Tough Luck

he started off great. nice to read. good story and all but there was something hollow. I liked the protagonist but at the end it seems the author was just taking the piss the whole time.

Mickey is a fishmonger, who gets in debt with his bookie after placing bets for a local mobster who frequents the store. Mickey is trying to live an honest life and raise money to go to college while looking after his dementia suffering father. The debt, however, leads Mickey to make some terrible decisions and he soon finds things spiralling out of control.Starr delivers his take on classic noir that is filled with suspense. It didn't have the high drama of Twisted City, but it did have the same propulsive narrative that makes it almost impossible to put down. I look forward to many more Starr novels in the future as there is a fair backlog for me to get to.

This was a major page turner. Fast paced. I didn’t want to put it down. Mickey, the hero, made me groan every so often with that feeling of dread you get when you know something is wrong yet you do it anyway. Brooklynites who lived in Kings County in the 80s will find the environment resonates with memories.

Jason Starr knows New York City and he knows noir. One of his finest outings. And man does he have an ear for an ironic ending.

Jason Starr is a talented writer of dark fiction. I enjoy all of his books.

I didn't finish it