Man's work: A Sam Langford Novel

by Sanjeev Shetty

Private detective Sam Langford's usual type of case is catching unfaithful husbands and wives in the act. But now he's been hired to prove that a sullen, uncommunicative teenager didn't kill one of his peers. Langford has a few problems - some think the murder was race related, a local ganglord has taken an unhealthy interest in his work and he's fallen in love with a beautiful teacher.

And even if he can free the boy, there's still plenty of trouble ahead.


"Brilliant storyline. Sam Langford.... seems like a Class A bad ass and Shetty is a promising new voice in the crime fiction world."

Geoff Eighinger
http://www.easternstandardcrime.blogs...

221 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 15, 2012

About the author

And we are nearly ready! Who is Jeff Walker? hits the shelves on the 30th November! I'm not comfortable with giving big announcements but I will stay I really enjoyed writing this book and I hope it comes across when you read it. It's a follow-up to Man's Work, with Sam Langford returning, older, sometimes wiser but still as dry as they come. And I really hope you'll like Catherine Horvill, who is here to stay. I actually started writing this in 2017, having finished Total Football. I was inspired by two things - the desire to go back to fiction and tell a story. And making a book out of the name Jeff Walker, two words my then 12-year-old kept saying.

A third book featuring Sam Langford, tentatively called 'She's electric' is in development.

Reviews

[Henry Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thirteen year old black boy is murdered and three white boys are arrested for the crime. An adult acquaintance of one of the accused hires private detective Sam Langford to find evidence proving the boy’s innocence. Langford is a cynical fortyish divorced army veteran who drinks too much but takes his job seriously.

Langford interviews the boy, friends, family, and others. The boy is sullen, uncooperative, and emotionally troubled, a competitive footballer who has had run-ins with local gang members. Langford is polite and soft-spoken, a perfect, non-threatening gentleman with enough charm to establish a personal relationship with one of the boy’s teachers. Just as it seems Langford is too polite, thugs threaten him and he becomes the tough, pistol-packing PI we expected at the start. What happens next is action aplenty involving confrontations, mayhem, shootouts, burglary, and various other illegal acts. Saying more would be a spoiler.

The book is well written, with no wasted words. Dialogue is tight and realistic. The chapters are short, and the pace quickens in the second half, where most of the action occurs. The book should appeal to readers who like a hard-boiled detective novel.

[Calvin Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed Sanjeev's book. Sam Langford was a really interesting central character. I am sure there is more to be revealed about him in subsequent novels and I will definitely give them a go.