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Cal Innes #1
Saturday's Child
Cal Innes is fresh out of prison and ducking a past muddied with ties to local gang lord "Uncle" Morris Tiernan. But when Tiernan finds out Innes is working as an unlicensed PI and calls in a favor Innes doesn’t owe, Innes is thrust into a cat-and-mouse game with Tiernan’s psychotic son, Mo. Ordered to track down a rogue casino dealer who’s absconded with a hefty chunk of cash, Innes finds that the case points north to Newcastle. With Tiernan’s son on his tail and a Manchester cop determined to put Innes back in jail, Saturday’s child has to work hard to keep living.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2007
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 30, 2014
When a mobster hires unlicensed PI Cal Innes to find a dealer (casino, not drug) that took off with his money, Innes quickly finds himself in over his head. Further complicating things are Mo Tiernan, the mobster's psychotic son, who thinks he should have been given the assignment. And why is the elder Tiernan really so keen on getting his hands on the dealer?
This book fell into my lap for two reasons: 1) None other than Johnny Shaw vouched for it and 2) It was free on the Kindle. Fortunately, it was one of those freebies that I would have gladly spent money on.
Saturday's Child is like a movie Jason Statham would have been in before he starting exclusively making shitty action movies. The lead, Callum Innes, is a damaged goods drunk detective in the mold of George Pelecanos' Nick Stefanos or Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder.
The case looks simple a the outset but quickly proves to be much more complex. Turns out Rob Stokes took a lot more from Morris Tiernan. Further complicating things is the younger Tiernan, Mo, a drugged out psychopath. It's all Cal can do to keep from getting killed in a whirlwind of booze and violence.
The setting, Manchester and Newcastle, set it apart from a lot of other crime books, though I could see all the British slang and dialect turning off some readers. Like the aforementioned Nick Stefanos, the case is almost secondary with the problems and history of Cal Innes taking center stage. Cal pretty much makes the dog's breakfast out of the case and takes several beatings. The hard violence is tempered with Cal's black brand of humor, making for quite an enjoyable read.
That's about all I have to say. If you're into English gangsters, this is the book for you. And it's free. Four out of five stars.
This book fell into my lap for two reasons: 1) None other than Johnny Shaw vouched for it and 2) It was free on the Kindle. Fortunately, it was one of those freebies that I would have gladly spent money on.
Saturday's Child is like a movie Jason Statham would have been in before he starting exclusively making shitty action movies. The lead, Callum Innes, is a damaged goods drunk detective in the mold of George Pelecanos' Nick Stefanos or Lawrence Block's Matthew Scudder.
The case looks simple a the outset but quickly proves to be much more complex. Turns out Rob Stokes took a lot more from Morris Tiernan. Further complicating things is the younger Tiernan, Mo, a drugged out psychopath. It's all Cal can do to keep from getting killed in a whirlwind of booze and violence.
The setting, Manchester and Newcastle, set it apart from a lot of other crime books, though I could see all the British slang and dialect turning off some readers. Like the aforementioned Nick Stefanos, the case is almost secondary with the problems and history of Cal Innes taking center stage. Cal pretty much makes the dog's breakfast out of the case and takes several beatings. The hard violence is tempered with Cal's black brand of humor, making for quite an enjoyable read.
That's about all I have to say. If you're into English gangsters, this is the book for you. And it's free. Four out of five stars.
February 9, 2018
Saturday’s Child is a man-out-of-prison noir featuring unofficial P.I, Cal Innes who is often criticized by his quarry as a hatchet-man for the underworld as opposed to working the straight and narrow, which isn’t that far removed from the truth given Innes's method in madness.
The story centers around a runaway; a crooked dealer in the wind with a bag full of underworld heavy Morris Tiernan’s hard earned illegal cash. Tiernan reaches out to Innes to retrieve the goods. Sounds straight forward enough, however, things get clouded when Mo, Tiernan’s son, becomes jaded, thinking he’s the better option to track down the thief.
Mo’s language is difficult to decipher initially but as the story progresses, the colorful and often offensive language compliments the gritty tone of this crime fiction. I particularly liked the black humor infused in his hardman dialogue which offset his predominantly violent nature (to a degree).
Despite not having a clean cut ending (Mo/Innes and others sub plots are left hanging), Saturday’s Child does wrap up the major plot points surrounding the runaway Innes is hired to track down. Personally, I would’ve liked another 20-odd pages to make the book feel more complete but nonetheless it still works well.
My rating: 4/5 stars. I’ve long been a fan of Ray Banks and hope to track down the other books in the Cal Innes series.
The story centers around a runaway; a crooked dealer in the wind with a bag full of underworld heavy Morris Tiernan’s hard earned illegal cash. Tiernan reaches out to Innes to retrieve the goods. Sounds straight forward enough, however, things get clouded when Mo, Tiernan’s son, becomes jaded, thinking he’s the better option to track down the thief.
Mo’s language is difficult to decipher initially but as the story progresses, the colorful and often offensive language compliments the gritty tone of this crime fiction. I particularly liked the black humor infused in his hardman dialogue which offset his predominantly violent nature (to a degree).
Despite not having a clean cut ending (Mo/Innes and others sub plots are left hanging), Saturday’s Child does wrap up the major plot points surrounding the runaway Innes is hired to track down. Personally, I would’ve liked another 20-odd pages to make the book feel more complete but nonetheless it still works well.
My rating: 4/5 stars. I’ve long been a fan of Ray Banks and hope to track down the other books in the Cal Innes series.
May 9, 2014
Introduction to Cal Innes – ex-con and unlicensed private investigator with a bad hangover and a nasty toothache. The hangover is an everyday occurrence due to the fact that he cannot remember the last time he drank something that wasn’t alcoholic. His credo runs along the lines of ‘Life stinks, so hold your nose.’
There is so much fun to be had with descriptions here. Rossie has a face that resembles a cat’s arse. Columbo is a dwarf with a glass eye – but which one? The clerk in Roscoe’s Tattoo Parlor is a girl who looks like she covered her face in glue and headbutted a bag of ball bearings, which leads me to believe that Roscoe’s must do piercings as well as tats. Let’s not forget the trollop showing an unhealthy dose of cleavage, trying for a sultry look that has grown sickly with overuse. My own personal favorite was a woman who looks like she just ‘caught a nostril full of something rancid’. We all know that look, don’t we?
Caution – this book contains mass quantities of profanity and gutter language, so if those are deal breakers for you, steer clear. Although I did not find the characters to be particularly deep, they certainly were vivid. The story did not click with me as resolutely as others of its type, but I enjoyed it well enough.
There is so much fun to be had with descriptions here. Rossie has a face that resembles a cat’s arse. Columbo is a dwarf with a glass eye – but which one? The clerk in Roscoe’s Tattoo Parlor is a girl who looks like she covered her face in glue and headbutted a bag of ball bearings, which leads me to believe that Roscoe’s must do piercings as well as tats. Let’s not forget the trollop showing an unhealthy dose of cleavage, trying for a sultry look that has grown sickly with overuse. My own personal favorite was a woman who looks like she just ‘caught a nostril full of something rancid’. We all know that look, don’t we?
Caution – this book contains mass quantities of profanity and gutter language, so if those are deal breakers for you, steer clear. Although I did not find the characters to be particularly deep, they certainly were vivid. The story did not click with me as resolutely as others of its type, but I enjoyed it well enough.
April 7, 2014
Ray Banks' "Saturday's Child" is the first novel in the Cal Innes series. I read the third novel in the series, "Donkey Punch", (reviewed here) earlier and liked it more. For one thing, in "Saturday's Child", Cal's character is still in pupal stage, quite under construction; likely the author himself does not yet know how his protagonist will develop. This alcoholic ex-convict is deeply moral, yet able to viciously beat an opponent almost to death. Is it plausible? Maybe, but Mr. Banks has not managed to convince me.
Cal, quite fresh out of prison, works as an unofficial P.I., finding missing people or evidence. Morris Tiernan, a powerful Manchester crime lord, hires Cal to find a card dealer who absconded with a large sum of money. In the other thread, Mo Tiernan, Morris' psychopathic son, wants the case for himself and is determined to humiliate Cal. The novel's two threads continue in parallel. Of course, we soon find out there is more to the case than just the dealer's disappearance, and we witness numerous heavy beatings.
Mr. Banks is hailed as a standard bearer for "Manchester noir." However, in this novel Cal often agonizes over the moral decisions that he makes; this overthinking is not a very noir treat.
There are some problems with dialogues, for instance Cal's conversation with Alison sounds artificial. Mo's thread is written in a regional dialect, e.g., "They was...", "he were...", etc., and the whole text is full of profanities (for instance, 22 "f-words" and 6 "c-words" in the space of about two pages). Of course, I have nothing against profane speech; people do talk like that all the time (especially head cases like Mo), yet eventually it gets pretty boring.
This is the third best book by Mr. Banks of the three that I have read (the other review is here).
Two and one quarter stars.
Cal, quite fresh out of prison, works as an unofficial P.I., finding missing people or evidence. Morris Tiernan, a powerful Manchester crime lord, hires Cal to find a card dealer who absconded with a large sum of money. In the other thread, Mo Tiernan, Morris' psychopathic son, wants the case for himself and is determined to humiliate Cal. The novel's two threads continue in parallel. Of course, we soon find out there is more to the case than just the dealer's disappearance, and we witness numerous heavy beatings.
Mr. Banks is hailed as a standard bearer for "Manchester noir." However, in this novel Cal often agonizes over the moral decisions that he makes; this overthinking is not a very noir treat.
There are some problems with dialogues, for instance Cal's conversation with Alison sounds artificial. Mo's thread is written in a regional dialect, e.g., "They was...", "he were...", etc., and the whole text is full of profanities (for instance, 22 "f-words" and 6 "c-words" in the space of about two pages). Of course, I have nothing against profane speech; people do talk like that all the time (especially head cases like Mo), yet eventually it gets pretty boring.
This is the third best book by Mr. Banks of the three that I have read (the other review is here).
Two and one quarter stars.
July 27, 2010
I tend to like British crime novels, and since I had a great few days in Manchester many years ago, I figured I'd check out this first in a Manchester-set series featuring ex-con Cal Innes. After taking the fall for a botched robbery led by the psycho son of a local crimelord, Cal did about half of a five-year stretch. Since his release, he's been eking out a living as a kind of informal detective, doing odds and ends of work for all kinds of people while trying to keep his prodigious drinking somewhat under control, and himself out of jail.
When the crimelord asks him to track down a blackjack dealer who's made off with 10k of his house money, it's less a request than an order, and one Cal can't really refuse. Unfortunately for Cal, he's not the most subtle detective, and soon enough he's raised enough hackles to be in a fight or three. Meanwhile, the crimelord's son is upset that he hasn't been given the task of tracking the dealer down, and is intent on scaring Cal off the job. The story unfolds in brief chapters alternating between Cal's voice and that of the psycho son, as the story takes them up to Newcastle in pursuit of the dodgy dealer. (Both voices are laden with regional and drug slang, so those who have problems deciphering these be forewarned.)
Needless to say, not everything is as it seems, but Cal has to learn that the hard way. And the hard way was never so hard as it is in this book, as Cal gets battered, bloodied and beaten to pulp (and to be fair, doles out some of same in kind). The book is a very physical one, not only in the sense of the batterings bodies take, but also in the way that the reader is made acutely aware of everything the main characters ingest, from pills, to booze, to smokes, to greasy cafe food. There's something about it that makes one very aware of the human body.
The plot itself is pretty straight-forward, but the pacing is such that you're sucked along the simple ride pretty quickly. (There are minor subplots involving a Manchester cop hassling Cal, and a potential romantic interest in Newcastle.) The ending is rather interesting, not a typical crime story ending, but more in keeping with some of the bleak films of the early 1970s. That rescues it from feeling otherwise a little thin, and the whole thing feels like a bit of a warmup for more involved future stories about Cal (which appear in the book's sequels, Sucker Punch and No More Heroes.)
When the crimelord asks him to track down a blackjack dealer who's made off with 10k of his house money, it's less a request than an order, and one Cal can't really refuse. Unfortunately for Cal, he's not the most subtle detective, and soon enough he's raised enough hackles to be in a fight or three. Meanwhile, the crimelord's son is upset that he hasn't been given the task of tracking the dealer down, and is intent on scaring Cal off the job. The story unfolds in brief chapters alternating between Cal's voice and that of the psycho son, as the story takes them up to Newcastle in pursuit of the dodgy dealer. (Both voices are laden with regional and drug slang, so those who have problems deciphering these be forewarned.)
Needless to say, not everything is as it seems, but Cal has to learn that the hard way. And the hard way was never so hard as it is in this book, as Cal gets battered, bloodied and beaten to pulp (and to be fair, doles out some of same in kind). The book is a very physical one, not only in the sense of the batterings bodies take, but also in the way that the reader is made acutely aware of everything the main characters ingest, from pills, to booze, to smokes, to greasy cafe food. There's something about it that makes one very aware of the human body.
The plot itself is pretty straight-forward, but the pacing is such that you're sucked along the simple ride pretty quickly. (There are minor subplots involving a Manchester cop hassling Cal, and a potential romantic interest in Newcastle.) The ending is rather interesting, not a typical crime story ending, but more in keeping with some of the bleak films of the early 1970s. That rescues it from feeling otherwise a little thin, and the whole thing feels like a bit of a warmup for more involved future stories about Cal (which appear in the book's sequels, Sucker Punch and No More Heroes.)
June 14, 2008
Ex-con and unofficial PI Callum Innes has no choice but to help gang lord Morris Tiernan find an employee who’s disappeared with some of Morris’s money. But Tiernan’s nasty son, Mo, has sinister plans for Cal, when the time is right.
The badly beaten man left for dead in this novel is only a subplot. The main story is Cal’s quest to find the employee and figure out how he’s going to stay out of trouble while doing so. The police think he’s responsible for the beating, and every time Cal gets a little closer to finding the missing employee something violent happens.
There’s plenty to like about this fast paced novel. The dialogue’s terrific and the author’s narrative descriptions are amazing. Check out Cal’s sparring match with his friend, Paulo, on pages 109 to 112. Wow. Also strong are Cal’s and Mo’s voices. The story’s told from two points of view, both first person and in present tense, yet it’s easy to identify who’s speaking simply by the language used. Of course, Mo doesn’t have much of a vocabulary beyond the usual four-letter assortment.
Although Cal’s not the world’s smartest protagonist, he is an intriguing character. A down-on-his-luck man addicted to tobacco and alcohol is a stereotype, sure, but I rooted for this guy. Despite his many mistakes and lack of common sense, Cal wants to do a little better, be a little better. Yet for every step he takes forward, he falls back two. And still he doesn’t pack it in.
Great books aren’t just about engaging plots and interesting characters. They’re about emotion. Emotion in the story and an emotional response from the reader. SATURDAY’S CHILD certainly got a response from me, which was why I wanted more from the ending. To explain further might give too much away. So, read the book and enjoy.
The badly beaten man left for dead in this novel is only a subplot. The main story is Cal’s quest to find the employee and figure out how he’s going to stay out of trouble while doing so. The police think he’s responsible for the beating, and every time Cal gets a little closer to finding the missing employee something violent happens.
There’s plenty to like about this fast paced novel. The dialogue’s terrific and the author’s narrative descriptions are amazing. Check out Cal’s sparring match with his friend, Paulo, on pages 109 to 112. Wow. Also strong are Cal’s and Mo’s voices. The story’s told from two points of view, both first person and in present tense, yet it’s easy to identify who’s speaking simply by the language used. Of course, Mo doesn’t have much of a vocabulary beyond the usual four-letter assortment.
Although Cal’s not the world’s smartest protagonist, he is an intriguing character. A down-on-his-luck man addicted to tobacco and alcohol is a stereotype, sure, but I rooted for this guy. Despite his many mistakes and lack of common sense, Cal wants to do a little better, be a little better. Yet for every step he takes forward, he falls back two. And still he doesn’t pack it in.
Great books aren’t just about engaging plots and interesting characters. They’re about emotion. Emotion in the story and an emotional response from the reader. SATURDAY’S CHILD certainly got a response from me, which was why I wanted more from the ending. To explain further might give too much away. So, read the book and enjoy.
May 29, 2012
Saturday’s Child is a gritty view of the Northern underclass; hard men prowling the streets getting into scrapes and dodgy deals, making ends meet with menaces, and the other folk who survive amongst them. Banks does a credible job of portraying post-prison life and the world of inner city Manchester. Innes and Mo Tiernan are well penned characters, and the others are mostly more than stock support figures. In the main the story is well plotted and told. Banks has a keen observational eye and a nice turn of phrase, and the dialogue and scenes are nicely constructed. The tactic of having two first person narratives was a little jarring at first but worked well overall. Where the story started to unravel a little was in the second half. The relationship with Donna was under-developed and felt like a weak, convenient plot device that served a particular purpose, but went nowhere. And the ended felt limp and partial, with at least one major thread left hanging. I don’t mind open endings, but this felt forgotten as opposed to open. Overall, an enjoyable slice of modern day, gritty, urban, British noir.
April 16, 2014
Buy the Omnibus Edition to get 4 Novels at 1 Price
After reading "Gun" (a short story), I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy Saturday's Child even though it was recommended by a good friend. I'm glad I bought the novel. While Cal and many of the main characters in the novel seem to be honestly portrayed, I did feel that Mo and Donkey were a bit stereotypical. Plot-wise, the twists and turns were what one would expect from a well-written noir thriller, but I was frustrated by Cal's naivete'. At times I felt Cal was a complete idiot and clearly out of his depth. I'm surprised he survived the novel.
I've traveled through England, but never to Manchester. I always pictured Manchester as the home of Robert Shaw, Ernest Rutherford and Brian Cox (and Manchester United, of course). Banks exposes us to the underbelly of the city…not necessarily a pleasant experience. I did enjoy the references to the homegrown bands and musicians, however.
All in all, a worthwhile read. I've bought the Omnibus edition though I don't see how Cal can survive many more assignments.
After reading "Gun" (a short story), I wasn't sure whether I would enjoy Saturday's Child even though it was recommended by a good friend. I'm glad I bought the novel. While Cal and many of the main characters in the novel seem to be honestly portrayed, I did feel that Mo and Donkey were a bit stereotypical. Plot-wise, the twists and turns were what one would expect from a well-written noir thriller, but I was frustrated by Cal's naivete'. At times I felt Cal was a complete idiot and clearly out of his depth. I'm surprised he survived the novel.
I've traveled through England, but never to Manchester. I always pictured Manchester as the home of Robert Shaw, Ernest Rutherford and Brian Cox (and Manchester United, of course). Banks exposes us to the underbelly of the city…not necessarily a pleasant experience. I did enjoy the references to the homegrown bands and musicians, however.
All in all, a worthwhile read. I've bought the Omnibus edition though I don't see how Cal can survive many more assignments.
July 23, 2009
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The language and approach caught me by surprise and I was quickly absorbed.
While the plot may be a little thin for some, the characters really bring the book to life. It is too often in a mystery that every hunch or clue leads to something. This book is so full of bad decisions and wrong directions that it feels both real and fresh.
The approach to violence is what I really appreciate. Most modern neo-noir books approach violence in a one-note way (often one-note in tone, in general), either flippantly or intensely serious. Banks finds a good middle ground based on context. Sometimes violence is serious and sometimes it isn't.
A great, entertaining read.
While the plot may be a little thin for some, the characters really bring the book to life. It is too often in a mystery that every hunch or clue leads to something. This book is so full of bad decisions and wrong directions that it feels both real and fresh.
The approach to violence is what I really appreciate. Most modern neo-noir books approach violence in a one-note way (often one-note in tone, in general), either flippantly or intensely serious. Banks finds a good middle ground based on context. Sometimes violence is serious and sometimes it isn't.
A great, entertaining read.
August 13, 2011
This is a very British crime novel - gritty rather than glamorous, set in a world of council flats, rough pubs and grubby casinos where the weapons of choice are fists and Stanley knives and the drugs are pills and speed. It's bloody, brilliant stuff with characters who leap from the page, usually with something sharp in their hands. Cal Innes is fascinating, a man who tries to do the right thing but can't help pressing the self-destruct button again and again and again, and in Saturday's Child he stumbles into a situation that turns out to be considerably worse than he could have imagined. If you like your crime novels hard-boiled you'll devour this in a single sitting - and you'll be on the edge of your seat throughout.
March 29, 2014
Saturday's Child is a gritty, northern crime novel about a Manchester PI Cal Innes who travels to Newcastle looking for a missing teenage girl, her thirty-something boyfriend and a suitcase full of stolen casino money. Deep trouble follows ex-con Cal Innes and each step closer to the missing girl brings punches and kicks to his body and mind. After finishing this novel I felt as exhausted as PI Innes. A hard rain washes over the reader as we are taken through the dark streets of Manchester and Newcastle - evil coppers, psycho gangsters and a weary PI. This is a heady mix that bruises the soul. Innes tries to beat the odds but he's no Sam Spade, every path is a dead end and the only certainty is a kick in the guts for his troubles. Hard rain indeed. Enjoy.
January 6, 2014
The story line was flooded with characters who also had multiple nicknames. It made following the plot cumbersome and disjointed. I think a fold out schematic of characters would have helped somewhat. But in the end the writing style was slanted to a thin slice of readers in the UK that I couldn't identify. It was clear to me that the author needs to take some basic writing classes.
January 3, 2015
Awful. I don't mind the hard-boiled, lots-of-violence mysteries, but this was just poorly done.
February 24, 2011
I was frequently bored but continued to read anyway because the use Mani slang kept me charmed. I don't recommend this book and am surprised it has gotten such good reviews by others.
December 5, 2012
Great start to an Awesome series. Finally available in digital format from Blasted Heath!
November 9, 2016
Dirty, gritty, unpleasant and bloody painful.
But, at least when Mo isn't around, compelling and very well written.
But, at least when Mo isn't around, compelling and very well written.
May 22, 2018
Callum is quite the character. Almost an anti-hero and this time a reluctant investigator for a gang boss. Good characters especially the Mo father and son. The reader really doesn't know what will happen next as the story takes turn after turn. A library book.
July 25, 2017
Valido soprattutto per la caratterizzazione di personaggi del sottoproletariato criminale inglese. Il resto sono botte.
February 12, 2018
It was an ok read..... Did not like the writing from two different characters point of view.
January 4, 2020
A mate’s book. A decent read. Gritty and violent with a kind of layer cake plot. Want to see what happens to Cal after his numerous kickings.
November 3, 2020
I managed 20% of this book, but nothing grabbed me and I became increasingly frustrated with the lead character. So I stopped reading
September 28, 2016
English (Manchester and Newcastle) modern day noir, alternates between ex-con and current unofficial PI Cal and the violent son of the mobster who hires him as viewpoint characters. I'll probably read more of them.
March 13, 2013
Ray Banks is an author who's books often appear under mine on the Amazon queue of people who bought this also bought these. He gets good reviews and critical acclaim, so I was intrigued to read something of his.
This novel is the first in a series featuring Cal Innes. He's a Scotsman living in Manchester, recently released from prison and trying to go straight by becoming a PI. His hopes of staying straight are thwarted by the local gangland kingpin, who 'hires' him to find his missing teenage daughter and her lover who have absconded with a large sum of money from the gangster's illegal casino.
I have to say that by the time I finished the book I was a bit unsure how much I'd enjoyed it. It's original, licks along at a good pace and is action-packed. The story is told in first person from the perspective of Innes in some chapters, and the gangster's son Mo Tiernan in others. It's a device that works well but took a few chapters to get the hang of. The characters are believable and well-drawn, the plot well-constructed, and the dialogue punchy and realistic. What's not to like then?
Hmm. There was nothing I hated about it, but I wasn't massively taken by the overall style of the prose. It's staccatto in nature, using short, clipped sentences much of the time. Towards the end of the book I was beginning to find that slightly irksome. A lot of people will either not notice this or even enjoy it. It's not a flaw, merely my personal taste.
This is definitely in the nitpicking category, but this is the third book in a row I've read where the author repeatedly describes the act of smoking in great detail(almost all the main characters smoke)- brand of ciggie, lighting up techniques, type of lighter used, etc. It's not in the slightest bit interesting and adds nothing to the plot or the character development. I don't get why people do it, sorry.
The thing is, although it's well-written, clever and original, ultimately, I didn't really like Cal Innes as a character or care what happened to him. Therefore, I may well try another Ray Banks book, but it won't be one in this series I'm afraid.
This novel is the first in a series featuring Cal Innes. He's a Scotsman living in Manchester, recently released from prison and trying to go straight by becoming a PI. His hopes of staying straight are thwarted by the local gangland kingpin, who 'hires' him to find his missing teenage daughter and her lover who have absconded with a large sum of money from the gangster's illegal casino.
I have to say that by the time I finished the book I was a bit unsure how much I'd enjoyed it. It's original, licks along at a good pace and is action-packed. The story is told in first person from the perspective of Innes in some chapters, and the gangster's son Mo Tiernan in others. It's a device that works well but took a few chapters to get the hang of. The characters are believable and well-drawn, the plot well-constructed, and the dialogue punchy and realistic. What's not to like then?
Hmm. There was nothing I hated about it, but I wasn't massively taken by the overall style of the prose. It's staccatto in nature, using short, clipped sentences much of the time. Towards the end of the book I was beginning to find that slightly irksome. A lot of people will either not notice this or even enjoy it. It's not a flaw, merely my personal taste.
This is definitely in the nitpicking category, but this is the third book in a row I've read where the author repeatedly describes the act of smoking in great detail(almost all the main characters smoke)- brand of ciggie, lighting up techniques, type of lighter used, etc. It's not in the slightest bit interesting and adds nothing to the plot or the character development. I don't get why people do it, sorry.
The thing is, although it's well-written, clever and original, ultimately, I didn't really like Cal Innes as a character or care what happened to him. Therefore, I may well try another Ray Banks book, but it won't be one in this series I'm afraid.
August 6, 2015
#1 Cal Innes, British Noir
Set in Manchester, this violent, gritty noir story opens with Cal Innes being released from prison. Cal opens a PI business, and tries to avoid the local gang lord Morris Tiernan. Cal struggles to survive, getting only low-life people coming in.
Cal finally agrees to help Tiernan by tracking down a casino dealer who has disappeared with the club's cash. From the get-go, Tiernan's pill and alcohol addicted adult son "Mo" and his thugs shadow Cal. Mo is furious his father didn't ask him to track down the thief, so he and his low-life thugs shadow Cal, doing everything they can to trip him up.
Mo's addictions, fueled by anger, turns his behavior firmly into the "psychotic" zone. Cal discovers there's more to the story than a casino dealer absconding with the funds. Sorting through the morass of the job, along with several brutal attacks by Mo and his thugs, have Cal wanting out. But no one says "no" to gang lord Tiernan.
Constant violence was disturbing, but it fit with the story. But it's noir, which usually contains a lot of violence.
Set in Manchester, this violent, gritty noir story opens with Cal Innes being released from prison. Cal opens a PI business, and tries to avoid the local gang lord Morris Tiernan. Cal struggles to survive, getting only low-life people coming in.
Cal finally agrees to help Tiernan by tracking down a casino dealer who has disappeared with the club's cash. From the get-go, Tiernan's pill and alcohol addicted adult son "Mo" and his thugs shadow Cal. Mo is furious his father didn't ask him to track down the thief, so he and his low-life thugs shadow Cal, doing everything they can to trip him up.
Mo's addictions, fueled by anger, turns his behavior firmly into the "psychotic" zone. Cal discovers there's more to the story than a casino dealer absconding with the funds. Sorting through the morass of the job, along with several brutal attacks by Mo and his thugs, have Cal wanting out. But no one says "no" to gang lord Tiernan.
