The Hard Stuff

Joe the Bouncer #2

by David Gordon, Richard Poe (Narrator)

Ex-black-ops-specialist-turned-strip-club-bouncer Joe Brody has a new qualification to add to his resume: an alliance of New York City's mob bosses has deemed him its "sheriff." In the straight world, when you “see something” you “say something” to the law. In the bent world, they call Joe.

Still reeling from a particularly difficult operation, and having plummeted back into the drug and alcohol addiction that got him kicked out of the military as a result, Joe has just managed to detox at the clinic of a Chinese herbalist when the mob bosses phone: they need Joe to help them swindle a group of opioid dealers (of all things). But these are no typical drug-ferrying gangsters. Little Maria, the head of the Dominican mob, has discovered that her new heroin suppliers belong to an al-Qaeda splinter group, and that they're planning to use their drug funds to back their terrorist agenda. With Joe in command, the mob coalition must pull off an intricate heist that will begin in Manhattan's diamond district. At stake is not only their business, but the state of the world.

For readers who like a liberal dose of humor mixed with gritty crime, 'THE HARD STUFF' is a brilliant, action-packed thriller from a fresh virtuoso of the crime caper genre.

RUNNING TIME ➼ 8hrs. and 25mins.

©2019 David Gordon (P)2019 Recorded Books

Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Noir, Mystery Thriller

Audible Audio

First published December 1, 2019

About the author

David Gordon was born in New York City. He attended Sarah Lawrence College and holds an MA in English and Comparative Literature and an MFA in Writing, both from Columbia University, and has worked in film, fashion, publishing, and pornography. His first novel, The Serialist, won the VCU/Cabell First Novel Award and was a finalist for an Edgar Award. His work has also appeared in The Paris Review, Purple, and Fence among other publications.

Reviews

[Paul Falk · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Gordon created a fast-paced storyline of criminal dealings and violence to hit the streets of New York. The main character was well-defined in his role as bouncer/gangster. Throughout this well-written tale, non-stop action propelled the narrative from beginning to end. There was little time to take a breath.

The underworld is alive and doing quite well in the city of New York. Thieves, mobsters and thugs ply their trade in lieu of receiving a W-2 at the beginning of the year. No discrimination, gender makes no difference; it's every man and woman for themself. Anyone looking for an action-packed crime drama... look no further.

I offer my thanks to NetGalley and Grove Pacific/Mysterious Press for the release of this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Aristotle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A blast of a read. Would make a cool summer movie.
International heroin dealers with connections to terrorist are looking for a buyer of 4 million dollars worth of white persian heroin. Joe is hired to pose as a drug buyer. The sellers want to be paid in diamonds. Where does Joe find 4 million in diamonds? Well he will steal them of course. Then he must steal them back from the dealer. With the help of his crew Joe puts his plan into action.

Joe is flawed but loyal, complex and layered anti-hero. Yelena his sexy partner that has no problem putting a bullet through your heart or using her thighs as a weapon. His boss Gio is one confused mob boss. The scene on page 100 made me laugh. What would the Corleone or Soprano families think of it?
I will be looking for book 3.

The rules of the game become meaningless when you realize the game is rigged. -Joe

Life's a game but it's not fair. I break the rules so I don't care. -Rihanna

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Just because you decide to keep away from the hard stuff, doesn’t mean it will keep away from you.”

The Hard Stuff by David Gordon is book 2 in a fun, full criminal world. A world swimming in gangsters, thugs, terrorists, and traitors! You know--the big baddies!--who show up to the party to cause trouble. And this book is full of trouble!

Joe Brody, is an ex-military badass now working as a bouncer at a strip club. But he’s so much, much more than that. He’s the one everyone in the criminal underworld calls for help. They can’t call the police, for obvious reasons, so Joe is their guy. And oh how fun it is watching him work his way out of a problem with elaborate heists and spur of the moment plans fueled with laid back charm and expertise. He works for one Gio Caprisi, the head of an empire of legit and not so legit businesses. Simply put Gio has his hand in everything in New York. He’s a gangster in a business suit. He’s scary and charming and…as one associate describes him… “the dude of dudes”. Haha…Needless to say, I liked Gio at first sight. Joe and Gio are childhood friends and you’ll feel their power and connection in the humor and comfort they share in nods, silences, and few words. I loved that they had more page time together this time out. But let me get back to Joe…he’s the baddest of them all! He’s got this whole cool, quiet, I-could-kill-you-with-my-pinky-finger kind of air about him. I love how is own grandmother describes him…

“He didn’t say where he was going?”
“Hon, he joined the army once without saying where he was going.”
“He didn’t even call? What if he’s in trouble?”
“He never even called when he got arrested. He’d come by after to tell me he was out. Look”---she patted Donna’s leg---“you’ve got to relax. Joe’s like a cat. He comes and goes and if you try to put a collar on him, you get scratched. But if you let him alone, then he’ll come home eventually, purring and sweet as can be.”

