concept for a novel and then see it executed so well. Here is a novel that combines a fantasy setting based on ancient Rome with a murder mystery. 

Felix is a professional investigator, an expert at retrieving information and putting together clues to solve crimes. A Roman PI, if you will. But he’s more than that because in this world of dark magic, he must understand those arts as well. When a young man is found dead, with a horrid, twisted look on his face, it is clear such dark forces have had their way with him. The dead man’s father happens to be a senator who suspects foul play so Felix is called on to the case.

The author of this book, Assaph Mehr, has done a remarkable job here. The world building alone is worth the price of admission. His descriptions of the Roman-like cities, structures, people, etc. are superb and provide a genuine flavor of what could be a real place. There are numerous “Roman” words used like Canicula, Gladius, Triclinium, and Pharos. Some are straight out of the actual language and some are fictional terms made up for this novel. There is a handy glossary included but frankly, I never felt the need to use it because the context was sufficient to understand the meanings. 

The magic system is entirely practical. It is also subtle, always there in the background but never hammering us with massive magical battles or detailed spell weaving. It blends in with the overall story very well, not stealing the thunder from the actual story of solving a murder. In fact, while this book is classified as a "fantasy", it reads more like historical mystery. As for solving the crime, that is also blended in well with the colorful cultural depictions and personalities we meet along the way. The solution is certainly not obvious and I had to wait until the final denouement when Felix gathers all the relevant parties ala Hercule Poirot to disclose the solution.

A fun novel all the way around, smartly written and begging for a sequel.  Thankfully, there is one, and hopefully more on the way.

Death Trap by John D. MacDonald

Hugh MacReedy has just returned to the US from Europe where he has spent two and a half years working on the construction of some military airfields. He’s ready to take a nice two-month vacation when he happens across a newspaper article describing the upcoming execution of the brother of an old girlfriend. Seems the man has been convicted of the rape and murder of a young woman, a local promiscuous tease of a girl. Hugh goes back to the small town where it all took place, gets back together with his old girlfriend, and begins investigating the circumstances of the crime.

This novel was MacDonald's nineteenth novel, first published in February 1957. The plot is a fairly straight-forward murder investigation by a non-professional. Hugh is a construction engineer, not a private investigator. But he is an intelligent fellow and is very good at pounding the pavement, speaking with those involved, and putting together the subtle clues to solve the mystery and determine the real rapist/murderer. In fact, he identifies the culprit pretty early, about half-way through the book, and the story changes from a sleuthing mystery to more of a thriller. Hugh, working now with several other townspeople, must find actual evidence in order to grant a stay of execution for the wrongfully convicted brother of his girlfriend and bring the real killer to justice.

This novel was written in the early prime of MacDonald’s writing career. Before the Travis McGee novels, which largely took over his writing life, his stand-alones showed a genuine progression as he matured as a writer and this one clearly shows his prowess with the written word. The main character, Hugh MacReady is a typical MacDonald protagonist. He is tall, strong, tanned, and women find him attractive. He is a professional man doing man's work. But he is also different in that he committed a major blunder in his early days, having wooed, bedded, and then abandoned his girlfriend. She was nothing more than another notch in his belt. Thus, after returning to that same small town after three years, his rekindling of that relationship, genuine this time, represents a correction of his moral flaw. This moral theme is seen often in MacDonald’s prose.

For those readers who tend to read only John D. MacDonald's Travis McGee books, I recommend pursuing his other novels as well. For the most part, they are real treats. As this one is.

Men's Adventure Quarterly, Vol 4 - Jungle Girls by Bob Deis & Bill Cinningham

The fourth edition of the Men’s Adventure Quarterly magazine is, once again, another fine addition to the stable. As much as I enjoy each one, the next one always seems to top the previous one by a slim margin. I’m not sure how that’s possible, but there it is. 

The first three volumes were devoted to specific topics: Westerns, Espionage, and Vigilantes. Obviously, the next topic to be conquered is Jungle Girls. All of the content, prose and artwork, is sourced from the men’s adventure magazines (MAMs) of the 1950’s, 60s’ and 70’s.

About half of this volume is devoted to the inestimable Jane Dolinger. Here was an adventurer like few others. She billed herself as an "adventure travel writer” who traveled the world’s exotic locations to experience the cultures and then write about them. She became known as “Jungle Jane Dolinger”. Ultimately, she would produce a half dozen or so books and hundreds of travel articles for magazines and newspapers. She was also a model, often posing for scantily clad photos to accompany her articles and stories, many of which are included here as well.

The other real-life jungle girl in this issue is German born Marion Michael, billed as the next Bridget Bardot and cast in a couple of German films, (Liane, Jungle Goddess), while still in her teens.

Four Jungle Girl stories are presented as well, all in the faux-realism style that was common for the MAMs (written in the style of a true-life adventure even though fictional). Of course, there is much more here than just the stories and articles. The artwork alone is worth the cover price but there are also oodles of informative content about the authors, artists, and publishers behind the work. Very informative, just as I expect from this high-quality production.

Tough Tender by Max Allan Collins

“Tough Tender” collects the 5th and 6th novels in Max Allan Collins’ Nolan series, originally written in the mid 1970's - 80's but with a complicated publishing history. Nolan, former member of the Chicago branch of “The Family” and an accomplished master of the heist, is trying to retire. But as another iconic character once said, “Just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in.” But this time, it’s not The Family that’s pulling Nolan back in again; it’s a former mark.

The first book in this double edition, “Hard Cash” acts as a sequel to the very first book in the series, “Bait Money” in which Nolan works with a group of young would-be thieves to knock over the First National Bank of Port City, Iowa. Now, the very same bank president, prodded by the lovely Julie, hires Nolan to rob it again. Nolan is assisted by his young protégé, Jon and together they must navigate the pitfalls of the operation. Nolan and Jon are plunged into one unexpected twist after another, but a heist is a heist and they never let go of their goal of securing the prize.

The second novel in this double collection, “Scratch Fever” is a direct sequel to “Hard Cash”. It takes place roughly one year later and opens with Jon now the lead in a local club-scene rock & roll band. In the audience, he spies somebody he thought dead, a character from the previous book and somebody who is destined to cause havoc and mayhem in his life. The stakes are high and Jon is soon fighting for his life. Other dangerous characters from previous books show up – hitmen out for revenge. This time it’s Nolan to the rescue in a nail-biting cat & mouse yarn that really keeps the pages turning. 

Nolan is a great character and as MAC writes in the introduction, these stories provide “low-life villains who retain a recognizable humanity.” Hard Cash is meant to combine “the caper novel with the James M. Cain sex melodrama”. Nolan is a tough guy, supremely competent, and willing to take whatever steps are necessary. But throughout, he does, indeed, have that inner core of honor that keeps him sympathetic to the reader. Jon, is also a wonderful sidekick character who tends to take on prominent roles in their various schemes all while dreaming of one day being a successful writer and artist in the world of comics. Gotta love it.

All the Nolan novels can technically be read as stand-alones, but I would recommend they be read in order of publication due to some recurring characters and situations, as evidenced by the two novels presented here. Thankfully, Hard Case Crime has committed to producing all the Nolan books in new, beautifully rendered double editions. Can’t wait for the final pairing still to come.