Constant violence was disturbing, but it fit with the story. But it's noir, which usually contains a lot of violence.
October 24, 2014
This is a British novel, but no Agatha Christie. The characters come from the Manchester underclass, and there is considerable violence. The novel is darkly comic, particularly those chapters narrated by Mo, an unintelligent vicious blowhard who yearns to be his father's criminal right hand man (and occasionally daydreams about killing said father). Cal Innes is an ex-con who wants to go straight and has occasional jobs as an unlicensed private investigator. Cal has considerable self-awareness, but that doesn't seem to do him much good. The language of the book is nearly a character in itself.
April 6, 2009
This is a book that relies heavily on humor and British vernacular. Sometimes the complexity of the slang made it difficult for this Yank to follow the plot. There's a love/romance interest that intrigues but fails to go anywhere. Lots of violence, not a lot to give the reader faith in human nature, but that's OK in this context. For this type of crime fiction, I still think Ken Bruen writes circles around any other crimepunk writer. But Banks is off to a good start, and I'll happily read another Cal Innes novel... but not til I can get it in paperback.
July 1, 2014
Cal Innes is an alcoholic ex-con who gets roped into a crime boss' desire to find a dealer who stole from one of his clubs and ran off. Throw in the crime boss' amazingly stupid psychopathic son and his even dimmer mates, who take Cal's role very poorly, stir with Cal's own ability to fuck himself over, and the result is an extremely violent...something. Investigation implies a certain amount of logic and rationality. Quest is overly romantic.
Highly, highly recommended. Like a less-optimistic but much funnier Jack's Return Home.
Highly, highly recommended. Like a less-optimistic but much funnier Jack's Return Home.
July 19, 2009
PROTAGONIST: Cal Innes, PI
SETTING: Scotland
SERIES: 1 of 4
RATING: 3.75
WHY: Cal Innes is a PI in Scotland who has served time and is now on probation, working at Paolo's Gym. He is called upon by the local crime head to find his daughter, which also involves dealing with his dimwitted and mean son, Mo Tierney. The Scottish slang was at times hard to translate. There was a lot more violence than needed; it overwhelmed the plot. I like Banks' writing, but this one was a bit rough.
SETTING: Scotland
SERIES: 1 of 4
RATING: 3.75
WHY: Cal Innes is a PI in Scotland who has served time and is now on probation, working at Paolo's Gym. He is called upon by the local crime head to find his daughter, which also involves dealing with his dimwitted and mean son, Mo Tierney. The Scottish slang was at times hard to translate. There was a lot more violence than needed; it overwhelmed the plot. I like Banks' writing, but this one was a bit rough.
February 21, 2010
Callum Innes is a Leith lad but now summat of a Manc, trying to go straight, run a little PI work in the neighborhood but bollocks if Uncle Mo Tiernan don't have a job for him. And you don't want to piss off the local mob-type boss.
I'm going to read the second volume in this series before I pass judgment on this one, because the end, well, let's just say that it ain't an ending that sits well with me.
I'm going to read the second volume in this series before I pass judgment on this one, because the end, well, let's just say that it ain't an ending that sits well with me.
September 1, 2015
It's ok. Nothing special. Cal is just too unbelievably watless to be an ex-con and P.I.
As for Mo, he feels like he's supposed to be comedic but I think the author didn't quite achieve it he reads mostly like an unfunny attempt to parody a cardboard gangster.
As for the gay character, he felt like he was only made gay to tick a box. His sexuality has no relevance other, maybe to say, "yo, gay guys can be tough y'know?"
I'd read the next one if its price gets reduced.
As for Mo, he feels like he's supposed to be comedic but I think the author didn't quite achieve it he reads mostly like an unfunny attempt to parody a cardboard gangster.
As for the gay character, he felt like he was only made gay to tick a box. His sexuality has no relevance other, maybe to say, "yo, gay guys can be tough y'know?"
I'd read the next one if its price gets reduced.
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