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lawrierl's review against another edition
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. It's a fun, quick mystery that is wrapped up in a neat and tidy little package. While the author does drop some hints through the book as to what the revelation will be, I didn't realize until it was revealed.
victoriad702's review against another edition
3.0
Won as a goodreads first read...
If we had half stars, this would get 3.5. It's a pretty good story in a small package. At only 174 pages Harrison doesn't try to do too much but still ties all the ends together nicely.
If we had half stars, this would get 3.5. It's a pretty good story in a small package. At only 174 pages Harrison doesn't try to do too much but still ties all the ends together nicely.
ericwelch's review against another edition
4.0
Got this as a freebie from Picador.
Another reviewer described this book as "modern noir." Wish I had thought of that. George Young works for a law firm with one client, a large European insurance company. The firm's role is to investigate suspected fraudulent claims. The founder's widow asks George, who has a reputation for tenacity, to look into the death of her son, a man killed in an accident. There was no question it was an accident, the man had been drinking for hours before before he inadvertently stepped in front of a garbage truck. She wants to know why he had been imbibing for so long, behavior totally uncharacteristic.
At first glance, Roger Corbett appears to be the normal, middling level, investment banker, whose career began optimistically, but then moved from one job to another as vapor-ware financial instruments and desire for instant riches began his downward spiral. Divorced, struggling to hold things together, Roger meets a Czech hand model (did I mention ordinary?) who has been bringing little Christmas figurines into the country.
Young begins asking questions, discouraged initially by the ex-cop detective Roger's mother had originally hired to investigate. He soon finds himself learning a lot about rhodium, a precious metal worth $9,000 per ounce.
Harrison writes well. It's a good novella, reminiscent of the better Block and McBain, and I discovered it was difficult to put down despite the lack of murder, sex or violence. It's to Harrison's credit that he can build such a fascinating story from a combination of otherwise ordinary people living ordinary lives who find themselves caught up in extraordinary situations.
My congratulations to Picador the publishers of this short novel for the binding, a combination dust jacket, trade paperback, and nice design. It's light and will stand up under use. Makes a lot more sense than hardcover as we know it. Love to see more like this. It seems to me, if my memory serves me correctly, this kind of binding was relatively common in Europe years ago. Of course, ebook format works even better.
I've ordered several other titles by Harrison.
Another reviewer described this book as "modern noir." Wish I had thought of that. George Young works for a law firm with one client, a large European insurance company. The firm's role is to investigate suspected fraudulent claims. The founder's widow asks George, who has a reputation for tenacity, to look into the death of her son, a man killed in an accident. There was no question it was an accident, the man had been drinking for hours before before he inadvertently stepped in front of a garbage truck. She wants to know why he had been imbibing for so long, behavior totally uncharacteristic.
At first glance, Roger Corbett appears to be the normal, middling level, investment banker, whose career began optimistically, but then moved from one job to another as vapor-ware financial instruments and desire for instant riches began his downward spiral. Divorced, struggling to hold things together, Roger meets a Czech hand model (did I mention ordinary?) who has been bringing little Christmas figurines into the country.
Young begins asking questions, discouraged initially by the ex-cop detective Roger's mother had originally hired to investigate. He soon finds himself learning a lot about rhodium, a precious metal worth $9,000 per ounce.
Harrison writes well. It's a good novella, reminiscent of the better Block and McBain, and I discovered it was difficult to put down despite the lack of murder, sex or violence. It's to Harrison's credit that he can build such a fascinating story from a combination of otherwise ordinary people living ordinary lives who find themselves caught up in extraordinary situations.
My congratulations to Picador the publishers of this short novel for the binding, a combination dust jacket, trade paperback, and nice design. It's light and will stand up under use. Makes a lot more sense than hardcover as we know it. Love to see more like this. It seems to me, if my memory serves me correctly, this kind of binding was relatively common in Europe years ago. Of course, ebook format works even better.
I've ordered several other titles by Harrison.
scotchneat's review
2.0
This is one of those quiet mysteries - not big on the drama, but more big on trying to find the truth of the story. None of the characters are real henchmen, and the protagonist is an insurance guy, so that should tell you lots.
Probably the kind of mystery that my grannie would have liked.
Probably the kind of mystery that my grannie would have liked.
borisfeldman's review
4.0
The reigning king of New York Noir?
The plot is good (3 * good), but the prose and tone are spot on.
The plot is good (3 * good), but the prose and tone are spot on.
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