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Nick Stefanos #1
A Firing Offense
As advertising director of Nutty Nathan's, Nick Stefanos knows all the tricks of the electronics business. Blow-out sales and shady deals are his life. When a stockroom boy hooked on speed metal and the fast life disappears, Nick has to help find him.
216 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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1148 people want to read
About the author
George P. Pelecanos
59 books1,626 followersGeorge Pelecanos was born in Washington, D.C., in 1957. He worked as a line cook, dishwasher, bartender, and woman's shoe salesman before publishing his first novel in 1992.
Pelecanos is the author of eighteen novels set in and around Washington, D.C.: A Firing Offense, Nick's Trip, Shoedog, Down by the River Where the Dead Men Go, The Big Blowdown, King Suckerman, The Sweet Forever, Shame the Devil, Right as Rain, Hell to Pay, Soul Circus, Hard Revolution, Drama City, The Night Gardener, The Turnaround, The Way Home, The Cut, and What It Was. He has been the recipient of the Raymond Chandler award in Italy, the Falcon award in Japan, and the Grand Prix du Roman Noir in France. Hell to Pay and Soul Circus were awarded the 2003 and 2004 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. His short fiction has appeared in Esquire, Playboy, and the collections Unusual Suspects, Best American Mystery Stories of 1997, Measures of Poison, Best American Mystery Stories of 2002, Men from Boys, and Murder at the Foul Line. He served as editor on the collections D.C. Noir and D.C. Noir 2: The Classics, as well as The Best Mystery Stories of 2008. He is an award-winning essayist who has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, GQ, Sight and Sound, Uncut, Mojo, and numerous other publications. Esquire called him "the poet laureate of the D.C. crime world." In Entertainment Weekly, Stephen King wrote that Pelecanos is "perhaps the greatest living American crime writer." Pelecanos would like to note that Mr. King used the qualifier "perhaps."
Pelecanos served as producer on the feature films Caught (Robert M. Young, 1996), Whatever, (Susan Skoog, 1998) and BlackMale (George and Mike Baluzy, 1999), and was the U.S. distributor of John Woo's cult classic, The Killer and Richard Bugajski's Interrogation. Most recently, he was a producer, writer, and story editor for the acclaimed HBO dramatic series, The Wire, winner of the Peabody Award and the AFI Award. He was nominated for an Emmy for his writing on that show. He was a writer and co-producer on the World War II miniseries The Pacific, and is currently at work as an executive producer and writer on David Simon's HBO dramatic series Treme, shot in New Orleans.
Pelecanos lives with his family in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Pelecanos is the author of eighteen novels set in and around Washington, D.C.: A Firing Offense, Nick's Trip, Shoedog, Down by the River Where the Dead Men Go, The Big Blowdown, King Suckerman, The Sweet Forever, Shame the Devil, Right as Rain, Hell to Pay, Soul Circus, Hard Revolution, Drama City, The Night Gardener, The Turnaround, The Way Home, The Cut, and What It Was. He has been the recipient of the Raymond Chandler award in Italy, the Falcon award in Japan, and the Grand Prix du Roman Noir in France. Hell to Pay and Soul Circus were awarded the 2003 and 2004 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes. His short fiction has appeared in Esquire, Playboy, and the collections Unusual Suspects, Best American Mystery Stories of 1997, Measures of Poison, Best American Mystery Stories of 2002, Men from Boys, and Murder at the Foul Line. He served as editor on the collections D.C. Noir and D.C. Noir 2: The Classics, as well as The Best Mystery Stories of 2008. He is an award-winning essayist who has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, GQ, Sight and Sound, Uncut, Mojo, and numerous other publications. Esquire called him "the poet laureate of the D.C. crime world." In Entertainment Weekly, Stephen King wrote that Pelecanos is "perhaps the greatest living American crime writer." Pelecanos would like to note that Mr. King used the qualifier "perhaps."
Pelecanos served as producer on the feature films Caught (Robert M. Young, 1996), Whatever, (Susan Skoog, 1998) and BlackMale (George and Mike Baluzy, 1999), and was the U.S. distributor of John Woo's cult classic, The Killer and Richard Bugajski's Interrogation. Most recently, he was a producer, writer, and story editor for the acclaimed HBO dramatic series, The Wire, winner of the Peabody Award and the AFI Award. He was nominated for an Emmy for his writing on that show. He was a writer and co-producer on the World War II miniseries The Pacific, and is currently at work as an executive producer and writer on David Simon's HBO dramatic series Treme, shot in New Orleans.
Pelecanos lives with his family in Silver Spring, Maryland.
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April 8, 2013
When an old man that knew his grandfather asks Nick Stefanos to find his missing grandson, Nick agrees out of a feeling of kinship for the boy. But what does an ad man in an electronics store know about detective work?
Here we are, George Pelecanos first novel. The more Pelecanos I read, the higher he is elevated in my esteem. A Firing Offense is no exception.
A Firing Offense starts off with a standard hard boiled plot: someone is missing. In this case, it's Jimmy Broda, a young man that reminds Nick way too much of himself at that age. Nick embarks on an investigation that is equal parts The Long Goodbye and the Last Good Kiss, an investigation that mostly consists of driving around, talking to people, and drinking a small lake of alcohol. For most of the story, Nick was in the dark as much as I was.
What sets Pelecanos apart from a lot of his contemporaries is his sense of time and place. Washington DC is as much a character in the book as Nick Stefanos and the pop culture references, mostly the music, paint a good picture of the time the story was occurring.
The music references lead me to believe George Pelecanos might have run into each other if I'd been going to shows in DC bars in the 90's. He mentions Night Boat to Cairo by Madness, a song I've listened to myself at the tail end of a long night out, and The Raybeats, a obscure Link Wray inspired band featuring Danny Amis, who is now one of the guitar players for Los Straitjackets.
It's an easy four star read. Washington DC is as much a character in Pelecanos' books as New York is in Lawrence Block's.
Here we are, George Pelecanos first novel. The more Pelecanos I read, the higher he is elevated in my esteem. A Firing Offense is no exception.
A Firing Offense starts off with a standard hard boiled plot: someone is missing. In this case, it's Jimmy Broda, a young man that reminds Nick way too much of himself at that age. Nick embarks on an investigation that is equal parts The Long Goodbye and the Last Good Kiss, an investigation that mostly consists of driving around, talking to people, and drinking a small lake of alcohol. For most of the story, Nick was in the dark as much as I was.
What sets Pelecanos apart from a lot of his contemporaries is his sense of time and place. Washington DC is as much a character in the book as Nick Stefanos and the pop culture references, mostly the music, paint a good picture of the time the story was occurring.
The music references lead me to believe George Pelecanos might have run into each other if I'd been going to shows in DC bars in the 90's. He mentions Night Boat to Cairo by Madness, a song I've listened to myself at the tail end of a long night out, and The Raybeats, a obscure Link Wray inspired band featuring Danny Amis, who is now one of the guitar players for Los Straitjackets.
It's an easy four star read. Washington DC is as much a character in Pelecanos' books as New York is in Lawrence Block's.
June 10, 2020
4.5 stars
"A rock gets pushed at the top of the hill, and it begins to roll, and then it doesn't matter who did the pushing. What matters is that nothing can stop it. What matters is the damage done. So how it started, I suppose, is insignificant. Because what sticks now is how it ended: with the sudden blast and smoke of automatic weapons, and the low manic moan of those who were about to die." -- the musings of Nick Stefanos, a private investigator looking back on his very first case, on page 4
George Pelecanos is one of my favorites among the current crop of crime fiction writers, and I know I have developed that appreciation after both reading a number of his books in the last five years AND watching the HBO series The Wire on DVD. He was born and raised in Washington D.C., and usually sets his multiple series or one-shot novels squarely in 'the metro area' (said capital city, plus its bordering sections of Virginia and Maryland) -- this connection is very similar in nature to Raymond Chandler or Robert Crais with Los Angeles, and Robert B. Parker or Dennis Lehane with Boston. The city settings involved are as much a character as the fictional people populating them.
A Firing Offense is from waaaaay back in 1992, and happens to be Pelecanos' first book. And what a stylish and self-assured work it is for an author debut - a glowing review blurb on the rear cover trumpets "Chinatown meets Glengarry Glen Ross," though I mostly disagree with the first part of the statement. While this is very much a traditional private eye story it doesn't really intend to have the conspiracy angle and cynicism of the first film mentioned. However, the comparison to the second film - which featured a squad of slick salesmen in a cutthroat office - is certainly more appropriate.
The character of Nick Stefanos is a first-generation Greek-American in his early 30's, a D.C. native working in a white-collar office job after graduating from successful years on the sales floor. (He works for a locally owned appliance / electronics business chain known as 'Nutty Nathan's,' back in those waning days before big box stores like Best Buy and Circuit City decimated the homegrown mom & pop competition.) Since the story was written and set in '92 - just prior to the Internet and cell-phone revolution - Stefanos' inaugural case involves lots of phone calls, interviews, and multi-state travel. He's called upon by a grandfather to locate a missing teenager, as said young man was somewhat acquainted with Stefanos from their shared workplace. Although not officially a licensed investigator (yet), Stefanos agrees to help out, and the result is this gritty little detective story that recalls the Chandler / MacDonald / Hammett era of private eyes - it's a moody and sometimes violent tale, complete with first-person narration, and a great cast of distinct supporting characters.
"A rock gets pushed at the top of the hill, and it begins to roll, and then it doesn't matter who did the pushing. What matters is that nothing can stop it. What matters is the damage done. So how it started, I suppose, is insignificant. Because what sticks now is how it ended: with the sudden blast and smoke of automatic weapons, and the low manic moan of those who were about to die." -- the musings of Nick Stefanos, a private investigator looking back on his very first case, on page 4
George Pelecanos is one of my favorites among the current crop of crime fiction writers, and I know I have developed that appreciation after both reading a number of his books in the last five years AND watching the HBO series The Wire on DVD. He was born and raised in Washington D.C., and usually sets his multiple series or one-shot novels squarely in 'the metro area' (said capital city, plus its bordering sections of Virginia and Maryland) -- this connection is very similar in nature to Raymond Chandler or Robert Crais with Los Angeles, and Robert B. Parker or Dennis Lehane with Boston. The city settings involved are as much a character as the fictional people populating them.
A Firing Offense is from waaaaay back in 1992, and happens to be Pelecanos' first book. And what a stylish and self-assured work it is for an author debut - a glowing review blurb on the rear cover trumpets "Chinatown meets Glengarry Glen Ross," though I mostly disagree with the first part of the statement. While this is very much a traditional private eye story it doesn't really intend to have the conspiracy angle and cynicism of the first film mentioned. However, the comparison to the second film - which featured a squad of slick salesmen in a cutthroat office - is certainly more appropriate.
The character of Nick Stefanos is a first-generation Greek-American in his early 30's, a D.C. native working in a white-collar office job after graduating from successful years on the sales floor. (He works for a locally owned appliance / electronics business chain known as 'Nutty Nathan's,' back in those waning days before big box stores like Best Buy and Circuit City decimated the homegrown mom & pop competition.) Since the story was written and set in '92 - just prior to the Internet and cell-phone revolution - Stefanos' inaugural case involves lots of phone calls, interviews, and multi-state travel. He's called upon by a grandfather to locate a missing teenager, as said young man was somewhat acquainted with Stefanos from their shared workplace. Although not officially a licensed investigator (yet), Stefanos agrees to help out, and the result is this gritty little detective story that recalls the Chandler / MacDonald / Hammett era of private eyes - it's a moody and sometimes violent tale, complete with first-person narration, and a great cast of distinct supporting characters.
March 24, 2013
Ah, the ‘90s. When people still went into stores and bought stuff like chumps instead of just clicking a mouse to spend all our money. But back then when I hit up an electronics store for a new VCR or Discman, I don’t remember being able to hire a private detective at the same time.
Nick Stefanos worked his way up through the sales ranks of Nutty Nathan’s to an office position doing their advertising, but the job is feeling hollow and he’s got a nagging young boss on his ass. So when he gets a call asking for help from the grandfather of a young man named Jimmy that worked at Nathan’s who has gone missing, Nick takes the opportunity to do a little bullshitting that allows him to get back out on the sales floor of one of their stores while regularly slipping off to hunt for Jimmy.
While Nick once did some process serving, he’s not really trained as a detective so apparently he grabbed a James Crumley novel for guidance because his investigating technique seems to consist of a lot of running around while drunk and high. As Nick tries to track down Jimmy, we come to realize that he’s a guy seriously rethinking his life.
George Pelecanos’ first novel is remarkably self-assured and polished. He takes plenty of time to let us get to know Nick and where his head is at. Whether it’s giving us the lowdown on the shady sales tricks the electronics’ salesmen engage in or what’s happening in early ‘90s Washington DC music scene, Pelecanos shows remarkable patience in letting his story unfold, but still delivers an economic crime novel of less than 300 pages.
My only real complaint is that there are two characters named Kim: a female who was running around with Jimmy and the Korean owner of a small diner that Nick frequents. That led to a couple of confusing moments.
I’ve been a Pelecanos fan for years and read most of his later stuff but for some reason had never gone back and checked out the Nick Stefanos books. That’s a situation I will continue to quickly correct.
Nick Stefanos worked his way up through the sales ranks of Nutty Nathan’s to an office position doing their advertising, but the job is feeling hollow and he’s got a nagging young boss on his ass. So when he gets a call asking for help from the grandfather of a young man named Jimmy that worked at Nathan’s who has gone missing, Nick takes the opportunity to do a little bullshitting that allows him to get back out on the sales floor of one of their stores while regularly slipping off to hunt for Jimmy.
While Nick once did some process serving, he’s not really trained as a detective so apparently he grabbed a James Crumley novel for guidance because his investigating technique seems to consist of a lot of running around while drunk and high. As Nick tries to track down Jimmy, we come to realize that he’s a guy seriously rethinking his life.
George Pelecanos’ first novel is remarkably self-assured and polished. He takes plenty of time to let us get to know Nick and where his head is at. Whether it’s giving us the lowdown on the shady sales tricks the electronics’ salesmen engage in or what’s happening in early ‘90s Washington DC music scene, Pelecanos shows remarkable patience in letting his story unfold, but still delivers an economic crime novel of less than 300 pages.
My only real complaint is that there are two characters named Kim: a female who was running around with Jimmy and the Korean owner of a small diner that Nick frequents. That led to a couple of confusing moments.
I’ve been a Pelecanos fan for years and read most of his later stuff but for some reason had never gone back and checked out the Nick Stefanos books. That’s a situation I will continue to quickly correct.
March 14, 2019
Pelecanos’ first novel, published in 1992 when he was 35, the first of the three “Nick Stefanos” novels (the others being Nick’s Trip (1993) and Down By the River Where the Dead Men Go (1995).
I can’t really compare this book to the others that I’ve read very well, since I don’t have access to any of those books, being on vacation. However, it does seem to be a “first novel” based on no more than my remembrances of the polish of those other books.
One thing that surprised me was the first person narrator (Nick Stefanos). This may be the way this series of novels is written (I’d actually read the third one, but didn't remember). And indeed, Pelecanos did choose the first person for these three novels. But his third novel, Shoedog, written in 1994, was written in the conventional third person, and after Down By the River (again first person), Pelecanos stuck with the third person in all his succeeding novels, as far as I know.
Regardless, the writing here is effective, and very much in the style which Pelecanos has made popular to fans of his DC crime stories: gritty dialogue, gritty (though infrequent) sex scenes, fairly explicit violence (though not saturated with violence, and not gratuitous), and frequent references to pop music of the era, which by the way is 1988 or perhaps a year or two later – during the term of George Bush I at any rate.
Stefanos, as the first of Pelecanos’ “heroes” (or perhaps anti-heroes), is a little less likeable than some of his later creations, perhaps because he has a serious problem with alcohol, and a less serious one with drugs. These problems by no mean make him any less of an interesting, indeed almost riveting, character. Being a somewhat darker character than later Pelecanos good guys, Stefanos probably pushes this series of stories more into the “noir” branch of crime fiction than I think is normal for Pelecanos’ books. (The later ones, although sharing all the characteristics mentioned in the previous paragraph, have a distinctly more positive outlook on life. It can still be very tough in the inner city, but the outcomes of these later stories might be more satisfying to most readers, and are certainly less fatalistic.)
Another aspect of this first novel that struck me as different from later ones was more references to film here. In fact one of the sentences in the book that made me laugh out loud was this one, talking about the film section of City Paper that Stefanos is reading while eating lunch:
“Joel E. Siegel, the most intelligent film critic in town, who made waste of the Post’s hapless duo (the gushing Hal Hinson and the unreadable Rita Kempley), had reviewed a couple documentaries.”
Talk about getting in digs at a couple real-life film reviewers in a work of fiction! (Siegel too is a real film critic, or was prior to his death in 2004.) The
Final say: not to be missed by Pelecanos fans, and can certainly be read by newbies. It is also possible however to start with one of the later Pelecanos novels, for example The Big Blowdown (1996) or Right As Rain (2001), and then try this earlier series later, as I happened to have done.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Previous review: To Kill a Mockingbird
Next review: Riders of the Purple Sage
More recent review: History of Mathematics Carl Boyer
Previous library review: In the Lake of the Woods O'Brien
Next library review: Nick's Trip Pelecanos
I can’t really compare this book to the others that I’ve read very well, since I don’t have access to any of those books, being on vacation. However, it does seem to be a “first novel” based on no more than my remembrances of the polish of those other books.
One thing that surprised me was the first person narrator (Nick Stefanos). This may be the way this series of novels is written (I’d actually read the third one, but didn't remember). And indeed, Pelecanos did choose the first person for these three novels. But his third novel, Shoedog, written in 1994, was written in the conventional third person, and after Down By the River (again first person), Pelecanos stuck with the third person in all his succeeding novels, as far as I know.
Regardless, the writing here is effective, and very much in the style which Pelecanos has made popular to fans of his DC crime stories: gritty dialogue, gritty (though infrequent) sex scenes, fairly explicit violence (though not saturated with violence, and not gratuitous), and frequent references to pop music of the era, which by the way is 1988 or perhaps a year or two later – during the term of George Bush I at any rate.
Stefanos, as the first of Pelecanos’ “heroes” (or perhaps anti-heroes), is a little less likeable than some of his later creations, perhaps because he has a serious problem with alcohol, and a less serious one with drugs. These problems by no mean make him any less of an interesting, indeed almost riveting, character. Being a somewhat darker character than later Pelecanos good guys, Stefanos probably pushes this series of stories more into the “noir” branch of crime fiction than I think is normal for Pelecanos’ books. (The later ones, although sharing all the characteristics mentioned in the previous paragraph, have a distinctly more positive outlook on life. It can still be very tough in the inner city, but the outcomes of these later stories might be more satisfying to most readers, and are certainly less fatalistic.)
Another aspect of this first novel that struck me as different from later ones was more references to film here. In fact one of the sentences in the book that made me laugh out loud was this one, talking about the film section of City Paper that Stefanos is reading while eating lunch:
“Joel E. Siegel, the most intelligent film critic in town, who made waste of the Post’s hapless duo (the gushing Hal Hinson and the unreadable Rita Kempley), had reviewed a couple documentaries.”
Talk about getting in digs at a couple real-life film reviewers in a work of fiction! (Siegel too is a real film critic, or was prior to his death in 2004.) The
Final say: not to be missed by Pelecanos fans, and can certainly be read by newbies. It is also possible however to start with one of the later Pelecanos novels, for example The Big Blowdown (1996) or Right As Rain (2001), and then try this earlier series later, as I happened to have done.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Previous review: To Kill a Mockingbird
Next review: Riders of the Purple Sage
More recent review: History of Mathematics Carl Boyer
Previous library review: In the Lake of the Woods O'Brien
Next library review: Nick's Trip Pelecanos
May 21, 2014
I’ve been meaning to read George Pelecanos for quite a long time. His books receive a lot of glowing reviews in the press and here on Goodreads. I got a a little push this month from the pulp group and here I am ...
There is something appealing for me in starting a new author from his debut and following his development over the years, but the first Nick Stefanos novel was a bit of a disappointment, mostly due to the high expectations mentioned above. I imagine Pelecanos later books are more accomplished, but for the moment I thought both the main character and the plot were underwhelming. The writing though is really good, I liked how the author developed a distinct voice, modern but with solid roots in the classics of noir era. He moves with self assurance within his chosen location (Washington), has a natural feel for dialogue, throws good hooks to the reader with his pop culture references (“Music and movies play a large role in our everyday lives. You’re going to see it creep into the fiction of younger writers with mre frequency because it is the natural element of our generation’s psyche”), knows how to write powerful action scenes (although there’s really only one worthy of the name in this episode). The title is quite smart too, a wordplay between Nick getting fired from his job and him geting involved in a shootout for messing with the wrong people in the course of his investigations.
Overall though, I was mostly annoyed by Nick Stefanos, the pace took a really long time to build up a head of steam, and the plot was so standard and predictable I was often bored by our improvised private investigator beating around the bush and not reading the obvious clues. The most interesting chapters in the novel turned out to be the ones describing the underhanded tactics used by retail salesmen in the electronics mall in order to confuse and rip-off clients.
One Washington Post reviewer quiped: Think of it as Chinatown meets Glengarry Glen Ross! There is some merit to the comparison, as we are treated to a dark portrait of the Washington underworld, coupled with the retail hijinks that I found funny and rowdy enough to make the whole journey worthwhile.
Another highpoint of the lecture for me came actually after I finished the book, while I was reading the afterwod / interview with Pelecanos, where he talks about his influences, his pop references, his method of writing: Since I don’t outline, it’s a matter of finding your characters and then your plot. which passage actually spells out my main gripe with the story, namely Nick. He is a thirty-someting self-made man in the retail industry who pulled himself up by his bootstraps from the shop floor to a management position. He is supossed to be good at finding people, but this aspect of his talents was poorly argumented in here. His real talent appears to be a cocky atitude, a fast tongue and a huge apetite for booze, junk food and drugs. And since every good noir novel must have some gratuitous sex, there’s a couple of steaming scenes included.
Still on the plus side, Nick is of Greek origins, and this multicultural aspect of his personality could be put to better use in the next book in the series. The social dynamics of the city with disenfranchised young black people and cynical clerks, venal businessmen and ruthless gangsters could also provide a rich source material for the next installment. But I believe I will set aside the Nick Stefanos series and maybe try for my next Pelecanos one of his more recent oferings.
May 27, 2013
This early book from George Pelecanos introduces Nick Stefanos. Nick has worked his way up from the sales floor to become advertising director for an electronics retailer named Nutty Nathan's. But he's drifting, drinking too much and still hasn't found his real niche in life. When a stock boy at the Nutty Nathan's warehouse named Jimmy Broda goes missing, the boy's grandfather asks Nick to try to find him. (Broda has apparently spoken favorably of Nick to his grandfather, hence the request.)
Stefanos agrees to look for the boy and is inspired to apply for a license as a P.I. Until his application is approved, he will use a forged license in his efforts. It initially appears that Broda was fired for failing to come in to work, but Nick soon learns that something deeper is going on. Jimmy has fallen into bad company and may be in trouble that is way over his head.
To facilitate his search for the missing boy, Nick takes a leave from the executive suite to return to the sales floor, which will give him more flexibility. As he does, the reader gets an eyeful of the sales practices at Nutty Nathan's, and is bound to be as lot more careful the next time he or she wanders into an electronics store in search of a new TV or other appliance.
