What do you think?
Rate this book
Burn Cards
Mirna Fowler believes she has been cheated in life, growing up in a broken home alone with a drunken and gambling-addicted father. Now she works at a small hair salon in Reno, doing her best to survive while she saves money for school and hoping to get a degree that will take her places. But in the wake of her father's death, Mirna inherits his extravagant debt, an amount of money she can never repay. As her fractured world begins to crumble, the search for the truth sets her on a path where life hangs on her every move.
- GenresCrime
Audible Audio
First published April 14, 2015
1 person is currently reading
270 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 7, 2015
This is not a *cozy.* It's not even some sanitized approximation of Noir with a lovable scamp of a P.I. on the right side of the law or a recovering alcoholic protagonist who just wants to do the right thing (and will again in the sequel). Chris Irvin just wrote a tale of morally flexible people with dubious intentions finding out the hard way there's no such thing as rock bottom. There is always further to fall, and the rocks you think are at the bottom just batter and break you on the way down. This is Noir the way it is meant to be! This is your grandfather's Noir. If you want an angel to be your tour guide through Hell, go read somebody else. Chris Irvin only hires the locals to show you the sights.
I give it an enthusiastic ★★★★★
I give it an enthusiastic ★★★★★
May 8, 2015
Burn Cards is a departure from Irvin's first book Federales, but only just. The arid, beat-down landscape is similar; the terse, evocative language is still there; however Mirna, the protagonist of Burn Cards, conveys more emotion than previous characters. She's a haunted woman, trying to outrun the sins of her father in a town that could watch her live or die without noticing. What I really enjoyed about the story was that Mirna is a normal person, who reacts accordingly when put in extreme situations. There's no John McClane action here, which makes the stakes much higher, because we don't know if she'll make it out alive. Federales put people on notice that Irvin is one of the rising stars of noir; Burn Cards lets them know he's here to stay.
May 17, 2016
What we have here is noir in the classic sense where the protagonist is a loser and continues losing:
And in these classic noirs, whether it be film or book, there is a strong sense of inevitability, even fate, that the protagonist is acutely aware of: "Doug had dragged me down into the gutter and now his dead body was chained to my ankle as the current swept us toward the storm drain." What is usually at play, however, is that the protagonist just can't help themselves from themselves:
These three quotes all come from the first-person narrator Mirna Fowler, and her narration starts with her being stuffed into the trunk of a car. This is a classic noir, so spoiler alert, the beginning is also the end. After the opening section with Mirna in the trunk, we go back in time to find out how she got to that end. Not too far, however, as this novella all takes place in less than twenty-four hours, although there is a fair amount of backstory about her life that gets smuggled in amongst the present action.
The setting is Reno. The plot? Mirna's father Doug is a hopeless gambler and he has borrowed too much money and the daughter must pay for the sins of the father.
I thought Irvin did a great job making Mirna a character we want to care about and that is ultimately what is a bit off in this otherwise great noir novella. Usually, we don't end up caring about the losers and their losing ways. And there's a kind of catharsis in watching the protagonist's inevitable descent. They had it coming, and there is some satisfaction in that. Here, however, we have a character that we do care about, but she's been herded into a box canyon. The satisfaction would come if she found a way out. But the cards she needed for a winning hand were burned at the start.
I've made a lot of poor decisions in life. But they were one-offs, decisions that didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Now, in one evening, I'd managed to tell my only friend to fuck-off, murder Doug and was about to embark on a one-way party ticket with a scumbag predator who'd been one of Doug's personal bankers. And someone was looking to kill me if I didn't come up with some serious cash. I'd signed up for a crash course in digging my own grave.
And in these classic noirs, whether it be film or book, there is a strong sense of inevitability, even fate, that the protagonist is acutely aware of: "Doug had dragged me down into the gutter and now his dead body was chained to my ankle as the current swept us toward the storm drain." What is usually at play, however, is that the protagonist just can't help themselves from themselves:
At some point in life you get stuck in a rut, spinning your wheels obsessing over the future when all you need to do is get out of the car and take a different path on foot. But you grind and grind until you're feeling sorry for yourself and don't see the madness coming around the curve. You think things are bad, but it's just the start and they are going to get much, much worse.
These three quotes all come from the first-person narrator Mirna Fowler, and her narration starts with her being stuffed into the trunk of a car. This is a classic noir, so spoiler alert, the beginning is also the end. After the opening section with Mirna in the trunk, we go back in time to find out how she got to that end. Not too far, however, as this novella all takes place in less than twenty-four hours, although there is a fair amount of backstory about her life that gets smuggled in amongst the present action.
The setting is Reno. The plot? Mirna's father Doug is a hopeless gambler and he has borrowed too much money and the daughter must pay for the sins of the father.
I thought Irvin did a great job making Mirna a character we want to care about and that is ultimately what is a bit off in this otherwise great noir novella. Usually, we don't end up caring about the losers and their losing ways. And there's a kind of catharsis in watching the protagonist's inevitable descent. They had it coming, and there is some satisfaction in that. Here, however, we have a character that we do care about, but she's been herded into a box canyon. The satisfaction would come if she found a way out. But the cards she needed for a winning hand were burned at the start.
April 13, 2015
My blurb: “Christopher Irvin's BURN CARDS is a beautifully brutal meditation on bad luck and trouble. His heroine, Mirna, is the type who gets knocked around by life and comes up for more. ‘Do you even know what it feels like to lose?’ she says early in the book, and we feel the full weight of her long losing streak. Mirna’s Reno is one of low-angle violence where corruption reigns and true freedom is a far-off dream; her paranoia becomes our paranoia. This bare-knuckle noir pulses with energy and punches hard.”
February 29, 2016
It's tough to pull off a "character study," especially in the hardboiled genre, but Irvin makes it work, and work well. The protagonist, a down-on-her-luck hair stylist, takes on the sizable debt of her degenerate gambler father when he dies. A seedy trip through the underbelly of Reno ensues, and here's the best part: no Hollywood ending. That's right, in classic noir fashion, it all ends in tears, but you won't be crying while reading this thoroughly enjoyable, atmospheric novel. Recommended.
May 6, 2015
Another great novella from Irvin. He's a helluva a writer, and one of these days will put it all together in what is bound to be a helluva a novel.
February 13, 2018
Christopher Irvin’s novella Burn Cards is itself a slow-burner. He aptly describes the precarious situation of the protagonist Mirna Fowler, child of a chronic gambler, who struggles with whether or not she can leave her past behind. She is just trying to get by, working in a hair salon, but her deadbeat-and-gambling-addicted father keeps holding her back. Irvin’s lucid descriptions are like an indie film panning an environs shot through with squalor. His camera eye’s view lays clear the glitz and grime of Reno, from loud and lit casinos to broken and hollow clubs. Irvine shows readers the grime of the poor neighbourhoods and the hard-luck residents therein who have bet one time too many and lost far too much. Lugubrious in pace only to a point, Burn Cards ramps up about halfway through the story. From there on, Irvin augments the tension, ratchets up the suspense, and propels the heroine toward an unknowable end. Mirna Fowler is carried on the momentum of her sordid past, questionable present, toward a possibly very bleak future.
Burn Cards is revealing, and gritty. Irvin delivers a hard luck story filled with astute observation and a sympathetic heroine.
Burn Cards is revealing, and gritty. Irvin delivers a hard luck story filled with astute observation and a sympathetic heroine.
March 18, 2017
Christopher Irvin has a real flair with language. There's one passage set in a down-at-heel casino that conveys the grimy, worn atmosphere exceptionally well. Overall, atmosphere is the thing that I enjoyed most about "Burn Cards" -- I've never been anywhere near Reno, but now I feel like I've visited it and know how it's evolved.
The story of Mirna and her dysfunctional relationship with her father is also handled very well. The open ending, however, left me puzzled.
The story of Mirna and her dysfunctional relationship with her father is also handled very well. The open ending, however, left me puzzled.
March 8, 2015
Burn Cards by Christopher Irvin is the second book I have read that is published by 280 Steps Publishing and I am already seeing a trend; they are publishing strong, well-plotted books that keep the reader invested from beginning to end. It is great to see yet another small publisher making a name for themselves by publishing some great up and coming authors.