So what is Joe up to this time out? Well hard to say. There’s a lot going on! We have rats and Feds sniffing around; PTSD and nightmares; diamond heists and terrorist-linked heroin traffickers all vying for top billing. Plus in the midst of all that, Joe is attempting to kick his dope habit and resist his growing attraction to a Fed. An attraction that adds a nice spark to the story. Federal Agent Donna Zamora is right on his heels in this one! I’m hoping she gets her man--in a way. :) See!!! A LOT going on!

But Mr. Gordon keeps it all in line and on track with simple, straight forward language with quick jabs of humor and emotion. There’s no messing around here. We jump right in! The constantly moving pieces and action feel like a big, Hollywood action flick. Lots of shooting, planning, fighting, and bad guys you can’t help rooting for. I had fun! What can I say…I’m a root for the bad guy type of gal.

Here’s hoping this isn’t the end. I want more of Joe, Gio, Donna, and more!

Recommended.

[Ellis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I told a friend the other day that as far as 2019 is concerned if someone in a book isn't solving a crime (preferably with a warrant card somewhere on their person), if they're not opening a magical door that shouldn't exist, if there's not a space ship or a rogue computer or a haunted cave involved somehow, I just have no patience for reading. Turns out I can stand a good caper as well.

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my reading joys is the occasional discovery of a new caper novel. This happened in 2018 with the release of THE BOUNCER, in which David Gordon put a new twist or two on the classic crime subgenre. The sophomore entry in this series, THE HARD STUFF, meets and exceeds the standard established by its predecessor by shuffling things around, taking a couple of characters off the board and adding new ones, while setting up a plot or two for further resolution down the road.

THE HARD STUFF features a series of improbable but believable capers connected by the interactions of a group of characters who for the most part are mad, bad and dangerous to know. Joe Brody, aka Joe the Bouncer, is at the tip of the spear, an ex-Black Ops specialist who is bent but not broken by his wartime experiences, which have honed his deadly skill set but have left him psychologically damaged and substance addicted. Joe is publicly employed as a security guard, or bouncer, at Club Rendevous, a striptease establishment in Queens. His actual work, though, is far more interesting.

As a result of the events that are documented in THE BOUNCER, Joe was elevated by the council of New York’s mob bosses to the position of sheriff. While the mob organizations operate on the wrong side of the law, they are well aware that it is in everyone’s interests to foil any terrorist plot that crosses their path.

The main driver in THE HARD STUFF concerns such a scheme, which involves selling dope for diamonds in order to finance the attack. Joe, who has a mind like a steel trap (as is demonstrated by his extremely literate taste in reading), attempts to thwart the terrorists by stealing some diamonds, trading them to the terrorists for drugs, and then stealing them back while wiping out the terrorists. It’s a little complex, but it sets up a pair of prolonged action scenes, each of which would be worth the price of admission on its own. The same can be said of the book’s introductory movement, during which Joe and a group of cohorts travel into a rural area of New Jersey to violently take care of a bit of unfinished business left over from THE BOUNCER.

In the midst of all of this, Joe finds a way to pick the addict monkey off his back and resolve a couple of other issues as well. The interplay among the other primary and secondary characters provides for action and laughs in equal measure, even as Gordon demonstrates --- once again --- that New York, for all of its gigantic geographic spread and large and varied population demographics, is just one big small town where the degrees of separation are low, if they exist at all. It’s a dark book that’s also fun, and it will pick you up and carry you from first page to last, as well as create anticipation for whatever will come next.

Gordon is The Man. THE HARD STUFF is shot through with an insider’s knowledge of the streets on which it is set, making one wonder how much of the book is true crime described as fiction. The characters and situations you’ll find here will rattle around in your head long after you’ve finished reading. Hopefully we won’t have to wait long for the next installment.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

No one writes a heist scene like David Gordon. The one in here knocked my socks off!

