Genre: Noir
Approximate word count: 15-20,000 words
Availability
Kindle US: YES UK: YES Nook: YES Smashwords: YES Paper: YES
Click on a YES above to go to appropriate page in Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Smashwords store
Author:
Former professional musician and poker player, Mike Dennis now makes his home in Key West, Florida. He has two novels, The Take and Setup on Front Street, with a third, The Ghosts of Havana, in the works.
Description:
A collection of three short stories, all in the noir style Dennis specializes in.
Fully Loaded: Used car saleswoman Sherry Lamar is feeling the economic crunch of the mid-80s and bored with life. A stranger changes that.
The Devil Drives A Big Mercedes: A minor childhood drama leads a seven-year-old boy towards a life of depravity.
Block: Curing writers block takes a bizarre turn for a famous crime fiction novelist.
Appraisal:
When it comes to noir, I like Mike Dennis’ style. His novel The Take was my first exposure to his work. This short collection is the reprise. The Take had a storyline that fit what I think most people would expect from noir. The first of the three stories in this book, Fully Loaded, is also a typical noir story, although it kept me guessing where it was going and is an excellent example of the genre.
I want to say Dennis stretches the genre in the other two stories, but that isn’t really true. The Devil Drives A Big Mercedes has the characteristics associated with the genre, yet the plot still seemed unique or somehow fresh to me. Maybe that is a factor of what I have or haven’t read in the past.
Block also fits the definitions I’ve seen of noir, although it uses a twist or two and a touch of genre mixing to get there. I’ve found that my reaction is either hot or cold to music and books that are self-referential. If they have a theme on the joys or trials of being a musician or a writer, I’ll either hate it, feeling it is too pretentious or has nothing I can relate to, or love it, often because it is a subject the creator understood well. Block falls solidly in the loved it category, as does the full collection.
FYI:
This genre is rarely suited for those not old enough to deal with adult themes. This general caution applies to this specific book, as well.
Format/Typo Issues:
No significant issues
Rating: **** Four stars
4 comments:
Al--Thanks for the good words. Much appreciated.
I forgot to mention, Al, that I've posted a blog on my website, directing people over to Books And Pals. You can check it out at http://mikedennisnoir.com
Thanks, Mike.
This collection held my attention until the very last word. My favorite is “Fully Loaded,” a fatalistic yarn – a not-so-slow dance between predator and prey. But I liked all of them. Mike Dennis has a natural ability to craft believable cautionary tales - colored noir.
Post a Comment