Helpful Score: 3
I really enjoyed this "Hard Case" crime story that was originally published back in 1969. Very reminiscent of Mickey Spillane and other hard-core detective novels of the 50s and 60s. Basically it was the story of a gambler - Chet Conway - who got caught in the middle of two opposing gangs when he tried to collect a payoff from his bookie who was shot and killed right before he arrived to get the money. Both gangs thought he had killed the bookie and eventually tried to kill him to keep him quiet. The story was very fast-paced and involved the usual thugs, thieves, and of course the beautiful blonde who tried to help Chet along the way. Very enjoyable!
Donald E. Westlake could take three bows with this book,but unfortunately he's no longer around to grace us with an encore. Once again he melts in his noir genre mystery a comedic element with a straight face that will make you LOL. A writer of unequal talent who takes a New York cab driver on a ride of his life and an end to his gambling miss luck or is it just the beginning when a fare gives him a tip on A horse race that sets him ahead of all his markers when his hunch to followup on the tip earns him $930- a ride of his life begins...
Funny, fast-paced mystery from 1969. The humor for which DW was famous is very much here. TPB
