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Hardman #12
The Buy Back Blues
The 12th and final adventure in the legendary Hardman series
It's doing the small, simple favors that gets Jim Hardman in the most trouble. A waitress he knows asks him to find her missing husband, a freelance bartender who never returned from a weekend party that he was working. Hardman figures it's a two-day job that will lead to a tawdry end. Instead, Hardman and his buddy Hump, the ex-NFL star, get sucked into a scheme involving a hundred grand in stolen jewelry and two corpses...and counting.
"Hardman spoke directly to me. If I had a spirit guide with the Hap & Leonard novels, it was Ralph Dennis. I wish you the joy I got from first reading these novels." Joe R. Lansdale, New York Times bestselling author
"Everything one expects from a private eye novel: exceptional characterization, strong and vigorous prose, and a glimpse into a place and time that has long since disappeared." Mystery Scene Magazine
“Ralph Dennis has mastered the genre and supplied top entertainment.” The New York Times
"Among the best book series around." Philadelphia Daily News
"A lightning-paced crime story packed with irreverence and loads of action." Publishers Weekly
"By far the best of the action-adventure series." Mother Jones Magazine
This new edition includes an afterword by Lee Goldberg, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of True Fiction
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 1977
16 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Dennis
55 books43 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At the time of his death in 1988, he was working at a bookstore in Atlanta and had a file cabinet full of unpublished novels.
At the time of his death in 1988, he was working at a bookstore in Atlanta and had a file cabinet full of unpublished novels.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 - 10 of 10 reviews
May 1, 2020
4.5 stars rounded up, for book 12 in the 13 book Hardman series. I had already read book 13 and these books work fine as stand alones. In this book, Jim is asked by Barbara, a waitress friend, to look for her missing husband, Bob, who is a freelance bartender. He worked a party on Friday night and never came home. It is now Tuesday. Jim Hardman is an unofficial private investigator who does "favors" for people. He agrees to look for Bob, even though Barbara can only afford $100. He tells her that he will give it 2 days and then decide if it is worthwhile going forward.
Jim goes to his friend "Hump" Evans and tells him they they have a job if Hump wants in. Jim splits all his fees with Hump 50/50. Hump is a black ex NFL football player. Hump agrees to help.
He goes to the bar where Bob got his freelance jobs. The bartender gives Jim the Friday night party address. Jim goes there. The owner mistakes Jim and Hump for policemen checking on a burglary report. Jim realizes that the missing bartender may be connected to the burglary.
Jim connects with the insurance company processing the theft claim from the party. They want him to find the missing jewelry, cash and securities. Jim takes the case. Some people do die in the book. Jim and Hump do solve the case. There some twists and turns in the plot, which moves along at a brisk pace.
I like the author's sense of humor.
There is a disclaimer by the publisher, stating the the book was published in 1977, and reflects the cultural and sexual attitudes of the period.
One quote: Atlanta summer : After the drink, I got into bed. All the bedroom windows were open but there didn't seem to be a breeze anywhere. That was August in Atlanta. All the breezes were on vacation."
This was a kindle unlimited book.
Jim goes to his friend "Hump" Evans and tells him they they have a job if Hump wants in. Jim splits all his fees with Hump 50/50. Hump is a black ex NFL football player. Hump agrees to help.
He goes to the bar where Bob got his freelance jobs. The bartender gives Jim the Friday night party address. Jim goes there. The owner mistakes Jim and Hump for policemen checking on a burglary report. Jim realizes that the missing bartender may be connected to the burglary.
Jim connects with the insurance company processing the theft claim from the party. They want him to find the missing jewelry, cash and securities. Jim takes the case. Some people do die in the book. Jim and Hump do solve the case. There some twists and turns in the plot, which moves along at a brisk pace.
I like the author's sense of humor.
There is a disclaimer by the publisher, stating the the book was published in 1977, and reflects the cultural and sexual attitudes of the period.
One quote: Atlanta summer : After the drink, I got into bed. All the bedroom windows were open but there didn't seem to be a breeze anywhere. That was August in Atlanta. All the breezes were on vacation."
This was a kindle unlimited book.
June 4, 2019
Goodbye to Hardman and Hump
Most of the time when you finish a dozen-novel series, you feel overwhelmed that you’ve finished this monumental task. But, Dennis’ Hardman series is filled with shorter classic paperback length stories that are quick page-flipping reads and, rather than feeling like you climbed Mt. Everest, you want this quick bites of hardboiled action to continue for at least another dozen or two novels. They are just what the doctor ordered.
In this final episode of the Hardman legend, we get missing husbands, planned robberies, buried corpses, massive explosions, double crosses, desperate wives, and a femme fatale to boot. The world isn’t going to end and isn’t going to be saved. But, Dennis spins his yarns well and there’s quite a bit of entertainment here.
Most of the time when you finish a dozen-novel series, you feel overwhelmed that you’ve finished this monumental task. But, Dennis’ Hardman series is filled with shorter classic paperback length stories that are quick page-flipping reads and, rather than feeling like you climbed Mt. Everest, you want this quick bites of hardboiled action to continue for at least another dozen or two novels. They are just what the doctor ordered.
In this final episode of the Hardman legend, we get missing husbands, planned robberies, buried corpses, massive explosions, double crosses, desperate wives, and a femme fatale to boot. The world isn’t going to end and isn’t going to be saved. But, Dennis spins his yarns well and there’s quite a bit of entertainment here.
May 3, 2025
Sadly, the next to last in the Hardman series. What starts as a favor for an acquaintance (a waitress) turns into a treatise on insurance fraud. Violent and sexy with the sensibilities and language of the 1970's.
July 25, 2019
I'm sad the series is over, but I'm glad I was able to read them. I'm glad these books are making a comeback in the new printing and email versions. Overall series is a solid 4 for me.
October 26, 2014
A pretty good entry in the Hardman series (marketed as men's adventure, but really a blue-collar private eye). A waitress at the diner where Jim Hardman eats asks him if he can find her bartender husband. Hardman pokes around, but before he makes much progress the man turns up - dead. I don't want to spoil the rest, but there are many, many interesting complications.
November 15, 2020
Book 12 in the Hardman series. I know that Brash Books has published a 13th book but this is the original last book in the Hardman series. I LOVED THIS SERIES. If you like hard boiled detective fiction then this is for you. I think that Dennis created a perfect pair in Jim Hardman and Hump Evans the leads of this series. They are wonderfully filled out characters. Lots of depth and both characters are very gray in that that sometimes they might do something that is a little below the bar of legal to get the job done. In this book Hardman is hired to hunt down a lost husband and is led on a merry chase into a theft ring and bad romance . It also has Hardman look long and hard on his long time relationship with his girl Marcy. I love Dennis' tight prose. He could tell a 150 page story that other authors would take 350 to write and not half as good. He makes you care about his shady characters. Atlanta is an interesting city. The Braves were the terrible Atlanta Braves of the 70s too. And yes even the weather seemed to have a bit of character here. These are good books that people overlooked back in the day. Read them. They are very good.
May 24, 2020
Excellent and, sadly, final installment of the series. I think this story is a cut above the previous. In this outing Hardman seems even more “regular” or human. He fails to notice he’s being tailed. More references to being generally out of shape. Misses recognizing a key clue that results in a death.
I’m so sad that Dennis left the world so young, and left us without a dozen more Hardman adventures.
I will box these up and revisit them with joy in a few years. Meanwhile I will start rereading Parker’s Spenser series, which is eerily similar to the Hardman series.
I’m so sad that Dennis left the world so young, and left us without a dozen more Hardman adventures.
I will box these up and revisit them with joy in a few years. Meanwhile I will start rereading Parker’s Spenser series, which is eerily similar to the Hardman series.
May 30, 2020
Hardman #12 Good Story
Hardman episode 12: Hardman and Hump Evans are hired by a waitress, he knows, to find her husband, a bartender , who worked a weekend party and never came home. They end up with a couple of dead guys and 100 thousand dollars of stolen jewelry. Hardman is thinking he could be the fall guy.
Hardman episode 12: Hardman and Hump Evans are hired by a waitress, he knows, to find her husband, a bartender , who worked a weekend party and never came home. They end up with a couple of dead guys and 100 thousand dollars of stolen jewelry. Hardman is thinking he could be the fall guy.
June 5, 2020
Another quick, down and dirty crime caper. Hardman slicing through the Atlanta underground trying to make a quick buck and eventually do the right thing.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews