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Now's the Time: The Complete Resnick Short Stories
With his richly praised sequence of novels featuring Detective Inspector Charlie Resnick, John Harvey created not only an unforgettable character of great depth and complexity, but a realistic and richly peopled inner-city world of struggling heroes and feckless villains. Gathered together in Now’s The Time are twelve short stories featuring Resnick, including a new story written especially for this edition. From old foes to upstart pretenders, the city and jazz-soaked, night-time world of Charlie Resnick come vividly to life.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
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About the author
John Harvey
279 books204 followersaka Jon Barton, William S. Brady (with Angus Wells), L.J. Coburn (with Laurence James), J.B. Dancer (with Angus Wells), John B. Harvey, William M. James (with Terry Harknett and Laurence James), Terry Lennox, John J. McLaglen (with Laurence James), James Mann, Thom Ryder, J.D. Sandon (with Angus Wells), Jon Hart
John Harvey (born 21 December 1938 in London) is a British author of crime fiction most famous for his series of jazz-influenced Charlie Resnick novels, based in the City of Nottingham. Harvey has also published over 90 books under various names, and has worked on scripts for TV and radio. He also ran Slow Dancer Press from 1977 to 1999 publishing poetry. The first Resnick novel, Lonely Hearts, was published in 1989, and was named by The Times as one of the 100 Greatest Crime Novels of the Century. Harvey brought the series to an end in 1998 with Last Rites, though Resnick has since made peripheral appearances in Harvey's new Frank Elder series. The protagonist Elder is a retired detective who now lives, as Harvey briefly did, in Cornwall. The first novel in this series, Flesh and Blood, won Harvey the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger in 2004, an accolade many crime fiction critics thought long overdue. In 2007 he was awarded the Diamond Dagger for a Lifetime's Contribution to the genre. On 14th July 2009 he received an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Nottingham in recognition of his literary eminence and his associations with both the University and Nottingham (particularly in the Charlie Resnick novels). He is also a big Notts County fan.
John Harvey (born 21 December 1938 in London) is a British author of crime fiction most famous for his series of jazz-influenced Charlie Resnick novels, based in the City of Nottingham. Harvey has also published over 90 books under various names, and has worked on scripts for TV and radio. He also ran Slow Dancer Press from 1977 to 1999 publishing poetry. The first Resnick novel, Lonely Hearts, was published in 1989, and was named by The Times as one of the 100 Greatest Crime Novels of the Century. Harvey brought the series to an end in 1998 with Last Rites, though Resnick has since made peripheral appearances in Harvey's new Frank Elder series. The protagonist Elder is a retired detective who now lives, as Harvey briefly did, in Cornwall. The first novel in this series, Flesh and Blood, won Harvey the Crime Writers' Association Silver Dagger in 2004, an accolade many crime fiction critics thought long overdue. In 2007 he was awarded the Diamond Dagger for a Lifetime's Contribution to the genre. On 14th July 2009 he received an honorary degree (Doctor of Letters) from the University of Nottingham in recognition of his literary eminence and his associations with both the University and Nottingham (particularly in the Charlie Resnick novels). He is also a big Notts County fan.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 31, 2018
Following the end of Harvey's Nottingham-set Charlie Resnick series, this book collects his eleven (not twelve, as some reviews erroneously state) Charlie Resnick short stories, nine of which previously appeared in anthologies such as "Fresh Blood," "London Noir," "Blue Lightning," "Mean Time," and "No Alibi." Unlike most crime short stories, the stories (each named after a Charlie Parker work) don't worry about setting up a conundrum or puzzle, but rather focus on characters. While it's not strictly necessary to have read the entire Resnick series to enjoy these stories, you'll certainly be missing a lot of established background on a lot of the characters and a fair amount of the texture and flavor of the setting.
Jazz musician Ed Silver, from the book Cutting Edge, reappears in the story "Now's the Time." Jerry Grabianski, an art thief who first appears in the book Rough Treatment, shows up here in "Bird of Paradise," before reappearing later in the book Still Water. The Snape family appear for the first time in "Dexterity," before their feature in Easy Meat, and later walk-on in Last Rites. However, the most reoccurring group is teenager Ray-o Cooke, his criminal uncle Terry, and various and sundry associates, who are introduced in the book Off Minor, span four stories here, and then return in Last Rites. Indeed, the stories serve as bridges between, and footnotes to, the various Resnick series. Basically, if you're a fan of the series, you'll like the stories. And if you haven't read the series, the stories are a good introduction to Harvey's style.
Jazz musician Ed Silver, from the book Cutting Edge, reappears in the story "Now's the Time." Jerry Grabianski, an art thief who first appears in the book Rough Treatment, shows up here in "Bird of Paradise," before reappearing later in the book Still Water. The Snape family appear for the first time in "Dexterity," before their feature in Easy Meat, and later walk-on in Last Rites. However, the most reoccurring group is teenager Ray-o Cooke, his criminal uncle Terry, and various and sundry associates, who are introduced in the book Off Minor, span four stories here, and then return in Last Rites. Indeed, the stories serve as bridges between, and footnotes to, the various Resnick series. Basically, if you're a fan of the series, you'll like the stories. And if you haven't read the series, the stories are a good introduction to Harvey's style.
May 9, 2019
My library used to have this book, now I have to request it ILL. Such a wonderful reading experience, John Harvey's Charlie Resnick solves grubby little crimes and endures personal heartbreak while listening to jazz and eating amazing sandwiches--and feeding the cats!
July 31, 2019
This is not for me.
There is hardly any ‘detecting’ in the stories; the stories all shared the same sad, dark, bleak and doomed sides of our society that I have no wish to be constantly reminded of page after page; there is no thrilling or atmospheric as claimed by the Guardian.
There is hardly any ‘detecting’ in the stories; the stories all shared the same sad, dark, bleak and doomed sides of our society that I have no wish to be constantly reminded of page after page; there is no thrilling or atmospheric as claimed by the Guardian.
October 11, 2019
A dozen short stories featuring Detective Inspector Charlie Resnick of Nottingham. Harvey puts it best in his introduction when he says one of the stories is "suffused with promise and regret. Very Charlie Resnick." Wonderful series.
December 23, 2017
Nice expansion of side stories from the Resnick series.
January 30, 2019
Great collection of pre-millennium stories featuring Nottingham cop Charlie Resnick. Several of the pieces are connected, giving the whole book a feel of a larger novel.
February 28, 2021
Although you will enjoy these short stories even more if you are familiar with the Resnick series, this will prove a most enjoyable read if you aren't !
September 30, 2011
Loved it - full of characters from the Resnick books - a bit like '...and this is what happened to the guy that found the body in Off Minor'.
May 28, 2014
I actually couldn't find the book I was after, called "Now's the time" by John Harvey. It had just one story in it, hhich I didn't enjoy very much at all. It went nowhere and not in a hurry either.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews