Black: A Classic Hard-Boiled Tale from the Original Black Mask

by Paul Cain, Anthony Heald (Narrator), Christine Williams (Narrator)

A big-city tough guy comes to a small Minnesota town to settle a deadly fight between the local crime boss and his chief rival - his son.

Audible Audio

Published May 2, 2008

About the author

Paul Cain was the pen name of George Caryl Sims (1902–1966), a pulp fiction author and screenwriter. His sole novel, Fast One (1932), is considered a landmark of the hardboiled style.

Reviews

[Dave Schaafsma · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This is how it went down:"

That's how the story begins. I had been reading some Chandler and Hammett and ordered Fast One, Paul Cain's 1932 novel, because I heard it was a model of early noir fiction, without a slick or even funny hero detective. So while I wait for the book, I decided to listen to "Black," from the original Black Mask mystery magazine, by Black Mask Audio, his first published story there. It introduces us to Gerry Kells, a criminal in crime-infested Los Angeles. He might just have half a heart. Maybe. If you play your cards right. Lots of good noir language.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black walks into town and a man dies in his arms, then he meets up with a female cabbie. A local crime boss and his son are competing to take over the town. Not the best of Cain's stories. Published in 1932.