interesting, but way too long for the story... ( )

“The Gutter and the Grave” by Ed McBain is book 15 in the excellent “Hard Case Crime” series and tells the story of down-and-out, alcoholic ex-private investigator Matt Cordell, who has been seriously hitting the booze since he caught his beautiful wife Toni in bed with one of his operatives. When Johnny Bridges, a former friend from his old neighbourhood who he hasn’t seen in ten years, turns up begging for help, Matt decides to lend a helping hand just to get rid of the guy. Unfortunately what starts of as a quick scan of Bridges’ shop to figure out who’s stealing from the till suddenly turns into a multiple murder mystery with Cordell at its centre. Matt finds himself fighting for his life and caught between a couple of deadly femmes fatales, a set of mobsters and a violent police force. “The Gutter and the Grave” is actually a reprint of “I’m Cannon – For Hire”, published in 1958 by Gold Medal, with McBain writing under the by-line of "Curt Cannon". “The Gutter and the Grace” is McBain’s preferred version and it’s a prime slab of dark, dirty, violent noir fiction. The mystery is well handled and the writing is raw and razor sharp, with brilliantly descriptive passages and powerful, punchy dialogue, as well as a heady smattering of cool-daddy-o hipster speak. Cordell makes for an interesting anti-hero, a drunken bum and a two-fisted battler, full of caught-in-the-past self-loathing, but one who maintains his own strict code of ethics. Despite his bum status he’s still (a highly improbable) hit with the ladies, with a sexy blonde singer, a full figured brunette model, a fiery redheaded nurse and a frumpy mature widow all falling under his dishevelled spell. Although this probably isn’t amongst Ed McBain's very best, it is still a rattling good read and a vintage slice of lean, no nonsense hard-boiled noir fiction. ( )

amazing