Straight to the Head

by Fraser Nixon

In this fast and furious crime novel set in 1983, a sex worker named Irina absconds with a shipment of drugs and $300,000 in dirty money, setting into motion a wild chain reaction involving bounty hunters, corrupt cops, low-brow scammers, and her bewildered, straight-laced ex-husband. Add to this devil's brew the intoxicating settings of sushi bars, nightclubs, and New Wave art galleries circa the mid-eighties, and you get Straight to the Head : a beguiling, funny novel that blows the roof off traditional crime fiction. Fraser Nixon is the author of The Man Who Killed , shortlisted for the Amazon.ca Best First Novel Award.

304 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2016

Reviews

[Tony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in Vancouver in 1983, this crime novel is trying very hard to evoke the time and place, with tons of specific locations that locals will likely nod knowingly at and enjoy. The period music references are rife throughout, making sure that the Blondie, Bowie, Roxy Music, and such are the soundtrack of the action. Stylistically, it feels like the author has read a ton of Elmore Leonard and is trying to tap into the kind of madcap crime caper and outsized characters that Leonard excelled at. (The time and plot kind of also evoked Charles Willeford's 1984 book Miami Blues for me.)

Ted Dekker has just returned to Vancouver after a year in Japan, penniless and licking his wounds from an ill-considered failed marriage. Taking a job as a night desk manager at a seedy downtown flophouse, he is quickly sucked into the wake of his estranged wife. It seems she fell in with some crooked cops and made off with $300,000 and two kilos of cocaine. Not only are they after her, but so is "The Hunter" a soldier of fortune from Louisiana, by way of Vietnam and other warzones. This brings Dekker into contact with the beautiful Dorothy Kwon, who was renting a room to his missing wife. The two of them sort of team up to find out what she stashed in a PO box, and where she is.

It's kind of fun, but too convoluted and overstuffed at the same time. There's a whole sub-subplot involving Dorothy's uncle and her parents' mysterious deaths in Hong Kong that never really makes any sense. The connection between "The Hunter", his faceless employer, the crooked cops, and the local drug importing gangs is all a bit baroque. There's an attempt to weave in the local art scene, and another set of characters in all that. It's packed with little digressions (The Hunter meets a woman in a sauna, Ted meets an old drunk in a bar, etc..) that are sort of fun, but also clutter things up. There's the inevitable twist at the end that kind of deflates things and it's debatable if it's earned or not. All in all, fairly uneven and probably of greatest interest to readers with an interest in Vancouver as the setting for a period crime caper.

[Andrew Griffiths · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, particularly because of the Vancouver setting in pre Expo-86 that painted a vivid picture of the city as it was then. Always a delight when you can recognise exactly the scene the author is taking you through from both their description and memory.

It was certainly incredibly gripping and I enjoyed the twists and turns. In accordance with other reviews, there were definitely unanswered questions that I felt could have been explored/explained in more detail by the author.

I should note as a disclaimer that Fraser Nixon, the author, is a good personal friend of mine!

[Cristopher Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's a fun story and I enjoyed that. However the author obviously did a lot of research on Vancouver's history for the book and seems he was determined to force it all into his writing. This is at times irritating, and sometimes it's interesting, but it is frequently gratuitous, and it takes a lot away from the literary merit of the book. He appears to cram other, non-Vancouver historic knowledge of his into the story as well.
Additionally, I sure hope the use of racist terms and language is simply meant to reflect the era, but the term "Indian" is tossed around like Nixon owns it, and is frequently used outside of dialogue and tone...

[Vontel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of Vancouver and BC references, which I liked. Story takes place in 1983, pre Expo-86 although the prep is well underway. There was considerable effort to situate the book in the culture of the era, particularly with frequent references to particular songs and bands of that time and year being played. I did find the music references got a bit irritating, since I was far too busy in 1983 with small children and organizing a move to BC to pay that close attention or remember the particular year of the music, but a real music buff would likely appreciate it. A few of the other references might be off, eg to bell-bottom pants being fashionable in 1983, since I don't remember it that way.

The plot is much as described in the review, but very little about it involves Irina herself, rather the aftermath of her actions. Another summer read.

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved that the novel was set in Vancouver. I loved all the references to streets and places around town. It painted a vivid image of 1983. There was a lot of time setting up the mystery and it was a compelling and easy read. I didn't like the last 100 pages. I skimmed the pages at that point. Too much description and nothing really happening.

I am still confused with the ending. I had so many questions left unanswered. I could go back to reread it but by then I lost interest.

Good read for those that live and love Vancouver. Ok mystery novel.

[Linda Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved it