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Baby Moll
NO MAN ESCAPES THE SINS OF HIS PAST Six years after quitting the Florida Mob, Peter Mallory is about to be dragged back in. Stalked by a vicious killer and losing his hold on power, Mallory’s old boss needs help – the kind of help only a man like Mallory can provide. But behind the walls of the fenced-in island compound he once called home, Mallory is about to find himself surrounded by beautiful women, by temptation, and by danger – and one wrong step could trigger a bloodbath€¦
217 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1958
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
November 3, 2014
Peter Mallory thought he'd left his life of crime behind six years ago but a week before his wedding, he's pulled back in. Mallory has to figure out who's trying to kill his old boss in order to keep his fiancee from finding out about his criminal past. But what do the killings have to do with a family being killed in an inferno years earlier?
As I've mentioned before, the Hard Case Crime series has some duds in it, most of them from around the time this one was published. Fortunately, Baby Moll was a pleasure to read.
Baby Moll has a pretty good plot. You've got the crime boss who's going soft and wants out of the gang, the up and comer that wants to take his place, and someone who wants vengeance on the crime boss and everyone around him.
Farris knows how to build the suspense. For a slim book, there's a fair amount of action. Mallory goes through the ringer, as does most of the rest of Macy Barr's crew. The gunfight at the end was very memorable.
I tipped to the origin of the killer pretty quickly but that was mostly due to my recent reading of Hard as Nails, featuring a similar killer. I wasn't too sure which of the women the killer was though until it was too late.
"Why only three stars?" you ask. I'll tell you, Mildred. Baby Moll was a little too brief. I would have enjoyed a little more suspense. Aside from Mallory and the unexpectedly complex Macy Barr, the characters were all pretty thin, especially the women. All in all, it was still a pretty good read and a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon.
As I've mentioned before, the Hard Case Crime series has some duds in it, most of them from around the time this one was published. Fortunately, Baby Moll was a pleasure to read.
Baby Moll has a pretty good plot. You've got the crime boss who's going soft and wants out of the gang, the up and comer that wants to take his place, and someone who wants vengeance on the crime boss and everyone around him.
Farris knows how to build the suspense. For a slim book, there's a fair amount of action. Mallory goes through the ringer, as does most of the rest of Macy Barr's crew. The gunfight at the end was very memorable.
I tipped to the origin of the killer pretty quickly but that was mostly due to my recent reading of Hard as Nails, featuring a similar killer. I wasn't too sure which of the women the killer was though until it was too late.
"Why only three stars?" you ask. I'll tell you, Mildred. Baby Moll was a little too brief. I would have enjoyed a little more suspense. Aside from Mallory and the unexpectedly complex Macy Barr, the characters were all pretty thin, especially the women. All in all, it was still a pretty good read and a nice way to spend a rainy afternoon.
February 23, 2015
Dammit, I can’t really remember this novel at all. So what I will say is North Dakota is really green this time of year. No, that’s not right either. If there are excess words to be found in the English language, you probably won’t find them within the confines of BABY MOLL. This novel punched me in the gut, and then it kept on swinging even after I had already hit the ground. But that’s what I love about Hard Case Crime novels. Those beautiful bastards rip out your insides, and then staple them to your forehead.
The dialogue is clean and sharp; the characters have discovered more than a few problems; the action has a brutish quality; and there’s a clear distinction between the good guys and the bad guys (and no it’s not the white hats). The women often remind me of pin-up models, and I can devour a Hard Case Crime novel in approximately two hours and fifty-nine minutes. If life gets better than this, then I’d like to see it, because that probably means there’s a pot of gold with my name on it, or a mob boss ready to shove a hand grenade up my keister. These days, one can never really tell.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
The dialogue is clean and sharp; the characters have discovered more than a few problems; the action has a brutish quality; and there’s a clear distinction between the good guys and the bad guys (and no it’s not the white hats). The women often remind me of pin-up models, and I can devour a Hard Case Crime novel in approximately two hours and fifty-nine minutes. If life gets better than this, then I’d like to see it, because that probably means there’s a pot of gold with my name on it, or a mob boss ready to shove a hand grenade up my keister. These days, one can never really tell.
Cross-posted at Robert's Reads
March 24, 2015
BABY MOLL is an exceptional noir crime novel, especially considering that the author was barely of drinking age when he wrote it. I can't wait to get my hands on more of his work.
The story is typical of the genre. An ex-criminal gets blackmailed by his old gang into tracking down a mysterious hitman. The pacing is fast, the action frequent, and the women gorgeous (and ever so naked). As with most noir stories, what makes it memorable is the language and use of atmosphere. BABY MOLL is one of the better ones.
The story is typical of the genre. An ex-criminal gets blackmailed by his old gang into tracking down a mysterious hitman. The pacing is fast, the action frequent, and the women gorgeous (and ever so naked). As with most noir stories, what makes it memorable is the language and use of atmosphere. BABY MOLL is one of the better ones.
July 21, 2017
John Farris originally wrote Baby Moll in 1958 under the pen name Steve Brackeen. Hard Case Crime wisely chose to republish this masterpiece in 2008. The cover painting on the Hard Case Crime edition is by Robert McGinnis, one of the top pulp cover illustrators.
Farris wrote numerous novels beginning in 1956 under both his own name and under the name Steve Brackeen. His earliest works included The Corpse Next Door, The Body on the Beach, Baby Moll, Danger in My Blood, and Harrison High. Three of his books have been made into movies, including The Fury, directed by Brian De Palma and starring Kirk Douglass, John Cassavetes, and Amy Irving.
One of the greatest things that Hard Case Crime has done is introduced a legion of pulp and crime fiction fans such as myself to authors we never previously heard of and had never read anything by before.
This book is terrific pulpish greatness from page one all the way through to the end of the book. The first line in the book, in fact, tells the reader huge amounts of information and sets the tone and mood for the book: "We had fun that day, the day Rudy Mask turned up in Orange Bay to reweave the net that held me to the past." That there, my friend, is the story in a nutshell and tremendous foreshadowing. Pete used to work for the mob in Florida and, particularly, for a hood by the name of Macy. Pete one day decided to retire and leave that life behind and work a small fishing shop on the coast and settle down with a beautiful girl. He thought that he had left his past behind him, but your past never leaves you. It encircles you and keeps ensnaring you in its tentacles.
The opening of the book is just terrific. Pete and Elaine have spent the day on a boat in the calm waters of the pass and had hunted south along the coast for snook and later had settled on a beach for rest and a swim. Elaine "was good to watch. A tall girl with long legs, a smooth straight walk. She wore a blue bathing suit, cut high at the firm thighs, fitting snugly over the slender curve of waist and small breasts. Made to run, quick and laughing, along the beaches, to lie in the sun that nourished her slender strength, [Pete] had found her on a beach, and had known the ache of wanting something so much that the long months of waiting were almost unendurable." She knows something is bothering Pete, but he can't tell her that he has a past and that it is about to catch up with him and rip their peaceful sheltered life to shreds.
The story includes lots of action, knifings and shootouts and mob rivalries. There are a number of femme fatale types, including one that haunts Macy's house: "[Pete] could see just enough of her to make [him] wish [he] could see more. The face was probably beautiful. The bone structure seemed good. She made no effort to move further away from [him]."
The story flows smoothly and I think it is all but impossible to put it down long enough so that you don't finish it in one day. All in all, a great read and highly recommended pulp-era reading.
Farris wrote numerous novels beginning in 1956 under both his own name and under the name Steve Brackeen. His earliest works included The Corpse Next Door, The Body on the Beach, Baby Moll, Danger in My Blood, and Harrison High. Three of his books have been made into movies, including The Fury, directed by Brian De Palma and starring Kirk Douglass, John Cassavetes, and Amy Irving.
