Ovid Demaris (1919–1998)

Effective, entertaining story of a newly rich oil man confronted by a gangster and his assorted minions who are trying to get him to hand over an interest in an oil well. After a while, it isn't the money that is at stake, but the gangster's pride, and the violence escalates. The plot isn't the most believable, but you don't have a lot of time to worry about it. The book is well-written for the most part, particularly the most brutal scenes, which come faster and faster as the 144-page novel speeds to a fiery conclusion. While the characters fall into types, they are fairly well-drawn. Demaris's writing only falters when he tries to philosophize or get inside the head of a 17-year old girl.… (plus d'informations)