Nick's search for Jimmy Brody leads him to question the direction of his own life and gets him into trouble with some fairly vicious people who don't want Nick poking his nose into other peoples' business. Naturally, Nick will ignore the warning to give up his search and this, in turn, will lead to an explosive climax.
Even though this is one of the author's earlier efforts, it's a great ride with an intriguing protagonist and fans of George Pelecanos's later work who have not yet found this book will want to search it out.
Stefanos agrees to look for the boy and is inspired to apply for a license as a P.I. Until his application is approved, he will use a forged license in his efforts. It initially appears that Broda was fired for failing to come in to work, but Nick soon learns that something deeper is going on. Jimmy has fallen into bad company and may be in trouble that is way over his head.
To facilitate his search for the missing boy, Nick takes a leave from the executive suite to return to the sales floor, which will give him more flexibility. As he does, the reader gets an eyeful of the sales practices at Nutty Nathan's, and is bound to be as lot more careful the next time he or she wanders into an electronics store in search of a new TV or other appliance.
Nick's search for Jimmy Brody leads him to question the direction of his own life and gets him into trouble with some fairly vicious people who don't want Nick poking his nose into other peoples' business. Naturally, Nick will ignore the warning to give up his search and this, in turn, will lead to an explosive climax.
Even though this is one of the author's earlier efforts, it's a great ride with an intriguing protagonist and fans of George Pelecanos's later work who have not yet found this book will want to search it out.
October 18, 2013
I've been waiting for this for quite some time now, the first Nick Stefanos mystery and the first crime novel by George Pelecanos, it was worth the wait and I feel the urge to read everything else from one of the men behind The Wire now and hopefully I do mean immediately.
Nick Stefanos isn't a detective, he isn't a PI, he isn't a bounty hunter, gumshoe, cop, MD, CSI, mystery author, interested party, relative or accidentally involved in a crime, Nick Stefanos is in the marketing department of an independent chain of electronics shops having worked his way out of the stock room. Nick Stefanos like The Pretenders and Elvis Costello and hangs out in rock clubs despite the fact they're all filled with new wave trust fund hipsters these days. Nick Stefanos is thirty and already divorced and already drinks an awfully large amount of alcohol on a day to day basis and now Nick Stefanos has been guilt tripped in to looking for a missing teen, an orphan he took under his wing once upon a time but hasn't seen in quite some time. Nick Stefanos would much rather drink and talk shit with his old friends than look for young Jimmy but taking a leaf out of the book of C.W. Sughrue he manages to combine his two loves with driving and casually investigating the location of the boy.
George Pelecanos is on record as referring to James Crumley as the reason he wanted to write crime fiction and having read The Last Good Kiss it is apparent from the first that A Firing Offense is as much homage to that master of the drink fuelled nihlist noir as Ross MacDonald's early Lew Archer novels were to Chandler and Hammett, Stefanos is very much in the vein of Sughrue and his "adventure" around Washington and the Carolinas comparable in terms of drink and drugs consumed, garbage chatted and bleak mood of the inevitable nightmare denouement hovering over his every action.
This comparison to Last Good Kiss in mind meant I knew where the plot would snake its way back to from almost the start and quite remarkably Pelecanos seemed to rein in the horror show ending that I anticipated to something that crushed only a few ribs rather than the full chest Crumley seemed to take such great pleasure in decimating.
Clearly an incredibly talented author from the start, Pelecanos paid his dues before finding the success he richly deserved and in this early work I expect to find quite a few more gems of modern noir.
Nick Stefanos isn't a detective, he isn't a PI, he isn't a bounty hunter, gumshoe, cop, MD, CSI, mystery author, interested party, relative or accidentally involved in a crime, Nick Stefanos is in the marketing department of an independent chain of electronics shops having worked his way out of the stock room. Nick Stefanos like The Pretenders and Elvis Costello and hangs out in rock clubs despite the fact they're all filled with new wave trust fund hipsters these days. Nick Stefanos is thirty and already divorced and already drinks an awfully large amount of alcohol on a day to day basis and now Nick Stefanos has been guilt tripped in to looking for a missing teen, an orphan he took under his wing once upon a time but hasn't seen in quite some time. Nick Stefanos would much rather drink and talk shit with his old friends than look for young Jimmy but taking a leaf out of the book of C.W. Sughrue he manages to combine his two loves with driving and casually investigating the location of the boy.
George Pelecanos is on record as referring to James Crumley as the reason he wanted to write crime fiction and having read The Last Good Kiss it is apparent from the first that A Firing Offense is as much homage to that master of the drink fuelled nihlist noir as Ross MacDonald's early Lew Archer novels were to Chandler and Hammett, Stefanos is very much in the vein of Sughrue and his "adventure" around Washington and the Carolinas comparable in terms of drink and drugs consumed, garbage chatted and bleak mood of the inevitable nightmare denouement hovering over his every action.
This comparison to Last Good Kiss in mind meant I knew where the plot would snake its way back to from almost the start and quite remarkably Pelecanos seemed to rein in the horror show ending that I anticipated to something that crushed only a few ribs rather than the full chest Crumley seemed to take such great pleasure in decimating.
Clearly an incredibly talented author from the start, Pelecanos paid his dues before finding the success he richly deserved and in this early work I expect to find quite a few more gems of modern noir.
March 3, 2021
Following the disappearance of Jimmy Brouda, a stock boy from electronics store Nutty Nathan's, advertising director Nick Stefanos is approached by the boy’s grandfather with a request to help locate him. Having been somewhat close to Jimmy when they both worked the floor as well as seeing a lot of himself in the lad, Nick agrees to ask around and hopefully track down Jimmy.
George Pelecanos’ first novel feels like the work of a guy who has been doing this for years. A Firing Offense is about as hard-boiled as it gets. As an amateur detective who has never done this sort of work before, Nick finds himself pretty adept at working an investigation. Along the way, he’ll feel right at home with the Marlowes of the world as he pollutes his body with a seemingly endless stream of booze while also taking a hell of a beating from the opposition. Are you even a private detective if you don’t engage in a routine amount of self-destruction?
Maybe it’s the fact that I had read over one hundred books in 2020, and the fact that I’m looking to do the same again this year, but I really appreciate it when an author can tell a strong story in under three hundred pages. There’s nothing lacking here in terms of a strong central mystery nor a rich supporting cast alongside Stefanos. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-doorstopper fiction, but I like banging out a book in two days.
A Firing Offense is an enjoyable read that left me thinking about the whereabouts of Jimmy when I wasn’t reading it, which is a good sign of a page-turning crime book. I grabbed the next two novels in the series (which to date, I think that is all there is) right after reading this one, so I can see myself returning to Nick’s world in short order.
Oh, and one thing I read in a lot of reviews before I picked this book up was that Pelecanos had worked a lot of music into this story and boy, was that true. Along the way, I started compiling a playlist on Spotify for all the music mentioned here. If you’re interested, here’s a link to the unofficial “soundtrack”.
Here’s a playlist for you… A Firing Offense by Brandon Sears
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ut...
George Pelecanos’ first novel feels like the work of a guy who has been doing this for years. A Firing Offense is about as hard-boiled as it gets. As an amateur detective who has never done this sort of work before, Nick finds himself pretty adept at working an investigation. Along the way, he’ll feel right at home with the Marlowes of the world as he pollutes his body with a seemingly endless stream of booze while also taking a hell of a beating from the opposition. Are you even a private detective if you don’t engage in a routine amount of self-destruction?
Maybe it’s the fact that I had read over one hundred books in 2020, and the fact that I’m looking to do the same again this year, but I really appreciate it when an author can tell a strong story in under three hundred pages. There’s nothing lacking here in terms of a strong central mystery nor a rich supporting cast alongside Stefanos. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not anti-doorstopper fiction, but I like banging out a book in two days.
