Justice for None

by Gene Hackman, Daniel Lenihan

The year is 1929, just before the Depression. Vermilion, Illinois is a prosperous small town where World War I veteran Boyd Calvin lives. Still haunted by his experiences in the war, Boyd struggles to find a place for himself. He drives a trolley and lives hand-to-mouth in a flophouse. But when Boyd stumbles upon the scene of his wife's brutal killing, he loses his nerve and runs, only to be captured and jailed for murder…
In prison, he meets and befriends George, a black convict accused of raping a white woman. Narrowly escaping a crowd's attempt to lynch them, the men flee for their lives, hiding together before making their way to the anonymity of Chicago and day labor paid in cash. But Boyd soon discovers the fugitive's underworld is not for him and decides to return to Vermilion and surrender to his fate.

What he doesn't expect to find is a small group of supporters who believe in his innocence and convince Boyd to fight for the justice that has eluded him. As the country stumbles toward collapse, a dramatic trial unfolds as a man's fate hangs in the balance…

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Historical Fiction

352 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 1, 2004

About the author

Eugene Allen Hackman was an American actor and novelist. In a career that spanned six decades, he received two Academy Awards, two British Academy Films Awards and four Golden Globes.

Hackman's two Academy Award wins were for Best Actor for his role as Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle in William Friedkin's action thriller The French Connection (1971) and for Best Supporting Actor for his role as a villainous Sheriff in Clint Eastwood's Western film Unforgiven(1992).

He was Oscar-nominated for his roles as Buck Barrow in the crime drama Bonnie and Clyde (1967), a college professor in the drama I Never Sang for My Father(1970), and an FBI agent in the historical drama Mississippi Burning (1988).

Hackman gained further fame for his portrayal of Lex Luthor in Superman (1978) and its sequel Superman II (1980). He also acted in: The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Scarecrow (1973), The Conversation (1974), A Bridge Too Far (1977), Under Fire (1983), Power (1986), Loose Cannons (1990), The Firm (1993), The Quick and the Dead (1995), The Birdcage (1996), Enemy of the State (1998), Behind Enemy Lines (2001) and Runaway Jury (2003). He retired from acting after starring in Welcome to Mooseport (2004).

Together with undersea archaeologist Daniel Lenihan, Hackman wrote three historical fiction novels: Wake of the Perdido Star (1999), a sea adventure of the 19th century; Justice for None (2004),a Depression-era tale of murder based on a real-life crime in his boyhood town of Danville; and Escape from Andersonville (2008), about a prison escape during the American Civil War.

His first solo effort, a story of love and revenge set in the Old West titled Payback at Morning Peak
His final novel Pursuit, a police thriller, followed in 2013

Reviews

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was trying to figure out where the authors of this novel were trying to go with this story that takes place right before the Great Depression. A troubled World War I veteran stumbles into the murder scene of his wife and flees. Later he is arrested and in jail meets a black man who has been falsely accused of rape. The two become friendly and escape custody together.

At this point, the story begins to go askew.. the story seems to be about their friendship between these two men and the grave injustice coming toward them. However, the story begins to develop multiple personalities, even if the characters are interesting.

Soon, the reader is left pondering the following questions:

1) Is the story about the Major running the veteran's hospital (known as the soldier's home) and psychiatric asylum?

2) Is the story about the woman reporter, who curses, smokes, drinks, and is just generally one of the guys- shocking the Major in her unladylike behavior?

3) Is the story about the racism and lack of justice surrounding the black man.

4) Is the story about the terrible atrocities the veteran faced in Europe during World War I?

5) Is the story about the courtroom wrangling and the intelligent old lawyer who defends the veteran?

6) Is the story aboud the impending stock market crash and the attitudes of people who were investing heavily?

Honesty, I think the story was an excuse for the authors to wander through the late 1920's - trying to create interesting characters who do so little as to leave the reader apathetic.

There is one interesting twist at the end-- but it really comes too little, too late..

By the time I closed this one down, I was wondering why I had bothered to pursue the final page. At times I was drawn into the story and at times I was frustrated that the authors seemed to wander around. At times I was interested in the characters and at times I was frustrated by them.

I think you will want to ignore this one.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Gene Hackman as an actor, so I had to see what his writing was like. While this story is kind of a predictable/cookie cutter piece, there are flashes of brilliance that come out in monologues, back=story, motivation etc. In other words, if you're looking for it, you get a sense of some of what makes Hackman tick as an actor, and that can be thrilling. While this certainly is one of the weaker pieces I've read recently, I'm still glad I got into it. As far as popcorn fiction goes, it was fun!

[Andrea Bernardo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picturing Gene Hackman as Boyd made the character very believable. George, the Major and Claudia were interesting characters, and George's description of his uncle's lynching brought me to tears. Especially enjoyable was the way the writing let you inside the Major's head, and I wish there was more of that for the other characters. I didn't understand Boyd's anger with the Major at the end and felt as though I must have missed something. That's what I get for rushing through the end because the book was due back at the library!

