Corruption City

by Horace McCoy

A young law professor is hired to clean up a city strangled by corruption 

Nemo Crespi’s organization has a hand in everything from gambling rackets to hotels to newspapers. To combat him, the governor needs a special prosecutor he can trust, someone free of political ambitions . . . someone like John Conroy, a twenty-nine-year-old law professor as unlikely for the prosecutor job as anyone. Cynical, hardscrabble Conroy is reluctant to accept, until he realizes that the work will put his theory—that all power corrupts—to a welcome real-life test. It will be a formidable mission, and not just because of the caliber of the enemy. Conroy’s own father, a cop promoted to the role of chief investigator, has a close friend in Crespi’s ranks, and he knows his fair share of dirty secrets. As the investigation gains speed, Conroy and those closest to him will have to grapple with the full reach of the vicious syndicate. This ebook features an extended biography of Horace McCoy.

147 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

Horace Stanley McCoy (1897–1955) was an American novelist whose gritty, hardboiled novels documented the hardships Americans faced during the Depression and post-war periods. McCoy grew up in Tennessee and Texas; after serving in the air force during World War I, he worked as a journalist, film actor, and screenplay writer, and is author of five novels including They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1935) and the noir classic Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1948). Though underappreciated in his own time, McCoy is now recognized as a peer of Dashiell Hammett and James Cain. He died in Beverly Hills, California, in 1955.

Reviews

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun crime tale that should have been better. McCoy lays out a good story but halfway through, it’s like an editor reminded him it’s a pulp novel so he has to take shortcuts. Still an entertaining tale. McCoy might be my favorite of that particular hardboiled golden age. I always enjoy his books.

[Patrick Hayes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 1952 novel has twenty-nine year-old law professor john Conroy promoted to the new position of Special Prosecutor of the Crime Commission to bring down crime czar Nemo Crespi's control of the city. With small group of chosen agents, Conroy does all that he can to stop the empire of Crespi.

This book owes much to The Untouchables, but is a fine outing on its own.

Conroy is a "do-gooder", a phrase he hates, and wants to go back to teaching after he's finished the job. Crespi is a great gangster and he's surrounded by loyalists who fear him.

I liked the quick pace, the straw that broke Crespi's reign, but the attempt on Conroy's life came off as forced. That's my only nick against this fun read. If you like crime drama in the big city with clean cops versus criminals who have their fingers in every part of the city, you'll enjoy this.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark and funny, this novel puts the notion of a special prosecutor in a unique perspective.

[Carles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Em recorda “Els intocables”. Un advocat a qui el governador atorga poders extraordinaris per lluitar contra la màfia.
Però la màfia està tan inveterada per tot arreu, que mai no pots estar segur en qui confiar, o qui està fent el doble joc. Ni els més propers.

M’ha semblat molt ben escrita. Dinàmica. Amb diàlegs ràpids.
Bona novel·la.

[Boukhalfa Inal Ahmed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un bon polar qui se lit bien pour les lecteurs et lectrices adeptes à ce genre de lecture.