"Kiss Her Goodbye" by Allan Guthrie, 2005, 2939800699, from Beaver Dam P.L.
Good book, told in the third person. From new paperback publisher Hard Case Crime. Hard Case is publishing new pulp novels, like this one, along with reprints from famous pulp authors like Lawrence Block.
Set in Edinburgh, Scotland. Main character Joe Hope works for lifelong friend, Cooper. Copper is a loanshark. So, Hope's workday starts at around 10 PM and involves breaking the bones of deadbeats.
The story starts off with Joe's wife, Ruth, informing him that his daughter, Gemma, has committed suicide. Gemma had been staying at a writers' retreat in the Orkney Islands with Adam, a cousin of Ruth. Blaming Adam for not protecting for 20 year old Gemma, Joe Hope flies up there to kill him. Upon arriving in the Orkneys, and getting beat up by the cops, Joe finds himself accused of murdering Ruth. Joe has been set-up with Ruth's bloody body in the trunk of his stolen and abandoned car.
Nice descriptive touches by Guthrie. I could see how things would end up but the story moved along and kept my interest. Minor characters were well done but Hope's lawyer was a stretch when he was assisting fugitive Joe.
Joe Hope is a scary dude with no remorse at all for the numerous bad things he has done. But, he has a sense of humour, is smart, and interesting to read about.
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