Publisher Stark House
Length 286 pages
Format paperback
Length 286 pages
Format paperback
Published 2008
Series standalone
My Copy I bought it
My Review
A DEVIL FOR O'SHAUGNESSYMy Copy I bought it
My Review
An okay pulp which lacks any real punch to the plot.
The reader is dropped knee deep in a con, with Tolbert O'Shaugnessy lured into a desperate game of deception by the lovely Miriam who has murder and money on her mind. With her elderly Grandmother still going strong and steady, the chances of inheriting a cool quarter of a mill any time soon are slim, that is, if Miriam is willing to wait and let nature take its course - which she isn't. Enter Tolbert and a scheme which tests his conviction for the con.
This was just okay. There are some nice characters and minor complementary story-lines which were fun but overall, the plot was dull and failed to deliver much by way of mystery or entertainment.
In a desperate pitch to change things up, author Gil Brewer added a dose of the supernatural which, if anything, contributed to the books downfall in my opinion.
My rating: 2.5/5 stars.
THE THREE WAY SPLIT
Buried treasure done the pulp way.
The Three Way Split was a treasure trove of fun, containing a small cast which made a big impact.
Jack Holland lives on the sea, his work sustains his oceanic lifestyle and his beautiful girlfriend warms his bed at night. He's carved a niche existence which, minor cash flow problems aside, generally keeps him content. However, a visit from his estranged father soon sees Jack wading through deeper waters than he'd imagined, ones where blood mixes with salt water, and dangerous currents threaten to pull him under for a long slept among the fishes.
The linear plot is breezy and free flowing while the pacing reflects situation; manic. This is a great example of a pitch perfect pulp in holiday mode.
My rating: 4.5/5 stars. Definitely the better of the two novels in the collection.
DIG THAT CRAZY CORPSE
Hard boiled PI story complete with all the genre staples. Nothing especially memorable about it but the narrative did have a nice clear flow and the linear plot made for easy reading. I wouldn’t mind reading more of this PI who hints at the unconventional bordering on atypical.
3/5 stars.
LOVE... AND LUCK
Short sexy noir about a (presumably) promiscuous married woman and her former flame who’s in town to wreck her marriage and boy does he!
4/5 stars
INDISCRETION
A sexy housewife who loves to cheat on her husband with strange men. Abused and misused she craves more, her husband unsuspecting all the whole. Erotic noir.
5/5 stars
Overall this is a solid collection which fans of Gil Brewer and pulp in general will not want to miss. I'd give this collection 4/5 stars.
FWIW, "Dig That Crazy Corpse" was not actually written by Gil Brewer. It was originally published under a house pseudonym, Bailey Morgan, that Brewer shared with other writers, and this particular story wasn't his.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, there's no mention of that in this collection. Thanks for passing on.
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