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rbixby's review against another edition
4.0
A solid example of hard boiled noir. Definitely a series I will dip into further.
dantastic's review against another edition
3.0
Quarry is hired to kill Albert Leroy, a virtual nobody. The job comes off without a hitch but when Quarry gets back to the apartment he'd been using as a lookout, his partner is dead and the money is gone. Quarry needs to know who hired them for the hit and the Broker is suspiciously uncooperative. Can Quarry find his partner's killer and get his money?
The three Quarry books published by Hard Case Crime were entertaining and so was this one. Quarry's a shit but you still end up rooting for him. Like the other Quarry books, the suspense mounts until the orgy of violence at the end. After years of wondering about The Broker, now I know.
As fun as it was to read, there were some holes if you look too close. Quarry goes about doing his detective work with the subtlety of a bull elephant and never once even comes near the law. He also gives out his name on a couple occasions. I noticed four or five typos but nothing to get into a snarl about.
Quarry's a fun read and these Perfect Crime editions look pretty nice on the old bookcase. For Quarry fans, it's a must read despite the rough edges.
The three Quarry books published by Hard Case Crime were entertaining and so was this one. Quarry's a shit but you still end up rooting for him. Like the other Quarry books, the suspense mounts until the orgy of violence at the end. After years of wondering about The Broker, now I know.
As fun as it was to read, there were some holes if you look too close. Quarry goes about doing his detective work with the subtlety of a bull elephant and never once even comes near the law. He also gives out his name on a couple occasions. I noticed four or five typos but nothing to get into a snarl about.
Quarry's a fun read and these Perfect Crime editions look pretty nice on the old bookcase. For Quarry fans, it's a must read despite the rough edges.
sandin954's review against another edition
3.0
The first book in a long running series, this was published in the mid-seventies but the professional hitman plot did not seem dated at all. A good quick read.
jakewritesbooks's review against another edition
4.0
This month's Hard Case Crime tale was one I had actually been avoiding for a while. I find Max Allan Collins to be insufferable. In interviews I've read with him, he seems to be the kind of blowhard-ish know-it-all I don't care for in the crime community. His verbal racism at the Shamus Awards was obnoxious. Really, how hard is it to pronounce "Sujata Massey"? Or to ask if you're genuinely that flummoxed?
On top of it all, I wasn't impressed with True Detective, the only other book of his I've read. But since most of his Quarry series has been reprinted by HCC, I figured I should try it at some point.
And it was good. Actually really good.
The plot is predictable and the hitman unoriginal but I've always had a soft spot for characters who do their jobs with mechanical precision, and that is our man Quarry. The story was tense and compelling too, set in the backdrop of a well described grayish urban Iowa atmosphere. It was a simple crime tale and Collins tells it well. I'm actually looking forward to book two, which is something I didn't think I'd be saying.
On top of it all, I wasn't impressed with True Detective, the only other book of his I've read. But since most of his Quarry series has been reprinted by HCC, I figured I should try it at some point.
And it was good. Actually really good.
The plot is predictable and the hitman unoriginal but I've always had a soft spot for characters who do their jobs with mechanical precision, and that is our man Quarry. The story was tense and compelling too, set in the backdrop of a well described grayish urban Iowa atmosphere. It was a simple crime tale and Collins tells it well. I'm actually looking forward to book two, which is something I didn't think I'd be saying.
glimnore's review against another edition
4.0
Pulpy, fast-paced, a bit outdated, but excellent neo-noir. Quarry fits into all the tropes of its era and is unapologetic good fun. I'd avoid reading any of the Hard Case Versions in public, though, unless you want the unnecessary attention ;)
twilliamson's review against another edition
2.0
Quarry, first published in 1976, reads like a freshman effort at the mystery-thriller, although it was not Collins' first published work. Its plot, one-dimensional characters, and terrible dialogue are all cheap staples of hard-boiled detective fiction, while its backgrounds, sexual politics and overt sexism mark it as a remnant of an earlier time.
It's easy, however, to see why Quarry is at least influential; as a near-perfect representation of the tough-guy gun-for-hire archetype, Quarry--the character--seems to resonate throughout even modern-day tough-guy narratives, with figures like Lee Child's Jack Reacher taking much of what Quarry is and does here with a bit more self-conscious an attitude.
Although bland, the novel offers a quick read and here acts as the hard-boiled detective taken to its next logical conclusion. It's good for a simple diversion, and though I can see Quarry's appeal as a cult figure, I would suggest this first novel is far from the best example of the genre and only remains appealing because of where this novel finds itself in space and time. I'd be interested enough to read more to get a sense of the evolution of the character, with hopes that the later adventures might take greater chances, though for now this book remains a diverting curiosity and little else.
It's easy, however, to see why Quarry is at least influential; as a near-perfect representation of the tough-guy gun-for-hire archetype, Quarry--the character--seems to resonate throughout even modern-day tough-guy narratives, with figures like Lee Child's Jack Reacher taking much of what Quarry is and does here with a bit more self-conscious an attitude.
Although bland, the novel offers a quick read and here acts as the hard-boiled detective taken to its next logical conclusion. It's good for a simple diversion, and though I can see Quarry's appeal as a cult figure, I would suggest this first novel is far from the best example of the genre and only remains appealing because of where this novel finds itself in space and time. I'd be interested enough to read more to get a sense of the evolution of the character, with hopes that the later adventures might take greater chances, though for now this book remains a diverting curiosity and little else.
jsterling91's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
This is what i was expecting from a classic pulp crime novel. Not everything aged the best, but it isn't something id feel guilty about. Though i could do without the hard case crimes girly covers when they don't have anything to do with the story. It makes the book seem like it is xxx when it is not really.
matt4hire's review against another edition
2.0
In his afterword, Collins states that his goal with creating the character of Quarry is to create an out-and-out bad character. Somebody we can all agree is a pretty evil guy. And he succeeds!
The problem is that, in addition to being evil, Quarry's pretty annoying. He's a guy who seems generally put-upon (though not always without reason) and takes a passive role in events until his hand is forced. He's obnoxious in that way, and isn't really the type of anti-hero I enjoy reading. It's not so much his actions that make him off-putting, it's his attitude.
The problem is that, in addition to being evil, Quarry's pretty annoying. He's a guy who seems generally put-upon (though not always without reason) and takes a passive role in events until his hand is forced. He's obnoxious in that way, and isn't really the type of anti-hero I enjoy reading. It's not so much his actions that make him off-putting, it's his attitude.
anti_formalist12's review against another edition
4.0
A dark story told in a startlingly sparse style. Important in its day and well worth revisiting today.
billmorrow's review against another edition
4.0
In this book, the hitman known only as Quarry takes a couple jobs that feel a little off. His instincts prove correct and he sets out to find who set him up. The hitman turns detective.
Max Allan Collins does not waste pages with the unnecessary. The plotting is tight and fast. The characters, few but important. The action, intense and violent; the most violent parts left to the reader’s imagination. I’m looking forward to more Max Allan Collins and Quarry.
Max Allan Collins does not waste pages with the unnecessary. The plotting is tight and fast. The characters, few but important. The action, intense and violent; the most violent parts left to the reader’s imagination. I’m looking forward to more Max Allan Collins and Quarry.