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The Combat Zone
Harvard Square, 1972. Sex. Drugs. Riots.
Mike Malloy, a novice PI, has chosen to hang out his shingle in the Square. One of his first cases—find Susan Worthman, aka Susie Sparkle, a teenage runaway.
With the help of Square denizen and small-time drug dealer Stoney Sundown, Mike begins a nightmare journey that sends him on a roller coaster ride through the turbulent counterculture of the Square—with all its drugs, sex, and political street clashes—and into the darkest depths of the Combat Zone, Boston’s notorious red-light district—with all its strip joints, peep shows, dirty bookstores, and assorted other degenerate delights.
Along the way, Mike knocks heads with outlaw bikers, big-time meth dealers, a South Boston Irish gang boss, Mafia thugs, and crooked Cambridge cops. They all want Mike out of their hair, one way or the other. But there’s something else just as dangerous to Mike and just as deadly—himself.
Haunted by visions of his experiences in Vietnam, Mike seeks solace in the arms of a beautiful woman—the love of his life. A love who turns on him in the dark, leaving him shaken and bleeding. As if that weren’t enough, Mike decides to try the cocaine Stoney offers him, awakening new thoughts and sensations in Mike’s already tortured mind.
Thoughts that once out of the vial can never be put back.
Mike Malloy, a novice PI, has chosen to hang out his shingle in the Square. One of his first cases—find Susan Worthman, aka Susie Sparkle, a teenage runaway.
With the help of Square denizen and small-time drug dealer Stoney Sundown, Mike begins a nightmare journey that sends him on a roller coaster ride through the turbulent counterculture of the Square—with all its drugs, sex, and political street clashes—and into the darkest depths of the Combat Zone, Boston’s notorious red-light district—with all its strip joints, peep shows, dirty bookstores, and assorted other degenerate delights.
Along the way, Mike knocks heads with outlaw bikers, big-time meth dealers, a South Boston Irish gang boss, Mafia thugs, and crooked Cambridge cops. They all want Mike out of their hair, one way or the other. But there’s something else just as dangerous to Mike and just as deadly—himself.
Haunted by visions of his experiences in Vietnam, Mike seeks solace in the arms of a beautiful woman—the love of his life. A love who turns on him in the dark, leaving him shaken and bleeding. As if that weren’t enough, Mike decides to try the cocaine Stoney offers him, awakening new thoughts and sensations in Mike’s already tortured mind.
Thoughts that once out of the vial can never be put back.
ebook
First published June 28, 2015
5 people want to read
About the author
Jed Power
18 books16 followers I am a Hampton Beach, NH based writer and an “Active” member of Mystery Writers of America. My three crime novels, “The Boss of Hampton Beach,” “Hampton Beach Homicide,” and “Blood On Hampton Beach” are all available in trade paper and e-versions. The fourth book in the series, “The Honeymoon Hotel” will be out Memorial Day 2015. The protagonist in all four novels is Hampton Beach, NH bartender, Dan Marlowe.
The real Dan Marlowe was my father’s best friend. Mr. Marlowe wrote his crime masterpiece, “The Name of the Game is Death,” while living with my family in Woburn, MA. He named a character in the novel after me. I’ve returned the honor by naming my protagonist Dan Marlowe.
I also have a completed crime novel, “The Combat Zone,” about a PI who hangs his hat in 1970’s Harvard Square and spends time in the Combat Zone, Boston’s red-light district. This novel made it into the final cut (5 novels) in the Minotaur/Private Eye Writers of America “Best First Private Eye Novel” competition. It will be published as an ebook and trade paper in April 2015. I am now working on the second book in this series.
I also collect vintage Noir/Hardboiled paperbacks which includes, among many other items, the largest collection of Dan Marlowe novels, short stories, inscribed items and memorabilia.
I am mentioned several times in the new Dan Marlowe biography, “Gunshots In Another Room,” by journalist Charles Kelly.
I have been published in “Spinetingler,” “Over My Dead Body,” “Boys’ Life,” “Hardboiled,” “Suspense Magazine,” “Stone Cold--Best New England Crime Stories,” “Shotgun Honey,” “Plan B,” “The Rap Sheet,” “Naked Kiss,” “Yellow Mama,” “Short Story Digest,” “Near to the Knuckle,” “All Due Respect,” “Short--Story.me,” “Bethlehem Writer’s Roundtable,” “KIngs River Life,” “Twist of Noir,” and others.
Contact: jedpower@verizon.net or P. O. Box 3906, Peabody, MA 01961
The real Dan Marlowe was my father’s best friend. Mr. Marlowe wrote his crime masterpiece, “The Name of the Game is Death,” while living with my family in Woburn, MA. He named a character in the novel after me. I’ve returned the honor by naming my protagonist Dan Marlowe.
I also have a completed crime novel, “The Combat Zone,” about a PI who hangs his hat in 1970’s Harvard Square and spends time in the Combat Zone, Boston’s red-light district. This novel made it into the final cut (5 novels) in the Minotaur/Private Eye Writers of America “Best First Private Eye Novel” competition. It will be published as an ebook and trade paper in April 2015. I am now working on the second book in this series.
I also collect vintage Noir/Hardboiled paperbacks which includes, among many other items, the largest collection of Dan Marlowe novels, short stories, inscribed items and memorabilia.
I am mentioned several times in the new Dan Marlowe biography, “Gunshots In Another Room,” by journalist Charles Kelly.
I have been published in “Spinetingler,” “Over My Dead Body,” “Boys’ Life,” “Hardboiled,” “Suspense Magazine,” “Stone Cold--Best New England Crime Stories,” “Shotgun Honey,” “Plan B,” “The Rap Sheet,” “Naked Kiss,” “Yellow Mama,” “Short Story Digest,” “Near to the Knuckle,” “All Due Respect,” “Short--Story.me,” “Bethlehem Writer’s Roundtable,” “KIngs River Life,” “Twist of Noir,” and others.
Contact: jedpower@verizon.net or P. O. Box 3906, Peabody, MA 01961
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 24, 2015
A blind rage has overpowered his heart.
It was all the fault of the lieutenant-his comrade would have been saved. His boss let him die. Malloy kept on saying Johnny is alive and his commander kept on insisting that Johnny is dead as a stone. He kept on insisting that they keep moving.
On the battlefield-commander is your destiny. But still can you let your pal die knowing fully well-he is alive…..
When they –Malloy and his fellow soldiers mustered the strength to disobey their commander-in a desperate bid to rescue Johnny-there was not much left to be done. He was shot at point blank-bayoneted-what remain are only scattered body parts of Johnny.
Full review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
It was all the fault of the lieutenant-his comrade would have been saved. His boss let him die. Malloy kept on saying Johnny is alive and his commander kept on insisting that Johnny is dead as a stone. He kept on insisting that they keep moving.
On the battlefield-commander is your destiny. But still can you let your pal die knowing fully well-he is alive…..
When they –Malloy and his fellow soldiers mustered the strength to disobey their commander-in a desperate bid to rescue Johnny-there was not much left to be done. He was shot at point blank-bayoneted-what remain are only scattered body parts of Johnny.
Full review at
https://jayasreesown.wordpress.com/20...
Displaying 1 of 1 review