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Hunter at Large
Thomas B. Dewey. Hunter at Large. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1961. First edition, first printing. Octavo. 215 pages.
215 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
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About the author
Thomas B. Dewey
86 books8 followersThomas Blanchard Dewey was an American author of hardboiled crime novels. He created two series of novels: the first one features Mac, a private investigator from Chicago, the second features Pete Schofield.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
July 27, 2021
Dewey’s 1961 standalone novel, Hunter at Large, is a lesson in how to take one theme and stick to it. The plot is simple. Nothing complex. No twists, turns, or surprises. Nevertheless, Dewey channels his best Mike Hammer in a man’s single-handed thirst for vengeance.
Dewey plays all the right notes in this symphony, starting with the sweet domestic scene at the beginning as Officer Mickey Phillips comes home from work and his wife Kathy greets him at the door in her sexy new dress. The romance is so blissful. And, then, like a sledgehammer coming down from the heavens, Dewey rips it all apart in one of the most heartbreaking and harrowing scenes ever written. Details matter and Dewey offers up the details so precisely the reader feels like they are seeing it through Mickey’s eyes and ears as he falls through a trapdoor to hell.
But all that’s left to Mickey when he walks out of the hospital is revenge. There are no clues, no information, nothing to go on.
How does any survivor go on under these circumstances? What Justice can there ever be that will make them whole again? It’s amazing that people somehow put themselves together and pretend that they can get through a day without falling apart.
Mickey doesn’t think about it. He turns in his badge, sells his house, and heads off into the sunset, knowing there is nowhere on earth the bastards can hide.
But, what makes this novel something more than just a shoot-em-up vengeance story is that Mickey is basically a good, decent guy. He doesn’t revel in the blood and guts that must be spilled. He has a hard time of it, trying to figure out what the right thing is to do. He has, on the one hand, left society and gone outside the grid, using a false name, taking odd jobs, taking odd companions, but the core of him is still part of society. In the end, he really wants to still be a decent guy even though what these guys did to Kathy has ripped him to shreds.
“Hunter at Large” is an example of just why Dewey is one of those under-rated authors few today have heard of.
Dewey plays all the right notes in this symphony, starting with the sweet domestic scene at the beginning as Officer Mickey Phillips comes home from work and his wife Kathy greets him at the door in her sexy new dress. The romance is so blissful. And, then, like a sledgehammer coming down from the heavens, Dewey rips it all apart in one of the most heartbreaking and harrowing scenes ever written. Details matter and Dewey offers up the details so precisely the reader feels like they are seeing it through Mickey’s eyes and ears as he falls through a trapdoor to hell.
But all that’s left to Mickey when he walks out of the hospital is revenge. There are no clues, no information, nothing to go on.
How does any survivor go on under these circumstances? What Justice can there ever be that will make them whole again? It’s amazing that people somehow put themselves together and pretend that they can get through a day without falling apart.
Mickey doesn’t think about it. He turns in his badge, sells his house, and heads off into the sunset, knowing there is nowhere on earth the bastards can hide.
But, what makes this novel something more than just a shoot-em-up vengeance story is that Mickey is basically a good, decent guy. He doesn’t revel in the blood and guts that must be spilled. He has a hard time of it, trying to figure out what the right thing is to do. He has, on the one hand, left society and gone outside the grid, using a false name, taking odd jobs, taking odd companions, but the core of him is still part of society. In the end, he really wants to still be a decent guy even though what these guys did to Kathy has ripped him to shreds.
“Hunter at Large” is an example of just why Dewey is one of those under-rated authors few today have heard of.
December 13, 2017
Another fine character driven noir from Dewey, this time telling the story of a cop solving the mystery of his wife's murder as he ventures across the county on the trail of the killers. The emphasis here is on the exceptionally well drawn characters and their true and vivid dialogue. The plotting holds together well, although the climax at the end seems a bit rushed. One of those books that seem like it would make a great movie. This novel is included in the The Noir Novel MEGAPACK ™: 4 Great Crime Novels for a mere $0.99 and hopefully can find a well deserved larger audience.
November 14, 2015
Superior noir from 1961, despite a saccharine opening and slapdash finish.
For the most part, Dewey gives this book his all: it's taut and exciting, and the central characters are portrayed with sensitivity and feeling---one cares what happens to them. There is nothing perfunctory about the writing, which is tough and vivid without lapsing into hardboiled stylistic cliches. Why on earth isn't this book better known?
One fine touch among many: early on, the central character, physically and emotionally at rock bottom, crawls through his crisis by establishing a deep rapport with an understanding nurse. The jaded reader naturally expects the latter will go on to play some further role in the development of the story, but Dewey instead gently eases her out of the narrative altogether. Later on, he does much the same thing with an even bigger character. In other words, Dewey violates pulp formula by allowing characters to come and go in a natural, unforced way.
Perhaps this reluctance to engage in the usual sort of crime novel plotting underlies the untidiness of the climax. Ordinarily one is pulled to the climax by the desire to find out what the mystery was all about; here, the characters' inner lives are more interesting than the mystery, and the hero's emotional journey is complete before the climax of the plot is attained, so Dewey appears a little bored with the unwelcome mechanics of having to go on to resolve the mystery, and does so half-heartedly.
But if careful plotting were all that mattered, no one would read Chandler. This book's considerable strengths lie elsewhere.
For the most part, Dewey gives this book his all: it's taut and exciting, and the central characters are portrayed with sensitivity and feeling---one cares what happens to them. There is nothing perfunctory about the writing, which is tough and vivid without lapsing into hardboiled stylistic cliches. Why on earth isn't this book better known?
One fine touch among many: early on, the central character, physically and emotionally at rock bottom, crawls through his crisis by establishing a deep rapport with an understanding nurse. The jaded reader naturally expects the latter will go on to play some further role in the development of the story, but Dewey instead gently eases her out of the narrative altogether. Later on, he does much the same thing with an even bigger character. In other words, Dewey violates pulp formula by allowing characters to come and go in a natural, unforced way.
Perhaps this reluctance to engage in the usual sort of crime novel plotting underlies the untidiness of the climax. Ordinarily one is pulled to the climax by the desire to find out what the mystery was all about; here, the characters' inner lives are more interesting than the mystery, and the hero's emotional journey is complete before the climax of the plot is attained, so Dewey appears a little bored with the unwelcome mechanics of having to go on to resolve the mystery, and does so half-heartedly.
But if careful plotting were all that mattered, no one would read Chandler. This book's considerable strengths lie elsewhere.
July 3, 2025
Hunter at Large by Thomas B. Dewey (1961, 215 pgs.) was a very good & well written thriller...I enjoyed it very much. It's basically a vengeance story where police officer Mickey Philips hunts down the killers of his wife. The setting and characters jump out at you, the prose is excellent, and the plot-line moves right along. Hunter at Large, which reminded me a bit of a John D. MacDonald novel, was written in 1961 and if it was written in the present day it could have easily been stretched-out to 450 pgs. I recommend and I'll be looking for more books by author Dewey...4.0 outta 5.0
October 17, 2015
Really enjoyable pulp fiction from the early 60's.
September 24, 2024
This novel is prime for an action movie. Mickey Phillips, detective second grade, is home for the evening, a rare occasion due to a combination of workload and short-staffing at the bureau. His beautiful wife, Kathy, has prepared his favorite meal and they’re grateful for the romantic evening ahead. But their martial bliss quickly turns to horror when two home invaders arrive. The murder of Kathy is particularly brutal and Mickey receives his own brand of torture. He is shot to ensure there are no witnesses, but somehow he survives.
After months of rehab, he finally regains his memory of that night and his physical stamina. Now he wants only to find out who did this—and why? His Captain can’t condone Mickey’s vigilante mentality, he wants to track the killers through normal channels and see the men are brought to justice. Mickey wants only one case and one objective. In short order, Mickey resigns his position and begins the hunt.
There is a relentless aspect of Mickey’s determination and his pursuit of clues as to the identity of the killers, but time is also relentless and Mickey is forced to live a life in the same reality of his hunt. Along the way, he meets two women. Very different, but each unique and affecting to Mickey and readers. These subplots add unexpected constraints to the hunt, and force Mickey to confront himself and his mission.
Hunter at Large is a first rate manhunt thrill-ride with plenty of action, great characters, and several unexpected revelations.
First published in 1961 in hardcover by Simon and Schuster, its latest edition is from Stark House Press’ Black Gat Books, No. 62 in the series. This edition includes Dewey’s bibliography and a short bio.
After months of rehab, he finally regains his memory of that night and his physical stamina. Now he wants only to find out who did this—and why? His Captain can’t condone Mickey’s vigilante mentality, he wants to track the killers through normal channels and see the men are brought to justice. Mickey wants only one case and one objective. In short order, Mickey resigns his position and begins the hunt.
There is a relentless aspect of Mickey’s determination and his pursuit of clues as to the identity of the killers, but time is also relentless and Mickey is forced to live a life in the same reality of his hunt. Along the way, he meets two women. Very different, but each unique and affecting to Mickey and readers. These subplots add unexpected constraints to the hunt, and force Mickey to confront himself and his mission.
Hunter at Large is a first rate manhunt thrill-ride with plenty of action, great characters, and several unexpected revelations.
First published in 1961 in hardcover by Simon and Schuster, its latest edition is from Stark House Press’ Black Gat Books, No. 62 in the series. This edition includes Dewey’s bibliography and a short bio.
July 7, 2018
This is an excellent "hardboiled detective" novel that deserves to be read by those who love no nonsense mystery stories. When a cop's wife is murdered, he turns in his badge and sets out to find the culprit. The plot is tight. The characters are well formed. The ending and the explanation for the killing is amazingly well handled. This is one of those books, despite being dated in parts, that deserve to never go out of print.
March 16, 2018
A superior hardboiled revenge thriller from an author that gets little respect or reprints these days. The beginning may be cloying and the ending somewhat abrupt and not entirely satisfying, but the book is otherwise better than most of the stuff Hardcase and Stark House are reprinting these days. Time to take a look a Dewey's other non-series books!
October 24, 2024
A case of mistaken Identity leads at least 4 people dead. This was well written however dated.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews