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Hardman #4
Pimp for the Dead
“Dennis wrote with assurance. His prose was muscular, swift, and highly readable.” Joe R. Lansdale, from his introduction Jim Hardman was an Atlanta cop until he was wrongly accused of corruption and thrown off the force. Now he works as an unlicensed PI, trouble-shooter and bodyguard…often partnered with his drinking buddy Hump Evans, a black, ex-NFL player who supports his playboy lifestyle by working as hired muscle. A small-town farmer hires Hardman to find his teenage daughter who ran off to Atlanta to become a model…and ended up a hooker. It’s fast work for Hardman, but she’s gunned down minutes after he finds her. To hunt her killer, Hardman and Hump Evans take a deep dive into a bottomless cesspool of vice and greed that could drown them. This new edition includes an introduction by Joe R. Lansdale, author of the Hap & Leonard novels, and an afterword by Paul Bishop, author and retired LAPD homicide detective. Praise for the HARDMAN novels by Ralph "Ralph Dennis is an underappreciated master. His Hardman series is one of the finest in the P.I. genre." Robert Randisi, founder of the Private Eye Writers of America “Among the best series books around.” Philadelphia Daily News “Expert writing, plus good plotting and an unusual degree of sensitivity." New York Times
172 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1974
45 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Dennis
55 books45 followersRalph Dennis was born in South Carolina and had a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina, where he also taught. For mystery fans, Dennis will always be associated with the City of Atlanta, the locale for the twelve novel series about Jim Hardman, former cop and unofficial private eye, all published by Popular Library between 1974 and 1977.
At the time of his death in 1988, he was working at a bookstore in Atlanta and had a file cabinet full of unpublished novels.
At the time of his death in 1988, he was working at a bookstore in Atlanta and had a file cabinet full of unpublished novels.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 18, 2019
A solid 4 stars
This is the third book that I have read in the Hardman series and I have enjoyed each one. The writing and characters remind me of Raymond Chandler. In this book Hardman is hired a by a farmer to find his daughter who has moved to Atlanta to attend a beauty and charm school. But the farmer was told by an acquaintance that his daughter is now working as a prostitute. Hardman and his partner, Hump, do find her, but she is shot and killed after they find her. The father, grief stricken, hires Hardman to find his daughter's killer. This means going into the world of pimps, prostitutes and hired hit men. They do find the killer, but there are a lot of twists and turns in an exciting mystery/thriller. Hardman and Hump are attacked along the way. I read this book in 2 days. It is page turner.
The team of one white and one black man was uncommon back in 1974 and rare in the deep south. The author's books served as the inspiration for The Lethal Weapon series(books/movies and now TV).
There is a disclaimer at the beginning of the book, stating that it was written in 1974 and reflects sexual attitudes of the time.
One quote: "I'm Jim Hardman, and I used to be a cop here in Atlanta before I got some mud thrown at me during a reform movement. I got the resignation in about half a step in front of the boot. I'm pudgy and over forty and deceptively mean and nasty. The dude with me is Hump Evans. For five or six years, he was right up there with the Deacon and Claude and Bubba until a knee injury finished him. He's black and a little bitter now and then, and I think we're friends, but I wouldn't say that to him."
Thanks to Brash Books for sending me this eBook.
This is the third book that I have read in the Hardman series and I have enjoyed each one. The writing and characters remind me of Raymond Chandler. In this book Hardman is hired a by a farmer to find his daughter who has moved to Atlanta to attend a beauty and charm school. But the farmer was told by an acquaintance that his daughter is now working as a prostitute. Hardman and his partner, Hump, do find her, but she is shot and killed after they find her. The father, grief stricken, hires Hardman to find his daughter's killer. This means going into the world of pimps, prostitutes and hired hit men. They do find the killer, but there are a lot of twists and turns in an exciting mystery/thriller. Hardman and Hump are attacked along the way. I read this book in 2 days. It is page turner.
The team of one white and one black man was uncommon back in 1974 and rare in the deep south. The author's books served as the inspiration for The Lethal Weapon series(books/movies and now TV).
