Pale Shadow
War may be raging in Europe, but for the crooks and cops of New Orleans, it is still a distant rumble in 1940. Wesley Farrell, nightclub owner, is the pivot of this complex mystery that centers on the disappearance of his friend, a criminal organiser hunted by various factions and the setting up of a major counterfeit ring. The story is told in the hard-boiled tradition with a high body count and a host of unsavoury characters. The viewpoints shift constantly, but it is easy to navigate because the characters are well drawn. I especially enjoyed seeing the various police forces pictured in a positive and cooperative manner instead of the clichéd infighting for the limelight. Another plus is the representation of the various races without the compulsory tension, which seems in keeping with the racial history of New Orleans. The feel of the city in that era comes through clearly, despite the author’s tendency to indulge excessively in mentioning every street or bar the numerous characters encounter. There is also a certain complacency in describing torture scenes which are reserved for the females who are constantly in jeopardy. Despite a few weaknesses in the plot, it remains a story that grips you from the first sentence only to let you off the hook at the very end. The war isn’t so distant after all. (#5 in the Wesley Farrell series.)