One of the greatest things that Hard Case Crime has done is introduced a legion of pulp and crime fiction fans such as myself to authors we never previously heard of and had never read anything by before.
This book is terrific pulpish greatness from page one all the way through to the end of the book. The first line in the book, in fact, tells the reader huge amounts of information and sets the tone and mood for the book: "We had fun that day, the day Rudy Mask turned up in Orange Bay to reweave the net that held me to the past." That there, my friend, is the story in a nutshell and tremendous foreshadowing. Pete used to work for the mob in Florida and, particularly, for a hood by the name of Macy. Pete one day decided to retire and leave that life behind and work a small fishing shop on the coast and settle down with a beautiful girl. He thought that he had left his past behind him, but your past never leaves you. It encircles you and keeps ensnaring you in its tentacles.
The opening of the book is just terrific. Pete and Elaine have spent the day on a boat in the calm waters of the pass and had hunted south along the coast for snook and later had settled on a beach for rest and a swim. Elaine "was good to watch. A tall girl with long legs, a smooth straight walk. She wore a blue bathing suit, cut high at the firm thighs, fitting snugly over the slender curve of waist and small breasts. Made to run, quick and laughing, along the beaches, to lie in the sun that nourished her slender strength, [Pete] had found her on a beach, and had known the ache of wanting something so much that the long months of waiting were almost unendurable." She knows something is bothering Pete, but he can't tell her that he has a past and that it is about to catch up with him and rip their peaceful sheltered life to shreds.
The story includes lots of action, knifings and shootouts and mob rivalries. There are a number of femme fatale types, including one that haunts Macy's house: "[Pete] could see just enough of her to make [him] wish [he] could see more. The face was probably beautiful. The bone structure seemed good. She made no effort to move further away from [him]."
The story flows smoothly and I think it is all but impossible to put it down long enough so that you don't finish it in one day. All in all, a great read and highly recommended pulp-era reading.
October 10, 2017
Former mob enforcer Peter Mallory is lured back to the mob by his former boss who is being targeted by a killer hell bent on revenge. Not only is there an omnipresent threat of an assassination looming over the head of the mob boss, his once powerful empire is crumbling before his eyes. The sharks smell blood in the water and are making moves to take a bigger piece of the illegal pie.
Baby Moll isn't so much about the mob related crime and underworld antics that accompany such illegal endeavors, rather, it’s a story about Peter Mallory and his wanting to rid himself of the life so badly, that he comes out of retirement one last time before transitioning into the straight and narrow.
As with any pulp there’s a couple of dames to die for and this one's also got some that’ll do plenty of killing themselves; their bodies as dangerous as bullets. Peter takes full advantage of the wanton women despite his proclamations of love for his fiancee; the one he left behind to take this last job and ends up on both sides of the equation; equal parts lust and danger.
Baby Moll is a pretty decent pulp and I'm happy Hard Case Crime published this as part of the imprint. I've now read it twice and enjoyed it equally both times. Opening chapter aside, Baby Moll is near pitch perfect pulp with a sprinkling of quasi PI thrown in for good measure.
Baby Moll isn't so much about the mob related crime and underworld antics that accompany such illegal endeavors, rather, it’s a story about Peter Mallory and his wanting to rid himself of the life so badly, that he comes out of retirement one last time before transitioning into the straight and narrow.
As with any pulp there’s a couple of dames to die for and this one's also got some that’ll do plenty of killing themselves; their bodies as dangerous as bullets. Peter takes full advantage of the wanton women despite his proclamations of love for his fiancee; the one he left behind to take this last job and ends up on both sides of the equation; equal parts lust and danger.
Baby Moll is a pretty decent pulp and I'm happy Hard Case Crime published this as part of the imprint. I've now read it twice and enjoyed it equally both times. Opening chapter aside, Baby Moll is near pitch perfect pulp with a sprinkling of quasi PI thrown in for good measure.
December 29, 2015
Never mind the terrible title, this is an excellent crime novel. It's a twist on the classic whodunit mystery: instead of unraveling who the evil killer is, it's who's vindictively killing off the gangsters that killed someone's parents 15 years ago in a fire.
The gangsters in question are all living in a Rat Pack-style swinging compound complete with unfaithful wives sexing down with each others' husbands and even with rival racketeers. There's more sex than violence in this book which means it's a pretty fun read.
The gangsters in question are all living in a Rat Pack-style swinging compound complete with unfaithful wives sexing down with each others' husbands and even with rival racketeers. There's more sex than violence in this book which means it's a pretty fun read.
November 30, 2009
I'm getting in the swing of the Hard Case Crime books. They are much more violent and more comic book-like than the usual books I read, but I find them kind of fun. We never get to know the characters too deeply so what comes to the fore is the action. Old-time gangster action. The writers for this series are clearly having a good time.
October 30, 2022
4 STARS
April 6, 2025
Peter Mallory, rising young entrepreneur in north Florida has a past he hasn’t told his fiancée about. The past where he was the financial guy for the mob down in a mythical south Florida city. Married bliss is just going to have to wait — the fading mob boss wants Mallory back to figure out who is killing all of his henchmen. Could it be the absurdly named Baby Moll? Or is it some other rival gang leader? Or maybe some person nobody would ever suspect?
This is a paperback that starts out as a pretty ordinary timewaster but gathers momentum as it goes along. Nothing particularly original, but some solid action sequences put this as a cut above average.
This is a paperback that starts out as a pretty ordinary timewaster but gathers momentum as it goes along. Nothing particularly original, but some solid action sequences put this as a cut above average.
August 7, 2009
Pete Mallory has cut his ties with the mob. He has a woman he loves, and they are engaged to be married. Pete is ready to live a normal life . . . that is, until his old boss blackmails him into doing one last job . . . etc., etc., etc. Competent but forgettable. As with quite a few Hard Case Crime reprints, it is difficult to figure why this one was deemed worthy of rescue from oblivion.
August 2, 2014
I like this a lot, I had a little trouble believing Macy and Mallory where good friends (I wanted some example from the past, I had to just trust it was true).
The story was tight and fast and keeps you guessing till near the end. As Andy says the title seems unconnected with the story but I guess there is a blond in the story.
The story was tight and fast and keeps you guessing till near the end. As Andy says the title seems unconnected with the story but I guess there is a blond in the story.
December 23, 2012
This novel is definitey on the better side of three stars. While I do not necessarily enjoy the theme of the mob and how you're "in for life" or whatever, the darker sides here of revenge at all costs does sort of make up for the all-to-easy Godfather-style stuff.
January 23, 2018
This is the first of the Hard Case Crime series I've read. The series has made a name for itself by republishing lots of great but nearly forgotten noir gems. In this book, Peter Mallory, our antihero, has left the mob behind to start a new law-abiding life. He's got it all--a shop by the beach in California, a house, a rich and beautiful fiancee. But then the mob pulls him back, as the mob always does in these books, and he has to help his old boss solve a series of murders--someone is picking off the mob boss's subordinates ones by one and he's convinced the list will end with him. Because the boss is Peter's father figure, he reluctantly agrees to help.
At this point the narrative slows. Much time is spent in the mob headquarters, a beachside bungalow filled with a variety of lost souls. They all have their hangups and madness and they all drink way too much. They also don't seem to do much of anything else. Everyone knows the boss is losing his grip on the territory and is terrified of the mysterious murderer, giving the place a sort of Hitler's bunker feel. While this is effective, there's such a large cast of misfits we don't get to know any of them terribly well, and entire chapters go by without Peter doing anything to solve the murders.
The final third of the novel speeds up considerably as Peter gets out into the world more. He writes about he seamy side of the 1950s brilliantly, showing the poverty, ignorance, and brutality that Hollywood films of the era tended to ignore. There's also an epic fight scene that's handled very effectively.
While I enjoyed this novel and will definitely pick up more from Hard Case Crime, the pacing on this one was too uneven to give it four stars.
At this point the narrative slows. Much time is spent in the mob headquarters, a beachside bungalow filled with a variety of lost souls. They all have their hangups and madness and they all drink way too much. They also don't seem to do much of anything else. Everyone knows the boss is losing his grip on the territory and is terrified of the mysterious murderer, giving the place a sort of Hitler's bunker feel. While this is effective, there's such a large cast of misfits we don't get to know any of them terribly well, and entire chapters go by without Peter doing anything to solve the murders.
The final third of the novel speeds up considerably as Peter gets out into the world more. He writes about he seamy side of the 1950s brilliantly, showing the poverty, ignorance, and brutality that Hollywood films of the era tended to ignore. There's also an epic fight scene that's handled very effectively.
While I enjoyed this novel and will definitely pick up more from Hard Case Crime, the pacing on this one was too uneven to give it four stars.
January 16, 2022
This was a perfectly fine entry into the Hard Case Crime line of books.
I'm not sure when this actually came out (or got written; some of these were never published), but it FEELS older, but it's weird how much stuff has come out with a similar feel (A History of Violence seems the closest; also John Wick; though, amusingly, it did also make me think of A Game of Thrones): someone who used to be the right-hand enforcer to a mob boss is called back for one last job, and finds himself embroiled in the annoying, petty, day-to-day BS that he escaped from years ago.
My only real complaints with the book is: 1) too many damn characters. This is not a long book, but I kept thinking, 'oh, right, this person exists ... who were they again?' I don't know if the book needed less characters or more characterization, but I got lost a few times, and 2) the main mystery of the book is who is trying to kill the guy Pete (the protagonist) used to work for. Well, we know a blond woman who disappeared 20 yrs ago at the age of 7 after a horrible fire is somehow involved. Staying with the man is a 27-yr-old blond woman who won't let anyone see her naked and often has mad fits of anger. When, at 92% of the way through the book, we find out what happened to the girl who disappeared, let's say I was not shocked.
I'm not sure when this actually came out (or got written; some of these were never published), but it FEELS older, but it's weird how much stuff has come out with a similar feel (A History of Violence seems the closest; also John Wick; though, amusingly, it did also make me think of A Game of Thrones): someone who used to be the right-hand enforcer to a mob boss is called back for one last job, and finds himself embroiled in the annoying, petty, day-to-day BS that he escaped from years ago.
My only real complaints with the book is: 1) too many damn characters. This is not a long book, but I kept thinking, 'oh, right, this person exists ... who were they again?' I don't know if the book needed less characters or more characterization, but I got lost a few times, and 2) the main mystery of the book is who is trying to kill the guy Pete (the protagonist) used to work for. Well, we know a blond woman who disappeared 20 yrs ago at the age of 7 after a horrible fire is somehow involved. Staying with the man is a 27-yr-old blond woman who won't let anyone see her naked and often has mad fits of anger. When, at 92% of the way through the book, we find out what happened to the girl who disappeared, let's say I was not shocked.
July 25, 2025
John Farris's Baby Moll is a raw, unvarnished punch to the gut, a lean and mean slice of noir that grabs you from the first page and doesn't let go until the end. This isn't a book for the faint of heart; it's a deep dive into a world where morality is a luxury few can afford.The writing is compact, almost telegraphic, each sentence stripped down to its essential, potent core. This economy of language creates a relentless pace, propelling the reader forward through a landscape populated by shadowy figures, dangerous dames, and sudden, brutal violence. You can practically hear the jazz club saxophones wailing and the sirens screaming in the distance as the plot hurtles from one explosive encounter to the next.
What truly sets Baby Moll apart is its uncompromising noir sensibility. There are no clear heroes or villains, just shades of gray and people trying to make their way in a world that seems determined to crush them.
If you're a fan of classic noir, of authors who don't pull their punches, and of stories that move at a breakneck speed, then Baby Moll is an absolute must-read. It's a masterclass in tight, impactful storytelling, delivering a gritty, exhilarating, and ultimately unforgettable experience. Just be prepared to emerge a little breathless and perhaps a little bruised from the ride.
What truly sets Baby Moll apart is its uncompromising noir sensibility. There are no clear heroes or villains, just shades of gray and people trying to make their way in a world that seems determined to crush them.
If you're a fan of classic noir, of authors who don't pull their punches, and of stories that move at a breakneck speed, then Baby Moll is an absolute must-read. It's a masterclass in tight, impactful storytelling, delivering a gritty, exhilarating, and ultimately unforgettable experience. Just be prepared to emerge a little breathless and perhaps a little bruised from the ride.
April 3, 2025
“… the long story of hate and vengeance.”
Well, it's not that long, but it is full of the last two items! Basically, Peter Malloy has been out of the mob business for six years, but the business isn't done with him. He is an early version of Michael Corleone or John Wick in that sense. Malloy goes back in, and it isn't pretty.
It's a good story with lots of action and a twist or two. Tightly written and fast moving! And I found quite a few quotes that I liked quite a lot:
“… to reweave the net that held me to the past.”
(I love that phrase!)
“Half of him dragged the other half back to the bar.”
“It gets in your blood, doesn’t it?” I said.
“What?”
“The poison you make.”
“No matter how far it was to the graveyard, everybody got the same once the trip was over.”
“… the terrible scars of hatred in her festering mind.”
Well, it's not that long, but it is full of the last two items! Basically, Peter Malloy has been out of the mob business for six years, but the business isn't done with him. He is an early version of Michael Corleone or John Wick in that sense. Malloy goes back in, and it isn't pretty.
It's a good story with lots of action and a twist or two. Tightly written and fast moving! And I found quite a few quotes that I liked quite a lot:
“… to reweave the net that held me to the past.”
(I love that phrase!)
“Half of him dragged the other half back to the bar.”
“It gets in your blood, doesn’t it?” I said.
“What?”
“The poison you make.”
“No matter how far it was to the graveyard, everybody got the same once the trip was over.”
“… the terrible scars of hatred in her festering mind.”
Read
March 23, 2022The forty-sixth hard case crime novel and it’s a 1958 mystery - baby moll by john farris aka steve brackeen with another gorgeous robert mcginnis cover. Featuring the common trope of a former gangster being pulled back in to the underworld this time to find a killer. Unusually for me I guessed the end about a third of the way through but the journey was still fun. Perhaps it just shows that all the pieces were there from the start despite a few red herrings to lead you thinking in possible different directions.
June 24, 2017
I know this is in the Hard Case Crime series, but I read the Crest paperback original edition. The cover blurb says "She was the kind of woman a man would die for . . . and usually did" but that is not what the book is about. Pete Mallory is a retired hit man and is blackmailed out of retirement by his former mob boss. There's a clever revenge plot and a lot of good action scenes but I never felt the urgency.
October 12, 2020
Happily running a small fishing supplies store and engaged to a naive woman, Pete Mallory is called back into his own life by Macy, a gangster whose leadership is fading. Mallory is to find out who is sending threatening notes to Macy and put a stop to them. The mystery involves a house that was torched, leaving one survivor, many years before. Mallory gets beat up a lot, and several women try to seduce him. There's a lot of violence, some good characterizations, and a satisfying ending.
June 13, 2023
This is absolutely not the book I expected. It's a Lew Archer tale in gangster makeup. Not as good as Macdonald, of course, but...John Farris wrote this when he was 19. 19! I can't get over that. Slow and sleepy at times, predictable in others, it's still a quality novel and an impressive feat for someone to publish it at such a young age.
April 5, 2024
Interesting example of late 50s pulp - Baby Moll follows an ex-outfit ("Mafia" was never used) man who is dragged away from his honest life and fiancee to find whoever is killing off his old partners. More of a mystery than a thriller, the characters are poorly developed, the action is tame, and the killer is obvious.
August 23, 2019
A bad past returns and drags a man back into crime and murder. Interesting, if not deep, characters and a plot with plenty of action makes this a fun read. You see a change in the narrator, from the regular joe in love to the mob enforcer he used to be. Kept me turning the pages.
December 24, 2022
This one was put together nicely. The plot was really engaging from the beginning. I wanted things to end nicely but I wasn’t sure how they would.
I like a lot of unpredictable things happening with satisfying endings. One that I’d be happy to read again later.
I like a lot of unpredictable things happening with satisfying endings. One that I’d be happy to read again later.
April 12, 2018
Kept me guessing and entertained! Can't wait to read more John Farris!
March 28, 2021
Quite easily one of the best noir novels I’ve ever read and I’m now a big fan of this author. Perfect story and perfect writing.
5/5 100%
5/5 100%
July 28, 2021
Solid pulp noir from the 1950s. Shades of Out of the Past.
April 4, 2025
Good story, written well enough, nicely paced, decent character development, and a pretty good ending.
July 11, 2025
—128–
Noir tale of failing mob boss seeking help from old hand. Death threats and killings have scared the old boss.
Noir tale of failing mob boss seeking help from old hand. Death threats and killings have scared the old boss.
September 3, 2025
Excellent pulp fiction. Florida mafia mystery with wild women, drunk gangsters, and lots of great, hard-boiled dialogue.
May 21, 2017
Pete Mallory left the mob six years ago, but he is reluctantly called back to the old life because his former boss (and father figure) Macy Barr is being hunted by a psychotic killer who wants retribution for a 20-year old murder. Pete soon finds himself in south Florida inside Macy’s compound, caught up in a brewing war between rival factions trying to wrest control of the business and surrounded by a dysfunctional band of beautiful women and misfit killers, any of whom may be the murderer.
Baby Moll is one of Hard Case Crime’s best reprints from the 1950’s, an early pseudonymous novel from John Farris (writing as Steve Brackeen) who would go on to fame as a writer of thrillers and horror novels.
I was surprised at the depth of the characters in what at first appears to be a fairly standard potboiler. As much as anything, this is a novel about Macy, who has grown old and wants out of the crime empire he has spent his life building, but he does not know how to extricate himself. His shrinking army is dealing with the loss of their livelihoods and identities. Every character is facing, in some way, disillusionment and abandonment of their dreams.
The plot is intricate with many characters pursuing contradictory goals. Macy's character in particular is a nuanced portrait of a confused, desperate man who amassed power through might and ruthlessness, but now does not have the skills or energy to maintain his position. The author does a superb job of wrapping up the loose ends—all except one minor character whose motivations still leave me a bit in the dark. The book is violent, bittersweet, and the ending is memorable in its ambiguity.
Highly recommended.
Baby Moll is one of Hard Case Crime’s best reprints from the 1950’s, an early pseudonymous novel from John Farris (writing as Steve Brackeen) who would go on to fame as a writer of thrillers and horror novels.
I was surprised at the depth of the characters in what at first appears to be a fairly standard potboiler. As much as anything, this is a novel about Macy, who has grown old and wants out of the crime empire he has spent his life building, but he does not know how to extricate himself. His shrinking army is dealing with the loss of their livelihoods and identities. Every character is facing, in some way, disillusionment and abandonment of their dreams.
The plot is intricate with many characters pursuing contradictory goals. Macy's character in particular is a nuanced portrait of a confused, desperate man who amassed power through might and ruthlessness, but now does not have the skills or energy to maintain his position. The author does a superb job of wrapping up the loose ends—all except one minor character whose motivations still leave me a bit in the dark. The book is violent, bittersweet, and the ending is memorable in its ambiguity.
Highly recommended.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews