[dropcap]Here [/dropcap]are a couple of mini-reviews of two recent fiction titles New Brunswick’s Goose Lane Editions, Marry Bang Kill by Andrew Battershill and Catch my Drift by Genevieve Scott.
Marry Bang Kill by Andrew Battershill
It begins simply enough with small-time thief Tommy Marlo snatching a laptop computer from a teen. Unbeknownst to Tommy is that the laptop belongs to the head of a biker gang and the teen is his daughter. Tommy soon discovers that on this laptop there is a file that tells of the drop-off point of $100,000 dollars. Simple but likeable Tommy acts on his own, manages to get the money, and ignites the origin of an adventurous pursuit story as Tommy heads west to BC and Quadra Island, where his estranged mother lives. On the way, we meet characters like Alan Mouse (“Mousey”) a retired Chicago police detective with a shady past, Glass Jar Jeffries, a small-time dope dealer and a Quadra Island low-life who gets bitten by a rabid dog, and Greta the highly trained contract killer sent to kill Tommy and recover the money he stole. The cast is truly remarkable, and Mr. Battershill writes each one to be likeable despite their flaws and shortcomings on moral issues. If Hunter S. Thompson were to write a crime thriller (which he cannot because he is deceased), Marry Bang Kill would be the result. The character of Mousey, high on drugs and alcohol sitting in a lawn chair in his backyard wildly firing his pistol at random targets was enough to say “Raoul Duke” to me. Quirky, but enjoyable writing, witness this exchange between Mousey and a boatman he has hired to get Tommy off Quadra Island:
“I might be here to see him off, I might not. And I hate to b8reak the professional vibe and all, but take care of him. He, uh, he’s a nice kid.”
The boatman again studied the distance past mousey’s shoulder for a reasonable period before speaking. “I’ll see him over. You’re talking to a man with six children and seven toes. That doesn’t mean anything specific. But it does mean something.”
Mousey smiled at the boatman in the same surprised way he smiled at clean babies.
The best chapter of the book is the alcohol-soaked meeting of Greta the hitman (not “hitwoman”) and Mousey as they banter back and forth in a local bar:
Greta wobbled slightly away from him. “You’re old.”
Mousey grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her up to sit steady. “You can’t prove that.”
Great dialogue, a good story and some memorable individuals all contribute to making Marry Bang Kill a winner in my book.
Catch My Drift by Genevieve Scott
*Please note if you choose to purchase these books through Amazon using the links above I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!
I don’t know how I missed this post (except that on June 2nd I was in the midst of a bad cold and dance recitals), because both of these books are on my radar! I’ve put a hold on “Catch My Drift”, but I feel conflicted between reading “Marry Bang Kill” or starting with his first book which I’ve had out of the library twice but haven’t read yet. Have you read “Pillow”?
No, I haven’t read Pillow, Naomi. Have you subscribed to my email notifications? ?
I just did! Is that new?
No, I just moved the Subscribe widget to the top of the sidebar. ?