[Tami Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Meanwhile, in the water around them, the sharks were closing in."

The thing about this Joe Brody series, David Gordon wastes NO time on the action or linking the story to the previous book.

We pick up right were book 1 left off. Another day, another job for Joe the Bouncer at his side hustle. While this book was action packed and still kept the laughs coming, it dragged a bit in the middle and so it missed the mark a bit for me there.

But not enough to say this was a bad book, because when it picked up....it. picked. Up! I was on the edge of my seat and the last 100 pages had it all.

I've already reserved book 3 at my library. Can't wait to see what is in store for these characters. If you want a book about organized crime, that is also action packed and funny when it counts.....this Joe Brody series is for you.

Just one other gripe.....Agent Zamora...c'mon now. We gotta be smarter than that. You gotta suspend believe and the idea of consequences for that notion a bit. Lol

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hard Stuff is the second book to feature Joe Brody, but David Gordon gave me enough information about the lifelong friendship between Gio Caprisi and Joe Brody to not feel lost. Joe grew up to be a special ops soldier. Gio became a mob boss. Joe comes home from Afghanistan, drug addicted and suffering PTSD. Gio offers his Joe a job as Bouncer at a strip club, and additional duties as a "fixer." Mr Gordon has created true anti-heroes in both men, but Joe especially. Joe is flawed but loyal, complex and layered. The action in The hard Stuff comes at you fast and consistently. I thoroughly enjoyed suspending disbelief and surrendering to this exceptional action thriller. The highlight of the book for me was a complicated diamond theft. It was so beautifully drawn and executed I could visualize it easily. so, pacing is fast, action is constant, there's a bit of romance, adult language and situations, and the specter of drugs and addiction. I will be seeking out book one, The Bouncer.
I received my copy through NetGalley under no obligation.

[Cropredy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let's stipulate for a moment that page turners are not great literature. Let's further stipulate that some page turners can be satisfying reads as the author spins out the plot and keeps you wanting to read the next chapter, then the next.

Sadly, this book falls into another category of page turners - one written to attract the eye of a movie studio to make the book into a film.

Here we have book 2 of the "Joe the Bouncer" series (I had not read book 1).

Every single character is a caricature - multiple mob bosses of varying ethnicities; henchman (also of varying ethnicities) who serve all the roles of an Ocean's XX plot - the computer hacker, the ace driver, the heavy. A Russian female who has all sorts of interesting tattoos. She's an expert in martial arts and safe cracking but also a love interest (of course). An FBI agent who competes as a love interest. And, of course, our protagonist, an ex-special forces, PTSD-afflicted, strip club bouncer, and "sheriff" for the NYC mob bosses to clean up things that would affect "business" .

The plot involves drugs, diamonds, and some connection to Book 1 that keeps intruding into the plot. The author introduces a ton of characters (by name) that you think you need to keep track of, but really don't. Who cares that the street coffee vendor is named Sameer? Every time there's a meet, it is at some favorite mob boss's restaurant and the venue's manager gets named as well. Not necessary.

The mob guys are of course good family men, men of honor, except when they are not. There's rampant informing (both corrupt law enforcement to mob and the reverse). Solar plexi get punched in, really bad folk end up badly, cars chase, vehicles crash. Like an Ocean's XX plot, plans evolve like clockwork with surprise little twists. A just-in-time climatic ending.

Rather than create interesting real characters, the author devotes ink to stirring prose as:

"Juno served Joe a grape Snapple, moved some laundry from a busted couch, and as soon as they got settled, just asked him: What are we stealing? And when?"

You can just picture this scene in the film. A bit of a laugh. Sheesh.

Give this one a pass and just wait for the movie (which will go by faster than the time it will take to read the book).

Pro tip - If you want to read compelling, well-written stories about corrupt cops and the mob, try Don Winslow's books.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's so rare to find a true action novel with characters who actually think, and reflect, and express insights about one another. Just to reassure the hard-core action-only fans, the depth in The Hard Stuff never slows down the propulsive caper energy. But it has more to offer.

At the heart of this book and its predecessor, The Bouncer, is a loyal, lifelong friendship between Gio Caprisi and Joe Brody, two schoolmates from Catholic school. Joe grew up to be a special ops soldier. Gio becomes a mob boss. After Joe, drug-addicted and PTSD-racked, comes home from Afghanistan, Gio throws his buddy a lifeline: a job as Bouncer at a strip club, and additional duties as a fixer, using his Army-acquired skills.

This is the first book I've read by David Gordon, but he has four non-fiction and 5 other fiction books out there, and I know I'll be looking up some of them

The title of this one (The Hard Stuff) alluded to the two of the biggest plot drivers -- drugs and diamonds. It may also refer to some of the knotty relationship challenges encountered by Gio, Joe, and even some of the minor characters, such as Liam Madigan, an Irish mobster who discovers a heartbreaking betrayal.

The heist scenes were tightly plotted, the pyrotechnics seemed over-the-top and yet perfectly plausible, the humor was dark and subtle. So far, so good. But how often in an action story do you come upon a passage such as this:

"Yet weren't criminals, in some sense, romantics? Even if they themselves would puke at the idea? Even if most of the ones Liam actually knew, having grown up around them, were dumb, brutal bastards, thick as planks or mental. They were playing with fate, rolling the dice on their own freedom, betting their lives that it would come out all right, while knowing, in the long run, the odds still ran against the as in gambling or love."

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance readers copy.

[Janeadams Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Brody is an ex-black ops specialist whose PTSD from his military service is barely in check, just like his drug habit. He's a bouncer in a mob-owned step club whose special talents are often called on by his employer, who appreciated the important role Joe played in foiling a terrorist plot . . Now his bosses need his help to dwindle and then destroy a group of opioid dealers who happen to belong to an all Qaeda splinter group planning to use their drug profits to finance their terrorist agenda. The intricate heist that Joe and a coalition of mobsters pull off with great brio makes for a great plot; who knew that what's left of the criminal underworld had such strong feelings of patriotism ? With their ; sheriff" leading the operation through Manhattan's crowded streets in a scene that made for a movie, the denouement races to a thundering climax. Joe Brody is a complex and appealing protagonist who deserves as few more outings - here's hoping Gordon gives them to him.

[Leane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe Brody is a compelling flawed ex-Special Forces guy who is the “sheriff” for all the crime families in the NYC area. One of my notes from the first book, The Bouncer (2018) was “Intriguing but is it realistic?” and “ I did not care—liked it a lot.” This speaks to my attraction to ambivalent anti-heroes because even a criminal can have a code. In this 2nd in the series, the Setting is again Queens, NYC, NJ and the environs and the strip bars, restaurants, and backrooms where the deals are made and each locale seems real, as do the CHs with all their faults. Some are stereotypes, although Gordon does a good job making the majority of them individuals. The Pace is somewhat unrelenting with pauses that describe the bones of the deals, and in this case, the caper which is exquisitely planned and entertainingly delivered. The violence is graphic and the ethics questionable; however, I am not sure whether it is because it is unrealistic—more like it mirrors too much of the gritty, money-hungry reality of organized crime. I comprehend who Joe is and why he is who he is and he intrigues me. The supporting cast also add flavor and nuance: his oldest friend and boss, Gio; his grifter grandmother Gladys; the FBI agent who intrigues him, Donna, and the assortment of specialty crew: the driver, the tech person, the safe cracker, etc. Other Red Flags besides the overt and explicit violence, is the sex and the vulgar language. I’ll read the third soon. Gordon’s series reminds me of John Clarkson’s Among Thieves and Walter Mosley, as well as Stephen Mack Jones’s August Snow series. Grim, plot-driven action, and superb ambivalent CHs.

[John McKenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joe the bouncer is back. This time we find Joe detoxing and getting the monkey off his back with the help of a Chinese Doctor who’s a herbalist and acupuncture expert. Then, just as he’s finally clean and sober, the crime lords want Brody to do a job for them. The task? Steal a gigantic shipment of heroin that’s coming into New York City from Afghanistan. It’s the highest and purest kind of the stuff—known as China White—and as such, it’s the most valuable of the illicit opiates. The sale will go to fund Al-Qaeda terrorist operations around the world. It will also introduce an entirely new and reliable large source of drugs into America, and firmly establish a brand-new mega-player into the New York-New England and Atlantic coast region. Bad news for everybody. Oh, and as if that’s not enough for Brody to take on, Gio and the other crime bosses need him to steal two billion dollars worth of diamonds in order to effect the drug transactions, then steal it back so the terrorists won’t benefit. Simple, huh?
Readers will find themselves rooting all-out for this most unlikely, improbable and fascinating anti-hero as he takes on the herculean, seemingly impossible tasks assigned to him. Escape and enjoy, as Joe the Bouncer takes the concept of bad-assery into a whole different universe!

[Don Gorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3 1/2). The first Joe the Bouncer book was good stuff, but I have to say that this one is even better. For me the highlight was from about pages 100-160, where we had the depiction of the coolest robbery and escape scenario you will ever read. It was just wonderful. The rest of the book is pretty cool as well. Lots of creative violence, in a very civil "Joe" manner, and all kinds of wild and strange relationship things as well. An easy and very fun read. Great stuff.

[Jon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am the target audience for this action-packed, violence-soaked, lean, witty series. It’s perfect. I love it. In book 2,ex-Special Forces operator Joe the Bouncer, the newly appointed Sheriff of Organized Crime, has two heists to complete to make all the Mob bosses happy. But that just scratches the surface of this must read novel and series.

[Donald · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If you felt the law was not there for you, then you might not be all that inclined to obey it. The rules of the game become meaningless when you realize the game is rigged.”

This book picks up right after the first one, with Joe the Bouncer tying up a loose end from the gun heist debacle. (Chapter 1 pretty much summarizes the first book, if you haven’t read it).

The diamond heist is brilliant! The costumes, ambulance, and baby - just brilliant! And the whole book is another fun ride with Joe and his crew trying to outwit the authorities, and stay alive at the same time! I'm hoping there is another Joe the Bouncer book in the making!

Great ending too, with Joe and Gio on a boat -

"So the two friends sat in silence, floating on the surface of the ocean, watching the first specks of dawn begin to gather, like motes on the far rim of the world. Meanwhile, in the water around them, the sharks were closing in."

[Mary Banks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book...really enjoyed the characters ...fun
and easy read

[Matilde Augusta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally the sequel to The Bouncer is here! David Gordon is a beyond brilliant writer. His prose is somehow fast-moving, thrilling, beautiful and funny all at once, which must be incredibly hard to do. My heart kept skipping a beat here and there as I read the action scenes. It is rare that a novel can make me as invested in it's characters as The Hard Stuff did. I wait in anticipation to find out what they will tackle next.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 3 out of 5]

Action action action! Joe Brody is a vet with issues who is now working as a bouncer and is deeply tied up with criminals. Lots of criminals. Little Maria, the head of the Dominican mob, stands out as a bad "guy" but there's just so much going on here that it overwhelmed the story. There's drugs, Al-Queda, a heist, and so on. Oddly, this might make a better movie than it made a read. Thanks to Edelweiss for the ARC. This might not have been for me but fans of the gritty action forward genre will probably embrace Joe Brody.

[Diane Fredericks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a half stars. I love a good caper novel. The author had tons of balls in the air and delivered on them, albeit with some crazy coincidences, but still. I read the first novel about these same characters, "The Bouncer," and could not wait to read this one. A very, very good book - -smart, funny, and fast-paced. I like the main characters a lot. I hope there are more books to come.

[Maxwell · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Gordon's Joe the Bouncer series is good fun. "The Hard Stuff" is the sequel to Gordon's "The Bouncer" and continues with a fast paced crime story using the same anti-hero universe. Joe Brody, ex-black ops agent is now a low profile strip club bouncer in his regular job, but he moonlights as the high profile "sheriff" for the various New York organized crime families. The crime syndicates use and support Joe when there are threats to the U.S. and consequently their livelihood. That's the beauty of Gordon's world. The organized crime families recognize that the authorities might be more inclined to look the other way, if the families help prevent terrorist attacks. Our hero Joe also combats PTSD and a nasty heroin habit- baggage he brought back from his time in Asia. "The Hard Stuff" basically involves a diamond heist where the jewels are going to be used as payment for $40mm worth of "Persian" heroin smuggled into New York. The crime families do this sort of thing all the time, but in this case, the diamonds are going to a terrorist group to fund mass attacks on the U.S. So Joe has to steal the diamonds, swap them for the heroin, and steal the jewels back. The reader ends up in a meticulously planned crime caper with each of the major crime families (Asian, Hassidic, Latino, Italian, African-American, Irish, Russian etc.) contributing manpower to the team led by the shell shocked addicted Joe. The ensuing mayhem, violence, laughter, creepy villains, and ultimate catharsis make for an enjoyable read. I plan on reading more David Gordon and hope that he continues the Joe the Bouncer series. These books would make excellent movies in the right director's hands.