A Firing Offense is an enjoyable read that left me thinking about the whereabouts of Jimmy when I wasn’t reading it, which is a good sign of a page-turning crime book. I grabbed the next two novels in the series (which to date, I think that is all there is) right after reading this one, so I can see myself returning to Nick’s world in short order.
Oh, and one thing I read in a lot of reviews before I picked this book up was that Pelecanos had worked a lot of music into this story and boy, was that true. Along the way, I started compiling a playlist on Spotify for all the music mentioned here. If you’re interested, here’s a link to the unofficial “soundtrack”.
Here’s a playlist for you… A Firing Offense by Brandon Sears
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6Ut...
October 27, 2021
Now, five stars might be a little inflated on face value. However, there are a few things about A Firing Offense that deserve praise.
First, this is a freshman novel. And it's GOOD. Pelecanos hit the ground running with an original voice right off the bat. His signatures of D.C. as a setting and music references were pulled off well and on display in this first book which are among the best features of his current novels. It's awesome that he established these mechanisms from the start.
Second, the inside information about retail and sales hit home for me. As someone who has worked both, the descriptions of how to game commission, compete with your coworkers, avoid management, and get through work drunk and/or high were part of my experiences as well. The first 70 pages or so focused on this way of life and were a joy for me to read.
Third, this book and the author are inspirational. Tying in points one and two from above, it's obvious that his book is somewhat autobiographical. But rather than using his frustrations with sales and retail to become an actual private investigator, Pelecanos became a writer and channeled his feelings into a compelling book. I doubt it's too much of a stretch to imagine that Nick Stefanos is some kind of avator for George himself. This smacks of using creativity and art to escape a mundane existence that is void of fulfillment. Similar to Bruce Springsteen's songs and story or Anthony Bourdain's experiences after Kitchen Confidential was published, A Firing Offense should be studied by folks who are looking for their break and how to make it happen.
In addition to discovering a favorite writer, I've also found a role model in George Pelecanos. I just love these books.
First, this is a freshman novel. And it's GOOD. Pelecanos hit the ground running with an original voice right off the bat. His signatures of D.C. as a setting and music references were pulled off well and on display in this first book which are among the best features of his current novels. It's awesome that he established these mechanisms from the start.
Second, the inside information about retail and sales hit home for me. As someone who has worked both, the descriptions of how to game commission, compete with your coworkers, avoid management, and get through work drunk and/or high were part of my experiences as well. The first 70 pages or so focused on this way of life and were a joy for me to read.
Third, this book and the author are inspirational. Tying in points one and two from above, it's obvious that his book is somewhat autobiographical. But rather than using his frustrations with sales and retail to become an actual private investigator, Pelecanos became a writer and channeled his feelings into a compelling book. I doubt it's too much of a stretch to imagine that Nick Stefanos is some kind of avator for George himself. This smacks of using creativity and art to escape a mundane existence that is void of fulfillment. Similar to Bruce Springsteen's songs and story or Anthony Bourdain's experiences after Kitchen Confidential was published, A Firing Offense should be studied by folks who are looking for their break and how to make it happen.
In addition to discovering a favorite writer, I've also found a role model in George Pelecanos. I just love these books.
May 19, 2020
Nick Stefanos #1: Pelecanos critically acclaimed (deservedly so) debut novel, introduces the character Nick Stefanos, an advertising director who has to turn private investigator when he gets caught up in a missing person case that ends up changing his personal life forever. A great introduction to Pelecanos' interpretation of modern Washington DC in his winning trademark style. 7 out of 12.
October 2, 2018
Early Pelecanos but worth a read. Some outer banks North Carolina stuff that brought back memories to me. Pretty much standard 1st-person detective yarn.
November 10, 2011
I've read a few of George Pelecanos's more recent novels and liked them very much, so I decided to go back to the beginning. This was his first book, published in 1992, and while one can see the seeds of greatness in it, one can also see how much he has learned in the intervening years. The protagonist, Nick Stefanos, is Greek-American like so many of Pelecanos's main characters. He works in a discount electronics chain (as Pelecanos himself did, according to the dust jacket). He's thirty years old but hasn't really grown up yet, and that was the main problem I had with the book. In the last Pelecanos I read, his most recent,(The Cut) the protagonist has some similarities to Nick Stefanos but is a much more likable and admirable character. I was never much interested in the details of drunken binges even when I was younger, and still less now; and there's way too much of that in A Firing Offense. The plot is fairly complicated and at least I didn't figure it all out before the end. Pelecanos loves his details. He wants the reader to know exactly what music the character has on the car's cassette player and what streets of D.C. and environs he's driving on; he also uses a lot of retail sales and restaurant jargon, though it's not difficult to pick up on. In this book, that got a bit tedious, unlike the more recent ones in which this style is still noticeable but doesn't detract from the story. I'm glad someone saw something in this story and published it so that Pelecanos could keep writing and become the fine writer he is today.
July 31, 2014
Probably my least favourite Pelecanos book - the homage to James Crumley is apparent as being an influence in the early iteration of Pelecanos' own style but I just thought the execution missed the mark - though I can’t quite pinpoint the exact reason for this. Perhaps the inconsequential over-descriptive nature of the place setting or the volume of music references (which, in his later novels works well) is the cause. Then again, perhaps it was lead character Nick and the jump from being a sales/advertising person to stone cold gun toting PI in the blink of an eye? For me the logical progression of character between personas just didn’t sit right.
Writing this review surprises me at how much I didn’t connect with the book. Other works by Pelecanos (THE NIGHT GARDNER, DC Quartet, Derek Strange novels) are some of my all-time favourite crime fiction reads; my ‘go-to’ books when I need something to get me out of a reading funk. Unfortunately I can’t say that with A FIRING OFFENSE.
Nick appears in many of Pelecanos’s books and I was looking forward to reading more about the character. Perhaps my high expectation had an influence on the outcome?
The poetic noir that subtly flows through the narrative is in its infancy here, whereas it’s well established and pronounced in Pelecanos’s later books. I’ll still read the two remaining Nick Stefanos novels and do have an interest in where the story progresses from here so all is not lost by any stretch.
Review first appeared on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
Writing this review surprises me at how much I didn’t connect with the book. Other works by Pelecanos (THE NIGHT GARDNER, DC Quartet, Derek Strange novels) are some of my all-time favourite crime fiction reads; my ‘go-to’ books when I need something to get me out of a reading funk. Unfortunately I can’t say that with A FIRING OFFENSE.
Nick appears in many of Pelecanos’s books and I was looking forward to reading more about the character. Perhaps my high expectation had an influence on the outcome?
The poetic noir that subtly flows through the narrative is in its infancy here, whereas it’s well established and pronounced in Pelecanos’s later books. I’ll still read the two remaining Nick Stefanos novels and do have an interest in where the story progresses from here so all is not lost by any stretch.
Review first appeared on my blog: http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...
November 16, 2017
I made the mistake of starting in the middle of Pelecanos' canon instead of the beginning. The sense of desperation so familiar to most crime novels is what I found lacking in Drama City and while I enjoyed King Suckerman, I recall it mostly for the sum of its parts than the book as a whole. What It Was entertained with an interesting lead but too often, I felt like I was reading about an episode of The Wire while missing out on the whole show.
That's not the case with this one. Yes, it is a first novel to the nth degree. Characters come and go, scenes drag on too long, while others are too short, women and minorities are mostly disposable. But there's a kinetic energy here that Pelecanos just doesn't bring to his later works, which sustains the reader right up to its explosive conclusion. It's got plenty of DC but it's not a tour guide. The guys on The Watch podcast capably described it as "Punk Rock Chandler."
It's usually hit-or-miss when you read a first novel where an author is finding their voice. Here, it's mostly hit. You see good ideas fomenting, with a slight need for better execution, which usually comes with experience and more qualified editors. Pelecanos may be a more competent writer now but this energy is missed. He says he can't write these books anymore and I get it. He does a good job teasing out social dynamics in his later work. But still. I'm going to finish this trilogy sooner than later.
That's not the case with this one. Yes, it is a first novel to the nth degree. Characters come and go, scenes drag on too long, while others are too short, women and minorities are mostly disposable. But there's a kinetic energy here that Pelecanos just doesn't bring to his later works, which sustains the reader right up to its explosive conclusion. It's got plenty of DC but it's not a tour guide. The guys on The Watch podcast capably described it as "Punk Rock Chandler."
It's usually hit-or-miss when you read a first novel where an author is finding their voice. Here, it's mostly hit. You see good ideas fomenting, with a slight need for better execution, which usually comes with experience and more qualified editors. Pelecanos may be a more competent writer now but this energy is missed. He says he can't write these books anymore and I get it. He does a good job teasing out social dynamics in his later work. But still. I'm going to finish this trilogy sooner than later.
April 8, 2021
George Pelecanos's debut may lack some of the gut-punch impact of his later novels, but it's a pretty solid start, and Nick Stefanos is just different enough from any other private detective series to feel fresh, even if this was published in the early 90s.
The plot is pretty standard stuff; detective is hired to find a kid who has got mixed up with the wrong crowd, and soon finds himself in deeper than he'd like. The twist is that the detective is actually a VCR salesman, who drinks heavily on the job. Early on, there was one point where I realised I knew more about sales techniques and scams than I really needed to, and a drug and booze bender which lasted two full chapters, and I was wondering where the hell this was going, but it did all come together in the end. Some of Pelecanos's now trademark descriptions of the poverty on display in DC, right in the eyeline of the white house, are in evidence, as are his fondness for talking about music. I've discovered a couple of bands after reading about them in Pelecanos books. Bonus points, too, for a mention of The Stone Roses, which gave the 16-year-old me a bit of a thrill.
The plot is pretty standard stuff; detective is hired to find a kid who has got mixed up with the wrong crowd, and soon finds himself in deeper than he'd like. The twist is that the detective is actually a VCR salesman, who drinks heavily on the job. Early on, there was one point where I realised I knew more about sales techniques and scams than I really needed to, and a drug and booze bender which lasted two full chapters, and I was wondering where the hell this was going, but it did all come together in the end. Some of Pelecanos's now trademark descriptions of the poverty on display in DC, right in the eyeline of the white house, are in evidence, as are his fondness for talking about music. I've discovered a couple of bands after reading about them in Pelecanos books. Bonus points, too, for a mention of The Stone Roses, which gave the 16-year-old me a bit of a thrill.
June 3, 2016
I like these early books by Pelecanos. They are a little raw, but you see the fantastic writer that is in there, just waiting to emerge.
Like most of his stories, this one is gritty and fun at the same time. If you ever worked retail, especially electronics retail, you will see many people you worked with and for in this one. The (male) characters are so well drawn that the reader walks away wondering how the people from the book are doing. (No problem; there are two more Nick Stefanos Books!) Also, one of the short stories in The Martini Shot: A Novella and Stories is actually Nick's backstory, and is well worth reading.
The only real downside for me, after I got used to the extremely detailed descriptions of people's clothing, was the sex scenes. In book after book, including the novella (but not the excellent short stories) in The Martini Shot, there are weirdly non-erotic sex scenes. It is all very clinical, and rarely varies from book to book. Imagine something along the lines of I put tab A into slot B and she moaned deliriously, so then I put tabs B1 and B2 into slot C (see what I did there? heh.) and she screamed in ecstasy. It's all about the boy and what he did to the girl. Again and again.
Like most of his stories, this one is gritty and fun at the same time. If you ever worked retail, especially electronics retail, you will see many people you worked with and for in this one. The (male) characters are so well drawn that the reader walks away wondering how the people from the book are doing. (No problem; there are two more Nick Stefanos Books!) Also, one of the short stories in The Martini Shot: A Novella and Stories is actually Nick's backstory, and is well worth reading.
The only real downside for me, after I got used to the extremely detailed descriptions of people's clothing, was the sex scenes. In book after book, including the novella (but not the excellent short stories) in The Martini Shot, there are weirdly non-erotic sex scenes. It is all very clinical, and rarely varies from book to book. Imagine something along the lines of I put tab A into slot B and she moaned deliriously, so then I put tabs B1 and B2 into slot C (see what I did there? heh.) and she screamed in ecstasy. It's all about the boy and what he did to the girl. Again and again.
September 20, 2017
For the first three quarters of this book, I was like "this is the same guy who wrote those amazing episodes for The Wire? No way."
But then the fourth quarter of the book came and I was like "oh yep. I can definitely see it now."
I wish, in this book, Pelecanos focused more on the racism and the lack of police enforcement surround D.C. It would've been a lot more meaningful.
However, I think having Malone die illustrated that point effectively. His name was listed in the newspaper exactly where he said it would be, at the very back in some nameless section where all the other black people who have died are listed.
I don't know if I'll read the other two books, just because I honestly though Nick Stefanos was a bit of a man child. He was bored and wanted an out. That's why he found jimmy, not because he actually gave a shit.
For a first novel, though, it was an impressive debut.
But then the fourth quarter of the book came and I was like "oh yep. I can definitely see it now."
I wish, in this book, Pelecanos focused more on the racism and the lack of police enforcement surround D.C. It would've been a lot more meaningful.
However, I think having Malone die illustrated that point effectively. His name was listed in the newspaper exactly where he said it would be, at the very back in some nameless section where all the other black people who have died are listed.
I don't know if I'll read the other two books, just because I honestly though Nick Stefanos was a bit of a man child. He was bored and wanted an out. That's why he found jimmy, not because he actually gave a shit.
For a first novel, though, it was an impressive debut.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2025
Pelecanos is a stellar writer. This is a time capsule of a book describing a retail/advertising world that existed right before the Internet.
October 25, 2020
A fun read about a search for a missing young man as a favor to that man's grandfather.
A fun part of the early portion of the story centers around the antics that go on amongst commissioned sales people in a appliance/electronics mega store. I had to keep reminding myself that this story was written 30 years ago. "Politically correct" was not on anybody's radar back then.
A fun part of the early portion of the story centers around the antics that go on amongst commissioned sales people in a appliance/electronics mega store. I had to keep reminding myself that this story was written 30 years ago. "Politically correct" was not on anybody's radar back then.
June 18, 2021
A disappointing book.
The plot was lame .... a salesman/marketing executive becomes a gung ho private investigator almost overnight and single handedly solves an evil drug ring.
The story peeled off onto tedious narratives about irrelevant crap ie visiting the protagonists Uncle Costa... a journey through the life of electronics salesmen...cooking squid....
Ffs... the plot seemed to pop up as an afterthought.
Mercifully the book was less than 300 pages long.
Luckily this wasn’t the first book of his I read because I would have missed out on his later brilliant work.
But this was a clunker.
The plot was lame .... a salesman/marketing executive becomes a gung ho private investigator almost overnight and single handedly solves an evil drug ring.
The story peeled off onto tedious narratives about irrelevant crap ie visiting the protagonists Uncle Costa... a journey through the life of electronics salesmen...cooking squid....
Ffs... the plot seemed to pop up as an afterthought.
Mercifully the book was less than 300 pages long.
Luckily this wasn’t the first book of his I read because I would have missed out on his later brilliant work.
But this was a clunker.
Read
April 7, 2020I really dug the way this was a mish mash of crime-mystery and a character piece about a lot of damaged people and their wild days. It ends on a perfectly melancholy note that makes me very interested to see where the next book in the series goes. Also very excited for his more renowned Quartet of period novels.
October 4, 2020
Smokin, Drinkin, Drugs & Drivin
That is a lot of the book. The gritty real streets, run down businesses, a deck of Camel`s & Newports & the drinking! These fellows can drink - a 6, plus shots & still drive & work! The story is good & there is a stark realness to everything & everyone. His books will be a lot shorter when you are not allowed to smoke or drink & drive anymore. I had to retire my Dodges (they constantly breakdown) & give up the beer(mostly) & of course, my Redskins are no more. Toyota SUV, seltzer water, Nicorette patch & I'm good to go! I forgot the music! His Irish country, OMG, its horrible! I listened to everything he suggested, & can't get it, except for maybe Costello. You would never get out of a Locals bar alive, in the off-season, after beating up the owner. Not in Any where I've hangout. Beating on a yankee from DC? We would have paid for the privilege ( Sheriff's Deputies would have jumped in too!)
That is a lot of the book. The gritty real streets, run down businesses, a deck of Camel`s & Newports & the drinking! These fellows can drink - a 6, plus shots & still drive & work! The story is good & there is a stark realness to everything & everyone. His books will be a lot shorter when you are not allowed to smoke or drink & drive anymore. I had to retire my Dodges (they constantly breakdown) & give up the beer(mostly) & of course, my Redskins are no more. Toyota SUV, seltzer water, Nicorette patch & I'm good to go! I forgot the music! His Irish country, OMG, its horrible! I listened to everything he suggested, & can't get it, except for maybe Costello. You would never get out of a Locals bar alive, in the off-season, after beating up the owner. Not in Any where I've hangout. Beating on a yankee from DC? We would have paid for the privilege ( Sheriff's Deputies would have jumped in too!)
March 28, 2018
A damn fine detective novel.
January 19, 2011
Although I am reading A Firing Offense from the collection Three Great Novels: Down By The River A Firing Offense Nick's Trip, I am including this review under the individual book since that is by far the most common way readers experience this book.
A Firing Offense A Five Star Title was originally published in 1992, Pelecanos’ first book. It is gathered here by Orion Books Ltd. of London in 2002 as the first book in the Nick Stefanos trilogy. It seems that my collected works is even an autographed copy! I will bet I could sell it for good money on eBay! But I might just keep it on my shelf and let it appreciate over the coming years.
Nick Stefanos is 30 years old as the trilogy begins and is a part of the world of sex, drugs and rock & roll. He might argue with the R&R part since he would consider his musical tastes at least at a higher level than R&R and probably significantly higher. He’s a drunk to boot. I would have a hard time imagining how he could get a character reference. But since he is about to go into business for himself as a private investigator, licensed by the District of Columbia, he is not concerned about references.
I thought A Firing Offense might just turn out to be a trip on the wild side on the eastern shore of North Carolina. It was more than three-quarters of the way through the short novel before a key factor in the story comes into play and the action really heats up. Everything up until then had been, in my opinion, rather ho-hum. Well, sure there was a good deal of violence and drinking and drugs along with a fair helping of sex, but it was ho-hum violence and drinking and drugs and sex. It was not clear to me that there was a point to it all. Maybe that was the point. A stock boy from an electronics super-store was missing, Nick agreed to try to locate him and he and a friend go off to look. They find a dead guy and a drugged out girl and head back to DC because Nick’s friend has to go to work. So, the dead guy is a sure sign to them that something is up. The real story is packed into the last 40 pages. Sure, a light bulb will pop on occasionally ‘Oh, that’s what was going on back there in the book.’ I guess that is called foreshadowing or red herrings or something. Anyway, I got the idea the Pelecanos might turn out to be a pretty good writer; I have read most of his later books and that gave me a clue as well.
As an aside: If you went back and read some of J.D. Salinger’s short stories that were published in The Saturday Evening Post, you might not think that he was a very good writer either. But you know he got to be pretty well known so it is interesting to go back and read some of his earlier work. That’s why publishers will sometimes put out an author’s earlier work after s/he has a Best Seller.
DC Confidential: George Pelecanos
Article and interview
Nov 21, 2008
http://stopsmilingonline.com/story_de...
It is probably high time to get on with the second book in the trio. Nick’s Tripwas originally published in 1993. You will note that my links are leading you to the individual books on GR rather than the collected book that I am reading. I think the Three Great Novels book of George Pelecanos is a rather rare find. I think I just lucked out.
A Firing Offense A Five Star Title was originally published in 1992, Pelecanos’ first book. It is gathered here by Orion Books Ltd. of London in 2002 as the first book in the Nick Stefanos trilogy. It seems that my collected works is even an autographed copy! I will bet I could sell it for good money on eBay! But I might just keep it on my shelf and let it appreciate over the coming years.
Nick Stefanos is 30 years old as the trilogy begins and is a part of the world of sex, drugs and rock & roll. He might argue with the R&R part since he would consider his musical tastes at least at a higher level than R&R and probably significantly higher. He’s a drunk to boot. I would have a hard time imagining how he could get a character reference. But since he is about to go into business for himself as a private investigator, licensed by the District of Columbia, he is not concerned about references.
I thought A Firing Offense might just turn out to be a trip on the wild side on the eastern shore of North Carolina. It was more than three-quarters of the way through the short novel before a key factor in the story comes into play and the action really heats up. Everything up until then had been, in my opinion, rather ho-hum. Well, sure there was a good deal of violence and drinking and drugs along with a fair helping of sex, but it was ho-hum violence and drinking and drugs and sex. It was not clear to me that there was a point to it all. Maybe that was the point. A stock boy from an electronics super-store was missing, Nick agreed to try to locate him and he and a friend go off to look. They find a dead guy and a drugged out girl and head back to DC because Nick’s friend has to go to work. So, the dead guy is a sure sign to them that something is up. The real story is packed into the last 40 pages. Sure, a light bulb will pop on occasionally ‘Oh, that’s what was going on back there in the book.’ I guess that is called foreshadowing or red herrings or something. Anyway, I got the idea the Pelecanos might turn out to be a pretty good writer; I have read most of his later books and that gave me a clue as well.
As an aside: If you went back and read some of J.D. Salinger’s short stories that were published in The Saturday Evening Post, you might not think that he was a very good writer either. But you know he got to be pretty well known so it is interesting to go back and read some of his earlier work. That’s why publishers will sometimes put out an author’s earlier work after s/he has a Best Seller.
DC Confidential: George Pelecanos
Article and interview
Nov 21, 2008
http://stopsmilingonline.com/story_de...
It is probably high time to get on with the second book in the trio. Nick’s Tripwas originally published in 1993. You will note that my links are leading you to the individual books on GR rather than the collected book that I am reading. I think the Three Great Novels book of George Pelecanos is a rather rare find. I think I just lucked out.
April 2, 2019
It's crazy to think Pelecanos was this good so early on for his first book, but he was. Sure, there are traces of a beginning writer just finding his footing, especially early on. But if I hadn't read that this was his very first novel, I would have believed it came at any time in his career. A great first effort into what would become a monumental career.
June 9, 2014
A Firing Offense, the first in the Nick Stefanos mysteries, has its moments of wit, quirkiness, and intrigue, but unfortunately these moments are few and far between.
The debut into this series is clearly the transition from Nick being salesman at Nutty Nathan’s to full blown investigator. In A Firing Offense, Nick gets a request to find Jimmy, a stock boy at Nutty Nathan’s who has recently disappeared. Jimmy’s grandfather is concerned and believes that Nick is the right guy for the job. While reluctant to take the job initially, Nick feels a sense of obligation and says he’ll do his best. Searching for the young man, Nick is thrust into a world of drug rings, lies, and some just generally bad dudes.
I had several problems with this book. For one, there wasn’t enough emphasis on the search for Jimmy (which does finally come in the second half of the book) as opposed to the juvenile shenanigans by Nick and his buddies at Nutty Nathan’s. The first several chapters sort of feel like a teen comedy or something, with gross out humor or just general immature nonsense for laughs. These scenes do little to establish anything other than Nick and his friends are a bit reckless when it comes to drinking, drugs, sex, etc. These scenes did little to advance the plot, and it felt like the author was trying way too hard to make everything hip and cool, but overreaching. There’s also sort of an incongruity, an odd mismatch of well-timed prose with implausible plot. I had a really hard time buying Nick’s transition from goofball to tough talking private investigator. Also, the final action in the concluding scene got a little Die Hard on us, and was somewhat implausible and far-fetched. Finally, there were mostly flat or unlikeable characters throughout. Nick does make some strides, but it only comes in the final moments.
