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The Curious Case of the Missing Moolah
Eric Stanton has a big problem. Three armed robbers have stolen ten grand of his boss’ money from him. So far, so bad.
However, his boss isn’t the kind of man who will take that kind of loss lying down. If Eric can't get the money back, then it becomes his debt. And his boss isn't the kind of man he wants to owe money to, especially when he can’t afford to pay. So Stanton has one option: get the money back before anybody notices it’s gone!
But when he realises that he’s been set up, and that this is part of a bigger picture, he does the one thing he can think of to even up the score – he brings in his brother, Derek. Now, Derek might not be the smartest man on the planet, or the most reliable, but he’s six-feet four, strong as an ox and handy with his fists.
So the brothers decide to play detective, and take a trip around the seamier parts of Teesside in search of the money – upsetting the locals, breaking bones and trading quips, right up until the brutal finale.
Foul-mouthed, fast-moving and bone-crunchingly violent – this is one Case that’s bound to make you Curious!
However, his boss isn’t the kind of man who will take that kind of loss lying down. If Eric can't get the money back, then it becomes his debt. And his boss isn't the kind of man he wants to owe money to, especially when he can’t afford to pay. So Stanton has one option: get the money back before anybody notices it’s gone!
But when he realises that he’s been set up, and that this is part of a bigger picture, he does the one thing he can think of to even up the score – he brings in his brother, Derek. Now, Derek might not be the smartest man on the planet, or the most reliable, but he’s six-feet four, strong as an ox and handy with his fists.
So the brothers decide to play detective, and take a trip around the seamier parts of Teesside in search of the money – upsetting the locals, breaking bones and trading quips, right up until the brutal finale.
Foul-mouthed, fast-moving and bone-crunchingly violent – this is one Case that’s bound to make you Curious!
120 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 10, 2014
66 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 24, 2019
Reading 'Missing Moolah' is like walking through the Jasmine Allen Estate
This book grew on me, and I like the author too. Martin Stanley writes like a facial scar, stitches running the length of your cheek from your ear to the corner of your mouth. This story is one of intense pain, bloodshed and brutality; we see blood stains on pub walls alongside humour that’s as black as it is bitter. Stanley’s writing has grit between the pages and you can almost smell the junkie squats, the used needles, the stale sweat and the fear.
But it’s the extreme violence that permeates every page. I hadn’t realised just how good this book is until I missed my stop on the train. That never happens to me, but I was so engrossed in the story that my station went sailing past and I had no idea until the next stop
Thank you, Martin Stanley, it’s your fault I was late to work ….. which is probably no bad thing.
That was when I decided to up my rating to 4 Star, but why did I initially consider rating the book lower? Well, if I had any misgivings at all, it would have to be the number of tough guys in the story. Just about everyone the Stanton brothers and Mark come across is someone “not to be messed with,” scars all over their faces and knuckles with a penchant for violence and murder, each one tougher than the last. Reading ‘Missing Moolah’ is like taking a walk through the Jasmine Allen Estate, the infamous no-go area of Sun Hill in The Bill, where every week we meet a villain tougher than the last. ‘Missing Moolah’ is no exception, with each killer – even though he’s a killer - wary of the next tough guy ….. except, that is, Eric’s brother, Derek, who’s about as useful as a leak in the ceiling, apart from when it comes to bashing faces and crunching bones. He’s good at that, even if he doesn’t know when to stop.
So it’s all a bit far-fetched, but notwithstanding that, ‘Missing Moolah’ is an absorbing read. If you’re looking for a book that’s as easy as a hamburger rather than a steak, with a decent of chunk of ultra-violence on every other page then this is for you.
Harmless nonsense that’ll cause you to miss your stop and be late for work
This book grew on me, and I like the author too. Martin Stanley writes like a facial scar, stitches running the length of your cheek from your ear to the corner of your mouth. This story is one of intense pain, bloodshed and brutality; we see blood stains on pub walls alongside humour that’s as black as it is bitter. Stanley’s writing has grit between the pages and you can almost smell the junkie squats, the used needles, the stale sweat and the fear.
But it’s the extreme violence that permeates every page. I hadn’t realised just how good this book is until I missed my stop on the train. That never happens to me, but I was so engrossed in the story that my station went sailing past and I had no idea until the next stop
Thank you, Martin Stanley, it’s your fault I was late to work ….. which is probably no bad thing.
That was when I decided to up my rating to 4 Star, but why did I initially consider rating the book lower? Well, if I had any misgivings at all, it would have to be the number of tough guys in the story. Just about everyone the Stanton brothers and Mark come across is someone “not to be messed with,” scars all over their faces and knuckles with a penchant for violence and murder, each one tougher than the last. Reading ‘Missing Moolah’ is like taking a walk through the Jasmine Allen Estate, the infamous no-go area of Sun Hill in The Bill, where every week we meet a villain tougher than the last. ‘Missing Moolah’ is no exception, with each killer – even though he’s a killer - wary of the next tough guy ….. except, that is, Eric’s brother, Derek, who’s about as useful as a leak in the ceiling, apart from when it comes to bashing faces and crunching bones. He’s good at that, even if he doesn’t know when to stop.
So it’s all a bit far-fetched, but notwithstanding that, ‘Missing Moolah’ is an absorbing read. If you’re looking for a book that’s as easy as a hamburger rather than a steak, with a decent of chunk of ultra-violence on every other page then this is for you.
Harmless nonsense that’ll cause you to miss your stop and be late for work
February 18, 2020
Enjoyable
This is my first book by Mr. Stanley and I am impressed. A pair of debt collectors get robbed and need to get the cash back quick before their boss finds out. A fast paced tale that keeps you engrossed until the end. Looking forward to future adventures.
This is my first book by Mr. Stanley and I am impressed. A pair of debt collectors get robbed and need to get the cash back quick before their boss finds out. A fast paced tale that keeps you engrossed until the end. Looking forward to future adventures.
September 14, 2017
A hard hitting thriller
Loved this book, the characters are hard men in a hard environment. However it's not a dystopian tale as there is a real sense of humanity within the characters. Will definitely be downloading more from this series.
Loved this book, the characters are hard men in a hard environment. However it's not a dystopian tale as there is a real sense of humanity within the characters. Will definitely be downloading more from this series.
March 6, 2014
The Stanton brothers have been robbed of £10k (the missing moolah), if they don't retrieve it is them who will owe their loan shark boss. The trouble is they don't have that kind of cash squirreled away. So the boys have to correct their little problem before anyone becomes aware of it.
Cue the Stantons causing havoc across the seamier parts of Teeside and their seedier residents..
I am a fan of Martin Stanley's books and, in particular, the Stanton brothers. The author is one of those self-published authors working tirelessly to expand and build on his portfolio and grow his reader base. Why he hasn't got a deal with an indie publisher yet, I don't know.
Anyway, to the novella. It's written in the first person, from the perspective of the more intelligent of the Stanton brothers, he's the brain, the other (literally) the brawn. One interesting point to note is neither character is named throughout (although the author has revealed their given names, previously) a little aspect I like and is well handled, strengthening the story rather than weakening it.
As with all of Stanley's books the narrative is fast paced, the brothers spill from one chaotic scene to another in their break-neck pursuit of the missing cash. Along the way they discover several cases of double dealing and back stabbing. It's violent and gritty, as you would expect from the author.
The characters are excellent. I particularly appreciate the more thuggish of the two brothers. He is short tempered and believes the solution to every problem resides in his fists. Even though the brothers are vicious criminals I can't help but like them, the smarter brother is no angel, but there's a nicely balanced ying and yang between the pair. The dialogue is sharp and fun. By no means is this a grim tale, the author stitches the action with a ribbon of black humour.
All in all another excellent, fast read. I'd like to see the author return to a full length Stanton novel, to give the brothers more room to play (but note I am guilty of bias here, it's purely a case of character greed).
**Originally reviewed for Books and Pals blog. May have received free review copy.**
Cue the Stantons causing havoc across the seamier parts of Teeside and their seedier residents..
I am a fan of Martin Stanley's books and, in particular, the Stanton brothers. The author is one of those self-published authors working tirelessly to expand and build on his portfolio and grow his reader base. Why he hasn't got a deal with an indie publisher yet, I don't know.
Anyway, to the novella. It's written in the first person, from the perspective of the more intelligent of the Stanton brothers, he's the brain, the other (literally) the brawn. One interesting point to note is neither character is named throughout (although the author has revealed their given names, previously) a little aspect I like and is well handled, strengthening the story rather than weakening it.
As with all of Stanley's books the narrative is fast paced, the brothers spill from one chaotic scene to another in their break-neck pursuit of the missing cash. Along the way they discover several cases of double dealing and back stabbing. It's violent and gritty, as you would expect from the author.
The characters are excellent. I particularly appreciate the more thuggish of the two brothers. He is short tempered and believes the solution to every problem resides in his fists. Even though the brothers are vicious criminals I can't help but like them, the smarter brother is no angel, but there's a nicely balanced ying and yang between the pair. The dialogue is sharp and fun. By no means is this a grim tale, the author stitches the action with a ribbon of black humour.
All in all another excellent, fast read. I'd like to see the author return to a full length Stanton novel, to give the brothers more room to play (but note I am guilty of bias here, it's purely a case of character greed).
**Originally reviewed for Books and Pals blog. May have received free review copy.**
July 7, 2018
When his boss’s money is stolen from debt collector Eric Stanton then the only option is to fight back with extreme violence in this incendiary crime tale from author Martin Stanley. Assisted by his powerhouse brother Derek and associate Mark Kadinsky, the Brothers punch, kick, scream and shoot their way through the seedy North East underworld in a frantic attempt to recover the stolen cash before their furious boss Alan Piper catches up with them. The Curious Case of the Missing Moolah is another witty and gritty crime caper from the consistently impressive Martin Stanley. The book itself acts as a great taster for further adventures of The Stanton Brothers. Mr Stanley knows how to spin a compelling narrative and I will certainly be reading more work by this talented crime writer in the future. What are you waiting for?
October 5, 2019
"A surfeit of bleeps"
Far be it for me to criticise authors who use the odd swear word in their books. We hear bad language every day on our TVs, in the street and even in the playground at primary schools. Literature offers us an escape from that. Not in this case. The crude language smothered the story to the extent that I can't say whether the plot was good, or bad. It did have its good point, though. It was short.
Far be it for me to criticise authors who use the odd swear word in their books. We hear bad language every day on our TVs, in the street and even in the playground at primary schools. Literature offers us an escape from that. Not in this case. The crude language smothered the story to the extent that I can't say whether the plot was good, or bad. It did have its good point, though. It was short.
April 28, 2024
I read this as on Kindle as 'Bad Luck and Trouble'.
I liked the character of Eric Stanton, a money collector and 'fixer' for a club owner and money lender who's takings have been stolen. Eric wants out, but needs to complete this job first. Things don't happen easily, but with new colleague Mark Kadinsky to help and Eric's brother Derek to add some violence, they work through their problems. Over all, the story was fine but didn't grab me.
I liked the character of Eric Stanton, a money collector and 'fixer' for a club owner and money lender who's takings have been stolen. Eric wants out, but needs to complete this job first. Things don't happen easily, but with new colleague Mark Kadinsky to help and Eric's brother Derek to add some violence, they work through their problems. Over all, the story was fine but didn't grab me.
April 25, 2020
Quick Read
Found this book ok but a little violent. Having read other authors who write about similar topics I did find this one more graphic and felt the story suffered because of this.
Found this book ok but a little violent. Having read other authors who write about similar topics I did find this one more graphic and felt the story suffered because of this.
December 24, 2020
Bad luck and trouble
An alright wee gangster story with 1 very likeable brother and the other I'm guessing would grow on you if you read anymore
Along with their new mate they decide to take on the gangster world to earn a decent crust will they succeed
An alright wee gangster story with 1 very likeable brother and the other I'm guessing would grow on you if you read anymore
Along with their new mate they decide to take on the gangster world to earn a decent crust will they succeed
February 8, 2019
It was ok
I wouldn't say it was bad but I wouldn't say it was good if I can't find anything else to read this will so
I wouldn't say it was bad but I wouldn't say it was good if I can't find anything else to read this will so
January 20, 2020
I am quite disappointed as I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. I kept on reading and I was hoping that it would pick up pace and that there would be some heart-racing moments but sadly there weren't. I did laugh at some parts (I like some humour in a book) and I read it until the end but sadly it wasn't for me.
April 16, 2014
.
I’m a big fan of Martin Stanley’s work. He’s got some heavy duty criminal characters with the big violent balls that more than cash the cheques that their witty mouths write. The Curious Case of the Missing Moolah was no different. I think this one, chronologically speaking, lies somewhere just before Green Eyed Monster and Bone Breakers, given that The Stantons are introduced to fellow smart mouth Mark Kandinsky, who appears as a peripheral character in many of Stanley’s works, but I might be way off.
So here we are, the fourth book of Martin Stanley that I’ve read in the last month or so. Honestly, one time, I read that much of it I dreamt I was living in the seedy world that he’s confidently developing, and I was almost as clever with my mouth and fists as any of the quality creations that stalk it.
The story is that Eric Stanton’s a small time debt collector who’s got designs on getting out from under the umbrella of pretty boy loan shark, Piper (You’ve got to pay the Piper, geddit?) and takes new boy Kandinsky out on the collection run to show him the ropes. Unfortunately for the pair, they fall foul of a bit of a honey trap, which leads to armed robbery, and a wild goose chase through smack dens and thug pubs to get the money back.
It’s standard fare from Martin Stanley, in that his standard is extremely high. He continues his rich vein of form with tip top one liners, and dialogue smarter than Stephen Hawking riding his wheelchair up and down Albert Einstein’s grave whilst the champions on Eggheads look on with approval in their eyes. I’m really enjoying the relationship of the Stanton Brothers, and was happy to bear witness to the return of Kandinsky to the fold, and eagerly await the forthcoming release of his second full length novel. Woe betide anybody that gets in Stanley’s way if he ever actually turns his hands to crime, because he’ll have a burlap sack full of snapped fingers and blood stained money.
Seriously, there’s only so many times I can tell you that you need to be reading this author’s works. I know what I’m talking about, I have superb taste. Now I’m away to listen to some really obscure music that you can only wish you were into. Go and get all of Martin Stanley’s books and tell me I’m wrong, I dare you.
I’m a big fan of Martin Stanley’s work. He’s got some heavy duty criminal characters with the big violent balls that more than cash the cheques that their witty mouths write. The Curious Case of the Missing Moolah was no different. I think this one, chronologically speaking, lies somewhere just before Green Eyed Monster and Bone Breakers, given that The Stantons are introduced to fellow smart mouth Mark Kandinsky, who appears as a peripheral character in many of Stanley’s works, but I might be way off.
So here we are, the fourth book of Martin Stanley that I’ve read in the last month or so. Honestly, one time, I read that much of it I dreamt I was living in the seedy world that he’s confidently developing, and I was almost as clever with my mouth and fists as any of the quality creations that stalk it.
The story is that Eric Stanton’s a small time debt collector who’s got designs on getting out from under the umbrella of pretty boy loan shark, Piper (You’ve got to pay the Piper, geddit?) and takes new boy Kandinsky out on the collection run to show him the ropes. Unfortunately for the pair, they fall foul of a bit of a honey trap, which leads to armed robbery, and a wild goose chase through smack dens and thug pubs to get the money back.
It’s standard fare from Martin Stanley, in that his standard is extremely high. He continues his rich vein of form with tip top one liners, and dialogue smarter than Stephen Hawking riding his wheelchair up and down Albert Einstein’s grave whilst the champions on Eggheads look on with approval in their eyes. I’m really enjoying the relationship of the Stanton Brothers, and was happy to bear witness to the return of Kandinsky to the fold, and eagerly await the forthcoming release of his second full length novel. Woe betide anybody that gets in Stanley’s way if he ever actually turns his hands to crime, because he’ll have a burlap sack full of snapped fingers and blood stained money.
Seriously, there’s only so many times I can tell you that you need to be reading this author’s works. I know what I’m talking about, I have superb taste. Now I’m away to listen to some really obscure music that you can only wish you were into. Go and get all of Martin Stanley’s books and tell me I’m wrong, I dare you.
December 17, 2015
A terrific slice of Middlesbrough noir. The Stanton brothers - one the brains, the other very much the brawn - take us on a riotous journey through the dilapidated backstreets of the Post-Thatcher wastelands of the North-East of England, a landscape populated by junkies, gangsters, double-crossers and all manner of shady characters. I blasted through it in one day - highly entertaining.
June 3, 2016
The Stanton Brothers are in trouble after Eric Stanton is robbed and ten grand of his boss’ money is stolen from him. As they attempt to track down the robbers, and the money, things only get worse, of course. Martin Stanley once again gives us a perfect example of Brit Grit, full of violence, humour, great characters, realistic dialogue and a fantastic sense of place.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews