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Broken
In six intense short novels connected by the themes of crime, corruption, vengeance, justice, loss, betrayal, guilt and redemption, Broken is #1 international bestseller Don Winslow at his nerve-shattering, heart-stopping, heartbreaking best. In Broken, he creates a world of high-level thieves and low-life crooks, obsessed cops struggling with life on and off the job, private detectives, dope dealers, bounty hunters and fugitives, the lost souls driving without headlights through the dark night on the American criminal highway.
With his trademark blend of insight, humanity, humor, action and the highest level of literary craftsmanship, Winslow delivers a collection of tales that will become classics of crime fiction.
With his trademark blend of insight, humanity, humor, action and the highest level of literary craftsmanship, Winslow delivers a collection of tales that will become classics of crime fiction.
338 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2020
2259 people are currently reading
13176 people want to read
About the author
Don Winslow
113 books7,469 followersDon Winslow is the author of twenty-one acclaimed, award-winning international bestsellers, including the New York Times bestsellers The Force and The Border, the #1 international bestseller The Cartel, The Power of the Dog, Savages, and The Winter of Frankie Machine. Savages was made into a feature film by three-time Oscar-winning writer-director Oliver Stone. The Power of the Dog, The Cartel and The Border sold to FX in a major multimillion-dollar deal to air as a weekly television series beginning in 2020.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
A former investigator, antiterrorist trainer and trial consultant, Winslow lives in California and Rhode Island.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 975 reviews
December 5, 2025
L’ULTIMA CAVALCATA
Il primo romanzo breve (sono tutti intorno alle novanta pagine) è un succo (concentrato estratto centrifugato shakerato mixato agitato) di testosterone con la vendetta come motore. L’ho letto senza particolare piacere.
Ma il secondo è dedicato a Steve McQueen - che mi manca sempre tanto e ogni tanto riguardo un suo film, inutile dire “vecchio” film, sono ormai quarantatre anni che non c’è più, sigh, e su tutti, uno dei miei film preferiti in assoluto, Bullit – e viene subito da pensare a Il caso Thomas Crown, ladro raffinato ed elegante e dal fascino irresistibile che progetta rapine senza spargimento di sangue.
Oppure, la mente corre a Cary Grant di Caccia al ladro – To Catch a Thief.
Apprezzato anche il twist finale.
Il terzo è con dedica a Elmore Leonard. E suppongo che questo giustifichi il tono comico adottato da Winslow: che però non è lontanamente all’altezza dell’umorismo di Leonard: infatti, Don Winslow non è certo famoso per la sua leggerezza e ironia. Così, questa storia rimane fiacca, poco riuscita, non sapendo bene dove andare a parare.
Il quarto torna a crescere e porta a casa il miglior risultato fin qui. Anche perché Winslow rispolvera alcuni suoi personaggi già protagonisti di altri romanzi. Per esempio, una mia vecchia conoscenza, il surfista e detective privato Boone Daniels con i suoi amici che formano La pattuglia dell’alba, da cui il titolo di un romanzo che ho letto (e che ritroverò presto anche in L’ora dei gentiluomini). E anche Neal Carey, a me finora sconosciuto, ma al quale Winslow ha affidato il ruolo di protagonista in ben cinque romanzi.
E ci sono le atmosfere sue più abituali, e i luoghi, San Diego, la California più meridionale, la Baha California messicana. Molto crepuscolare.
La rimpatriata continua, e si allarga: nel quinto ritornano Ben, Chon e O, che sta per Ophelia. A loro Winslow ha già assegnato il ruolo di protagonisti in due romanzi: I re del mondo e Le belve. e c’è anche stato il film di Oliver Stone, Savages - Le belve
Ma non è finita, ci sono un paio di sorprese, due camei per così dire: il protagonista di un romanzo del 1997 (personaggio massacrato dall’omonimo film del 2007) e quello di un altro del 2006
Qui siamo alle Hawaii e sembra di riprendere il filo da dove finisce il film di Stone.
Una buona storia: che sarebbe anche migliore se Winslow evitasse di flirtare col lettore e non si ostinasse a voler fare motti di spirito, che gli vengono così così, non c’è nulla da fare.
L’ultimo è ambientato sulla frontiera Texas-Messico. Questa volta il traffico contempla una merce diversa dalla droga: esseri umani. Migranti.
Dal Centro America, attraverso il Messico, un viaggio allucinante, non dissimile da quello di chi attraversa Sahara e Mediterraneo, o sulle altre tratte del mare nostrum, un viaggio pericoloso: spesso chi arriva alla mèta ha perso lungo il percorso così tanto da non avere più la forza di andare avanti.
Un racconto dolente, e doloroso. Che punta un indice dritto contro la politica americana verso i migranti (trumpiana, Winslow indica chiaramente nel pennellone arancione presidente per un solo mandato – speriamo! - il responsabile dell’abominio di chi separa figli da genitori per sbattere tutti quanti in gabbie separate).
I colori della bandiera non stingono. Ma piangono lacrime.
Il primo romanzo breve (sono tutti intorno alle novanta pagine) è un succo (concentrato estratto centrifugato shakerato mixato agitato) di testosterone con la vendetta come motore. L’ho letto senza particolare piacere.
Ma il secondo è dedicato a Steve McQueen - che mi manca sempre tanto e ogni tanto riguardo un suo film, inutile dire “vecchio” film, sono ormai quarantatre anni che non c’è più, sigh, e su tutti, uno dei miei film preferiti in assoluto, Bullit – e viene subito da pensare a Il caso Thomas Crown, ladro raffinato ed elegante e dal fascino irresistibile che progetta rapine senza spargimento di sangue.
Oppure, la mente corre a Cary Grant di Caccia al ladro – To Catch a Thief.
Apprezzato anche il twist finale.
Il terzo è con dedica a Elmore Leonard. E suppongo che questo giustifichi il tono comico adottato da Winslow: che però non è lontanamente all’altezza dell’umorismo di Leonard: infatti, Don Winslow non è certo famoso per la sua leggerezza e ironia. Così, questa storia rimane fiacca, poco riuscita, non sapendo bene dove andare a parare.
Il quarto torna a crescere e porta a casa il miglior risultato fin qui. Anche perché Winslow rispolvera alcuni suoi personaggi già protagonisti di altri romanzi. Per esempio, una mia vecchia conoscenza, il surfista e detective privato Boone Daniels con i suoi amici che formano La pattuglia dell’alba, da cui il titolo di un romanzo che ho letto (e che ritroverò presto anche in L’ora dei gentiluomini). E anche Neal Carey, a me finora sconosciuto, ma al quale Winslow ha affidato il ruolo di protagonista in ben cinque romanzi.
E ci sono le atmosfere sue più abituali, e i luoghi, San Diego, la California più meridionale, la Baha California messicana. Molto crepuscolare.
La rimpatriata continua, e si allarga: nel quinto ritornano Ben, Chon e O, che sta per Ophelia. A loro Winslow ha già assegnato il ruolo di protagonisti in due romanzi: I re del mondo e Le belve. e c’è anche stato il film di Oliver Stone, Savages - Le belve
Ma non è finita, ci sono un paio di sorprese, due camei per così dire: il protagonista di un romanzo del 1997 (personaggio massacrato dall’omonimo film del 2007) e quello di un altro del 2006
Qui siamo alle Hawaii e sembra di riprendere il filo da dove finisce il film di Stone.
Una buona storia: che sarebbe anche migliore se Winslow evitasse di flirtare col lettore e non si ostinasse a voler fare motti di spirito, che gli vengono così così, non c’è nulla da fare.
L’ultimo è ambientato sulla frontiera Texas-Messico. Questa volta il traffico contempla una merce diversa dalla droga: esseri umani. Migranti.
Dal Centro America, attraverso il Messico, un viaggio allucinante, non dissimile da quello di chi attraversa Sahara e Mediterraneo, o sulle altre tratte del mare nostrum, un viaggio pericoloso: spesso chi arriva alla mèta ha perso lungo il percorso così tanto da non avere più la forza di andare avanti.
Un racconto dolente, e doloroso. Che punta un indice dritto contro la politica americana verso i migranti (trumpiana, Winslow indica chiaramente nel pennellone arancione presidente per un solo mandato – speriamo! - il responsabile dell’abominio di chi separa figli da genitori per sbattere tutti quanti in gabbie separate).
I colori della bandiera non stingono. Ma piangono lacrime.
April 5, 2020
Broken is Don Winslow's latest book, but for a change of pace, he doesn't give us a novel, but a collection of six novellas, each with enough heft to them to make a novel by itself. Winslow tells us these stories in his trademarked staccato style, always personalizing the men and women on both sides of the law and order line, cops and robbers, you know.
Broken, the title piece, is a taste of law and order in the Big Easy. It's about as good a crime story as you'll ever hear. The action is so sharp, so nasty, so intense, it almost comes as a disappointment when you realize that the story doesn't continue all the way through this volume. It's the story of two brothers, rather different in their approach to life. It's the story of revenge and retribution and paying dues.
Crime 101 takes the action to the 101 Highway in northern San Diego County. It's a classic cat and mouse game between the clever crook planning the million dollar heist that'll allow him to retire and the canny police detective on his trail.
The San Diego Zoo brings back that canny detective and injects a bit of humor cause the perp is a chimpanzee with a gun, literally, wandering through Balboa Park.
Sunset is a look into the bail bondsman business. What Winslow does here though is he revisits some of his greatest hits of the past as he throws on the gnarly surfers of the Dawn Patrol and even an aging Neal Carey from several of Winslow's earlier novels. It's great to ride the waves with all these familiar characters.
Paradise might take place in Hawaii, but it revisits everyone's favorite trio from Savages, Ben, Chon, and of course O (Ophelia). They are still in the game but trying to set up shop on the islands. And, don't be surprised if others make surprise appearances (but let that be a surprise). Winslow knows these characters well and it's a fantastic story.
The Last Ride is a bit more overtly political than is Winslow's usually stock in trade and as fiction it suffers from that. Here the focus is on the border, the border patrol agents, and the situations they have to deal with. But, Winslow has a political point to make and that's his real focus.
Overall, this is a highly enjoyable collection and there's no need to read any earlier novels as a prerequisite even though old characters are revisited.
Broken, the title piece, is a taste of law and order in the Big Easy. It's about as good a crime story as you'll ever hear. The action is so sharp, so nasty, so intense, it almost comes as a disappointment when you realize that the story doesn't continue all the way through this volume. It's the story of two brothers, rather different in their approach to life. It's the story of revenge and retribution and paying dues.
Crime 101 takes the action to the 101 Highway in northern San Diego County. It's a classic cat and mouse game between the clever crook planning the million dollar heist that'll allow him to retire and the canny police detective on his trail.
The San Diego Zoo brings back that canny detective and injects a bit of humor cause the perp is a chimpanzee with a gun, literally, wandering through Balboa Park.
Sunset is a look into the bail bondsman business. What Winslow does here though is he revisits some of his greatest hits of the past as he throws on the gnarly surfers of the Dawn Patrol and even an aging Neal Carey from several of Winslow's earlier novels. It's great to ride the waves with all these familiar characters.
Paradise might take place in Hawaii, but it revisits everyone's favorite trio from Savages, Ben, Chon, and of course O (Ophelia). They are still in the game but trying to set up shop on the islands. And, don't be surprised if others make surprise appearances (but let that be a surprise). Winslow knows these characters well and it's a fantastic story.
The Last Ride is a bit more overtly political than is Winslow's usually stock in trade and as fiction it suffers from that. Here the focus is on the border, the border patrol agents, and the situations they have to deal with. But, Winslow has a political point to make and that's his real focus.
Overall, this is a highly enjoyable collection and there's no need to read any earlier novels as a prerequisite even though old characters are revisited.
May 12, 2020
Broken is one of those rare books offering something for every crime fiction fan thanks to the way the six novellas in it vary in topic and tone.
Do you want a dark and bloody tale about the cost of revenge? The title story Broken will cover that. How about a cat-and-mouse game between a slick professional thief and a dedicated cop hunting him? Crime 101 is what you’re looking for. Looking for a few laughs? The San Diego Zoo features a cop dealing with a chimpanzee with a revolver that has several hilarious lines and moments. Sunset is about trying to track down a bail jumper, but it’s also a reflection on aging, friendship, and loyalty. Another morality tale features some good hearted pot dealers screwing up Paradise despite their best intentions. Finally, The Last Ride uses a ripped-from-the-headlines plot that asks hard questions about what’s going on in America at the moment when disobeying the law might be the only way to be a decent person.
Like most writers Don Winslow’s style has evolved over the years as well as his subjects. He can write a more humorous and low stakes story based in San Diego surf culture, or he can dig into the gory details of Mexican drug wars. While there’s generally a conversational tone to his writing that feels like somebody is telling you a story, each one feels like it’s a different person in a different setting. For example, Broken has the same in-your-face cop attitude that was like his novel The Force so that seems like some wiseguy New Yorker is telling it to you over a shot and a beer in a dive bar. Yet others like Paradise have a more laid back SoCal feel so that one feels like you’re talking to a surfer at a beach party.
There’s also a feeling that this a retrospective of Winslow’s career with most of the surviving major characters from his previous books showing up throughout the stories. Seeing these older characters pop up and learn about their fates was a pleasure, and it gave me the urge to reread most of Winslow’s books.
It isn’t just about Winslow’s past though because we also get a couple of great homages to crime writing legends Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler. The San Diego Zoo is dedicated to Leonard and most definitely feels like one of his novels while Sunset is kind of a surfer based remake of Chandler’s The Long Goodbye.
It’s a fantastic set of long stories that I’d rank among Winslow’s best work.
Do you want a dark and bloody tale about the cost of revenge? The title story Broken will cover that. How about a cat-and-mouse game between a slick professional thief and a dedicated cop hunting him? Crime 101 is what you’re looking for. Looking for a few laughs? The San Diego Zoo features a cop dealing with a chimpanzee with a revolver that has several hilarious lines and moments. Sunset is about trying to track down a bail jumper, but it’s also a reflection on aging, friendship, and loyalty. Another morality tale features some good hearted pot dealers screwing up Paradise despite their best intentions. Finally, The Last Ride uses a ripped-from-the-headlines plot that asks hard questions about what’s going on in America at the moment when disobeying the law might be the only way to be a decent person.
Like most writers Don Winslow’s style has evolved over the years as well as his subjects. He can write a more humorous and low stakes story based in San Diego surf culture, or he can dig into the gory details of Mexican drug wars. While there’s generally a conversational tone to his writing that feels like somebody is telling you a story, each one feels like it’s a different person in a different setting. For example, Broken has the same in-your-face cop attitude that was like his novel The Force so that seems like some wiseguy New Yorker is telling it to you over a shot and a beer in a dive bar. Yet others like Paradise have a more laid back SoCal feel so that one feels like you’re talking to a surfer at a beach party.
There’s also a feeling that this a retrospective of Winslow’s career with most of the surviving major characters from his previous books showing up throughout the stories. Seeing these older characters pop up and learn about their fates was a pleasure, and it gave me the urge to reread most of Winslow’s books.
It isn’t just about Winslow’s past though because we also get a couple of great homages to crime writing legends Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler. The San Diego Zoo is dedicated to Leonard and most definitely feels like one of his novels while Sunset is kind of a surfer based remake of Chandler’s The Long Goodbye.
It’s a fantastic set of long stories that I’d rank among Winslow’s best work.
April 30, 2020
Don Winslow is beyond brilliant as far as crime writing is concerned!
BROKEN: SIX SHORT NOVELS, as the title suggests is 6 novellas, all of them excellent. The only one that didn't quite fill the bill for me was the Hawaiian one, but that's most likely because I haven't read the original book in which these characters were featured, (SAVAGES). Not yet, anyway.
I'm not going to go blow by blow with each story, but I have to give the final tale, THE LAST RIDE, a special mention because my heart is still recovering from its impact. Here, Mr. Winslow's politics are more involved than usual. In my case that was perfectly fine, because they're in line with my own. Politics aside though, I think most people can agree that children should not be kept in cages. Cal, a border patrol officer in Texas, doesn't think it's right either and he does something about it. THE LAST RIDE had a western feel to it and I'll say it again, it broke my freaking heart. I think my husband heard it break from across the room because he was asking me if I was okay.
I still have a backlog of Winslow books to catch up on, and those are something I very much look forward to during these uncertain times.
My highest recommendation!
*I bought this audio book with my hard earned cash.*
BROKEN: SIX SHORT NOVELS, as the title suggests is 6 novellas, all of them excellent. The only one that didn't quite fill the bill for me was the Hawaiian one, but that's most likely because I haven't read the original book in which these characters were featured, (SAVAGES). Not yet, anyway.
I'm not going to go blow by blow with each story, but I have to give the final tale, THE LAST RIDE, a special mention because my heart is still recovering from its impact. Here, Mr. Winslow's politics are more involved than usual. In my case that was perfectly fine, because they're in line with my own. Politics aside though, I think most people can agree that children should not be kept in cages. Cal, a border patrol officer in Texas, doesn't think it's right either and he does something about it. THE LAST RIDE had a western feel to it and I'll say it again, it broke my freaking heart. I think my husband heard it break from across the room because he was asking me if I was okay.
I still have a backlog of Winslow books to catch up on, and those are something I very much look forward to during these uncertain times.
My highest recommendation!
*I bought this audio book with my hard earned cash.*
August 4, 2020
This collection of six novellas constitutes another excellent book from Don Winslow, who for my money is the best crime writer working these days. The stories feature cops, crooks, bounty hunters, a bail bondsman, border patrol agents, dope dealers and others, all of whom are expertly drawn. Every one of these stories is cleverly plotted and sucks the reader in from the opening lines, refusing to let go. The stories and the characters are clever and compelling, by turns violent, witty, funny, and ultimately heart-breaking.
Long-time fans of Winslow's work will recognize some familiar characters, most notably weed growers Ben, Chon and O, who first appeared in 2012 in The Kings of Cool. Here, in what the author describes as an "intermediate adventure," the three best friends are vacationing in Hawaii where they run into a battle with some local gangsters while attempting to expand their area of production.
All of the stories are first-rate, but my favorite is "Crime 101", which Winslow dedicates to "Mr. Steve McQueen," and which perfectly evokes the sense of cool that characterized the late, great actor. The story pits a very clever and successful jewel robber who haunts California Highway 101 and who is looking for that fabled one last score. He's pitted against a detective who, contrary to the perceived wisdom of the various police agencies investigating the string of robberies, believes that they are all the work of a single criminal.
Both the robber and the detective are great characters as are all the minor players who inhabit this and the rest of the stories. As always, Winslow writes beautifully and these stories and these characters immediately get into your head and into your heart. As is so often the case with a novel by Don Winslow, I can hardly wait to read it again.
Long-time fans of Winslow's work will recognize some familiar characters, most notably weed growers Ben, Chon and O, who first appeared in 2012 in The Kings of Cool. Here, in what the author describes as an "intermediate adventure," the three best friends are vacationing in Hawaii where they run into a battle with some local gangsters while attempting to expand their area of production.
All of the stories are first-rate, but my favorite is "Crime 101", which Winslow dedicates to "Mr. Steve McQueen," and which perfectly evokes the sense of cool that characterized the late, great actor. The story pits a very clever and successful jewel robber who haunts California Highway 101 and who is looking for that fabled one last score. He's pitted against a detective who, contrary to the perceived wisdom of the various police agencies investigating the string of robberies, believes that they are all the work of a single criminal.
Both the robber and the detective are great characters as are all the minor players who inhabit this and the rest of the stories. As always, Winslow writes beautifully and these stories and these characters immediately get into your head and into your heart. As is so often the case with a novel by Don Winslow, I can hardly wait to read it again.
February 1, 2022
Winslow at his best. Loved it.
September 21, 2020
Don Winslow vuelve a demostrar que es dios.
Las seis novelas cortas son magníficas y, además, nos sorprende dando vida a tantos de sus personajes, tan queridos, protagonizando, sufriendo y emocionando de nuevo.
Mención especial para La última frontera, por lo durísima que es y por la denuncia que hace del sistema capitalista americano, criminal y xenófono.
Las seis novelas cortas son magníficas y, además, nos sorprende dando vida a tantos de sus personajes, tan queridos, protagonizando, sufriendo y emocionando de nuevo.
Mención especial para La última frontera, por lo durísima que es y por la denuncia que hace del sistema capitalista americano, criminal y xenófono.
June 1, 2021
Laws are made to broken, with rules that are made to be followed.Don Winslow is mostly known for being a crime writer. Throughout his career though, his style and focus have evolved, starting with hard-boiled mystery of the Neal Carey series, transitioning to surfer noir with The Dawn Patrol, touching on espionage with Satori, injecting a bit more humor with the laid-back drug dealers in Savages, focusing on crooked New York City cops in The Force, and tackling the drug war in his epic Border Trilogy. This latest book is an amalgam of all the styles and topics touched on in all of his books and presented as six of some of the best crime novellas you'll read, combining to create one of Winslow’s very best books! These stories are all told in different styles, even being labelled as homages to various classic crime authors. So there's definitely something in here for everyone:
Broken is the darkest and most brutal story in the collection. A tale of violent revenge in New Orleans. ★★★★★
Crime 101 is a clever, well-plotted little cat-and-mouse story about a cop and a career thief chasing each other up and down the Pacific Coast Highway. ★★★★
The San Diego Zoo brings some much-needed comedy with this story of a young cop trying to arrest a gun-wielding chimp. It was genuinely funny and even sweet in parts, but still sported Winslow's cinematic style. ★★★★★
Sunset might be the most well-written story in the bunch and is a nostalgic story set in the California surf community about maturity and loyalty, featuring some of Winslow's oldest characters. ★★★★★
Paradise is a Ben, Chon, and O adventure, as they attempt to open up shop growing weed in Hawaii. And I actually liked it a lot better than Savages, and really showcased Winslow's knack for spinning great action. ★★★★
The Last Ride ends the collection and might be my favorite story of the bunch, matching more of the style that Winslow is popular for today, about a Border patrolman who has a crisis of conscience after seeing a little girl in a cage and sets about to free her. This dramatic and cinematic tale is a fantastic way to close out the book. ★★★★★
If you're at all a fan of Don Winslow, the book is a must-read. But then again, everyone should be a fan of Don Winslow, so it's a must-read for all of you!
April 12, 2020
Don Winslow’s BROKEN is a gift, one bequeathed at just the right time. What we have here is six original novels, each of which reads like a short story yet contains the stimulating heft of a full-length book. This collection is aimed boldly and squarely at two groups of readers: folks who have been with Winslow from the very beginning of his fiction-writing career (or have come to him at a later point and hastened to fill in the gaps) and those who are unfamiliar with or only marginally aware of his work. There is plenty here for both, with stories that introduce new characters and others that revisit old friends --- and enemies.
Those who regularly read my humble opinions here are aware that I try to keep this space a “no-spoiler” zone. I will do my best to adhere to this rule while discussing BROKEN, even though I am tempted to do so. Let me get it out of my system by first talking about “Paradise,” which bears the subtitle “Being the Intermediate Adventures of Ben, Chon, and O.”
The trio of the piece --- the sexually fluid O and the Eskimo brothers Ben and Chon --- were introduced in SAVAGES, with their backstory provided in THE KINGS OF COOL. “Paradise” is set in Hanalei, Hawaii in 2008, where Ben, Chon and O have traveled for a combined business and pleasure stay, and find that by their mere presence they have inadvertently upset the delicate ecology of the local drug trade. So they feel duty-bound to save their erstwhile partners in the proposed business venture, with markedly mixed results. I give away their identities only because of the subtitle reveal. As it happens, a couple of other folks previously introduced by Winslow wander into the flora as well, each of whom packs a surprise or two.
A walk-on of sorts also occurs in “The San Diego Zoo.” It’s a fairly innocuous title that begins when a San Diego patrolman named Chris Shea responds to a report of an armed chimpanzee at the zoo. What results earns Shea lots of YouTube notoriety, as well an excruciatingly slow-budding romance. There’s a mystery here as well, consisting of how a chimp got hold of a handgun. Shea solves this one, too, with the encouragement of another character who plays a larger role in “Crime 101” and appears yet again in “Sunset.”
“Crime 101” involves a very patient and smart jewel thief who does painstaking research before each heist and is as careful in his execution as he is in his planning, spacing out each one so that as a group they appear to be unrelated, except to a cuckolded San Diego police detective. Then there is “Sunset,” which brings protagonists from two of Winslow’s early series together in an unforgettable tale about a wild hunt through San Diego for a fugitive from justice. It’s a terrific story whether or not you’re familiar with the principals, and it will make you want to stop what you’re doing and leave for San Diego just to walk in the footsteps of these characters. There is also a gem of a West Coast jazz playlist Easter-egged into the narrative that supplies a perfect soundtrack for your reading not only of BROKEN but of anything else.
The four stories mentioned above are bookended by the title piece and “The Last Ride.” “Broken” is a violent tale of revenge times two carried out on the streets and in the buildings of New Orleans with an over-the-shoulder view of its neighborhoods, as a police officer carrying an understandable grudge attempts to get his own back from an up-and-coming drug dealer. “The Last Ride,” which closes the collection, is the very definition of a contemporary western in all the best ways. A somewhat jaded Border Patrol agent who feels that he has nothing left to lose finds himself haunted by a detained little girl and becomes determined to unite her with her mother, despite opposition on both sides of the border. It is hard to pick a winner among these stories, but this one stayed with me, reminding me --- for reasons that I can’t quite describe --- of one of John Steinbeck’s best-known works.
BROKEN elevates and transcends the crime fiction genre from which it springs. Those waiting for the television adaptation of Winslow’s Cartel Trilogy will find his latest masterpiece to be the perfect companion in the meantime.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Those who regularly read my humble opinions here are aware that I try to keep this space a “no-spoiler” zone. I will do my best to adhere to this rule while discussing BROKEN, even though I am tempted to do so. Let me get it out of my system by first talking about “Paradise,” which bears the subtitle “Being the Intermediate Adventures of Ben, Chon, and O.”
The trio of the piece --- the sexually fluid O and the Eskimo brothers Ben and Chon --- were introduced in SAVAGES, with their backstory provided in THE KINGS OF COOL. “Paradise” is set in Hanalei, Hawaii in 2008, where Ben, Chon and O have traveled for a combined business and pleasure stay, and find that by their mere presence they have inadvertently upset the delicate ecology of the local drug trade. So they feel duty-bound to save their erstwhile partners in the proposed business venture, with markedly mixed results. I give away their identities only because of the subtitle reveal. As it happens, a couple of other folks previously introduced by Winslow wander into the flora as well, each of whom packs a surprise or two.
A walk-on of sorts also occurs in “The San Diego Zoo.” It’s a fairly innocuous title that begins when a San Diego patrolman named Chris Shea responds to a report of an armed chimpanzee at the zoo. What results earns Shea lots of YouTube notoriety, as well an excruciatingly slow-budding romance. There’s a mystery here as well, consisting of how a chimp got hold of a handgun. Shea solves this one, too, with the encouragement of another character who plays a larger role in “Crime 101” and appears yet again in “Sunset.”
“Crime 101” involves a very patient and smart jewel thief who does painstaking research before each heist and is as careful in his execution as he is in his planning, spacing out each one so that as a group they appear to be unrelated, except to a cuckolded San Diego police detective. Then there is “Sunset,” which brings protagonists from two of Winslow’s early series together in an unforgettable tale about a wild hunt through San Diego for a fugitive from justice. It’s a terrific story whether or not you’re familiar with the principals, and it will make you want to stop what you’re doing and leave for San Diego just to walk in the footsteps of these characters. There is also a gem of a West Coast jazz playlist Easter-egged into the narrative that supplies a perfect soundtrack for your reading not only of BROKEN but of anything else.
The four stories mentioned above are bookended by the title piece and “The Last Ride.” “Broken” is a violent tale of revenge times two carried out on the streets and in the buildings of New Orleans with an over-the-shoulder view of its neighborhoods, as a police officer carrying an understandable grudge attempts to get his own back from an up-and-coming drug dealer. “The Last Ride,” which closes the collection, is the very definition of a contemporary western in all the best ways. A somewhat jaded Border Patrol agent who feels that he has nothing left to lose finds himself haunted by a detained little girl and becomes determined to unite her with her mother, despite opposition on both sides of the border. It is hard to pick a winner among these stories, but this one stayed with me, reminding me --- for reasons that I can’t quite describe --- of one of John Steinbeck’s best-known works.
BROKEN elevates and transcends the crime fiction genre from which it springs. Those waiting for the television adaptation of Winslow’s Cartel Trilogy will find his latest masterpiece to be the perfect companion in the meantime.
Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
December 6, 2023
[ESP/ENG]
Libro de relatos, 6 concretamente, con una temática de género policial o género negro. Lo que de toda la vida ha sido historias de policías y ladrones (criminales más bien)
Todos los relatos me han fascinado, no le pongo peros a ninguno. Quizá como pega para mí es que al no haber leído nada del autor antes hay personajes que tienen pasado en otras novelas suyas, pero todo lo contado aquí se entiende a la perfección.
Algunas historias son más ligeras, otras en cambio son muy duras, tanto por lo que acaece en ellas como por la temática que tratan.
Recomendable para aquellos que les gusta el género. Para otro tipo de lectores quizá dependa un poco de la tolerancia que tengan a algunos temas.
-----------------------------------
Book of stories, 6 specifically, with a police genre or noir genre theme. What has always been stories of cops and thieves (criminals rather)
All the stories have fascinated me, I don't have any problem with any of them. Perhaps a drawback for me is that not having read anything by the author before, there are characters who have a past in other of his novels, but everything told here is understood perfectly.
Some stories are lighter, others are very hard, both because of what happens in them and because of the theme they deal with.
Recommended for those who like the genre. For other types of readers, it may depend a little on their tolerance for some topics.
Libro de relatos, 6 concretamente, con una temática de género policial o género negro. Lo que de toda la vida ha sido historias de policías y ladrones (criminales más bien)
Todos los relatos me han fascinado, no le pongo peros a ninguno. Quizá como pega para mí es que al no haber leído nada del autor antes hay personajes que tienen pasado en otras novelas suyas, pero todo lo contado aquí se entiende a la perfección.
Algunas historias son más ligeras, otras en cambio son muy duras, tanto por lo que acaece en ellas como por la temática que tratan.
Recomendable para aquellos que les gusta el género. Para otro tipo de lectores quizá dependa un poco de la tolerancia que tengan a algunos temas.
-----------------------------------
Book of stories, 6 specifically, with a police genre or noir genre theme. What has always been stories of cops and thieves (criminals rather)
All the stories have fascinated me, I don't have any problem with any of them. Perhaps a drawback for me is that not having read anything by the author before, there are characters who have a past in other of his novels, but everything told here is understood perfectly.
Some stories are lighter, others are very hard, both because of what happens in them and because of the theme they deal with.
Recommended for those who like the genre. For other types of readers, it may depend a little on their tolerance for some topics.
July 12, 2020
I'd never read Don Winslow before, and I think this was a good place to start. Broken consists of six novellas of crime fiction, fast-paced and full of suspense. It tells of cops who skate a thin line between justice and personal vengeance, and villains so full of charm that you can't help but root for them.
I liked some stories better than others, and The Last Ride really stood out. It's a nail-biting, heartbreaking tale of a Border Patrol agent who tries to return a Salvadoran child to her mother. Crime 101 involves a master thief who is inspired by Steve McQueen, asking himself what his hero would do when faced with a particularly tricky dilemma. The title story shocked me with its extreme violence, an account of a New Orleans police officer hellbent on revenge. Though I winced at the torture it described, it's also loaded with hard-bitten wisdom: "He once wrecked— wrecked —an entire crew of bubbas who came down from Baton Rouge and got rude in Sweeny’s, Jimmy’s neighborhood bar. They went in vertical and loud, went out horizontal and silent."
The book contains dedications to the crime fictions heavyweights Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler. Winslow is clearly influenced by them, though he has a winning style all of his own. Some reviews claim that Broken is not his best work, but if that's the case, I can't wait to read the rest of him.
