Ritual of the Savage

by Jay Strongman

It’s the long, hot summer of 1958 and struggling private eye Johnny Davis embarks on a seemingly routine missing person case which drags him out of his comfort zone of sharp suits, bottle blondes and Tiki bars into a nightmare world of mind-altering drugs, deception and murder. From the cocktail lounges and beatnik clubs of LA to the desert resort of Palm Springs and the island paradise of Hawaii, Johnny is forced to choose between country and conscience, love and lust, and life and death.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 14, 2016

About the author

Jay Strongman has always been involved in the underground elements of popular culture, both as a journalist and a participant. His writing credits include articles in The Sunday Times, The Face, i-D, Vogue and the New Musical Express. In 1979 Jay opened London’s first neo-rockabilly store before beginning a legendary career as a DJ and spending much of the ’80s and ’90s gigging around the world; he was the first Western DJ to play a warehouse party in the former Soviet Union. In 1997 he helped set up the UK’s first tiki clothing and record store. Jay currently lives in southern California.

Reviews

[Will Viharo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Authentic, vintage "tiki noir" pulp with an edge, and twist. Period details are perfectly painted. Stylish and suspenseful.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great opening. Ok ending. Drags a bit in the middle..

[Mike Babb · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very fun read!

Dim bars, a world-weary detective, seductive woman, all good stuff. The book clipped along well and there were a few twists that really got me.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

An okay detective novel with a bit of tiki inflection. Probably not distinctive enough for me to continue with the series, but a decent enough beach read.

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a 2.5. I was hoping for a book set in Hawaii, and we do make it to Hawaii but not until the second half. The protagonist is not very bright, and a dull first person private detective is the worst kind of private detective. I don’t have a lot of good things to say about this novel, so I will leave it at that.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Ritual of the Savage" by Jay Strongman was given to me as a new year's present on a Friday, and by Saturday I had not only started it but finished the last chapter. It is captivating! I love 50's Americana and this book brings you right into that era, combining the fictitious adventures (I presume) of our Private eye with real people, sounds and events of the late 50's.

Although this is a detective novel, it doesn't have the one-dimensional characters so often found in this genre. Instead, we are introduced to a rather complex set of characters, sometimes likable, sometimes flawed, but always interesting, and the story moves forward at a fast pace.

While reading "The Ritual of the Savage", I could easily imagine the locations described as the main character Johnny Davis travels between L.A, Palm Springs and Hawaii. Although I wasn't even born in the 50's, the pages came to life in a way that I could see, feel and smell a long gone era.

I'm hoping this is just the first in a series. We need more adventures of Johnny Davis from author Jay Strongman. If you, like me, are into 50's Americana, you will enjoy this book.

[Martin Oroyan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets the full five stars and more if they were to be had. It took me to places I remember from times in my life very close to me, but now seeming like a lifetime away. From the musical references to the detail of style of a bygone era, to being kept on the edge of my seat until the last page. I won't give anything away here, so get it and read it (preferably with no interruptions).