Burn Cards is a quick paced novella that takes place in Reno and shows us that a loser never wins and often pulls everyone around them down into the gutter. Mirna Fowler is trying to claw her way into a better life by working at a salon and saving all her money so she can find a place to go start the life she dreams of. But her gambling-addicted father seems to always be standing in her way and he is always looking to her for handouts and favors. Although everyone around her tells her to cut him loose, the love she has for him seems to always pull her back into his gravitational downspin.
Things go from bad to worse when her father checks out of life, leaving Mirna holding the bag for his huge debt to a local loan shark. After she loses the little bit of money she has managed to save to the collection efforts of the loan shark, she realizes she has to make a desperate move to free herself from the clutches of her dead father and Reno itself or she will end up in the same low places she has always found her father.
“During the day, Reno looks like any other western tourist destination; an aging downtown surrounded by clustered suburban neighborhoods, tracts of fast food and mini-malls…At night, the city is awash in strange colored light that’s visible for miles. Some say you can read the mood of the city by the dominant color of neon. The might be right, it’s been blue for years.”
I found Irvin’s ability to bring the dreary Reno landscape to life to be a brilliant part of this novel. He goes behind the bright lights and glittery façade to find the heartbreaking truth of a dingy, tired, vortex-like town that sucks the life out of people before they even recognize what is happening. A fall from the top can be a hard one, but Irvin shows that a fall from a low spot can be equally hurtful and soul wrecking.
The novella was over before I knew it and I wanted more. Mirna could definitely become a recurring character for Irvin and I would be interested to see where he could take her. But in the meanwhile, I will be seeking out previous works from Irvin. That speaks to the true beauty of beginning this blog; I am finding many new authors that have great works out there. I hope I can help shed the light on some of these authors and help others to find the great depth of writing talent that is out there. Seek and ye shall find.
Burn Cards is a quick paced novella that takes place in Reno and shows us that a loser never wins and often pulls everyone around them down into the gutter. Mirna Fowler is trying to claw her way into a better life by working at a salon and saving all her money so she can find a place to go start the life she dreams of. But her gambling-addicted father seems to always be standing in her way and he is always looking to her for handouts and favors. Although everyone around her tells her to cut him loose, the love she has for him seems to always pull her back into his gravitational downspin.
Things go from bad to worse when her father checks out of life, leaving Mirna holding the bag for his huge debt to a local loan shark. After she loses the little bit of money she has managed to save to the collection efforts of the loan shark, she realizes she has to make a desperate move to free herself from the clutches of her dead father and Reno itself or she will end up in the same low places she has always found her father.
“During the day, Reno looks like any other western tourist destination; an aging downtown surrounded by clustered suburban neighborhoods, tracts of fast food and mini-malls…At night, the city is awash in strange colored light that’s visible for miles. Some say you can read the mood of the city by the dominant color of neon. The might be right, it’s been blue for years.”
I found Irvin’s ability to bring the dreary Reno landscape to life to be a brilliant part of this novel. He goes behind the bright lights and glittery façade to find the heartbreaking truth of a dingy, tired, vortex-like town that sucks the life out of people before they even recognize what is happening. A fall from the top can be a hard one, but Irvin shows that a fall from a low spot can be equally hurtful and soul wrecking.
The novella was over before I knew it and I wanted more. Mirna could definitely become a recurring character for Irvin and I would be interested to see where he could take her. But in the meanwhile, I will be seeking out previous works from Irvin. That speaks to the true beauty of beginning this blog; I am finding many new authors that have great works out there. I hope I can help shed the light on some of these authors and help others to find the great depth of writing talent that is out there. Seek and ye shall find.
May 9, 2015
"The sky has grown dark by the time he dumps me inside the trunk of the sedan. A rough interior lining scrapes against the exposed skin of my shoulders and arms, leaving bloodless scratches crisscrossing a yellowing bruise."
BURN CARDS deals the reader an irresistible hand, introducing pain and punishment without cause; curiosity from the cruel to pull the reader straight into a flush of flesh encrusted with blood, battered and bruised; noir with naught for reason.
I love books that draw me from the get go and that's exactly what BURN CARDS did.
Readers familiar with Christa Faust's MONEY SHOT (Hardcase Crime, Angel Dare #1) will immediately drawn comparisons yet BURN CARDS quickly treads down a vastly different path. Author Christopher Irvin (FEDERALS) has written a character driven, emotionally rich noir novella that packs a lot of heart and ache into a small page count (my print copy clocked in at 124pgs).
The thing that resonates long after reading is the overwhelming sense of hopelessness compounded by the elusiveness of that 'happy-ever-after' ending. Mirna enters the scene as a victim as leaves as one.
My only gripe relates to the characters; there is little movement in terms of emotional growth which is difficult to achieve in a novella, perhaps if BURN CARDS was written as a full length, Mirna would've come to life in a more three dimensional way.
That said, I enjoyed BURN CARDS. It's a fast paced read that will appeal to readers of noir and those who like darker crime fiction.
http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
BURN CARDS deals the reader an irresistible hand, introducing pain and punishment without cause; curiosity from the cruel to pull the reader straight into a flush of flesh encrusted with blood, battered and bruised; noir with naught for reason.
I love books that draw me from the get go and that's exactly what BURN CARDS did.
Readers familiar with Christa Faust's MONEY SHOT (Hardcase Crime, Angel Dare #1) will immediately drawn comparisons yet BURN CARDS quickly treads down a vastly different path. Author Christopher Irvin (FEDERALS) has written a character driven, emotionally rich noir novella that packs a lot of heart and ache into a small page count (my print copy clocked in at 124pgs).
The thing that resonates long after reading is the overwhelming sense of hopelessness compounded by the elusiveness of that 'happy-ever-after' ending. Mirna enters the scene as a victim as leaves as one.
My only gripe relates to the characters; there is little movement in terms of emotional growth which is difficult to achieve in a novella, perhaps if BURN CARDS was written as a full length, Mirna would've come to life in a more three dimensional way.
That said, I enjoyed BURN CARDS. It's a fast paced read that will appeal to readers of noir and those who like darker crime fiction.
http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
April 19, 2015
I previously read and reviewed Christopher Irvin's first novella 'Federales' following a recommendation from the author Sam Hawken. I learned of the released of this, his second novella, when I received a message on Goodreads from his publisher offering me a free 'review copy' in exchange for an honest review. This was a first for me and I did feel under a bit of added pressure when reading the story but thankfully I needn't have worried as this is great little slice of classic noir.
Mirna is a hairdresser working in a Reno salon where she barely makes a living especially when she has to support her compulsive gambler and loser father with stake money. When he is found dead, in dubious circumstances she soon finds out that he is into a heavy hitter for some serious bucks and that she has inherited the debt.
I did enjoy this short piece of pulp, so much so that I was a bit disappointed that it was so short as I really wanted to read more about Mirna. The story is bleak but as with most noir writing there is a bit of humour, albeit the very dark kind. Irvin also paints a believable picture of Reno, where the bright lights of the casinos and clubs visited by tourists are contrasted by the run down and squalid world that Mirna and her ilk inhabit. Irvin also uses a neat trick by starting the story with what is possibly the end of the story so that we know whatever happens it's not going to be a happy ending.
Looking forward to a hopefully a fully realised novel from Irvin in the future.
Mirna is a hairdresser working in a Reno salon where she barely makes a living especially when she has to support her compulsive gambler and loser father with stake money. When he is found dead, in dubious circumstances she soon finds out that he is into a heavy hitter for some serious bucks and that she has inherited the debt.
I did enjoy this short piece of pulp, so much so that I was a bit disappointed that it was so short as I really wanted to read more about Mirna. The story is bleak but as with most noir writing there is a bit of humour, albeit the very dark kind. Irvin also paints a believable picture of Reno, where the bright lights of the casinos and clubs visited by tourists are contrasted by the run down and squalid world that Mirna and her ilk inhabit. Irvin also uses a neat trick by starting the story with what is possibly the end of the story so that we know whatever happens it's not going to be a happy ending.
Looking forward to a hopefully a fully realised novel from Irvin in the future.
December 17, 2015
"Short controlled burst." What the character Hicks says in Aliens, that's what this novel is. You have the classic detective story that's not actually about a detective used for framing an interesting character study about someone who's never been graced with a winning hand. Great first person voice and writing that makes the desperation and paper thin allure of a gambling town crawl across your skin. The book plunges you in from the beginning, making you feel like you've fallen down an elevator shaft and it doesn't stop dropping you until you hit the ground floor.
February 28, 2015
I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at this one…Burn Cards is a dirty, gritty story about dirty gritty characters. It’s a pleasure to watch Mirna go through the stages of grief as her life completely changes and she is forced to evolve or die. Irvin’s second book does not disappoint.
October 17, 2018
Is There An Ending To This Book?
What the heck? Is this supposed to be a series? It ends mid-action, practically mid-sentence. It had potential, minus poor editing and no ending. I don’t get it.
What the heck? Is this supposed to be a series? It ends mid-action, practically mid-sentence. It had potential, minus poor editing and no ending. I don’t get it.
Want to Read
April 8, 2023to-read
June 14, 2015
Christopher Irvin's Burn Cards has a lot going for it. He manages to bring his characters to life with ease and Mirna Fowler is definitely very real and memorable. Faced with a gambling debt that's her fathers, Mirna must do anything and everything she can do to get out from under the dark cloud that she's under, no matter the costs.
The setting takes place in the armpit of Reno Nevada. I've never been there, but if it's anything like Irvin describes, it's not a place I want to visit. Reno was described so vividly that I would consider it a character in itself.
This novella hit on almost all the marks. It had great characters, an engaging plot and a strong tension throughout. A very fast read. My only problem was I felt the ending was too abrupt. I felt as if some pages might have been missing.
I look forward to reading other works by Irvin. 280 Steps press seem have a really good thing going here. Great hardboiled crime/noir, fantastic eye catching covers, both classic and new authors, all at a fantastic price. I can't wait to read everything they publish. The big publishers should be worried!
* Thanks to 280 Steps and Edelweiss for providing the review copy.
The setting takes place in the armpit of Reno Nevada. I've never been there, but if it's anything like Irvin describes, it's not a place I want to visit. Reno was described so vividly that I would consider it a character in itself.
This novella hit on almost all the marks. It had great characters, an engaging plot and a strong tension throughout. A very fast read. My only problem was I felt the ending was too abrupt. I felt as if some pages might have been missing.
I look forward to reading other works by Irvin. 280 Steps press seem have a really good thing going here. Great hardboiled crime/noir, fantastic eye catching covers, both classic and new authors, all at a fantastic price. I can't wait to read everything they publish. The big publishers should be worried!
* Thanks to 280 Steps and Edelweiss for providing the review copy.
May 1, 2015
This is a case of a novella that actually doesn't do anything wrong. It's more than competently written, it's cohesive and sticks to its pace despite being a little slow. I have no issues with BURN CARDS, except that it didn't move the needle all that much. Now, how does it happen? I'm usually a good audience for fiction and it's a rare occurrence that I don't have any precise feelings for a novel.
I think the issue with BURN CARDS is linearity. The cast of character doesn't change, the protagonist doesn't evolve either (she's a victim at the beginning and despite her best efforts, she remains a victim). There are a couple fun quirks to the plot and an ending that tops the storyline like the cherry on a Sundae (maybe the best thing about the entire book), so you might find what you're looking for in BURN CARDS. It's not a bad book, but I thought it was short on surprises for my own taste.
I think the issue with BURN CARDS is linearity. The cast of character doesn't change, the protagonist doesn't evolve either (she's a victim at the beginning and despite her best efforts, she remains a victim). There are a couple fun quirks to the plot and an ending that tops the storyline like the cherry on a Sundae (maybe the best thing about the entire book), so you might find what you're looking for in BURN CARDS. It's not a bad book, but I thought it was short on surprises for my own taste.
November 28, 2015
I don't typically read crime / noir genres (I actually had to look up the definition of noir!), but reading this novella has me hooked. The setting was powerful and vivid and the character of Mirna, who I found relatable and real, was stuck in a desperate situation that I had to see through with her to the end. Hopefully there is more coming to satisfy my intrigue!!
June 11, 2015
Christopher Irvin hit it out of the park with his new book!! I really got into it and didn't want it to end!! Can't wait for his next book!! Highly recommend!!
May 22, 2015
Almost 4 stars. Good not great. A bit slow for my liking. Gritty and tough characters. Def worth a read, but did not blow me away.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews