Reviews
Storm Damage By Ed Kovacs
This fine, crisply written mystery introduces a strongly drawn character, an ex-NOPD detective now working as a private investigator
Italian Crime Fiction Giuliana Pieri
contributor: Barry Forshaw
There are few people better placed than Giuliana Pieri, Senior Lecturer in Italian and the Visual Arts at Royal Holloway, University of London, to edit this fascinating and insightful analysis of several decades of Italian crime fiction. It is notable (and perhaps regrettable) that, as yet, the remarkable and idiosyncratic talents of this branch of the crime fiction genre have not made the mark that their Scandinavian confrères have. But enthusiasm among non-Italian speaking readers is growing...
Undertow Desmond Cory & Cold War David Brierley
contributor: Barry Forshaw
How do they do it? How does Ostara Publishing and its Top Notch Thrillers imprint continue to turn up such splendid (and shamefully neglected) work from the past? Perhaps the answer to that question lies in the onlie begetter of the series, the writer Mike Ripley (no slouch himself), whose knowledge of the rich legacy of past entries in the field is prodigious. With Undertow by Desmond Cory and Cold War by David Brierley, Ripley and TNT have once again brought to light some highly accomplished thrillers in which a casual mastery of style (particularly notable in the case of debut author David Brierley) is matched with impressive storytelling acumen.
The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo David Fincher, Director
contributor: Barry Forshaw
First of all: no spoilers! David Fincher's film of Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a creditable remake/reimagining, with many impressive things that dispel any notion of the usual ill-advised Hollywood remake of a non-English language film. As Salander, Rooney Mara may initially register less of an impression than the memorable Noomi Rapace — until halfway through the film, and then the actress (adopting a vaguely Swedish accent — which comes and goes – in contrast to Daniel Craig's received pronunciation) really makes her mark. Paunchy middle-aged journo Blomkvist/Craig has James Bond's abs, but (to his credit) never looks heroic – the spectre of 007 is kept firmly at bay.
Perfect People By Peter James
contributor: Barry Forshaw
Peter James is mounting a bloody assault on the world of the British crime thriller — not so much by stealth, but taking it by the throat and shaking vigorously. And the Blitzkrieg is working: his series of police procedurals featuring Brighton copper Roy Grace routinely storm the bestseller charts, and James recently won the People's Bestseller Dagger (he promised that if he won, he would buy all his supporters fish and chips on Brighton Pier — a promise he was obliged to fulfil). Perhaps, however, he is risking the loyalty of the growing legion of James fans with his latest book, a high-concept standalone with Roy Grace hors de combat. Will Peter James' new fans be prepared to accept his move into this new arena? Barry Forshaw in the Independent
Dublin Dead, By Gerard O'donovan
Journalist Siobhan Fallon is still recovering from the events in The Priest, when she's send to Cork to cover the funeral of a formerly successful estate agent who has committed suicide in England
Red Flags By Juris Jurjevics
Red Flags is a crime novel on the surface, but cloaked beneath that façade is a exposé of the powers that came together to guide, and profit from, the Vietnam war
Different Kind Of Crime Novel From Ireland
An Irish Solution, a crime novel by Cormac Millar, published by Penguin in 2005, is little acknowledged among the current generation of Irish crime novels and novelists
The Drop, By Michael Connelly
Connelly's The Drop is the sixteenth in the Harry Bosch series, and sees Harry investigate two cases simultaneously.
Darkside By Belinda Bauer
Overall, I'd say that DARKSIDE is not quite as good as BLACKLANDS, but is still a reasonably good armchair crime novel
Give+take Stona Fitch
contributor: Woody Haut
Judging by what's out there, writing a decent crime-noir novel about music must be difficult. In fact, you can probably count the good ones on one hand and still have a couple fingers leftover to pluck out Blue Monk on the piano. Which is strange since crime/noir fiction and music, or, at any rate, jazz, have always been inextricably linked. In his latest novel Give+Take, Stona Fitch manages to carry it off and then some. This isn't just an excellent novel about a working jazz musician- in this instance, Ross Clifton, a lounge piano player schooled in the likes of Monk, stridist James P. Johnson and the Great American Songbook- it's also about a working thief who, when not improvising on melodies, steals BMW's from rich motorists and diamonds from wealthy women...
The House Of Silk Anthony Horowitz
contributor: Barry Forshaw
American novelists make surprisingly few attempts to breathe new life into Raymond Chandler's Philip Marlowe, but two equally venerable British heroes enjoy regular revivifications. Ian Fleming's unkillable agent 007 has had numerous new chroniclers, with Jeffery Deaver's staid contemporary version the latest. At the time of Deaver's James Bond book, it was announced that the novelist Anthony Horowitz would be dusting off a hansom cab for Arthur Conan Doyle's great detective. Here, finally, is The House of Silk: is it an audacious reimagining of Sherlock Holmes – or a safe pair of hands taking care not to rock an established franchise? Barry Forshaw in The Independent
Modesty Blaise: Million Dollar Game Peter O'Donnell, Enrique Romero
contributor: Barry Forshaw
There was a time (he once told me) when the great Peter O'Donnell considered that his matchless Modesty Blaise strips (initially drawn by the late Jim Holdaway, but later by other hands) would end up as chip paper — the fate of most newsprint. But that would have been to reckon without the enduring appeal of the strip, quite the most sophisticated and intelligent work in the genre produced in the United Kingdom...
Cell 8 Roslund & Hellstrom
contributor: Barry Forshaw
If you are punchdrunk from the waves of Scandinavian crimefiction pouring on to the market, there are at least certain names which stand out like those poles that mark out the roads in Swedish snowfalls. They include the Roslund & Hellström duo, whose caustic thriller Three Seconds detonated last year. But R&H produce is not to be read if you crave soothing, escapist fare.
Hard Case Crime: Faust, Collins, Spillane
contributor: Barry Forshaw
Titan books are to be applauded for making available in this country three choice (and compelling)entries from the Hard Case Crime List: Max Allan Collin's Quarry's Ex, Christa Faust's Choke Hold and Mickey Spillane's The Consummata (finished by Max Allan Collins). All three have the flint-edged, uncompromising appeal that is the hallmark of this imprint, and (lively writing apart) the delicious, un-PC retro covers afford pleasure in themselves
