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Matt Cordell's life was perfect: He had a thriving private investigation agency and a beautiful wife -- now he's a homeless alcoholic, living in denial over his wife's betrayal. But when an old acquaintance tracks down Cordell in one of his seedy Bowery haunts and practically begs him for detective help, Cordell reluctantly agrees -- and stumbles headlong into a case involving generous amounts of booze, lethally sexy women, and cold-blooded murder. The closer Cordell comes to solving the case, however, the closer he comes to becoming the murderer's next target
The accolades for the late McBain are endless: Not only was he named Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America in 1986, he was the first American to ever win the Cartier Diamond Dagger -- the highest award of the British Crime Writers Association. From his very first novel, The Blackboard Jungle (1954), to his more than 50 bestselling 87th Precinct novels (the longest-running series in crime fiction), McBain wasn't just a master of crime fiction; he was the master.
The Gutter and the Grave is a timeless testament to McBain's unrivaled abilities -- an absolutely priceless noir gem. Paul Goat Allen
It's written with verve, and its plot—which involves a murder investigation in which almost no one tells the truth—is ingenious…The novel has nothing like the diamond-hard realism that McBain later brought to the 87th Precinct series, but it's readable and fun. If you're a McBain fan, or just nostalgic for the '50s…you could do worse than to climb into McBain's time capsule and glide back to those more innocent days.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Lorraine Hanson
reviewed The Gutter and the Grave on July 02, 2014
The Gutter and the Grave
I didn't know who was hitting me as yet. It didn't seem very important. My assailants were two sons-of-bitches whose only names were Blackjack and Leadpipe. I didn't need formal introductions to the people swinging the weapons.
Once a private investigator, Matt Cordell has hit the skids, Skid Row, that is. He's now a bum living on the streets of the Bowery.
"I'm a bum. I sleep in flophouses or on park benches when I can't afford a pad. I'm drunk twenty-five hours out of twenty-four. I get my whiskey money by panhandling. I'm a bum. Do you want me to yell hallelujah?"
Cordell has reluctantly agreed to come out of "retirement" to clear an old buddy who's been charged with murder. The suspect list grows and grows as it turns out almost everybody was screwing everybody else...unless they're ALL lying.
This was fun, a taut, punchy little mystery with snappy dialogue and plenty of action. Unlike many books in this genre, the female characters actually seem like they might have something going on upstairs, though they all rely on their looks to get by. AND, the fact that they were so willing to put out for a Bowery bum was a little implausible. (I've heard of Chubby Chasers, but Hobo Humpers? Naw!)
All in all, a pretty entertaining read. If you read only one Ed McBain, this might be a good one to choose.
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