[Tracie R · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well paced, crime story. This is my first read by this author but it won’t be my last. The Hard Stuff is an engaging read, with a thrilling storyline and well delivered characters.

[Ricky]

First time I read anything by Mr.Gordon but it won't be the last.This book was very good from start to finish.One of the few books I hated to see it end.

[Don Healy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun Action movie screen play. Perfect for the beach.

[Max · Rating 4 out of 5]

This quirky book features Joe Brody, a good guy who works for the bad guys, but only to do the right thing. I guess there was a prior book in this series, in which Joe Brody saves New York from terrorists, and that plays a small part in this book, but I don't feel that I missed much by not having read it. The characters are well drawn and the story works. The dialogue is sharp and clever, with some humor thrown in. There's a mob boss who likes to cross dress, which I think I've seen before. Some of the action scenes are described in more detail than necessary. But those are minor criticisms - over all a very good book.

[Gisell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is outstanding! It is the second in a series but works just as well as a stand-alone since the author does a great job of giving the reader all the information needed without overwhelming the story. This exciting novel is everything an action thriller should be. It is fun, exciting, riveting and interesting. I can’t wait to read the next Joe the Bouncer book which I’m certain will be a page turner you can’t put down, just like this one.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful blend of crime fiction and anti-terrorism with organized crime and feuding federal agencies. Joe the Bouncer has to act as enforcer and thief. The storyline is fast paced with several subplots. This was a free advance review copy through Goodread.com.

[TC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended.

Review posted at Tzer Island book blog:

https://www.tzerisland.com/bookblog/2...

[D. Norman · Rating 5 out of 5]

More great fun with Joe the bouncer.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

My snappy description of The Hard Stuff by David Gordon, in three words is compulsive, humorous and action-packed. This is the second book to feature Joe Brody, following on from The Bouncer. The story begins with a brief recap of that first novel, so The Hard Stuff can be read as a standalone.

Book synopsis:
Ex-black-ops-specialist-turned-strip-club-bouncer Joe Brody has a new qualification to add to his resume: an alliance of New York City's mob bosses has deemed him its "sheriff." In the straight world, when you “see something” you “say something” to the law. In the bent world, they call Joe. Still reeling from a particularly difficult operation, and having plummeted back into the drug and alcohol addiction that got him kicked out of the military as a result, Joe has just managed to detox at the clinic of a Chinese herbalist when the mob bosses phone: they need Joe to help them swindle a group of opioid dealers (of all things). But these are no typical drug-ferrying gangsters. Little Maria, the head of the Dominican mob, has discovered that her new heroin suppliers belong to an Al Qaeda splinter group, and that they're planning to use their drug funds to back their terrorist agenda. With Joe in command, the mob coalition must pull off an intricate heist that will begin in Manhattan's diamond district. At stake is not only their business, but the state of the world.

For readers who like a liberal dose of humor mixed with gritty crime, The Hard Stuff is a brilliant, action-packed thriller from a fresh virtuoso of the crime caper genre.

My musings:
I found this a good story, and throughout this well-written tale, there was little time to pause for breath as non-stop action propelled the narrative from the start.

David Gordon delivers a strong protagonist in Joe Brody, who is well-defined in his role. The novel is gritty, but I struggled a little to find a connection with him. As I never really cared for the main character, I wasn't, therefore, totally committed to the events of the story, although it is too extreme to say I was disinterested. The plot requires only minimum suspension of disbelief and there's an abundance of action, cleverness, pace, and humour in the execution of the various thefts. Brody is attempting to kick his dope habit and resist his growing attraction to Federal Agent Donna Zamora - an attraction that added more fizz to the story.

Gripping and edgy, The Hard Stuff touched on topics such as friendship, loyalty, betrayal, marital disharmony, extended family, unrealised sexual chemistry, organised crime, and terrorism. I appreciated the well-crafted outcome, but unfortunately, there was just the one missing ingredient.

Verdict:
Recommended to those looking for a hard-boiled, amusing, and action-packed read.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Grove Atlantic via NetGalley at my request, and this review is my own unbiased opinion.