The Box / Journey Into Terror by Peter Rabe

by Peter Rabe

THE Quinn thought he had all the angles figured. But that's when boss Ryder had him stuffed into a crate and shipped around the world. The box is opened in the North African town of Okar, and what emerges is barely human. But once Quinn recovers, he discovers he has a new chance at life. JOURNEY INTO There was a botched robbery and John Bunting's fiance is killed. The cops weren't going to do anything, so he sets out to find the killers himself. That's when he meets Linda, who's just lost her husband. Two wounded souls, one filled with hate, the other with pain--it's funny how much they needed each other.

Genres: Crime

Paperback

First published December 31, 2003

About the author

Peter Rabe aka Peter Rabinowitsch, was a German American writer who also used the nom de plumes Marco Malaponte and J.T. MacCargo (though not all of the latter's books were by him). Rabe was the author of over 30 books, mostly of crime fiction, published between 1955 and 1975.

Reviews

[Still · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished THE BOX this afternoon. I could have knocked it out last night but if I had I wouldn't have been able to go to sleep.

This novel is one of the finest thrillers I've ever read. I mean "thriller" in the classic sense of authors like Poe (minus the supernatural elements), Maupassant, Matheson, Gerald Kersh, Frederic Brown, and their ilk.

It's harrowing, hardboiled, and the narrative induces an inescapable sense of foreboding.

From the blurb:
...When the freighter ports at the North African town of Okar, the captain of the boat decides it's time to unload the box. It's starting to make noises and it smells bad. What emerges from this wooden coffin looks barely human...

I don't want to write another word about this novel out of fear of spoiling the joy of this read for you.

I'm telling you -this is the very best Peter Rabe I've ever read. It is unforgettable.

My sincere gratitude goes out to Stark House for this reissue.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Double-novel package includes Rabes' two better novels. THE BOX demonstrates his highly original voice.

[Recensioni in tre parole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hardboiled. Raffinato. Intenso.