I liked some stories better than others, and The Last Ride really stood out. It's a nail-biting, heartbreaking tale of a Border Patrol agent who tries to return a Salvadoran child to her mother. Crime 101 involves a master thief who is inspired by Steve McQueen, asking himself what his hero would do when faced with a particularly tricky dilemma. The title story shocked me with its extreme violence, an account of a New Orleans police officer hellbent on revenge. Though I winced at the torture it described, it's also loaded with hard-bitten wisdom: "He once wrecked— wrecked —an entire crew of bubbas who came down from Baton Rouge and got rude in Sweeny’s, Jimmy’s neighborhood bar. They went in vertical and loud, went out horizontal and silent."
The book contains dedications to the crime fictions heavyweights Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler. Winslow is clearly influenced by them, though he has a winning style all of his own. Some reviews claim that Broken is not his best work, but if that's the case, I can't wait to read the rest of him.
August 22, 2022
This book is unusual, an anthology of five novellas, or perhaps very-long short stories. Winslow knows how to go short--fewer characters, simple plot, and get to the action right away. For that, the stories are action-heavy, with lots of graphic violence. LOTS of graphic and realistic violence; these stories are not for the squeamish. Winslow's plan seems to be to force the reader to see some of the worst horrors victims of crime suffer. All the stories are different; the eponymous first story is both repulsive in its violence and cartoonish in its action scenes. A later story, about a smart young police officer trying to make detective, set against a background of an orangutan, escaped from the zoo, and armed with a pistol, is witty and hilarious and many levels.
April 13, 2020
More novellas than short stories, they are all exceptional. How incredibly cool is it for Don Winslow to revive those unforgettable characters from past books like Bobby Z, Ben, Chon, O and Boone Daniels and the Dawn Patrol. Like a reunion with old friends! It's one of those "stop what you're currently reading and jump on this one" books. You'll be glad you did!
July 23, 2024
Good solid hardboiled novellas by one of the leading crime writers of his time, Don Winslow presents us with six stories that are packed full of retribution, betrayal, single-minded vengeance. This collection covers the full gamut of greed, vengeance, failure and corruption and does so using likable, highly relatable, dangerously flawed characters as his stars.
I love the retrospective feel to the stories as we revisit some of Winslow’s most popular and well rounded characters from his previous books. It was great to see Neal Carey once again, now retired but very content with his life. The Kings of Cool (Ben, Chon and O) are moving into Hawaii thanks to Puff the Magic Dragon. And Boone Daniels is still meeting his Dawn Patrol crew as they surf the early morning break around San Diego.
Each of these characters - and more - from past novels return for one last hurrah.
The collection opens with an absolute bang in the title story, Broken, a tale of a vigilante cop seeking retribution for the torture and murder of his brother. Filled with anguish and hatred, it’s a story that sets the tone for what’s to follow as each of the following stories are emotionally provocative, walking a razor thin line between good and evil. It’s all topped off with the ultimate act of a jaded knight errant working with the Border Patrol.
If you have never read a Don Winslow crime novel before, you’re still going to appreciate the rich depth of feeling that goes into each story, not to mention the grasp on the criminal world. If, however, you’re a long time reader of his books, you’re going to love the trip down memory lane as so many of the past characters are paraded past in a much appreciated reprise, their strengths and weaknesses put on show one last time.
Unless Don Winslow does a Melba (and I know the Danny Ryan trilogy came after this) Broken is a brilliant farewell performance to underline his crime writing career with.
I love the retrospective feel to the stories as we revisit some of Winslow’s most popular and well rounded characters from his previous books. It was great to see Neal Carey once again, now retired but very content with his life. The Kings of Cool (Ben, Chon and O) are moving into Hawaii thanks to Puff the Magic Dragon. And Boone Daniels is still meeting his Dawn Patrol crew as they surf the early morning break around San Diego.
Each of these characters - and more - from past novels return for one last hurrah.
The collection opens with an absolute bang in the title story, Broken, a tale of a vigilante cop seeking retribution for the torture and murder of his brother. Filled with anguish and hatred, it’s a story that sets the tone for what’s to follow as each of the following stories are emotionally provocative, walking a razor thin line between good and evil. It’s all topped off with the ultimate act of a jaded knight errant working with the Border Patrol.
If you have never read a Don Winslow crime novel before, you’re still going to appreciate the rich depth of feeling that goes into each story, not to mention the grasp on the criminal world. If, however, you’re a long time reader of his books, you’re going to love the trip down memory lane as so many of the past characters are paraded past in a much appreciated reprise, their strengths and weaknesses put on show one last time.
Unless Don Winslow does a Melba (and I know the Danny Ryan trilogy came after this) Broken is a brilliant farewell performance to underline his crime writing career with.
May 11, 2020
Winslow does it again, just in shorter form. This is a great book of novellas that show off his range with characters, emotions, and story lines. I can't really say this shows off too many styles because he kinda only writes in one style, with those short clipped sentences and chapters, and even though they are brief, they are still powerful. The first story is my favorite, I'm a sucker for revenge stories, and I can't imagine how terrifying it must have been to hear the words, "I'm Danny McNabb's brother." and havin' Jimmy McNabb be standing in front of you. The Ben and Chon and O story had them all but it was so totally Chon's story, he got to shine in that one and I loved the ending, really caught me by surprise. The only story I didn't really LOVE love was the Boone Daniels and Neal Carey one, it seemed sort of forced, but mayhap that's possibly just me.
December 9, 2023
Leer a Don siempre me satisface es un seguro de calidad y de entretenimiento, en este caso son relatos, pero me he reencontrado con viejos conocidos y ha sido todo un placer y me ha generado un mono de lo que me falta por leer de ellos y de leer lo nuevo de Don; en el 2024 no te escapas algo suyo cae fijo.
Sinopsis: En estas seis inquietantes e intensas novelas cortas, Don Winslow regresa a los temas que se han convertido en su sello: el crimen, la corrupción, la venganza, la justicia, la pérdida, la traición, la culpa y la redención, para explorar el lado más salvaje pero también el más noble de la naturaleza humana.
«Rotos»: En esta historia, que da título al conjunto de la obra, Eva McNabb, telefonista de la policía, recibe la llamada sobre un brutal asesinato perpetrado por los narcos. La víctima es su propio hijo, Danny. Eva llamará entonces a su hijo mayor, Jimmy, que también es policía: «Quiero que vengues a tu hermano. Y mátalos a todos». 8/10
«Código 101»: Una cadena de robos de joyerías está asolando la costa del Pacífico y lleva años sin resolverse, sobre todo porque el ladrón siempre actúa con un código estricto al que llama «Código 101». La policía atribuye sus robos a cárteles colombianos de la droga, pero el detective Lou Lubesnick intuye, en lo más profundo de su ser, que son delitos cometidos por una sola persona. 7.5/10
«El zoo de San Diego»: El joven agente Chris Shea tiene que investigar a un chimpancé que se ha dado a la fuga armado con un revólver. Winslow rinde homenaje a Elmore Leonard con esta historia de investigación policial llena de ingenio y humor en la que Chris tiene que resolver el misterio y a la vez redimir su reputación. 6.75/10
«Ocaso»: El legendario surfero Maddux se salta la libertad bajo fianza que tiene impuesta por posesión de drogas. El igualmente legendario cazarrecompensas Duke Kasmajian decide que para atrapar a un surfero es necesario otro surfero, en este caso el detective Boone Daniels, que tendrá que encontrar a su héroe antes de que sea demasiado tarde. 7/10
«Paraíso»: Mientras están de vacaciones en Hawái, Ben, Chon y O, empresarios del cánnabis hidropónico, deciden que es el momento de expandirse a las islas. Esto levantará la animadversión del sindicato local del crimen y convertirá el paraíso en un verdadero campo de batalla. 8.5/10
«La última carrera»: Para el veterano y ahora agente de la patrulla fronteriza Cal Strinckland, los ilegales que saltan la frontera entre México y Texas son solo un conjunto de personas sin nombre que hay que volver a enviar al otro lado de la frontera. Esto es hasta que ve a la niña pequeña en la jaula. En ese momento Cal sabe que tiene que dar un paso al frente y ayudarla a escapar. 8/10
Desde Nueva Orleans a Hawái, cada una de estas historias es sin duda Winslow en estado puro: perspicaces, humanas, con humor y drama y, sobre todo, con el consumado arte literario del autor.
Desde ya un clásico de la ficción criminal.
Valoración: 7.6/10.
Sinopsis: En estas seis inquietantes e intensas novelas cortas, Don Winslow regresa a los temas que se han convertido en su sello: el crimen, la corrupción, la venganza, la justicia, la pérdida, la traición, la culpa y la redención, para explorar el lado más salvaje pero también el más noble de la naturaleza humana.
«Rotos»: En esta historia, que da título al conjunto de la obra, Eva McNabb, telefonista de la policía, recibe la llamada sobre un brutal asesinato perpetrado por los narcos. La víctima es su propio hijo, Danny. Eva llamará entonces a su hijo mayor, Jimmy, que también es policía: «Quiero que vengues a tu hermano. Y mátalos a todos». 8/10
«Código 101»: Una cadena de robos de joyerías está asolando la costa del Pacífico y lleva años sin resolverse, sobre todo porque el ladrón siempre actúa con un código estricto al que llama «Código 101». La policía atribuye sus robos a cárteles colombianos de la droga, pero el detective Lou Lubesnick intuye, en lo más profundo de su ser, que son delitos cometidos por una sola persona. 7.5/10
«El zoo de San Diego»: El joven agente Chris Shea tiene que investigar a un chimpancé que se ha dado a la fuga armado con un revólver. Winslow rinde homenaje a Elmore Leonard con esta historia de investigación policial llena de ingenio y humor en la que Chris tiene que resolver el misterio y a la vez redimir su reputación. 6.75/10
«Ocaso»: El legendario surfero Maddux se salta la libertad bajo fianza que tiene impuesta por posesión de drogas. El igualmente legendario cazarrecompensas Duke Kasmajian decide que para atrapar a un surfero es necesario otro surfero, en este caso el detective Boone Daniels, que tendrá que encontrar a su héroe antes de que sea demasiado tarde. 7/10
«Paraíso»: Mientras están de vacaciones en Hawái, Ben, Chon y O, empresarios del cánnabis hidropónico, deciden que es el momento de expandirse a las islas. Esto levantará la animadversión del sindicato local del crimen y convertirá el paraíso en un verdadero campo de batalla. 8.5/10
«La última carrera»: Para el veterano y ahora agente de la patrulla fronteriza Cal Strinckland, los ilegales que saltan la frontera entre México y Texas son solo un conjunto de personas sin nombre que hay que volver a enviar al otro lado de la frontera. Esto es hasta que ve a la niña pequeña en la jaula. En ese momento Cal sabe que tiene que dar un paso al frente y ayudarla a escapar. 8/10
Desde Nueva Orleans a Hawái, cada una de estas historias es sin duda Winslow en estado puro: perspicaces, humanas, con humor y drama y, sobre todo, con el consumado arte literario del autor.
Desde ya un clásico de la ficción criminal.
Valoración: 7.6/10.
July 16, 2020
I'm a big fan of Don Winslow and not a big fan of novellas so which triumphs here? Winslow 1, novellas 0. Broken has six stories, with some characters appearing in more than one story, especially Lou the detective, and bits of surfing life. As always, Winslow's skill as a writer shine through his memorable characters.
The title story "Broken" is a story of revenge without redemption, involving a cop killer. "Crime 101" is about a successful thief trying to stay one step ahead of the law by avoiding patterns, but it too tempted by a big final score? "The San Diego Zoo" is an amusing story about an escaped chimp with a gun, a budding romance and a cop trying to make his bones. "Sunset" is a golden boy surfer (ELT), who has turned town a very dark road and is on the lam, being chased by a fellow surfer, whose real job is tracking down bail jumpers. "Paradise" is about a trio of pot grower/dealers looking for a new base in Hawaii, facing off against the locals. A story of ohana (family) and important roles by Winslow legends. "The Last Ride" is about what is happening on the Southern border, and one lawman's quest to make things right, with a fitting but unconventional ending.
The title story "Broken" is a story of revenge without redemption, involving a cop killer. "Crime 101" is about a successful thief trying to stay one step ahead of the law by avoiding patterns, but it too tempted by a big final score? "The San Diego Zoo" is an amusing story about an escaped chimp with a gun, a budding romance and a cop trying to make his bones. "Sunset" is a golden boy surfer (ELT), who has turned town a very dark road and is on the lam, being chased by a fellow surfer, whose real job is tracking down bail jumpers. "Paradise" is about a trio of pot grower/dealers looking for a new base in Hawaii, facing off against the locals. A story of ohana (family) and important roles by Winslow legends. "The Last Ride" is about what is happening on the Southern border, and one lawman's quest to make things right, with a fitting but unconventional ending.
October 28, 2025
I reviewed this on 13APR20 and gave it 3 Stars. I'm reading it again and wish I could travel in time and bitch-slap myself for those 3 Stars. Me love Don Winslow, not always, but when he's awesome, I should recognize it. Maybe it was the funk of the Covid lock-down (quite extreme in Spain) that fueled my bitterness, but life is great now so I've updated that bitchy 3 to 5.
This book could not have come at a better time for me as I am now entering my 5th week of lock-down here in Spain. This means that I can only leave my apartment for essential things like buying groceries. Skype calls and piano practice can only take me so far, and forget about TV. I’m so bored that I am considering watching Tiger King. I’m sort of saving that like the last can of pork and beans in my pantry, or whatever the canned food equivalent of the series may be.
So, when I read in the New York Times that Don Winslow has released a book of short novellas, I was all over it. I inhaled them like my life depended on it, and it did in a way. My mental health certainly needed a major distraction. I sat out in the sun on my little balcony with coffee in my very comfortable Adirondack chair and ripped through these stories like a bullet through soggy drywall.
Even though I was disappointed in this collection, I read the damn thing in 24 hours. I really, really needed something that was completely engrossing and made me forget that I couldn’t go outside on a gorgeous spring day and ride my bike along the Mediterranean, something that I have never taken for granted on any of the thousands of bike rides that I have already taken here but will cherish even more if I can just do it one more time.
I thank Don Winslow for a very good day. Now what the f@ck do I do today?
Broken
This was a little too cliché for my taste and about as complicated as it’s similarly titled cousin, the film Taken. Jimmy and little brother Danny McNabb are both cops in New Orleans. Jimmy is violent and angry while little brother is gentle and does volunteer work at a center that gives care to abandoned chihuahuas and Yorkshire terriers, or something like that. Not much went into the little brother character.
You can guess what happens next. Either little brother mans up to help out big brother, or big brother goes on crazed torture-killing spree to avenge his precious younger sibling. Little brother’s killer seems to have broken into the Madrid Museum of the Spanish Inquisition to steal torture gadgets and books on torture to fully paint himself as the truly evil bad guy in this story.
The police radios are silent, but Eva’s board is lighting up like a Christmas tree on crack.
I’ve never seen a Christmas tree on crack.
Always the first one through the door, right?
Like I’ve never heard that line a million times on cop shows and in novels. I think a good rule should be, if you’ve heard a line before, leave it out.
And this description of a kitchen ravaged by a grenade blast I thought was good.
Oven door hanging open, crooked on one hinge, like a broken jaw.
In conclusion, revenge is a dish best served with a ginormous shoot-out in a residential high-rise building complete with rockets and hand grenades.
For Mister Steve McQueen
Crime 101
This story is dedicated to Steve McQueen, an actor I never really thought much of. He begins with the description of the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 101, get it?) and the moves on to rhapsodizing over a Shelby Mustang, the modern version of McQueen’s ride in Bullitt, a totally over-rated film, at least on my list.
Crime 101’s first rule is “Keep it simple” followed by “When you need to get away, you need to do it fast” which, considering the description of the muscle car, seems to be in direct contradiction to the first rule of keeping it simple. A better getaway car would probably be the nondescript, piece-of-shit driven by Lieutenant Lou Lubesnick. You could run over an eyewitness in a Honda Civic and they wouldn’t be able to spot that car in a police line-up.
This is far from the cleverest heist tale I’ve ever read. The first robbery is simply a hold-up. Granted, there was a lot of stealth and investigation that went into the robbery, but it was a fairly pedestrian stick-up. I loved the detective and his instant move towards moral depravity.
For Mr. Elmore Leonard
The San Diego Zoo
How could you not love a story that begins, “No one knows how the chimp got the revolver.” Do you need anything else? That’s like the set up and the punchline all in nine words. This one was funny as hell and a nice little police procedural on top of that. Definitely my favorite of the lot and the one most likely to spawn a recurring role by the character of Chris, and possibly Champ the Chimp. It's almost unfair how this is so funny because and armed monkey is just a barrel of laughs, otherwise known as a barrel of monkeys.
Sunset
Sunset segues from the mention of the bail bondsman, Duke Kasmajian who was with Lieutenant Lou at a baseball game in the previous story—I guess it pays to read these in order. Winslow brings back Boone Daniels in this tale of an ex-surf legend as well as his Neal Carrey invention. It could get crowded in here.
Detective Lou is a great invention, although I don't recollect if he is on loan from another Winslow novel. If not, he deserves more room, he needs to be let out (like me in my confinement) and have his own novel.
Paradise
Savages was my least-favorite Winslow novel, second least favorite may have been the prequel, The Kings of Cools, so I really wasn’t welcoming the return of the protagonists from this tale.
O is way to freaking stupid to ever be sexy.
“I guess I wanted someone to raise me,” O says. “When no one did, I just got mad and refused to raise myself.”
Pete says, “You're a smart young lady, O.”
Sorry, she isn’t. Sorry, there is nothing sexy and certainly nothing cool about being willfully ignorant of the world around you. She's a total dope and I see no reason why these two guys would dig her for anything other than sex. Granted, that's important, but if you have money, sex is easy to find.
Ben sits on the lanai reading a Borges novel.
Borges wrote a novel? Must have missed it.
And then comes an introduction, of sorts. Mr. Shit, meet Mr. Fan.
On my first reading, I guess I wasn't in the mood for so much action and an OK Corral shout-out at the end, but this time, for whatever reason, I enjoyed it, a lot.
This book could not have come at a better time for me as I am now entering my 5th week of lock-down here in Spain. This means that I can only leave my apartment for essential things like buying groceries. Skype calls and piano practice can only take me so far, and forget about TV. I’m so bored that I am considering watching Tiger King. I’m sort of saving that like the last can of pork and beans in my pantry, or whatever the canned food equivalent of the series may be.
So, when I read in the New York Times that Don Winslow has released a book of short novellas, I was all over it. I inhaled them like my life depended on it, and it did in a way. My mental health certainly needed a major distraction. I sat out in the sun on my little balcony with coffee in my very comfortable Adirondack chair and ripped through these stories like a bullet through soggy drywall.
Even though I was disappointed in this collection, I read the damn thing in 24 hours. I really, really needed something that was completely engrossing and made me forget that I couldn’t go outside on a gorgeous spring day and ride my bike along the Mediterranean, something that I have never taken for granted on any of the thousands of bike rides that I have already taken here but will cherish even more if I can just do it one more time.
I thank Don Winslow for a very good day. Now what the f@ck do I do today?
Broken
This was a little too cliché for my taste and about as complicated as it’s similarly titled cousin, the film Taken. Jimmy and little brother Danny McNabb are both cops in New Orleans. Jimmy is violent and angry while little brother is gentle and does volunteer work at a center that gives care to abandoned chihuahuas and Yorkshire terriers, or something like that. Not much went into the little brother character.
You can guess what happens next. Either little brother mans up to help out big brother, or big brother goes on crazed torture-killing spree to avenge his precious younger sibling. Little brother’s killer seems to have broken into the Madrid Museum of the Spanish Inquisition to steal torture gadgets and books on torture to fully paint himself as the truly evil bad guy in this story.
The police radios are silent, but Eva’s board is lighting up like a Christmas tree on crack.
I’ve never seen a Christmas tree on crack.
Always the first one through the door, right?
Like I’ve never heard that line a million times on cop shows and in novels. I think a good rule should be, if you’ve heard a line before, leave it out.
And this description of a kitchen ravaged by a grenade blast I thought was good.
Oven door hanging open, crooked on one hinge, like a broken jaw.
In conclusion, revenge is a dish best served with a ginormous shoot-out in a residential high-rise building complete with rockets and hand grenades.
For Mister Steve McQueen
Crime 101
This story is dedicated to Steve McQueen, an actor I never really thought much of. He begins with the description of the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 101, get it?) and the moves on to rhapsodizing over a Shelby Mustang, the modern version of McQueen’s ride in Bullitt, a totally over-rated film, at least on my list.
Crime 101’s first rule is “Keep it simple” followed by “When you need to get away, you need to do it fast” which, considering the description of the muscle car, seems to be in direct contradiction to the first rule of keeping it simple. A better getaway car would probably be the nondescript, piece-of-shit driven by Lieutenant Lou Lubesnick. You could run over an eyewitness in a Honda Civic and they wouldn’t be able to spot that car in a police line-up.
This is far from the cleverest heist tale I’ve ever read. The first robbery is simply a hold-up. Granted, there was a lot of stealth and investigation that went into the robbery, but it was a fairly pedestrian stick-up. I loved the detective and his instant move towards moral depravity.
For Mr. Elmore Leonard
The San Diego Zoo
How could you not love a story that begins, “No one knows how the chimp got the revolver.” Do you need anything else? That’s like the set up and the punchline all in nine words. This one was funny as hell and a nice little police procedural on top of that. Definitely my favorite of the lot and the one most likely to spawn a recurring role by the character of Chris, and possibly Champ the Chimp. It's almost unfair how this is so funny because and armed monkey is just a barrel of laughs, otherwise known as a barrel of monkeys.
Sunset
Sunset segues from the mention of the bail bondsman, Duke Kasmajian who was with Lieutenant Lou at a baseball game in the previous story—I guess it pays to read these in order. Winslow brings back Boone Daniels in this tale of an ex-surf legend as well as his Neal Carrey invention. It could get crowded in here.
Detective Lou is a great invention, although I don't recollect if he is on loan from another Winslow novel. If not, he deserves more room, he needs to be let out (like me in my confinement) and have his own novel.
Paradise
Savages was my least-favorite Winslow novel, second least favorite may have been the prequel, The Kings of Cools, so I really wasn’t welcoming the return of the protagonists from this tale.
O is way to freaking stupid to ever be sexy.
“I guess I wanted someone to raise me,” O says. “When no one did, I just got mad and refused to raise myself.”
Pete says, “You're a smart young lady, O.”
Sorry, she isn’t. Sorry, there is nothing sexy and certainly nothing cool about being willfully ignorant of the world around you. She's a total dope and I see no reason why these two guys would dig her for anything other than sex. Granted, that's important, but if you have money, sex is easy to find.
Ben sits on the lanai reading a Borges novel.
Borges wrote a novel? Must have missed it.
And then comes an introduction, of sorts. Mr. Shit, meet Mr. Fan.
On my first reading, I guess I wasn't in the mood for so much action and an OK Corral shout-out at the end, but this time, for whatever reason, I enjoyed it, a lot.
April 8, 2020
Mr. Winslow knocks it out of the park on BROKEN! I fortunate enough to receive a early copy from The Story Factory. This one isn't is 6 short stories packed into this book. You start with BROKEN which is about police officer who's brother is brutally murdered and he's out for vengeance. Then you move to Crime 101 about a character who does high end heists. You can certainly skip around to read them all in this book. Each storyin this edition is a stand alone. Mr. Winslow brings back characters from his past writing like Boone Daniels, Ben,Chon,O and Frankie Machine. This one is a must read! If you haven't read any Winslow, your missing out! You'll either read this one and enjoy some familiar faces or you'll want to go get Mr. Winslow's back catalog!
March 16, 2021
first story, broken, in this collection was strong like throwing a punch. second one - crime 101 was a very fine and good story but got weaker towards the end. the third the sun Diego zoo was hilarious real fun and for me the best. clever and witty. the next two reminded me too much of other writing of Winslow like the down patrol
the last ride - which close the book was very sensitive and had a political say on immigrants. on the whole it shows the wide range of the writing. nice
the last ride - which close the book was very sensitive and had a political say on immigrants. on the whole it shows the wide range of the writing. nice
December 4, 2020
I was disappointed when I saw that the new Winslow book was a set of longish short stories rather than the longish epics he has been best known for. However, my disappointment was assuaged on reading this excellent collection of novellas. His sparse prose and well-plotted stories make for very satisfying reading.
June 5, 2020
Τέλος νωρίτερα το Broken του Don Winslow,έξι υπέροχα διηγήματα με ανθρώπους του νόμου που δοκιμάστηκαν οι αντοχές τους και ανταπεξήλθαν με αμφιλεγόμενο τρόπο.Πληγωμενες ζωές,κατεστραμμένες,με την ελπίδα να αχνοφαίνεται και να δυσκολεύεται πολλές φορές να βρει το δρόμο προς το φως.
5⭐
5⭐
March 7, 2021
I enjoyed three of the six Novellas in this collection. This is my first exposure to Don Winslow’s writing style. I really enjoyed his work. Gritty and violent.
October 29, 2020
With his new book Broken, author Don Winslow returns with a collection of six novellas.
In the title story, Winslow travels down to New Orleans to focus on a family of cops when tragedy strikes. A vengeful cop looks to inflict his wrath on the powerful, elusive drug dealer responsible. Broken reads like John Wick by way of the best Dennis Lehane stories. While it’s a perfect tight story with barely enough room to breathe, I could have easily read a few hundred more pages of this one.
Crime 101 sees Winslow draw inspiration from those classic Steve McQueen heist flicks by bringing to life a career criminal looking for that one big final score. US Route 101 is as much a character in this story as anyone else. We get both sides of the law in this one as Winslow focuses on both the miscreant mastermind and the dogged detective hot on his heels. Crime 101 feels like a pure popcorn picture.
My personal favourite of the bunch is The San Diego Zoo. Dedicated to Elmore Leonard, Winslow tells of a bumbling police officer caught in a compromising clip gone viral after an attempt to track down a chimp with a firearm. The story’s protagonist, Shea, is wildly charming and his drive for redemption had me digest this story in just one sitting. Truly great stuff.
Sunset, a tribute to Raymond Chandler, takes the reader into the bail bondsmen business. I’ve yet to fully explore Winslow’s back catalog, so I wasn’t familiar with the characters that return here from prior stories. I enjoyed it enough and it was pretty easy to spot the connections to Chandler’s acclaimed novel, The Long Goodbye.
A few weeks ago, Don Winslow was interviewed by the folks at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore and when asked about the story Paradise, he talked about bringing back Chon, Ben and O – the characters from his early novels Savages and The Kings of Cool – for another romp. When writing the story, he decided to bring back another signature character or two. Is this the WLU – the Winslow Literary Universe?
The final story, The Last Ride, brings Winslow back to a familiar setting – the US/Mexico border. Don always says he’s done with that three thousand one hundred and forty five kilometre stretch of land but like the mob, just when he thinks he’s finished, it pulls him back in. The Last Ride is a redemption story of sorts for the Trump supporter – did people really vote for kids in cages?
Winslow knocks it out of the park with this collection. If you ask me, there isn’t a weak one in the bunch. The San Diego Zoo just might be the most enjoyable story I read all year.
In the title story, Winslow travels down to New Orleans to focus on a family of cops when tragedy strikes. A vengeful cop looks to inflict his wrath on the powerful, elusive drug dealer responsible. Broken reads like John Wick by way of the best Dennis Lehane stories. While it’s a perfect tight story with barely enough room to breathe, I could have easily read a few hundred more pages of this one.
Crime 101 sees Winslow draw inspiration from those classic Steve McQueen heist flicks by bringing to life a career criminal looking for that one big final score. US Route 101 is as much a character in this story as anyone else. We get both sides of the law in this one as Winslow focuses on both the miscreant mastermind and the dogged detective hot on his heels. Crime 101 feels like a pure popcorn picture.
My personal favourite of the bunch is The San Diego Zoo. Dedicated to Elmore Leonard, Winslow tells of a bumbling police officer caught in a compromising clip gone viral after an attempt to track down a chimp with a firearm. The story’s protagonist, Shea, is wildly charming and his drive for redemption had me digest this story in just one sitting. Truly great stuff.
Sunset, a tribute to Raymond Chandler, takes the reader into the bail bondsmen business. I’ve yet to fully explore Winslow’s back catalog, so I wasn’t familiar with the characters that return here from prior stories. I enjoyed it enough and it was pretty easy to spot the connections to Chandler’s acclaimed novel, The Long Goodbye.
A few weeks ago, Don Winslow was interviewed by the folks at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore and when asked about the story Paradise, he talked about bringing back Chon, Ben and O – the characters from his early novels Savages and The Kings of Cool – for another romp. When writing the story, he decided to bring back another signature character or two. Is this the WLU – the Winslow Literary Universe?
The final story, The Last Ride, brings Winslow back to a familiar setting – the US/Mexico border. Don always says he’s done with that three thousand one hundred and forty five kilometre stretch of land but like the mob, just when he thinks he’s finished, it pulls him back in. The Last Ride is a redemption story of sorts for the Trump supporter – did people really vote for kids in cages?
Winslow knocks it out of the park with this collection. If you ask me, there isn’t a weak one in the bunch. The San Diego Zoo just might be the most enjoyable story I read all year.
August 15, 2020
An unusual five star from me. But I have a soft spot for short story compilations.
Six short stories make up Broken.
The first story is about revenge in New Orleans. Cops vs druggies.
Second story is about a big time jewel thief and the San Diego cop trying to solve the crimes.
Story three injects humor into the stories. A chimp escapes from San Diego Zoo and is roaming Balboa Park. Just for kicks, Winslow give the chimp a pistol to be waving around.
Number four features a character from Winslow’s novel Dawn Patrol, Boone Daniels,as well as several other characters, and a bail bondsman working on chasing a skip.
Number five tells the tale of drug dealers in Hawaii. And being a Winslow story, there’s a good chance surfing will play a factor. Also, another character from one of Winslow’s novels, Bobby Z.
Story Six. Involves a border patrol agent and his relationship with the illegals. Particularly those children in the holding cages in Texas. Interesting twist ending.
Six short stories make up Broken.
The first story is about revenge in New Orleans. Cops vs druggies.
Second story is about a big time jewel thief and the San Diego cop trying to solve the crimes.
Story three injects humor into the stories. A chimp escapes from San Diego Zoo and is roaming Balboa Park. Just for kicks, Winslow give the chimp a pistol to be waving around.
Number four features a character from Winslow’s novel Dawn Patrol, Boone Daniels,as well as several other characters, and a bail bondsman working on chasing a skip.
Number five tells the tale of drug dealers in Hawaii. And being a Winslow story, there’s a good chance surfing will play a factor. Also, another character from one of Winslow’s novels, Bobby Z.
Story Six. Involves a border patrol agent and his relationship with the illegals. Particularly those children in the holding cages in Texas. Interesting twist ending.
May 13, 2020
This is one of the worst things I’ve ever spent any time reading. Skimmed through two stories and DNF. It’s full of racist, sexist, homophobic nonsense. One example: a character used a slur for a group of people and then in retelling this brilliant “joke” to someone who belongs to said group, uses the non-offensive version of the word (to prove they’re a good person) “even though it was less funny that way”. I SAID GOOD DAY.
June 7, 2020
Don Winslow can do in a novella what many authors can't accomplish in a long novel. There's quite a bit of brutality, especially in the title piece, Broken. But if that doesn't deter you, you're in for a treat.
June 26, 2020
A bit too cool, rough and tough for me I'm afraid...
August 9, 2020
Nice range of stories.
8/10
8/10
April 20, 2020
Don Winslow will probably be remembered for his Cartel Trilogy, and rightfully so, but these six novellas display a range few in the genre have. Alternately bleak, uplifting, hilarious, provocative and each crackling throughout with an urgency usually saved for the final acts of his full novels, the stories in Broken are among my favorites of his work, up there with The Force and Power of the Dog. I can’t think of anyone else who can mix character, plot, emotion and legit laugh out loud dialogue like Winslow. Perhaps Adrián McKinty’s Sean Duffy novels get there, but Winslow will give you six for the price of one.
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