On a plus side, I did enjoy the setting of Washington as the backdrop for Nick’s search. It made for a new and unique perspective. And, there are fleeting moments where Nick gives some insight or perspective to everything, which is a nice break from all the drinking and drugs. These are short-lived, however.
There are also many references to the 90s music and pop culture. Not too often you have a crime book referencing Alf, VCRs, and New Order (Whether this is good or not, I’ll let you be the judge).
Over all, A Firing Offense was a disappointment, though. Maybe our protagonist, Nick, is a little more mature and restrained in the next titles in this series, but I’m not sure if I will be reading on to find out.
2 ½ stars
The debut into this series is clearly the transition from Nick being salesman at Nutty Nathan’s to full blown investigator. In A Firing Offense, Nick gets a request to find Jimmy, a stock boy at Nutty Nathan’s who has recently disappeared. Jimmy’s grandfather is concerned and believes that Nick is the right guy for the job. While reluctant to take the job initially, Nick feels a sense of obligation and says he’ll do his best. Searching for the young man, Nick is thrust into a world of drug rings, lies, and some just generally bad dudes.
I had several problems with this book. For one, there wasn’t enough emphasis on the search for Jimmy (which does finally come in the second half of the book) as opposed to the juvenile shenanigans by Nick and his buddies at Nutty Nathan’s. The first several chapters sort of feel like a teen comedy or something, with gross out humor or just general immature nonsense for laughs. These scenes do little to establish anything other than Nick and his friends are a bit reckless when it comes to drinking, drugs, sex, etc. These scenes did little to advance the plot, and it felt like the author was trying way too hard to make everything hip and cool, but overreaching. There’s also sort of an incongruity, an odd mismatch of well-timed prose with implausible plot. I had a really hard time buying Nick’s transition from goofball to tough talking private investigator. Also, the final action in the concluding scene got a little Die Hard on us, and was somewhat implausible and far-fetched. Finally, there were mostly flat or unlikeable characters throughout. Nick does make some strides, but it only comes in the final moments.
On a plus side, I did enjoy the setting of Washington as the backdrop for Nick’s search. It made for a new and unique perspective. And, there are fleeting moments where Nick gives some insight or perspective to everything, which is a nice break from all the drinking and drugs. These are short-lived, however.
There are also many references to the 90s music and pop culture. Not too often you have a crime book referencing Alf, VCRs, and New Order (Whether this is good or not, I’ll let you be the judge).
Over all, A Firing Offense was a disappointment, though. Maybe our protagonist, Nick, is a little more mature and restrained in the next titles in this series, but I’m not sure if I will be reading on to find out.
2 ½ stars
August 19, 2017
I had read some of George Pelecanos later books, namely the Derek Strange/Terry Quinn series and really enjoyed them so I was excited when I picked up all 3 of the author's novels for his first character, Nick Stefanos. This being the first book in that series seemed to be the logical place to start.
All three books are short, between 200 & 300 pages long. However this felt like War & Peace. I hated everything about it, the writing, the main character, the lack of a real story, the glorification of juvenile, unbelievable behaviour and, more than anything, the main subject matter itself.
This book glorifies getting drunk and wasted on drugs. The main character works in an electrical goods store where he and his BFF co-worker spend the majority of their time out the back between selling TVs and stereos drinking, smoking pot and popping pills resulting in them being drugged up and drunk semi-permanently on the shop floor. Nick goes straight from being a salesman to private detective to look for a young lad who had briefly worked at the store that has gone missing (HOW DOES THAT WORK??).
The balance of the book is all wrong; 2/3 of the book is about the drinking, drug taking and if only as much time was spent on developing and describing the characters as it was on the overblown description of opening and drinking a can of beer or lighting a cigarette or describing what clothes people were wearing or the music on the sound system then their would have been vast improvement. The plot/crime feels very much like an afterthought here.
All in all this was a major disappointment and probably (no, definitely) the worst book I have ever read.
Avoid the whole Nick Stefanos series like the plague as the others aren't much better but give some of George's later work a go as they are definitely worth a read.
All three books are short, between 200 & 300 pages long. However this felt like War & Peace. I hated everything about it, the writing, the main character, the lack of a real story, the glorification of juvenile, unbelievable behaviour and, more than anything, the main subject matter itself.
This book glorifies getting drunk and wasted on drugs. The main character works in an electrical goods store where he and his BFF co-worker spend the majority of their time out the back between selling TVs and stereos drinking, smoking pot and popping pills resulting in them being drugged up and drunk semi-permanently on the shop floor. Nick goes straight from being a salesman to private detective to look for a young lad who had briefly worked at the store that has gone missing (HOW DOES THAT WORK??).
The balance of the book is all wrong; 2/3 of the book is about the drinking, drug taking and if only as much time was spent on developing and describing the characters as it was on the overblown description of opening and drinking a can of beer or lighting a cigarette or describing what clothes people were wearing or the music on the sound system then their would have been vast improvement. The plot/crime feels very much like an afterthought here.
All in all this was a major disappointment and probably (no, definitely) the worst book I have ever read.
Avoid the whole Nick Stefanos series like the plague as the others aren't much better but give some of George's later work a go as they are definitely worth a read.
February 26, 2018
This is my first George Pelecanos book. It was not what I expected, it was way better. Nick Stefanos, our main character and hero, is my age and a lot of the pop culture references, especially the music rang true with me, or at least 1989 me. Actually, Nick was a bit ahead of me on the music curve. Anyway, I was expecting something a little more "zany" when I read the summary. Maybe kinda of like Brian Wiprud's Garth Carson Novels. I was thinking 3 stars for about the first 50 pages, then 4 stars through the middle of the story and finally 5 at the end. Maybe it is a little bit of stretch that Nick goes from ad executive to PI, not out of the realm of possibility as we all have hidden or mostly hidden talents. Remember, Realistic ain't always interesting (feel free to quote me). Many reviewers mentioned that he going right to Private Investigator was just too unbelievable. But actually all Nick did was watch/visit the family. You don't have to be a ten year PI to know that when you can't follow the money go to the relatives. It's where folks on the lamb run. What I liked was the gritty feel and tough dialogue that made this "hard boiled" for me. I also felt that despite all the drinking and drugs (1980s Baby!), that this novel had a soul. It made you look inward and see outward a tiny bit differently. Despite a few problems, I'll be surprised if of the 50-60 books I read this year, "A Firing Offense" is not in the top ten. So I'll definitely hit George Pelecanos up again.
July 20, 2012
I have to agree with a lot of the reviews that I have read for this book. As a detective novel, it is an undisciplined, cliched mess. To begin with, it takes about 70 pages (out of 216) for the detective story to get going. When the "clues" scattered throughout the story are put together, the ending is very clumsy. The Bogart-like talk between Nick and one of the perpetrators at the end sounds very hackneyed. There are some annoying repetitions, like calling a two seat table a "deuce". That might be cool, I am not cool enough to know. But they crop up throughout the book.
All that being said, I still really enjoyed the book. Perhaps the real reason to read the book is the character of John McGinnes, who is better developed and more interesting than even the main character, Nick Stefanos. Also, I didn't mind all of the drunken binges, perhaps because the writing was crisp and good. I did feel at times that I had picked up a Hunter S. Thompson book. I also have pretty identical musical taste to Stefanos (or Pelecanos) so that helped.
Not a perfect book, but not very long, well written and fun to read.
All that being said, I still really enjoyed the book. Perhaps the real reason to read the book is the character of John McGinnes, who is better developed and more interesting than even the main character, Nick Stefanos. Also, I didn't mind all of the drunken binges, perhaps because the writing was crisp and good. I did feel at times that I had picked up a Hunter S. Thompson book. I also have pretty identical musical taste to Stefanos (or Pelecanos) so that helped.
Not a perfect book, but not very long, well written and fun to read.
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