Capsule book reviews in 255 characters or fewer. Ish. A reading diary (1st Jan 2019 onwards) by Eamonn Griffin.
Parker sets up a loose network of associates to disrupt Mob operations. The third in the sequence finds Stark on fine form; a fast-moving yarn of multiple heists and revenge. Westlake/Stark as laconic as ever.
An amoral thief tracks down the couple that left him for dead. Fast-paced, convincing noir with an irresistible anti-hero at its centre. Westlake/Stark’s first Parker novel zings with terse promise, and doesn’t waste a moment.
Hap and Leonard protect a young woman from an East Texas crime family. The twelfth in the sequence is an action-oriented and brisk tall tale, leavened with Lansdale’s humour and by a real affection for the characters. A solid series addition.
Hiding out in a remote pub from a vengeful gang family, Tom finds his hosts are just as dangerous. Excellent darkly comic rural noir; a touch of Magnus Mills in the escalating body count. Lots to enjoy here!
After having plastic surgery, Parker agrees to an armoured car robbery. Lean noir thriller from a modern master of the genre. Not a wasted word across its 150-odd pages. My first in a series read-through of Donald E Westlake’s Stark/Parker novels.
Matthew Scudder comes out of retirement to help a friend of his partner’s. A lovely late novella-length addition to the long-running Scudder series, with meditations on love, sex, and getting old as well as a situation to resolve.
A New Orleans criminal goes on the run when he’s targeted as part of a clean-up in the aftermath of JFK’s assassination. Smart and affecting road trip/chase thriller with a romantic edge and a well-evoked time and place. Recommended.
