Fighting Back: A Novel

by Charles Alverson

When Harry Castor opens a bar to support his family, no sooner do the doors open than local gangster Charlie Rizzo waltzes through, demanding a cut of the action. With his entire life's savings invested in the bar, Harry Castor can’t afford to pay Rizzo protection. But Harry can’t afford not to, either. Out of options, Harry concocts a desperate plan to fight back against the vicious mobster. But as the stakes escalate and the men's duel becomes more violent, both Harry and Rizzo realize that their thirst for vengeance and retribution could cost them the one thing they swore to protect—their families.

272 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2014

Reviews

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is pretty grim, even for a noir detective novel. When the owner of a successful club is approached by a small time mob boss with a deal to share the profits of the club in exchange for not being killed or having his family destroyed, the club owner decides to fight back the only way he can. He hires a private investigator to handle it for him. And handle it he does. Chaos ensues. Well written and full of surprises, bending the PI genre in unexpected ways.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I read it to the end it is not really the type of story I enjoy i.e mob stories. I only read it because it was part of an Alverson box set.

[Philip Garside · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gritty