SOME DIE HARD - Book review

Stephen Mertz’s debut novel (1979) has been reissued by Wolfpack Publishing. It’s a hardboiled private detective novel in a similar stable to Ross McDonald. Rock Dugan is an ex-stuntman and now a gumshoe.

An incident draws Rock to the door of Susan Court, the daughter of a millionaire who is dying. She has a wastrel brother Tommy who owes a lot of money to the local powerful hood Murray Zucco. There’s the question of the old man’s will. Mr Carlander Court is reinstating Susan in his will and shutting out Tommy. Susan wants Rock to protect her father until the will is changed next day. She is fearful that Tommy will murder his father to get the inheritance and pay off Zucco.

There follows a death – a kind of locked-room mystery right out of John Dickson Carr, only with a difference. I won’t spill the beans – though the blurb tends to, just a little. 

It’s clear that Mertz was learning his craft – for example, there are too many lengthy speeches by characters. But the flavor, the pace and the characters all add to an enjoyable mystery laced with wit.

The next Mertz book I shall read is Say It Was Murder. Looking forward to it.

Press release-1 - Rogue Prey et al

Here's the 'New Releases' press release from the US publisher ROUGH EDGES PRESS.

https://preview.mailerlite.com/b7y0t3i4p7

WILD NIGHT - Book review

L J Washburn’s first mystery novel about private eye Lucas Hallam is a highly enjoyable read. A while back I read Washburn’s short story ‘The Battle of Edendale’ in a mammoth collection of stories entitled The Untamed West. That was my first introduction to Hallam and my review of the book included this observation: I’d like to read more about this guy! And at last, now I have, and it was rewarding to renew my acquaintance.

Hallam is an ex town marshal, ex Texas Ranger, ex Pinkerton and now a P.I. in the Hollywood of the 1920s, rubbing shoulders with western stars of the period, including Tom Mix and William S Hart, and he even finds time to act in some flickers. He still carries a Colt Cavalry .45 and a Bowie knife. ‘Time was, I was considered a mite wild and woolly.’ (p144) He’s getting on in years, which is a fine touch: ‘… there had been too many years, too many wounds.’ (p146) 

Hallam is employed to protect a local evangelist, Reverend Elton Forbes, founder of the Holiness Temple of Faith. Then, during a scheduled meeting with a disgraced movie director called Wallace, the night turned wild. Wallace and his henchman were shot dead and Forbes was found with a smoking gun. Yet Forbes pleaded innocent. Hallam agreed to investigate on behalf of Forbes.

It appeared that Forbes had good reason to murder Wallace. However, there was no shortage of candidates for the killing of Wallace, an unsavory character. Then again, Reverend Forbes was not particularly popular either and could have been framed.

This is the Hollywood of scandal – the Fatty Arbuckle case is fresh in memories; however, the salaciousness and graphic goings on are not described in any lurid detail, yet taint some individuals nevertheless.

What makes this mystery satisfying is its fast pace, the authenticity of the period depicted and the character of Hallam.

‘Lucas Hallam had been good, all right. One of the best, people said. But those days were twenty years and more in the past. Hallam tried not to reminisce too much; a man could get lost in bygone days and not pay enough attention to what was going on around him now. The way he saw it, he had a lot of living to do. Daydreaming was a good way not to get around to it.’ (p3)

‘The detective business sometimes made you feel lower than a snake… You had questions that needed answers, but to get the answers you had to dig around in people’s feelings and stir up things that would just hurt them.’ (p115)

Throughout, besides dry humor, Washburn throws in telling phrases: ‘There was more brewing in this old house than coffee.’ (p225) And ‘Wasn’t the first time he’d walked down a road with a gun in his hand, and one thing never changed. Walks like this were always long ones.’ (p243)

As with many classic P.I. novels, it’s the past that often comes back to bite you.

Recommended. I've ordered the sequel, Dead Stick.

 

LEON CAZADOR - HIS LIFE

 On the occasion of the publication by Rough Edges Press of three novels featuring Leon Cazador, Private Eye – Rogue Prey, No Prisoners, and Organ Symphony, you will find below a brief biography of the character and a time-line for guidance 

LEON CAZADOR, P.I.

Brief biography

The world needs brave souls like Leon Cazador who is not afraid to bring the ungodly to justice and so help, in his own words, to hold back the encroaching night of unreason.

Leon was born on 16 February 1963 in Spain. He has an English mother (Julia), Spanish father (Paco), a married sister, Pilar, and an older brother, Juan, who is an officer in the Guardia Civil. Leon Cazador sometimes operates in disguise under several aliases, among them Carlos Ortiz Santos.

When he was twenty-one, rather than wait for conscription, he decided to jump and joined the Army, graduating as an Artillery Lieutenant. (Spain’s conscription didn’t cease until 2001). 

About a year later, he joined the Spanish Foreign Legion’s Special Operations Company (Bandera de operaciones especiales de la legión) and was trained in the United States at Fort Bragg, where he built up his considerable knowledge about clandestine activities and weapons. Some months afterwards, he was recruited into the CESID (Centro Superior de Informacion de la Defensa), which later became the CNI (Centro Nacional de Inteligencia). Unlike most Western democracies, Spain runs a single intelligence organization to combat both domestic and foreign threats. 

Part of his intelligence gathering entailed his transfer to the Spanish Embassy in Washington, D.C. There, he met several useful contacts in the intelligence community. 

At the close of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan he embarked on a number of secret missions to that blighted land with CIA operatives. By the time the Soviet withdrawal was a reality, Leon was transferred to the Spanish Embassy in Tokyo, where he liaised with both intelligence and police organizations.  

Secret work followed in China, the Gulf and Yugoslavia. 

In 1987, Leon was attached to a secret section of MI6 to assist British operatives in Colombia. 

Although he has been decorated four times in theaters of conflict, reports imply that his bravery justifies at least three more medals. 

A year after witnessing the atrocity of the Twin Towers while stationed with the United Nations, he returned to civilian life and set up a private investigation firm. 

During periods of leave and while stationed in Spain, he had established a useful network of contacts in law enforcement, notably Captain Silvano Lopez of the Guardia Civil. 

One of his early cases resulted in him becoming financially set for life, so now he conducts his crusade against villains of all shades, and in the process attempts to save the unwary from the clutches of con-men, rogues and crooks.

 

Leon Cazador’s life timeline

(His age is shown in brackets)

 

1984 - Graduated as Artillery Lieutenant in Spain’s Army (21)

1985 – Joined Spanish Foreign Legion, Special Ops Co. (22)

1986 – Joined CESID (Later to become CNI, 2001) (23)

1987 – Spanish Embassy, Washington DC (24)

1987 – Secretly deployed in Afghanistan (Soviet withdrawal May/88-Feb/89) (24)

1988 – Spanish Embassy, Tokyo, Japan (liaising with intelligence and police re Yakuza) (25)

1989 – Secretly deployed in China, providing intelligence on the protests (Tiananmen Square) (26)

1990 – Gulf War special operations. Medal. (27)

1991 – Yugoslavia – special operation then aiding the UN peacekeeping forces. Medal.  (28)

1992-1993 – special ops during Bosnian War (NATO peacekeeping began 1995); wounded/escaped. (29-30) Medal.

1994 – Hospitalized. (31)

1995 – Spanish Embassy, London (32)

1997 – Attached to MI6 adjunct International Enterprises and deployed to Colombia to investigate the formation (in April) of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia. (33)

1998-1999 – secret operations in Kosovo, in preparation for NATO bombing campaign. Medal. (34-35)

2000 – United Nations secondment (36)

2001 – Witnesses 9/11 atrocity (37)

2002 – Leaves service. Returns to Spain and begins career as a private investigator. (38)

2003 – Relic Hunter case – now financially set for life to conduct his crusade against the ungodly (39)

2014 – Involved in Cat’s Crusade: Catalyst with Cat and Rick in Barcelona (51)

2015 – Attended wedding of Monica and Detective Francis Attard in Malta (52)

2017 – Working with FBI, Sister Cristina in Charleston, SC (December): see also Organ Symphony (54)

2018 – Involved in endangered species case: see Rogue Prey (June) (55)

2019 – Rogue Prey (July); recruits Carlota Diaz as PA; see also No Prisoners (September) (56)

2022 – The Organ Symphony case (August) (59)

 

'Recommended for fans of The Saint ...'

My sixth collection of short stories, Leon Cazador, P.I. has a most helpful (to potential readers) long review on Goodreads, where each of the 23 short stories is covered, and it begins like this: 

'A likable protagonist in Leon Cazador, a colorful international flavor, and some terrific writing make these stories about a PI who likes bringing the ungodly to justice a very enjoyable read. Leon has a heart, yet uses common sense in his assessment of problems in Spain and Europe, often in refreshing contrast to political correctness.

'Some stories involve criminal cases, others are more adventure oriented. Some are just stories about Spain’s people Leon has known and helped...'

There then follows a detailed review of the stories, ending:

'...I liked the old-fashioned Saint vibe blended with modern day Spain and with an interesting half-English half-Spanish protagonist in Leon Cazador. The colorful flavor of Spain and an international vibe give these stories some spice...

'Recommended for fans of The Saint and other such knights who come to the aid of those in need. I’m giving it four solid stars as it makes a nice little bedside read when you need something short.'

Thank you Bobby Underwood, avid reader and reviewer!

  Leon Cazador, P.I. - e-book and paperback from Amazon here