There is a disclaimer at the beginning of the book, stating that it was written in 1974 and reflects sexual attitudes of the time.
One quote: "I'm Jim Hardman, and I used to be a cop here in Atlanta before I got some mud thrown at me during a reform movement. I got the resignation in about half a step in front of the boot. I'm pudgy and over forty and deceptively mean and nasty. The dude with me is Hump Evans. For five or six years, he was right up there with the Deacon and Claude and Bubba until a knee injury finished him. He's black and a little bitter now and then, and I think we're friends, but I wouldn't say that to him."
Thanks to Brash Books for sending me this eBook.
December 8, 2018
Ralph Dennis did something right when he wrote his Jim Hardman series -- something that caused me to plow through the first four books in the series in less than a week. Good thing there's another eight. What he does -- is he knows how to tell a story and keep the reader's attention. The Hardman series has been described as a meld of men's adventure and private eye tales set against a lurid background of mid-70's Atlanta, a gritty town filled with bars, wannabe hippie street kids, runaways, pimps, and hustlers.
Hardman is an ex-cop who took the fall when a reform wave hit the Department. He's 40, a bit on the pudgy side, and he has no PI license, but from time to time he does favors for friends with his buddy Hump Evans, a 270-pound ex football player whose knees gave out to early but is still quick as anything and worth an army of tough guys all by his lonesome. Hardman and Hump aren't necessarily into working the 9 to 5, but are always on alert for a case that might pay off and finance their non ambitious lifestyles.
This one is all about the farmer's daughter come to the big city to pursue her dreams of a modeling career, but only to end up with the runaways and throwaways on the evening stroll. Hardman is of course hired to find her and hopefully rescue her. But, things go sideways from there and Hardman and Hump find themselves in the middle of more then they bargained for. On the way, between the shootouts, the bar fights, and the manhunts, we get the sense of how prostitution isn't necessarily a victimless crime, how these young girls are preyed upon, and taken advantage of.
All in all, just straight out quality action-packed fiction.
Hardman is an ex-cop who took the fall when a reform wave hit the Department. He's 40, a bit on the pudgy side, and he has no PI license, but from time to time he does favors for friends with his buddy Hump Evans, a 270-pound ex football player whose knees gave out to early but is still quick as anything and worth an army of tough guys all by his lonesome. Hardman and Hump aren't necessarily into working the 9 to 5, but are always on alert for a case that might pay off and finance their non ambitious lifestyles.
This one is all about the farmer's daughter come to the big city to pursue her dreams of a modeling career, but only to end up with the runaways and throwaways on the evening stroll. Hardman is of course hired to find her and hopefully rescue her. But, things go sideways from there and Hardman and Hump find themselves in the middle of more then they bargained for. On the way, between the shootouts, the bar fights, and the manhunts, we get the sense of how prostitution isn't necessarily a victimless crime, how these young girls are preyed upon, and taken advantage of.
All in all, just straight out quality action-packed fiction.
December 18, 2019
Not sure why I started with the third Hardman, but it was good enough to try another, either back to the first, or on to the fourth. Pimp for the Dead was the fourth.
A very gritty tale set in Atlanta (and I'm sure you could plot Hardman's moves around Atlanta on a map) in the sleazy seventies, this is all about finding a hooker's killers for her country daddy. Narrated in a straightforward, tough -tender style which is totally believable and never quite predictable or trite.
Known only to aficionados until recently, this series (based on 3 & 4, at least) well deserves its current revival. I look forward to more.
A very gritty tale set in Atlanta (and I'm sure you could plot Hardman's moves around Atlanta on a map) in the sleazy seventies, this is all about finding a hooker's killers for her country daddy. Narrated in a straightforward, tough -tender style which is totally believable and never quite predictable or trite.
Known only to aficionados until recently, this series (based on 3 & 4, at least) well deserves its current revival. I look forward to more.
June 13, 2023
All of the books in the series so far have been very solid. At least a 7 or an 8 every time. The writing is good and the dialogue on an elite level.
May 1, 2019
I received this from AudioBookBoom and Brash Books in exchange for an honest review.
Fourth book in the Hardman series, this one has Jim Hardman and Hump Evans wrapped up in fighting racketeers from Chicago on the take in Atlanta while looking for the murderers of a young runaway.
The Hardman books are a product of the times and written as such. If you can get past the stereotypes and 70s-era thinking, these are really good books about an ex-cop/non-licensed PI just trying to make enough money to comfortably keep fed and in drink. Of course, Hardman and Hump get into all sorts of trouble along the way. I can see where Joe Lansdale used these two as a pattern for Hap and Leonard.
Looking forward to the next one!
Fourth book in the Hardman series, this one has Jim Hardman and Hump Evans wrapped up in fighting racketeers from Chicago on the take in Atlanta while looking for the murderers of a young runaway.
The Hardman books are a product of the times and written as such. If you can get past the stereotypes and 70s-era thinking, these are really good books about an ex-cop/non-licensed PI just trying to make enough money to comfortably keep fed and in drink. Of course, Hardman and Hump get into all sorts of trouble along the way. I can see where Joe Lansdale used these two as a pattern for Hap and Leonard.
Looking forward to the next one!
September 24, 2024
Hardman gets a call from an old friend asking him to help out an old farmer to try and find his daughter who has runaway to the mean streets of Atlanta. Him and his pal Hump find her only to watch her get blown away on the streets she's now walking. The farmer then pays him to find her killer(s).
As always, an enjoyable trip back to when these types of books were the best. This series in particular is one of the best of its time. I've said it before, but it's just sad that the publishers of the eBooks have to apologize for the content. This whole series, from what I have read so far, has everything you can want in books like these.
As always, an enjoyable trip back to when these types of books were the best. This series in particular is one of the best of its time. I've said it before, but it's just sad that the publishers of the eBooks have to apologize for the content. This whole series, from what I have read so far, has everything you can want in books like these.
June 4, 2019
Dennis is really, really good. I can't believe how many good books he turned out in just a few years.
This is another tour through the underbelly of Atlanta, and it is tense and lively. Just a good read.
Why was this guy never famous?
This is another tour through the underbelly of Atlanta, and it is tense and lively. Just a good read.
Why was this guy never famous?
May 3, 2019
Here we go again! Former Atlanta cop, Jim Hardman and his buddy Hump Evans, circa 1970's become involved in another situation that satisfyingly takes the reader on one heck of a joy ride.
This time Jim is hired by the father of a nice girl who is now a streetwalker. This is the doorway into a case that evolves into Hardman getting mixed up, with various seedy characters, cheats and liars as a man is trying to move in and take over all of the prostitution in the area.
Author, Ralph Dennis, never wastes a word on a page, yet the economy should not be confused with brevity. This is no "Spencer" big print wide margins book, but every word on every page matters conjuring up the imagery and plot the reader needs to keep the pages turning.
For most of the work I listened via audible. It is such a delight when the right narrator is hired. Shawn Compton is perfect for the Hardman series, specifically Ralph Dennis' writing. The words on the page are delivered in the tone that accents the story. What a wonderful series!
This book could be read out of order in the series, why do that? Begin with #1 and move to #4! You will not be disappointed.
This time Jim is hired by the father of a nice girl who is now a streetwalker. This is the doorway into a case that evolves into Hardman getting mixed up, with various seedy characters, cheats and liars as a man is trying to move in and take over all of the prostitution in the area.
Author, Ralph Dennis, never wastes a word on a page, yet the economy should not be confused with brevity. This is no "Spencer" big print wide margins book, but every word on every page matters conjuring up the imagery and plot the reader needs to keep the pages turning.
For most of the work I listened via audible. It is such a delight when the right narrator is hired. Shawn Compton is perfect for the Hardman series, specifically Ralph Dennis' writing. The words on the page are delivered in the tone that accents the story. What a wonderful series!
This book could be read out of order in the series, why do that? Begin with #1 and move to #4! You will not be disappointed.
December 10, 2019
I received this book for free. I am voluntarily leaving this review and all opinions expressed herein are my own.
This is the fourth book in the Hardman series. It is a standalone story [no cliffhanger ending]. While you could read the series in any order, you should start with the first book in the series which introduces the characters and enjoy their development as the series progresses. Warning: This series was first written in the 70's and republished by Brash books. It has the vernacular and viewpoints of that time period.
Here, Hardman and his partner Hump are hired by a farmer whose daughter came to the city to enroll in a school for modeling but has disappeared. Hardman finds her working as a prostitute but before he can get her in touch with her father, she is murdered. Hardman then begins the investigation into her death.
Although this story takes place in the 70's, the topic of sex slavery is current today. I really enjoy Hardman and Hump -their comical interactions and their anti-conventional hero status. The story is well-written and at times, heartbreaking. I look forward to the rest of the series.
I listened to this book - the narrator is a perfect compliment to the written word. I am a big fan!
This is the fourth book in the Hardman series. It is a standalone story [no cliffhanger ending]. While you could read the series in any order, you should start with the first book in the series which introduces the characters and enjoy their development as the series progresses. Warning: This series was first written in the 70's and republished by Brash books. It has the vernacular and viewpoints of that time period.
Here, Hardman and his partner Hump are hired by a farmer whose daughter came to the city to enroll in a school for modeling but has disappeared. Hardman finds her working as a prostitute but before he can get her in touch with her father, she is murdered. Hardman then begins the investigation into her death.
Although this story takes place in the 70's, the topic of sex slavery is current today. I really enjoy Hardman and Hump -their comical interactions and their anti-conventional hero status. The story is well-written and at times, heartbreaking. I look forward to the rest of the series.
I listened to this book - the narrator is a perfect compliment to the written word. I am a big fan!
January 1, 2019
Ralph Dennis had his world and his characters down pat for this fourth entry in the Hardman series. All the usual suspects are there, and the author plays them to the hilt.
This novel offers a slight change-up in the mix, though, when it introduces a hardworking farmer who's come to the big city looking for a wayward daughter. Even though Hardman and Hump find her, things don't go well, and that leads them even deeper into the particular situation they've found themselves in. Unwilling to let things stand without making an effort to balance the scale, Hardman and Hump soon find themselves in the crosshairs of several criminals all fighting a turf war.
The characterization in this one is really good for the major actors and the bit players. I'm looking forward to the next.
This novel offers a slight change-up in the mix, though, when it introduces a hardworking farmer who's come to the big city looking for a wayward daughter. Even though Hardman and Hump find her, things don't go well, and that leads them even deeper into the particular situation they've found themselves in. Unwilling to let things stand without making an effort to balance the scale, Hardman and Hump soon find themselves in the crosshairs of several criminals all fighting a turf war.
The characterization in this one is really good for the major actors and the bit players. I'm looking forward to the next.
January 22, 2024
Another solid entry in the Hardman series, with Hardman and Hump digging into a shotgun double-murder of a pair of prostitutes that appears tied to racketeers shaking down the local pimps. A little violent for the detective novel that it is, but downright mild for the 70's men's action novel it was originally marketed as. It'll be good to have Hardman back in print!
December 27, 2018
A must read book
If you like good old detective books with out sex with a lot of action and twist and turns you Will love these
If you like good old detective books with out sex with a lot of action and twist and turns you Will love these
January 5, 2020
I only JUST wrote in my last review for a Hardman book, the third one, that I was unlikely to ever give any in this series four stars compared to the three I usually give. I love the Hardman books, so it's not because of that. For one, I think three stars is nothing to sneeze at! For me, that means solid enjoyment. A positive experience. Only three star books tend to be products that come far from reinventing the wheel. They done to be so familiar that the question is how well done is that unambitious, familiar thing. Ralph Dennis does do a lot of things different from your average detective series, sure. In the end, it's three stars. I mean, regardless of how f'n great a hamburger is, most would never give a hamburger a Michelin star or whatever the top food honor is.
Maybe I just wanted to prove I'm not that much of a snob! haha. No, what happened is that everything in the last couple Hardman books came together in this one. All the familiar points in a Hardman novel Dennis finally figured out how to measure in just right. It doesn't hurt that this one went head long into the Atlanta underbelly. That's my sweet spot, really.
