Capsule book reviews in 255 characters or fewer. Ish. A reading diary (1st Jan 2019 onwards) by Eamonn Griffin.
Hap and Leonard fall foul of Hap’s ex and a scheme to retrieve the proceeds from a heist. Brisk, clean graphic novel adaptation of the first in the long-running series of Joe Lansdale novels. Captures the spirit of the books and characters well.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
The lives of a New York hitman, a disgraced detective, and a gang member eager to make a name for himself intersect in quake-torn LA. Smart, fast and darkly funny thriller with some interesting backstory diversions and the sense of a movie-in-waiting. A strong debut from a veteran screenwriter.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
Lawyer Mickey Haller returns to defence work when he inherits a caseload from a murdered colleague. Smart, slick and well-paced LA legal procedural with supporting roles for Connelly series characters Harry Bosch and Jack McEvoy. Well up to this author’s usual impeccable standard.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
Desperate to earn, Selina Kyle takes on a risky big heist opportunity. Pacy graphic novel in Cooke’s typically confident noir-inflected style, operating also as a precursor to his Richard Stark/Parker adaptations. Explosive and with an emotional heart, this is lots of fun.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
An armoured car job goes awry; Parker hides out in an out-of-season funfair. The fourth and final volume in this series of adaptations maintains the high series standard. Sleek, visual and retro, and effortlessly lean. Comes with an additional short story, The Seventh.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
Parker is talked into an audacious series of heists across the same town on the same night. The blend as before in this third excellent adaptation: sleek modernist visuals, terse dialogue, brutal action. A fourth volume – Slayground – soon followed.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
A criminal hits back at an organised crime syndicate, via a series of heists. As with its predecessor, this is a smart, dark adaptation of its source material, splendidly capturing the original while being strong enough to remain impressive in its own right. Recommended.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
Former Hull PI Joe Geraghty finds unwanted trouble in Amsterdam. A sharp stand-alone short story – and a precursor for a new Geraghty novel in 2020 – that works as a fine entry point to the series and its author’s work. The first of Fahrenheit Press’s Fahrenzine imprint of lo-fi zine-style limited edition noir chapbooks, designated #FHZ001. A series to watch.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
New York 1962: a left-for-dead heist operator seeks revenge and the money he’s owed. Fantastic graphic novel adaptation of the Stark/Donald E Westlake thriller. Cooke’s swift dark style and his monochrome renderings capture the prose well, giving the tale a brutal cinematic sweep. Recommended.
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
A graphic novel adaptation of Block’s fifth Matthew Scudder mystery. And a splendid thing it is too, distilling the book expertly, and conveying it in great noir imagery. Here’s hoping other Scudder books get the same treatment from this team. Recommended (as is the source novel series).
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My own books are here, if that’s your thing. Newest is noir thriller East of England.
