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Scatching the Flint
Set in pre-9/11 Toronto, detective noir Scratching the Flint takes place over twelve days during the spring of 2001. Smith's two-tone anti-fraud team of Alex Johnson and Cecil Bolan are back in their first full-length novel to investigate a vintage car theft ring à la MacGyver. When witnesses end up mocked and murdered, proof becomes a relative term to Cecil. Racked with guilt while the system sputters, he covertly assumes the role of not just investigating officer but also that of crown attorney, judge, and executioner, driving the case to a conclusion as brutal as the future.
"Do not be fooled by Vern Smith's expertly playful language or occasional comedic interludes. In Scratching the Flint, Smith takes a deadly serious dive into a dark and mesmerizing world of sadistic murderers, backstabbers, and thieves, navigated by his irrepressible but flawed detectives Alex Johnson and Cecil Bolan. Good luck putting it down once you start."
-Bryan Gruley, author of the Starvation Lake trilogy
"Readers who think Canadian Noir is an oxymoron will have their heads spun by Vern Smith's Scratching the Flint, a wry, unruly chase through the sorts of character-driven minefields sown by the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Elmore Leonard."
-Craig Faustus Buck, author of Go Down Hard
"Picking up where his incendiary novelette The Gimmick left off, Vern Smith's new novel, Scratching the Flint, finds detectives Alex Johnson and Cecil Bolan straining against a deeply flawed legal system to bring down a ring of vintage car thieves. With his trademark no-nonsense prose and crackling wit, Smith takes readers back to pre-9/11 Toronto in this detective noir that somehow manages to be fun and thrilling and dead serious all at once. This is first-rate crime fiction."
-Joey R. Poole, author of I Have Always Been Here Before
"Scratching the Flint is a masterpiece, a deliciously twisted Canadian interracial detective saga not for the triggered. This steady, satisfying tale of endless corruption follows Toronto's finest battle-worn duo investigating theft rings and the bodies that come along with a system that favors criminals who know it well. However, as both sides lament the unavoidable road to hell by their own moral codes and civic nationalism, the fiery ending leaves the sweet taste of Toronto being just as fucked-up as Chicago."
-Tia Ja'nae, author of Ghosts On The Block Never Sleep
"Smith conjures up a cast of memorable characters, all flawed and many despicable, but all drawn with vivid detail and humanness to deftly expose the brutal, seedy nature and cost of organized crime and corruption. As in life, everyone's in the mix, hand-in-hand waiting for the payoffs: politicians, police, lawyers, journalists, and criminals. And the police personalities and dialogue are bang on, amongst the very best I've read from an author who hasn't actually served in law enforcement."
-A.B. Patterson, author of the PI Harry Kenmare novels and former detective sergeant and corruption investigator
"Vern Smith's dialogue is thoughtful and thought-provoking. This is a book you will recommend to friends, and it deserves a wide readership. You will look forward to reading more of this talented author's work."
-Nick Chiarkas, author of Nunzio's Way
"Do not be fooled by Vern Smith's expertly playful language or occasional comedic interludes. In Scratching the Flint, Smith takes a deadly serious dive into a dark and mesmerizing world of sadistic murderers, backstabbers, and thieves, navigated by his irrepressible but flawed detectives Alex Johnson and Cecil Bolan. Good luck putting it down once you start."
-Bryan Gruley, author of the Starvation Lake trilogy
"Readers who think Canadian Noir is an oxymoron will have their heads spun by Vern Smith's Scratching the Flint, a wry, unruly chase through the sorts of character-driven minefields sown by the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Elmore Leonard."
-Craig Faustus Buck, author of Go Down Hard
"Picking up where his incendiary novelette The Gimmick left off, Vern Smith's new novel, Scratching the Flint, finds detectives Alex Johnson and Cecil Bolan straining against a deeply flawed legal system to bring down a ring of vintage car thieves. With his trademark no-nonsense prose and crackling wit, Smith takes readers back to pre-9/11 Toronto in this detective noir that somehow manages to be fun and thrilling and dead serious all at once. This is first-rate crime fiction."
-Joey R. Poole, author of I Have Always Been Here Before
"Scratching the Flint is a masterpiece, a deliciously twisted Canadian interracial detective saga not for the triggered. This steady, satisfying tale of endless corruption follows Toronto's finest battle-worn duo investigating theft rings and the bodies that come along with a system that favors criminals who know it well. However, as both sides lament the unavoidable road to hell by their own moral codes and civic nationalism, the fiery ending leaves the sweet taste of Toronto being just as fucked-up as Chicago."
-Tia Ja'nae, author of Ghosts On The Block Never Sleep
"Smith conjures up a cast of memorable characters, all flawed and many despicable, but all drawn with vivid detail and humanness to deftly expose the brutal, seedy nature and cost of organized crime and corruption. As in life, everyone's in the mix, hand-in-hand waiting for the payoffs: politicians, police, lawyers, journalists, and criminals. And the police personalities and dialogue are bang on, amongst the very best I've read from an author who hasn't actually served in law enforcement."
-A.B. Patterson, author of the PI Harry Kenmare novels and former detective sergeant and corruption investigator
"Vern Smith's dialogue is thoughtful and thought-provoking. This is a book you will recommend to friends, and it deserves a wide readership. You will look forward to reading more of this talented author's work."
-Nick Chiarkas, author of Nunzio's Way
242 pages, Paperback
Published April 15, 2023
2 people are currently reading
15 people want to read
About the author
Vern Smith
9 books37 followersVern Smith’s novel Scratching the Flint was named Best Indie Novel of 2023 by Crime Fiction Lover. He is also author of the novels Under the Table and The Green Ghetto. Winner of the Chinaski Award as editor of the Jacked crime fiction anthology, Smith is a former newspaper reporter, magazine editor, radio host, and political staffer. His novelette, The Gimmick—a finalist for Canada’s highest crime-writing honor, the Arthur Ellis Award—is the title track to his second collection of fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 18, 2023
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I've been working on this one for a little over two months, and I kept deleting draft after draft after draft. I'm still not wholly satisfied with this one--but it's close enough. Also, the book was released last weekend, so this is so overdue it's causing heartburn. TL;DR version: This is an unsettling, brutal look at law enforcement with people on both sides of the Law.
WHAT'S SCRATCHING THE FLINT ABOUT?
Detectives Alex Johnson and Cecil Bolan are part of the Toronto PD's anti-fraud division. They're in the midst of trying to take down a vintage car theft ring. Sadly, their witnesses are being targeted by the head of this ring--they're being mocked and murdered in a way that sends a very loud message to quiet anyone else who might be thinking of coming forward.
One of these witnesses is an old high school friend/basketball teammate of Cecil's. He reacts badly to this, but his commanding officer and his partner are doing their best to keep him from interfering with the homicide investigations and to focus on the ring (as much as they can without interfering with homicide) or other anti-fraud work.
It's not long before the pair are given an involuntary vacation--in lieu of a suspension--leaving Cecil with too much time on his hands and not much opportunity for Alex to keep him reined in. And that's where things have the opportunity to go from bad to worse--to potentially much, much worse--in this noir examination of crime and policing at the turn of the century.
2001
Smith is very careful throughout the book to locate the book in 2001 and captures the feel of it so well. At least, the way I'd imagine it'd feel in that part of Canada. The use of specific games of the Toronto Blue Jays really helped ground that.
Smith has some very specific aims for that--and most of the reason I struggled with this post comes from trying to interact with those aims but I don't think I can without spoiling a good deal of the book. So let me just say this when it comes to the chronological setting--enjoy the flashback (for those who can remember the year) and just know it'll give you plenty to chew on as the book goes along.
THE THIN BLUE LINE
This is hard to write about--and frequently difficult to read. Crime Fiction writers (and TV/Movie viewers) are used to cops that color outside the lines--and we frequently root for them. We're even used to rogue cops who go to extremes to get the job done. Or bent cops who are the villains of the piece.
Striking the Flint gives us none of those--or maybe all of those. Ian Patrick's Sam Batford series comes to mind as a comparison (although this feels less like fiction and more like thinly disguised true crime). Our protagonists are detectives who seem intent on making their cases, on making arrests. But when push comes to shove, I'm not entirely convinced it's about enforcing the law all the time with them--it's getting a win, coming out on top over some of them. (I'm trying to behave here when it comes to spoilers, so I have to stay vague).
Their superiors--and other police officers--are just as involved. Skirting regulations, finding dirt on people who might have legitimate complaints about police treatment, supporting clearly unethical/illegal behavior, and so on. There are outright crimes committed by these two (usually independently) that depending on the outcome and motive would be used for comic relief or in a way that would be justified in other novels. But Smith doesn't let the reader find the humor or rationalization for them here--sometimes they get away with them because of the badge. Sometimes, they just get away with them.
One only minorly-spoilery example: neither of these detectives owns a car. Alex's ex-wife lets him borrow hers at the beginning of the novel. But partway through it, she takes the car back--leaving them without the means to do their jobs. So, Alex "borrows" it again without her knowledge--and gets away with it through a combination of police solidarity and misogyny. A lot of times, that would be played for laughs. I can see that being funny in a Stephanie Plum-like novel. Or someone like Bosch or Rebus would do it while feeling conflicted and have to face the music about it later. I initially took it as a lighter moment before realizing that Smith isn't in that business.
The back of the book promises that this book examines "the lowest common denominators of policing." And it delivers on that and will make you rethink a lot of what you read and watch in the fictional realm in light of what we see on the news.
DIALOGUE
There is a distinctive way that these characters talk to one another--at least Alex, Cecil, and most (if not all) of the criminals. I think if I wanted to take the time, I could come up with a more definitive list of exceptions (and that might prove interesting). Perhaps it's a time-specific Toronto-area affectation. But I don't think so, I think it's a Vern Smith-thing. Like every David Milch or Aaron Sorkin series shows a specific kind of speech pattern (this is far more Milch than Sorkin, it should be noted).
It was a little odd at first, but an oddness I could appreciate. Then I got used to the rhythm and enjoyed it. By the end of the book, I don't even think I noticed it anymore, it'd just become part of the novel's world.
I don't think I see this kind of thing too often in fiction, but when I do, I just love it. It's not flashy like some people are with dialogue, just distinctive.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT SCRATCHING THE FLINT?
This was an intense read. I was wholly immersed in it and really didn't want to come up for air.
At the same time...these are not good people, at all. I think the characters I felt the most empathy for were Cecil's wife (who seems utterly clueless about what he gets up to) and the lieutenant of the car theft ring's head. He doesn't show a lot of interest in going straight, but he doesn't want anything to do with what his boss is involved in.
Smith captured the time, captured the psychology of the characters (or at least what you think these kinds of "cops and robbers" would think like), and delivers one of the grittiest, most realistic works you're going to run into. Canadian noir, whodathunk it?
I cannot say I enjoyed Scratching the Flint (and I wonder a little bit about anyone who does), but it's a powerhouse of a novel that will leave you thinking. It's been more than two months since I read it, and I've chewed on bits and pieces of it almost every day since.* It's an audacious work that will stick with you and one that will make you want more.
* And not just because I was trying to figure out how to write about it.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I've been working on this one for a little over two months, and I kept deleting draft after draft after draft. I'm still not wholly satisfied with this one--but it's close enough. Also, the book was released last weekend, so this is so overdue it's causing heartburn. TL;DR version: This is an unsettling, brutal look at law enforcement with people on both sides of the Law.
WHAT'S SCRATCHING THE FLINT ABOUT?
Detectives Alex Johnson and Cecil Bolan are part of the Toronto PD's anti-fraud division. They're in the midst of trying to take down a vintage car theft ring. Sadly, their witnesses are being targeted by the head of this ring--they're being mocked and murdered in a way that sends a very loud message to quiet anyone else who might be thinking of coming forward.
One of these witnesses is an old high school friend/basketball teammate of Cecil's. He reacts badly to this, but his commanding officer and his partner are doing their best to keep him from interfering with the homicide investigations and to focus on the ring (as much as they can without interfering with homicide) or other anti-fraud work.
It's not long before the pair are given an involuntary vacation--in lieu of a suspension--leaving Cecil with too much time on his hands and not much opportunity for Alex to keep him reined in. And that's where things have the opportunity to go from bad to worse--to potentially much, much worse--in this noir examination of crime and policing at the turn of the century.
2001
Smith is very careful throughout the book to locate the book in 2001 and captures the feel of it so well. At least, the way I'd imagine it'd feel in that part of Canada. The use of specific games of the Toronto Blue Jays really helped ground that.
Smith has some very specific aims for that--and most of the reason I struggled with this post comes from trying to interact with those aims but I don't think I can without spoiling a good deal of the book. So let me just say this when it comes to the chronological setting--enjoy the flashback (for those who can remember the year) and just know it'll give you plenty to chew on as the book goes along.
THE THIN BLUE LINE
This is hard to write about--and frequently difficult to read. Crime Fiction writers (and TV/Movie viewers) are used to cops that color outside the lines--and we frequently root for them. We're even used to rogue cops who go to extremes to get the job done. Or bent cops who are the villains of the piece.