I just finished the book, and I guess I don't have a hell of a lot to say right now, it turns out. So far, Pimp for the Dead is the high point for the Hardman books and Ralph Dennis in general.
Maybe I just wanted to prove I'm not that much of a snob! haha. No, what happened is that everything in the last couple Hardman books came together in this one. All the familiar points in a Hardman novel Dennis finally figured out how to measure in just right. It doesn't hurt that this one went head long into the Atlanta underbelly. That's my sweet spot, really.
I just finished the book, and I guess I don't have a hell of a lot to say right now, it turns out. So far, Pimp for the Dead is the high point for the Hardman books and Ralph Dennis in general.
August 30, 2023
This was a reread. Ralph Dennis and the Hardman series was one of my favorite authors and series of my youth in the 1970's. Writing as good as John D. MacDonald and his Travis McGee series, but Hardman and Hump Evans were edgier, more hip. The stories were fast paced and interesting and Dennis could put out more than one book a year so you were always looking for his next installment when visiting the book store.
Attitudes, and treatment of women in these stories reflected the habits of men in the 1970's so be aware. While not quite as Neanderthal as men were in the 40's and the 50's, the 1970's approach will be shocking to some in our post "me too" atmosphere.
I highly recommend The Hardman series where any book in the series will be a 4 or 5 star expetience.
Attitudes, and treatment of women in these stories reflected the habits of men in the 1970's so be aware. While not quite as Neanderthal as men were in the 40's and the 50's, the 1970's approach will be shocking to some in our post "me too" atmosphere.
I highly recommend The Hardman series where any book in the series will be a 4 or 5 star expetience.
April 4, 2020
My fourth Hardman novel, and I am once again glad I found this superb series. The plot is, as usual, sharp and fast, the characters crisply etched, and the dialogue is hugely entertaining. In my opinion, this novel is better than the previous one - with a lot happening more than chases through every street in Atlanta. Once again, Dennis has exposed the dark reaches of the seventies' Atlanta with some light words and the effect is engrossing. Can't wait to read the next one...
January 27, 2022
Best Hardman Yet
I've become such a fan of the Jim Hardman and Hump Evans novels by Ralph Dennis. Thus far, they're getting better with each one. The first was a solid start, two was really good, three had been my favorite until Pimp For The Dead, which to me is the best yet. I highly recommend it and I'm looking forward to the next one.
I've become such a fan of the Jim Hardman and Hump Evans novels by Ralph Dennis. Thus far, they're getting better with each one. The first was a solid start, two was really good, three had been my favorite until Pimp For The Dead, which to me is the best yet. I highly recommend it and I'm looking forward to the next one.
December 23, 2023
It feels like Dennis is back on form with this, the fourth in the Hardman series. The prose seems terser and more involving and the character work plays out nicely. I even liked the gardening asides. The main plot begins quickly and there's enhanced peril throughout alongside the usual mystery-solving and muscular action. A short, snappy, exciting read, just as you'd hope it would be.
May 21, 2020
Hardman Book 4 Very Good Read
Hardman episode #4, Hardman and Hump Evans are hired by a farmer to find his daughter who ran off to the big city of Atlanta to be a model. Every time they get closer the well connected villains are one step ahead of them.
Hardman episode #4, Hardman and Hump Evans are hired by a farmer to find his daughter who ran off to the big city of Atlanta to be a model. Every time they get closer the well connected villains are one step ahead of them.
July 11, 2019
Another well written tale from Ralph Dennis. A very good series, written in the ‘70 s. Keep that in mind if you choose to read the series. Definitely not what is known asPC in today’s world
November 13, 2019
This is the fourth Hardman book that I have read this year and they are all really great reads. If you enjoy a quick easy gritty mystery then the Hardman novels are totally for you.
November 28, 2019
Another awesome Jim Hardman novel.
December 21, 2019
Short, quick and brutal. Westlake-ian in nature- ample violence, sarcastic one liners, and a badass tough guy leading man.
April 3, 2021
Solid hard-boiled story. I love the Hardman series; this one is a slight drop from the previous three but still worthwhile. Dennis can write fight scenes with the best.
February 8, 2026
Ralph Dennis really Atlantas.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews