Book Review: Eight-ball Boogie

Reviewed By: Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM

Eight-ball Boogie     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Declan Burke
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Hard Boiled
2003, Sitric books (Dublin), 248 pages

Harry Rigby is living a life that is not what one would call perfect. He drinks too much, smokes too many of his self-rolled cigarettes, and doesn’t exercise. Health issues aside, his girlfriend and the mother of his son, doesn’t really want him living under the same roof. So even though he pays for the place she lives, he sleeps at his office. His office is a tiny little place where he bases his business. Which is a bit hard to describe, but for the sake of argument let’s say he’s a PI. This includes doing lost and found work, divorce work and digging up stories to sell to the papers.

The book opens with a murder of a politician’s wife, drugs found at the scene, and questions needing to be asked. Harry wants to put together a story to sell to the papers. But before he can start digging, he is approached by a man who believes his wife is messing about. Harry isn’t one to turn down money, so he takes on the job.

Things start to get complicated for poor Harry as the cases get more complicated. People are lying to him and people are being evasive. But Harry keeps digging. He knows he’s getting somewhere because a couple of thugs beat the tar out of him and warn him off. Of course Harry isn’t sure what he’s found that they want him to forget.

To make things more fun, his brother Gonzo is coming home for the holidays. And Gonzo is not exactly a loving brother. In fact Gonzo is a jerk. But he’s a jerk that you can’t help but love.

Sound complicated? It is!!! And it’s great reading. I loved the way I felt every punch thrown, every breeze blowing by and every drag of a smoke. A very entertaining hardboiled book, a bit of new noir if you will. Track it down and read this book!!!

Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Jon Jordan - Crime Spree Magazine - RAM