This is only 162 pages long and 1-2 blank pages pad-in the start of each chapter. Does this count as a novel or novella? In many ways this is typical Piccirilli. 1- Self-destructive or suicidal lead dude. 2 - Dead family members or family strife. 3 - A car. 4 - Poorly dealing with failure. 5 - Interesting to read.
Does the messed up main character/narrator have a name? I don't recall and could not find when when I just now looked.
Messed-Up begins his tale as three street thugs are beating him on the sidewalk outside a Denver pawn shop. Messed-Up has nothing left in his life to lose but his bulldog, his car, and the stuff he was taking to pawn. Messed-Up up rises up and beats the three dudes. Messed-Up steals $800 bucks from one of the guys. Messed-Up pawns his stuff - for little cash - and buys a .38.
Messed-Up is freshly divorced and foreclosed. Sales of his novels have steadily declined and he decides to head back to Long Island and stay with his disapproving older brother. Messed-Up drives cross country feeding fast food to his bulldog and living in the car. Messed-Up and bulldog spend a week in a motel during a flood and Messed-Up starts a new novel on some legal pads. Messed-Up pawned his laptop a while ago.
Messed-Up gets to Long Island. Messed-Up and brother started clashing when Messed-Up was a teen and the relationship never recovered. Messed-Up is suicidal. Messed-Up is self-destructive. Messed-Up refuses any help or advice.
Messed-Up visits his agent in Manhattan. Agent is no help and terrified when he sees Messed-Up's revolver. Messed-Up visits an author friend who full-times as a therapist. Messed-Up told directly that he is having a break-down and needs help. Messed-Up leaves.
Messed-Up ends back in Long Island and fights with his brother as brother tries to get him to not leave and work his life out. Messed-Up hits the road with his bulldog and his gun and tries to decide where to kill himself.
Comments:
1. I think this was an e-book first and then got printed. I am not sure and not curious enough to look.
2. I really like Piccirilli's Chase and Jonah novels.
3. Speed-loaders for revolvers illegal? Whuh?
4. My allergies have me addled. This publisher, Chizine out of Toronto, also did Craig Davidson's last book.
1 comment:
None of the characters in the noirella have names except for the bulldog, Churchill.
Although ESC is also available in e-format, it was released simultaneously as a paperback.
Thanks for the generous words, glad you like the COLD series. A new crime series beginning with THE LAST KIND WORDS will be out from Bantam June 5.
Speedloaders in NY were illegal at the time I originally wrote the piece. Only cops could carry them legally. I recall going to 1 Police Plaza shortly after a friend of mine finished the police academy but before he was sworn in. They refused him a speedloader until after the swearing in ceremony and he was officially a police officer. I have no idea if the rules have changed since then or if they're different in other parts of the country.
best, Tom Piccirilli
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