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A review by jakewritesbooks
Quarry by Max Allan Collins
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.