Sea Minor

One Man's Opinion: THE HORSE by WILLY VLAUTIN
If you've followed my book thoughts over the years, you'll know that Willy Vlautin is among my absolute favourites. His stories have turned me inside out and he has the power to squeeze a tidal wave of emotion from only a few words and observations. Like I've done with his last few novels, I left this […]
One Man's Opinion: ALICE IN JEOPARDY by ED McBAIN
'There is nothing like early retirement to make a person feel dead.'After 35 years of teaching, I finally stepped away from the profession at the end of October. It's an odd feeling and I'm still coming to terms with new routines and all of the empty space, but I suspect all will be well.Which means […]
One Man's Opinion: KINDS OF LOVE, KINDS OF DEATH by TUCKER COE
There's a foreword to this one by Donald E Westlake explaining his choice of author name for this series and a little about how he wanted Mich Tobin to be an original investigator. It sounded promising. And the first chapter is excellent. With little to do since being kicked off the force, Tobin is building a […]
One Man's Opinion: CALYPSO by ED McBAIN
On his way home from a successful Calypso gig, George Chadderton is shot. His fine clothes offer no protection and he dies on the spot. His manager, dressed far less impressively, is more fortunate and escapes with some serious wounds. Shortly afterwards Clara Hawkins, a local sex worker, is also gunned down and the weapon is […]
One Man's Opinion: WILD TOWN by JIM THOMPSON
Bugs McKenna finds himself in the Wild Town in question, getting himself into trouble from the off. Again. He's fresh out of prison and can't seem to fathom why all of his decisions are terrible. He's clearly very handsome and has a certain alure. His mind is dull and his temper quick. With the help of […]
THE PEARL by JOHN STEINBECK
A little different from my previous experiences of Steinbeck, The Pearl offers a warning about human greed and a reminder of the power that the few hold over the many. In some ways, I think this universal story is something I was heading for with Fever, though it goes without saying that Steinbeck hits the […]
NOBODY RUNS FOREVER by RICHARD STARK
Nobody Runs Forever is a meaty read. It's full of tension and complication and the many strands weave together into an engrossing pattern with ease. I was so involved in it that I barely had time to dwell on the niggle that this is yet another job that Parker would have run a mile from in […]
One Man's Opinion: THE DEATH OF BUNNY MUNRO by NICK CAVE
The Death of Bunny Munro. Well, well, well.I've been reflecting on this one for a few days and my main thought is that there's no way this would have been published with a biggie if it had been written by a lowly noir indie writer. That's no reflection on the quality of the prose and the […]
One Man's Opinion: FIREBREAK by RICHARD STARK
Just a mention before the review that the first three books in my Southsiders series are currently free on Amazon for Kindle over the next few days. They were first published by Blasted Heath, something I'm hugely proud of, and it was a collection of books that I loved writing. Now to Richard Stark.I know I've […]
One Man's Opinion: GIOVANNI'S ROOM by JAMES BALDWIN
When I heard that the BBC had produced Giovanni's Room for radio, I was straight over there. Though I was excited, I was also a little hesitant on the grounds that not all voices and performances work for me. Fortunately, it was clear from the beginning that the narrator on this one understood exactly how […]