Striking the Flint gives us none of those--or maybe all of those. Ian Patrick's Sam Batford series comes to mind as a comparison (although this feels less like fiction and more like thinly disguised true crime). Our protagonists are detectives who seem intent on making their cases, on making arrests. But when push comes to shove, I'm not entirely convinced it's about enforcing the law all the time with them--it's getting a win, coming out on top over some of them. (I'm trying to behave here when it comes to spoilers, so I have to stay vague).
Their superiors--and other police officers--are just as involved. Skirting regulations, finding dirt on people who might have legitimate complaints about police treatment, supporting clearly unethical/illegal behavior, and so on. There are outright crimes committed by these two (usually independently) that depending on the outcome and motive would be used for comic relief or in a way that would be justified in other novels. But Smith doesn't let the reader find the humor or rationalization for them here--sometimes they get away with them because of the badge. Sometimes, they just get away with them.
One only minorly-spoilery example: neither of these detectives owns a car. Alex's ex-wife lets him borrow hers at the beginning of the novel. But partway through it, she takes the car back--leaving them without the means to do their jobs. So, Alex "borrows" it again without her knowledge--and gets away with it through a combination of police solidarity and misogyny. A lot of times, that would be played for laughs. I can see that being funny in a Stephanie Plum-like novel. Or someone like Bosch or Rebus would do it while feeling conflicted and have to face the music about it later. I initially took it as a lighter moment before realizing that Smith isn't in that business.
The back of the book promises that this book examines "the lowest common denominators of policing." And it delivers on that and will make you rethink a lot of what you read and watch in the fictional realm in light of what we see on the news.
DIALOGUE
There is a distinctive way that these characters talk to one another--at least Alex, Cecil, and most (if not all) of the criminals. I think if I wanted to take the time, I could come up with a more definitive list of exceptions (and that might prove interesting). Perhaps it's a time-specific Toronto-area affectation. But I don't think so, I think it's a Vern Smith-thing. Like every David Milch or Aaron Sorkin series shows a specific kind of speech pattern (this is far more Milch than Sorkin, it should be noted).
It was a little odd at first, but an oddness I could appreciate. Then I got used to the rhythm and enjoyed it. By the end of the book, I don't even think I noticed it anymore, it'd just become part of the novel's world.
I don't think I see this kind of thing too often in fiction, but when I do, I just love it. It's not flashy like some people are with dialogue, just distinctive.
SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT SCRATCHING THE FLINT?
This was an intense read. I was wholly immersed in it and really didn't want to come up for air.
At the same time...these are not good people, at all. I think the characters I felt the most empathy for were Cecil's wife (who seems utterly clueless about what he gets up to) and the lieutenant of the car theft ring's head. He doesn't show a lot of interest in going straight, but he doesn't want anything to do with what his boss is involved in.
Smith captured the time, captured the psychology of the characters (or at least what you think these kinds of "cops and robbers" would think like), and delivers one of the grittiest, most realistic works you're going to run into. Canadian noir, whodathunk it?
I cannot say I enjoyed Scratching the Flint (and I wonder a little bit about anyone who does), but it's a powerhouse of a novel that will leave you thinking. It's been more than two months since I read it, and I've chewed on bits and pieces of it almost every day since.* It's an audacious work that will stick with you and one that will make you want more.
* And not just because I was trying to figure out how to write about it.
August 11, 2023
I've read all of Smith's books. I love the in-depth plots and the quirky characters that people the fringes and underbelly of society. He's been likened to Elmore Leonard and Thomas Pynchon--and both comparisons have some merit. I've always loved the crisp and pitch-perfect dialogue (much like Leonard and Pynchon, it turns out) in his books. So far, Scrathing the Flint may be his best yet. This is perhaps his most interesting plot, not to mention a scathing indictment of police corruption. Highly recommended.
August 7, 2024
Elmore Leonard with the volume cranked up to 11. I don’t usually think it’s instructive to compare other crime novels to Elmore but this is the closest thing I’ve seen to the late great American writer. This does Toronto like Leonard did Detroit. Profane, profound, hilarious. A real shocker of a finale too.
April 30, 2023
Crime fiction author, Vern Smith, has written a strong noir novel that readers will not want to put down until the last word is read. Veteran black police detective Alex Johnson is assigned to partner with newly promoted white policeman Cecil Bolan. They are investigating auto fraud cases in Toronto, Ontario in the spring of 2001 when witnesses are murdered viciously execution-style by necklacing.
Doyle Allenby, one of Cecil’s friends, is a victim. How Cecil hunts down the perps makes for engrossing reading. Although the crimes are grim, the repartee between Cecil and Alex is clever and witty. The characters, including the perps, are well-developed. Smith has the right sense of setting and uses many references to the time period. A first-rate novel, fast-paced and absorbing, that I recommend to readers.
Doyle Allenby, one of Cecil’s friends, is a victim. How Cecil hunts down the perps makes for engrossing reading. Although the crimes are grim, the repartee between Cecil and Alex is clever and witty. The characters, including the perps, are well-developed. Smith has the right sense of setting and uses many references to the time period. A first-rate novel, fast-paced and absorbing, that I recommend to readers.
June 26, 2023
A truly superb crime read. This cornucopia of corruption and conflicted characters Canadian-style paints a gritty and uncomfortable picture of Toronto and its underbelly, but it would be equally accurate of any Western metropolis. Smith lays bare the insidious and layered hypocrisy of respectable officialdom, and society more broadly, with graphic realism, bursts of humour, and a refreshingly complete absence of any polite façade. What a sweet departure from the sanitized, timid, and vanilla volumes of mediocrity that permeate so much modern fiction. Smith conjures up a cast of memorable characters, all flawed and many despicable, but all drawn with vivid detail and humanness to deftly expose the brutal, seedy nature and cost of organized crime and corruption. As in life, everyone’s in the mix, hand-in-hand waiting for the payoffs: politicians, police, lawyers, journalists, and criminals. And the police personalities and dialogue are bang on, amongst the very best I’ve read from an author who hasn’t actually served in law enforcement. Bravo, Mr Smith, for a hell of a ride.
April 5, 2023
As good as it gets when it comes to detective fiction—a novel that evokes George V. Higgins in tone and style, but Vern Smith wields his own keen literary powers...Complex characters and a plot that ripples excitedly toward its own slightly off center target. Smith is a no holds barred writer, one who knows that true literature holds society's feet to the fire. A not to be missed detective story.
April 22, 2023
Sacre Bleu!! In SCRATCHING THE FLINT, out now from Run Amok, anti-fraud Toronto detectives Alex Johnson a and Cecil Bolan (picture a Canadian Riggs and Murtaugh) are hot on the trail of a vintage car theft ring bossed by the brutal and brutally ridiculous French-Canadian crime boss Jean-Max Renaldo. Sharp, fast-moving, and at times laugh-out-loud hilarious, this fresh and unique noir novel is set in the long-ago and forever lost world of spring 2001 and depicts, at its edges, the institutional failure our societies have been living through since then—think The Wire, minus David Simon’s simplistic, tribal and profoundly annoying elite-approved “solutions.” Vern Smith knocked it out of the park. Don’t miss this one!
April 17, 2023
Top-notch crime fiction here following the detective pair introduced in Smith's previous novella The Gimmick.
April 18, 2024
An excellent, atmospheric crime thriller that calls to mind Elmore Leonard. A realistic look at day-to-day policework during an investigation. Great dialogue, characters and plot. Peak crime fiction.
December 31, 2024
A flourishing, somersault read full of bumps and boulders.
June 24, 2023
SCRATCHING THE FLINT covers about two weeks in the lives of a motley crew of characters: the older detective Alex Johnson who's been tasked (burdened?) with "seasoning" his younger partner, Cecil Bolan; the French-Canadian criminal Jean-Max; compromised journalist Gordon Sung and others. Justice moves slowly - or not at all - and Cecil takes matters into his own hands to mete it out when the powers that be won't.
The story zips right along, which is either a curse (for those that want more of these characters, this story) or a blessing (for those that want another notch in their yearly reading goal). There are horrific moments (per any crime novel that isn't within the cozy subgenre), unexpectedly funny moments, and a really poignant musing by the journalist character near the end that speaks to the rapid degradation of "just the facts, ma'am" journalism. Highly recommend!
The story zips right along, which is either a curse (for those that want more of these characters, this story) or a blessing (for those that want another notch in their yearly reading goal). There are horrific moments (per any crime novel that isn't within the cozy subgenre), unexpectedly funny moments, and a really poignant musing by the journalist character near the end that speaks to the rapid degradation of "just the facts, ma'am" journalism. Highly recommend!
April 17, 2024
This excellent noir seamlessly blends humor and craft into vivid storytelling. The characters, the anti-fraud team of Alex Johnson and Cecil Bolan, are intricately created with depth and empathy, and Smith's prose is tight, eloquent and funny! But you're here for the pacing-- it's a true page turner!
April 19, 2024
A well executed novel in the traditon of Elmore Leonard.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews