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Gene Hammonds #1
City of Dark Corners
Phoenix, 1933: A young city with big dreams and dark corners
Great War veteran and rising star Gene Hammons lost his job as a homicide detective when he tried to prove that a woman was wrongly convicted of murder to protect a well-connected man. Now a private investigator, Hammons makes his living looking for missing persons--a plentiful caseload during the Great Depression, when people seem to disappear all the time.
But his routine is disrupted when his brother--another homicide detective, still on the force--enlists his help looking into the death of a young woman whose dismembered body is found beside the railroad tracks. The sheriff rules it an accident, but the carnage is too neat, and the staging of the body parts too ritual. Hammons suspects it's the work of a "lust murderer"--similar to the serial strangler whose killing spree he had ended a few years earlier. But who was the poor girl, dressed demurely in pink? And why was his business card tucked into her small purse? As Hammons searches for the victim's identity, he discovers that the dead girl had some secrets of her own, and that the case is connected to some of Phoenix's most powerful citizens--on both sides of the law.
Great War veteran and rising star Gene Hammons lost his job as a homicide detective when he tried to prove that a woman was wrongly convicted of murder to protect a well-connected man. Now a private investigator, Hammons makes his living looking for missing persons--a plentiful caseload during the Great Depression, when people seem to disappear all the time.
But his routine is disrupted when his brother--another homicide detective, still on the force--enlists his help looking into the death of a young woman whose dismembered body is found beside the railroad tracks. The sheriff rules it an accident, but the carnage is too neat, and the staging of the body parts too ritual. Hammons suspects it's the work of a "lust murderer"--similar to the serial strangler whose killing spree he had ended a few years earlier. But who was the poor girl, dressed demurely in pink? And why was his business card tucked into her small purse? As Hammons searches for the victim's identity, he discovers that the dead girl had some secrets of her own, and that the case is connected to some of Phoenix's most powerful citizens--on both sides of the law.
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 11, 2021
52 people are currently reading
1575 people want to read
About the author
Jon Talton
25 books93 followersJon Talton is the author of the David Mapstone novels, which follow the adventures of a historian-turned-deputy, working the mean streets of the urban West.
Jon's first novel, "Concrete Desert," was hailed by Kirkus as "an impressive debut." The Washington Post said it "is more intelligent and rewarding than most contemporary mysteries." The series has continued with "Camelback Falls," "Dry Heat," "Arizona Dreams" and "Cactus Heart." "Dry Heat" received Arizona Highways magazine's best fiction award in 2005.
Jon's first novel, "Concrete Desert," was hailed by Kirkus as "an impressive debut." The Washington Post said it "is more intelligent and rewarding than most contemporary mysteries." The series has continued with "Camelback Falls," "Dry Heat," "Arizona Dreams" and "Cactus Heart." "Dry Heat" received Arizona Highways magazine's best fiction award in 2005.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
June 3, 2021
You know the movie that plays in your head while you read? This is a book you’ll be watching in black & white. Dark city streets, Packards driven by men in fedoras & plenty of cigarette smoke….all of this transports you to 1930’s Phoenix. It’s like many American towns…..reeling from the Great Depression & not even able to (legally) drown its sorrows due to Prohibition.
It’s in this setting we meet brothers Gene & Don Hammons. Both are veterans of the Great War who returned & joined the Phoenix Police Department. But the similarities end there. To get a sense of their relationship dynamic, think Cain & Abel or maybe Noel & Liam.
Gene rose quickly through the ranks & was a well respected detective before being forced out after he stood up for a woman framed for murder. His innate sense of right vs wrong meant he couldn’t go along to get along in a department riddled with corruption. Now he ekes out a living as a P.I. His days are spent looking for missing persons & catching up with girlfriend Victoria Vasquez, a news photographer.
Don resented Gene’s success & skills as a detective. Fortunately, he’s never been burdened by ethics & welcomes the little perks that come with being on the job. He revels in every opportunity to sneer at Gene’s moral code. So it’s a bit surprising when he reaches out to help his little brother.
It all begins with a body. A pretty young blond is found by the train tracks & there are a couple of things immediately wrong with this picture. First, she’s in pieces…literally. Second, the only thing in her handbag is Gene’s business card. Fortunately, Don was at the scene & the card quickly makes its way back to Gene who’s stumped. Was the woman planning to hire him? Or was he being set up to take the fall?
Identifying the woman proves a challenge. Local politicians worried about bad PR are keen for the cops to move on & with no new leads, the case is quietly shelved. But Gene can’t let it go. He begins to dig into the mysterious young woman’s past, a decision that he & Victoria may regret.
Settle in for a dark & twisty tale that is richly evocative of the era. It’s a time of rampant poverty, Depression camps, dirty politicians & corrupt cops. The mob is spreading west like a fungus & no one is immune. There’s a definite noir vibe to the narrative but the style of prose & Gene’s character prevent it from sliding into pulp territory.
Yes, he’s a PI in the 1930’s but that’s about the only thing in common with his fictional hardboiled counterparts (although he may argue that Victoria qualifies as a femme fatale…). Instead of a swaggering, tough talking collector of dames (that would be Don), Gene is a quiet man haunted by what he experienced during the war. Today he’s be diagnosed with PTSD but the best they had then was shell-shock, a mildly derogatory term implying weakness. As a consequence, he is startled by loud noises & frequently takes little mental side trips down memory lane. As he recalls these vignettes from his past, we get a better understanding of his relationship with Don & how they grew so far apart. He’s a deep thinker with a spirituality he clings to as his last hope for redemption.
In terms of pace & direction, it reminded me of The Searcher. It’s a literary PI story that is more about the people than the crime. It moves along at a steady speed that allows you to enjoy the descriptive prose & get to know the characters. Tension builds slowly until you reach a place where you’re afraid to turn the page, sure there’s going to be an “oh crap” moment right around the corner. That continues to the last few pages when all pieces finally slide into place.
It’s a dark, immersive read with a sympathetic MC you’ll quietly root for. BTW, thumbs up to those responsible for the beautiful cover art.
It’s in this setting we meet brothers Gene & Don Hammons. Both are veterans of the Great War who returned & joined the Phoenix Police Department. But the similarities end there. To get a sense of their relationship dynamic, think Cain & Abel or maybe Noel & Liam.
Gene rose quickly through the ranks & was a well respected detective before being forced out after he stood up for a woman framed for murder. His innate sense of right vs wrong meant he couldn’t go along to get along in a department riddled with corruption. Now he ekes out a living as a P.I. His days are spent looking for missing persons & catching up with girlfriend Victoria Vasquez, a news photographer.
Don resented Gene’s success & skills as a detective. Fortunately, he’s never been burdened by ethics & welcomes the little perks that come with being on the job. He revels in every opportunity to sneer at Gene’s moral code. So it’s a bit surprising when he reaches out to help his little brother.
It all begins with a body. A pretty young blond is found by the train tracks & there are a couple of things immediately wrong with this picture. First, she’s in pieces…literally. Second, the only thing in her handbag is Gene’s business card. Fortunately, Don was at the scene & the card quickly makes its way back to Gene who’s stumped. Was the woman planning to hire him? Or was he being set up to take the fall?
Identifying the woman proves a challenge. Local politicians worried about bad PR are keen for the cops to move on & with no new leads, the case is quietly shelved. But Gene can’t let it go. He begins to dig into the mysterious young woman’s past, a decision that he & Victoria may regret.
Settle in for a dark & twisty tale that is richly evocative of the era. It’s a time of rampant poverty, Depression camps, dirty politicians & corrupt cops. The mob is spreading west like a fungus & no one is immune. There’s a definite noir vibe to the narrative but the style of prose & Gene’s character prevent it from sliding into pulp territory.
Yes, he’s a PI in the 1930’s but that’s about the only thing in common with his fictional hardboiled counterparts (although he may argue that Victoria qualifies as a femme fatale…). Instead of a swaggering, tough talking collector of dames (that would be Don), Gene is a quiet man haunted by what he experienced during the war. Today he’s be diagnosed with PTSD but the best they had then was shell-shock, a mildly derogatory term implying weakness. As a consequence, he is startled by loud noises & frequently takes little mental side trips down memory lane. As he recalls these vignettes from his past, we get a better understanding of his relationship with Don & how they grew so far apart. He’s a deep thinker with a spirituality he clings to as his last hope for redemption.
In terms of pace & direction, it reminded me of The Searcher. It’s a literary PI story that is more about the people than the crime. It moves along at a steady speed that allows you to enjoy the descriptive prose & get to know the characters. Tension builds slowly until you reach a place where you’re afraid to turn the page, sure there’s going to be an “oh crap” moment right around the corner. That continues to the last few pages when all pieces finally slide into place.
It’s a dark, immersive read with a sympathetic MC you’ll quietly root for. BTW, thumbs up to those responsible for the beautiful cover art.
March 14, 2021
"He's a smart cop....Dangerous smart."
That just about describes P.I. Gene Hammons, former member of the Hat Squad of Phoenix, Arizona until the boss pulled strings and had him evicted from the police force. Hammons got a little too close to the flame of outing someone that they threw the book at who was actually innocent. Can't have that happening when the ink isn't even dry on the set-up of "Guilty".
Hammons licks his wounds and opens his own investigative office. It's 1933 and the Great Depression has turned the country into massive bread lines etched with the faces of the unemployed. The copper mines have closed around Phoenix and the homeless live in tents and abandoned old cars. People go missing and someone has to find them.
Hammons older brother, Don, still remains on the force. He and Gene have been competitive since birth with Gene lying about his age to join the Army in WW I like Don. But they still look out for one another. Don is painfully aware of Gene's bloodhound skills and calls him out secretly to a bizarre murder scene. A young woman's body lays near the railroad tracks. In fact, her decapitated body is found in segments along the tracks. The police are claiming suicide from jumping off the train. Gene is convinced that our gal was no jumper.
Wowzers! Jon Talton creates a panoramic view of life in Art Decco back in Phoenix. The dialogue is sharp-ended with people looking at the world through smug and tilted visions of the times. Gene is pretty much a straight arrow in love with Victoria Vasquez, a news/crime photographer. Victoria takes a big bite out of life. Hope that Talton keeps Victoria front and center in the next one.
The storyline is a creative one with Hammons hitting the pavement with intensity. We're introduced to some shifty characters and alleys that lead to countless dead ends. But Talton's character of Gene Hammons is a man shaped by his experiences of war, questionable cops, unspeakable crimes, and treacherous individuals who will stop at nothing during a time when nothing is what average folks had. Don't miss this one. Raw, gritty, and reflective of the underbelly of crimes against the vulnerable. And Hammons doesn't sleep......
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to Jon Talton for the opportunity.
That just about describes P.I. Gene Hammons, former member of the Hat Squad of Phoenix, Arizona until the boss pulled strings and had him evicted from the police force. Hammons got a little too close to the flame of outing someone that they threw the book at who was actually innocent. Can't have that happening when the ink isn't even dry on the set-up of "Guilty".
Hammons licks his wounds and opens his own investigative office. It's 1933 and the Great Depression has turned the country into massive bread lines etched with the faces of the unemployed. The copper mines have closed around Phoenix and the homeless live in tents and abandoned old cars. People go missing and someone has to find them.
Hammons older brother, Don, still remains on the force. He and Gene have been competitive since birth with Gene lying about his age to join the Army in WW I like Don. But they still look out for one another. Don is painfully aware of Gene's bloodhound skills and calls him out secretly to a bizarre murder scene. A young woman's body lays near the railroad tracks. In fact, her decapitated body is found in segments along the tracks. The police are claiming suicide from jumping off the train. Gene is convinced that our gal was no jumper.
Wowzers! Jon Talton creates a panoramic view of life in Art Decco back in Phoenix. The dialogue is sharp-ended with people looking at the world through smug and tilted visions of the times. Gene is pretty much a straight arrow in love with Victoria Vasquez, a news/crime photographer. Victoria takes a big bite out of life. Hope that Talton keeps Victoria front and center in the next one.
The storyline is a creative one with Hammons hitting the pavement with intensity. We're introduced to some shifty characters and alleys that lead to countless dead ends. But Talton's character of Gene Hammons is a man shaped by his experiences of war, questionable cops, unspeakable crimes, and treacherous individuals who will stop at nothing during a time when nothing is what average folks had. Don't miss this one. Raw, gritty, and reflective of the underbelly of crimes against the vulnerable. And Hammons doesn't sleep......
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to Jon Talton for the opportunity.
Read
June 29, 2021DNF
Just could not get into it. This is only my opinion so will not rate or review.
Just could not get into it. This is only my opinion so will not rate or review.
June 2, 2021
It wouldn't be surprising if 1930's Phoenix, Arizona and Private Investigator Gene Hammons return in a sequel or series to this book, as the city's history and its early developers and business venturers could certainly provide the author with an abundance of story-lines. Jon Talton's book is a gripping, gritty tale of murders, ambition, business opportunists, criminal activity, and a citizenry caught up in the on-going aftermath of the Great Depression's financial collapse. With the anticipated end of Prohibition when Franklin Roosevelt takes office in 1933, there is much violent jockeying for power and money-making opportunity among the well-connected gambling and bootlegging syndicates in Phoenix that are also connected to the Chicago mobs. There are crime cover-ups by politicians and police in order to promote the city's reputation to protect the expected boom in tourism as the economy improves and Prohibition ends. An honest cop might disrupt those plans and thus Gene Hammons is dismissed from the police force after he supports justice for a woman accused of murder.
Hammons is now a private investigator but is drawn back into a police case by his police detective brother, Don, in a death that police and city council want to cover-up as an accident. The evidence points to murder - and a brutal one at that. Hammons and his police photographer girlfriend, Victoria Vasquez, begin to seek the identity of the murdered woman and become entangled in a dangerous underworld where their potential informants end up killed and Victoria's life is threatened. People are not always who they seem to be and the case takes some unexpected turns. Talton also tells the story of Hammon's past murder investigations as a homicide detective that resulted in the capture of a brutal serial killer and there are similarities that might or might not be related to the current case, but it establishes Hammons as an honest, smart cop. The author incorporates the names of Phoenix's real-life luminaries and business people from the '30's that are familiar today - a young Barry Goldwater, developer Del Webb, jewelry retailer Harry Rosenzweig, police detective Leonce (Frenchie) Navarre, racketeer mob gangster Gus Greenbaum, and landowner and liquor distributor Kemper Marley - which lend to the realism of his novel. As a journalist, a native of Phoenix, and author of the nonfiction work A Brief History of Phoenix, Jon Talton knows Phoenix well.
This book reminds the reader of the pulp fiction noir novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett in its style of writing and the setting, although the ending seems a bit improbable and rushed.
Hammons is now a private investigator but is drawn back into a police case by his police detective brother, Don, in a death that police and city council want to cover-up as an accident. The evidence points to murder - and a brutal one at that. Hammons and his police photographer girlfriend, Victoria Vasquez, begin to seek the identity of the murdered woman and become entangled in a dangerous underworld where their potential informants end up killed and Victoria's life is threatened. People are not always who they seem to be and the case takes some unexpected turns. Talton also tells the story of Hammon's past murder investigations as a homicide detective that resulted in the capture of a brutal serial killer and there are similarities that might or might not be related to the current case, but it establishes Hammons as an honest, smart cop. The author incorporates the names of Phoenix's real-life luminaries and business people from the '30's that are familiar today - a young Barry Goldwater, developer Del Webb, jewelry retailer Harry Rosenzweig, police detective Leonce (Frenchie) Navarre, racketeer mob gangster Gus Greenbaum, and landowner and liquor distributor Kemper Marley - which lend to the realism of his novel. As a journalist, a native of Phoenix, and author of the nonfiction work A Brief History of Phoenix, Jon Talton knows Phoenix well.
This book reminds the reader of the pulp fiction noir novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett in its style of writing and the setting, although the ending seems a bit improbable and rushed.
May 31, 2021
Good title, great cover, and an interesting take on the noir set in the prohibition, gangster ridden age of the depression. Promises much but, unfortunately, it delivers little. It takes so long for the story to move along, and what takes place of focusing in on the homicide was not interesting enough to hold my attention. As one reviewer put it ‘ this is a very easy book to put down’.
May 11, 2021
Phoenix, 1933:
Great War veteran and rising star Gene Hammons lost his job as a homicide detective when he tried to prove that a woman was wrongly convicted of murder to protect a well-connected man. Now a private investigator, Hammons makes his living looking for missing persons—a plentiful caseload during the Great Depression, when people seem to disappear all the time.
Hammons' brother, also a homicide detective, is called to investigate when a young woman's body is found beside the railroad tracks. She has been dismembered. Local law enforcement has ruled it as an accident .. according to them, she may have been drinking and fallen onto the tracks.
But Hammons thinks it's the work of a serial killer from a few years back. Finding his business card in her purse leads Hammon into further looking for the woman's identity ... with the help of his brother.
What Hammons discovers is that the woman had many secrets ... and the case is connected to some of Phoenix's most powerful players .. on both sides of the law.
This is an extremely well-written historical crime fiction buried in the history of Arizona. The author, himself, is from the area and he has done a terrific job in bringing Phoenix to light from that era. Barry Goldwater, Nominee for President in 1964 is mentioned as well as others of that ilk. The schools, the landmarks, and I do believe this story was taken from real life events during that time.
The characters are well-known and those that aren't are solidly defined. Everything meshes. There is suspense from the first page leading to an unexpected ending with twists and turns in between.
Many thanks to the author / Poisoned Pen Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this most interesting crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
4.5 STARS
Great War veteran and rising star Gene Hammons lost his job as a homicide detective when he tried to prove that a woman was wrongly convicted of murder to protect a well-connected man. Now a private investigator, Hammons makes his living looking for missing persons—a plentiful caseload during the Great Depression, when people seem to disappear all the time.
Hammons' brother, also a homicide detective, is called to investigate when a young woman's body is found beside the railroad tracks. She has been dismembered. Local law enforcement has ruled it as an accident .. according to them, she may have been drinking and fallen onto the tracks.
But Hammons thinks it's the work of a serial killer from a few years back. Finding his business card in her purse leads Hammon into further looking for the woman's identity ... with the help of his brother.
What Hammons discovers is that the woman had many secrets ... and the case is connected to some of Phoenix's most powerful players .. on both sides of the law.
This is an extremely well-written historical crime fiction buried in the history of Arizona. The author, himself, is from the area and he has done a terrific job in bringing Phoenix to light from that era. Barry Goldwater, Nominee for President in 1964 is mentioned as well as others of that ilk. The schools, the landmarks, and I do believe this story was taken from real life events during that time.
The characters are well-known and those that aren't are solidly defined. Everything meshes. There is suspense from the first page leading to an unexpected ending with twists and turns in between.
Many thanks to the author / Poisoned Pen Press / Netgalley for the digital copy of this most interesting crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
4.5 STARS
April 11, 2021
Rat-a-tat prose, robust storytelling and reliable authenticity of period detail punctuate this standout new novel of 1933 Phoenix, and small wonder that its author, Jon Talton, is a Phoenix native and veteran news journalist. He makes sterling use of real-life figures and incidents of the time, and that lifts CITY OF DARK CORNERS comfortably above its formulaic cop-turned-private-detective tale.
Beyond the zingy writing, the novel's greatest pleasures come in the canny appropriation of such Phoenix icons and rapscallions as Barry Goldwater, Harry Rosenzweig, Frenchy Navarre, Kemper Marley, Gus Greenbaum and a host of others. CITY OF DARK CORNERS is a love letter to Phoenix and Phoenicians, but as someone from somewhere else who knew little of the place coming in, I felt fully welcomed into this collection of colorful Arizona lore. Even with its heavy use of detective-fiction tropes in this male-haunted-by-dead-girl story, this hardboiled novel is a winner.
Beyond the zingy writing, the novel's greatest pleasures come in the canny appropriation of such Phoenix icons and rapscallions as Barry Goldwater, Harry Rosenzweig, Frenchy Navarre, Kemper Marley, Gus Greenbaum and a host of others. CITY OF DARK CORNERS is a love letter to Phoenix and Phoenicians, but as someone from somewhere else who knew little of the place coming in, I felt fully welcomed into this collection of colorful Arizona lore. Even with its heavy use of detective-fiction tropes in this male-haunted-by-dead-girl story, this hardboiled novel is a winner.
April 3, 2021
City of Dark Corners is listed as a David Mapstone mystery by Jon Talton, but don't be sad that David himself isn't in the story. The Mapstone name does appear. This book is set in 1933 and we get to follow Gene Hammons, ex detective on the Phoenix police force. This is a dark and brutal time in Arizona and I love the language and description that Talton has accomplished. I discovered this series a couple of years ago and found it marvellous. The author is great at describing the setting like few others and the characters are great. I must thank @poisonedpenpress @sourcebooks and @this_is_edelweiss and also @netgalley for giving me this great advance copy
July 4, 2021
City of Dark Corners by Jon Talton
Took me back in time to a place I have visited but never seen in the era of my grandfather was a young man. I did think of him as I read because he, too, was a veteran of the great war and many of the behaviors, comments, and thoughts expressed in this book rang true when thinking about things he said when I was growing up. Almost one hundred years ago…life was different and so was Phoenix. I found this book, based in the facts of the time, fascinating.
What I liked:
* The writing, plot and story told
* Eugene “Gene” Hammons: Private investigator, ex-homicide detective, veteran of WWI, Phoenix native, brother, Christian, music lover, more open minded than some, a man of his times.
* Victoria Vasquez: independent photographer who also worked for the police department, Hispanic, native Phoenician, daughter, sister, Gene’s girlfriend.
* The relationship between Gene and his brother, Don.
* The glimpse into the past
* Being reminded of the huge changes that have been made since 1933
* Seeing how crimes were solved
* The way PTSD (or what it is now known as) was dealt with in this story
* That it felt as if I had stepped back in time and was there with Gene as he worked on the case
* That the killer of the dismembered woman was eventually revealed
* Wondering about what might happen in the future: will Gene and Victoria end up together? What work will Gene do in the future? Will this be the introduction to a new series or remain a standalone?
* Realizing at the end of the book that many characters that appeared were “real” – and – finding out what happened to them later in their lives.
What I didn’t like:
* Being reminded of the huge divide between various groups of people and how ethnicity impacted where one fell on the divide.
*Knowing that the same evil lives on in people now that was around back then…in the population, in politics, in gangs-mafias, and on the police force.
* Having to say goodbye to the main characters.
Did I enjoy this book? Definitely
Would I read more by this author? Without a doubt!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jon Talton is the author of 13 novels and one work of history.
His work has been widely praised by the critics. The Washington Post BookWorld said Concrete Desert is “more intelligent and rewarding than most contemporary mysteries.” In a starred review, Booklist called it “a stunning debut.” The Chicago Tribune lauded Camelback Falls for its “twisty and crafty” plot. For Dry Heat, Publishers Weekly wrote, “Taut prose helps tighten the screws, and the winning, sensitive portrayal of the Mapstones ¬– both of them a relief after too many hard-nosed PIs who are all gristle and no brain – lends credibility to the noirish narrative." Best-selling author Don Winslow called Talton one of America's "extremely talented but under-recognized" authors.
Jon is also a veteran journalist. He is the economics columnist for the Seattle Times and is editor and publisher of the blog Rogue Columnist.
For more than 25 years Jon has covered business and finance, specializing in urban economies, energy, real estate and economics and public policy. Jon has been a columnist for the Arizona Republic, Charlotte Observer and Rocky Mountain News, and his columns have appeared in newspapers throughout North America on the New York Times News Service and other news services. Jon has been a regular guest on CNBC.
Jon served as business editor for several newspapers, including the Dayton Daily News, Rocky Mountain News, Cincinnati Enquirer and Charlotte Observer. At Dayton, he was part of a team that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Public Service, for the nation’s first computer-assisted report on worker safety. In Charlotte, the business section was honored as one of the nation’s best by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Among the stories he has covered are the landmark Texaco-Pennzoil trial; the collapse of energy prices in the 1980s; the troubles of General Motors and the American auto industry; the big bank mergers of the ‘90s, and America’s downtown renaissance. He was a Knight Western Fellow in Journalism at the University of Southern California and a community fellow at the Morrison Institute at Arizona State University.
Before journalism, he worked for four years as an ambulance medic in the inner city of Phoenix. He also was an instructor in theater at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
Took me back in time to a place I have visited but never seen in the era of my grandfather was a young man. I did think of him as I read because he, too, was a veteran of the great war and many of the behaviors, comments, and thoughts expressed in this book rang true when thinking about things he said when I was growing up. Almost one hundred years ago…life was different and so was Phoenix. I found this book, based in the facts of the time, fascinating.
What I liked:
* The writing, plot and story told
* Eugene “Gene” Hammons: Private investigator, ex-homicide detective, veteran of WWI, Phoenix native, brother, Christian, music lover, more open minded than some, a man of his times.
* Victoria Vasquez: independent photographer who also worked for the police department, Hispanic, native Phoenician, daughter, sister, Gene’s girlfriend.
* The relationship between Gene and his brother, Don.
* The glimpse into the past
* Being reminded of the huge changes that have been made since 1933
* Seeing how crimes were solved
* The way PTSD (or what it is now known as) was dealt with in this story
* That it felt as if I had stepped back in time and was there with Gene as he worked on the case
* That the killer of the dismembered woman was eventually revealed
* Wondering about what might happen in the future: will Gene and Victoria end up together? What work will Gene do in the future? Will this be the introduction to a new series or remain a standalone?
* Realizing at the end of the book that many characters that appeared were “real” – and – finding out what happened to them later in their lives.
