Genre:
Crime Fiction
Description:
Former PI
Joe Geraghty has family problems, lots of them. His brother, Niall,
is in trouble. He thought he could solve his money problems by
smuggling some cigarettes, however the consignment has been stolen
and now he owes local hard man George Sutherland for them.
It seems
everyone wants Geraghty to drop the case, in particular Don Ridley,
his former partner and mentor. But Geraghty can’t let his family
down and when the past crashes into the present Joe is in until the
bitter end.
Author:
Nick
Quantrill was born and raised in the industrial English city of Hull.
He’s a prolific short story writer, but has also produced three
full-length crime novels starring protagonist PI Joe Geraghty.
For more
information on Nick, go to his website.
Appraisal:
I’ve
previously read and reviewed two of the author’s works. Both were
quality performances, strong and well written, however The
Crooked Beat feels like a step
on. Perhaps it is because the story moves immediately, rather than a
slow build. Perhaps it is the use of first person narrative.
This latter
element brings us closer to the protagonist, Joe Geraghty. He’s a
man incapable of finding a happy ending. He has few friends and is
out on his own now after the private investigation firm he previously
worked for closed and his mentor Don retired.
Throughout
The Crooked Beat
there’s a lot of the difficult past for Geraghty to deal with.
Through flashbacks we learn about Don Ridley, who in many ways has
been like a father to Joe, and how his behavior ultimately affected
Joe. In addition a man involved with the death of Geraghty’s wife
may have the answer to the riddle he’s pursuing. He really is a
tortured soul.
However,
Geraghty must also pull his family out of trouble and deal with
Sutherland. Quantrill deals with these many story arcs with aplomb
and cleverly produces an exit when none seem obvious.
One of the
aspects I really like is the Hull backdrop (I admit I’m slightly
biased having lived there for over a decade). Quantrill draws the
area very well which adds atmosphere.
Another
subtle element is the author reflecting a number of the character’s
past (via flashbacks) against the backdrop of the city’s current
regeneration. The old is being torn down and replaced with the new,
which parallels Geraghty’s changes in circumstances. His old life
is being ripped up too, though as yet a future hasn’t been built.
It’s neat and clever.
All in all
this is an excellent book, intelligently written and a significantly
more than your average PI tale.
FYI:
Smatterings
of adult language.
Added
for Reprise Review: The
Crooked Beat was a nominee in
the Crime Fiction category for B&P 2014 Readers' Choice Awards.
Original review ran September 14, 2013.
The
Crooked Beat is Book 3 in Joe
Geraghty (3 Book Series).
Format/Typo
Issues:
None.
Rating:
***** Five stars
Reviewed
by: Keith Nixon
Approximate
word count: 70-75,000 words
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