[David Nadolny · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's probably not fair that a man who is as talented an actor as Gene Hackman, can also write. I was at a party halloween night and a neighbor mentioned that she had read all his books. The actor? I said. Yes. Well, I'm sure glad I checked it out at the library. A very good read that I hated putting down at night. It is set right after WWI, so it falls in the time period I enjoy.

[Backoff51 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because the author just died a few weeks ago and this event caused me to become interested in the writings of a movie star that I had always liked.

The book was quite interesting. The story was about a WWI veteran who experienced a lot of traumatic events during that war.

Then he came home and spent a lot of time in a hospital trying to cope with his experiences. He ended up separating from his wife and subsequently, she and her lover were killed.

He went on the run and most everyone assumed he was the killer.

The second half of the book is about the trial and the result.

I recommend the book to you.

[Will Plunkett · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I checked this out from the library, I thought I had chosen a western novel written by the recently-deceased actor; turns out that this was set in the late-1920s in rural Illinois. As some novels often do, this started out weakly and hard to follow, but it quickly improved. I'd say a literary mixture of Grapes of Wrath and Of Mice and Men, plus Invisible Man (Ellison, not Wells), Great Gatsby, or Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; with some films like My Cousin Vinny or Shawshank Redemption (not so much the King short story). Strong characters; nice how it paralleled the real-world events (WWI, stock market crash, etc.).

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was better than what I thought it was gonna be. The ending!!! I was like wait what? What! And I was rethinking over the evidence when it came to the gun and the burn marks from it and the evidence technology they had back then and the fact that he was the only witness to the actual crime….yea he could lie. I’m not really surprised that he would kill the guy, like a lot of people would but just surprised that he was actually guilty, I really thought he didn’t do it.

[Nate Hendrix · Rating 1 out of 5]

So this is the second Gene Hackman book I have read and it will be the last. I started reading his books because I loved him as an actor. Well, that experiment has ended. This wasn't bad, it just wasn't very good. I found I didn't care about any of the characters. Oh well

[Wyktor Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather enjoyable thriller set just before the start of the Great Depression in the US. As well as a great murder mystery, it also depicts like for African Americans and for the less fortunate Caucasians.
Being co-authored by a famous actor didn't detract from the story at all. Highly recommended.

[Ford · Rating 2 out of 5]

Only read this book if you can't find anything better.

[Amy Bradford · Rating 1 out of 5]

While the dialog is pretty good and the story somewhat interesting, the time and characters were very uneven and this just isn't the sort of story that I enjoy reading.

[Dorothy C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thoroughly engaging and believable book. I’m impressed by the subtle quality of the writing. Characters were very well described. I wish Mr Hackman had written more books. I’d love to know how they collaborated. I’m sorry it took Mr Hackman dying to get me to read one of his novels. I already had great respect for him, and now have even more.

[Nitrorockets · Rating 1 out of 5]

I thought that this might be a good try, a little different, not my typical selection. I like my books a little less cliche. However I wanted to give it a read and see what one of Hollywood's veteran actors could put together. Lesson learned: Don't do that! This was not a particularly interesting read. It was difficult for me to maintain my focus and often I found myself too bored to finish the page. The storyline seemed to drag on and on and on. That comes from the authors trying to make this a combination between a literary and commercilized novel. I can see where in parts, Hackman's director mind came into play. However, there were many pages of unnecessary blather that would have been better served in a paragraph. It's filled with many Hollywood-esque lines, and tough guy feel. I didn't find this to be my favorite, it lacks focus, making for a tedious and poorly organized read. Once you get through half way it becomes a better read. Perhaps skimming the first half is the best approach. If you're in the mood for a tough-guy murder trial story then this is your book.

[Carl Alves · Rating 3 out of 5]

In Justice for None, Calvin Boyd is a World War 1 combat veteran with a decorated past who settles into Illinois just prior to the Great Depression. Calvin is accused of killing his estranged wife, and immediately goes on the run, seeing how the deck is stacked against him in the legal system. Calvin has people on his side who are trying to help him but he always does his best to thrust these people away from him, often becoming his own worst enemy in the process.
The plot is pretty basic and straight forward. There is nothing exceptional about it. I think the best aspect of the novel in terms of the writing was the strong depiction of the setting. The authors do a nice job of setting the mood for both the area of the country and the time-period. The setting also creates the appropriate mood for the story. Calvin Boyd is a fairly likeable character, even though his actions are a bit destructive. Justice For None is a solid but unspectacular read, one that will entertain but not one that is particularly profound.
Carl Alves - author of Blood Street

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I attempted to read this a few times as the person who sent me the book from BookCrossing touted it to the nth degree. I couldn't get into it and I found it very poorly written. There's a chance that should it come across my path I would give it a try again.

[Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty dull, but my copy was a gift and has Hackman's autograph, so reading it is the least I could do.

[Connie]

pretty good

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mississippi burning? I liked the story.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story of a young WW1 veteran in small town Illinois. Kind of disappointed in the ending. Characters were interesting but, as usual there was lots of foul language. It's an OK read.

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

True story of convicted man probably innocent but slow.

[Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook

[Sam Ashby · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those books to me started off slow but I'm glad I stuck it out and read the whole thing.