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.
None of the characters in the noirella have names except for the bulldog, Churchill.
ReplyDeleteAlthough 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