What I didn’t like:
* Being reminded of the huge divide between various groups of people and how ethnicity impacted where one fell on the divide.
*Knowing that the same evil lives on in people now that was around back then…in the population, in politics, in gangs-mafias, and on the police force.
* Having to say goodbye to the main characters.
Did I enjoy this book? Definitely
Would I read more by this author? Without a doubt!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jon Talton is the author of 13 novels and one work of history.
His work has been widely praised by the critics. The Washington Post BookWorld said Concrete Desert is “more intelligent and rewarding than most contemporary mysteries.” In a starred review, Booklist called it “a stunning debut.” The Chicago Tribune lauded Camelback Falls for its “twisty and crafty” plot. For Dry Heat, Publishers Weekly wrote, “Taut prose helps tighten the screws, and the winning, sensitive portrayal of the Mapstones ¬– both of them a relief after too many hard-nosed PIs who are all gristle and no brain – lends credibility to the noirish narrative." Best-selling author Don Winslow called Talton one of America's "extremely talented but under-recognized" authors.
Jon is also a veteran journalist. He is the economics columnist for the Seattle Times and is editor and publisher of the blog Rogue Columnist.
For more than 25 years Jon has covered business and finance, specializing in urban economies, energy, real estate and economics and public policy. Jon has been a columnist for the Arizona Republic, Charlotte Observer and Rocky Mountain News, and his columns have appeared in newspapers throughout North America on the New York Times News Service and other news services. Jon has been a regular guest on CNBC.
Jon served as business editor for several newspapers, including the Dayton Daily News, Rocky Mountain News, Cincinnati Enquirer and Charlotte Observer. At Dayton, he was part of a team that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Public Service, for the nation’s first computer-assisted report on worker safety. In Charlotte, the business section was honored as one of the nation’s best by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Among the stories he has covered are the landmark Texaco-Pennzoil trial; the collapse of energy prices in the 1980s; the troubles of General Motors and the American auto industry; the big bank mergers of the ‘90s, and America’s downtown renaissance. He was a Knight Western Fellow in Journalism at the University of Southern California and a community fellow at the Morrison Institute at Arizona State University.
Before journalism, he worked for four years as an ambulance medic in the inner city of Phoenix. He also was an instructor in theater at Southeastern Oklahoma State University.
May 29, 2021
City of Dark Corners is hardboiled crime fiction, reminiscent of old pulp fiction novels.
Setting is this story’s strength. We’re in Phoenix, back in 1933 with Prohibition and gangsters running the city. All the historic details sprinkled throughout gave me a vivid sense of what it was like to live there.
Gene Hammons is an ideal main character for this story and genre. He’s an ex-cop, now a PI and an outcast because his moral compass is set too high for the corrupt police force. He’s tough and likable.
This short book is padded with long passages of flashbacks of an earlier, unrelated case, which was distracting and unnecessary. I would’ve preferred more substance with the case at hand and/or more character development.
The ending felt oddly convenient and left loose ends.
Still, I enjoyed the gritty realism of the story, and Hammons is a cool character to hang out with.
*I received a review copy from Poisoned Pen Press.*
Setting is this story’s strength. We’re in Phoenix, back in 1933 with Prohibition and gangsters running the city. All the historic details sprinkled throughout gave me a vivid sense of what it was like to live there.
Gene Hammons is an ideal main character for this story and genre. He’s an ex-cop, now a PI and an outcast because his moral compass is set too high for the corrupt police force. He’s tough and likable.
This short book is padded with long passages of flashbacks of an earlier, unrelated case, which was distracting and unnecessary. I would’ve preferred more substance with the case at hand and/or more character development.
The ending felt oddly convenient and left loose ends.
Still, I enjoyed the gritty realism of the story, and Hammons is a cool character to hang out with.
*I received a review copy from Poisoned Pen Press.*
May 10, 2021
City of Dark Corners is an absolute gold mine of Phoenix history, but that's not the only reason to read it. (Although I will say that anyone who thinks that it's too hot for anything to happen here needs to think again.) Readers will also get a good feeling for life during the Depression. For one thing, it never occurred to me that there would be a lot of missing persons during this time, and I felt about as smart as a box of rocks when Talton explained this to me.
The mystery is a good one, too, which is something that I always expect from Jon Talton, and it has a noir feel that some readers are going to love. If you're not a noir fan, don't roll your eyes and move along. I said a noir "feel"-- a bit like using margarine instead of butter.
As with any mystery worth its salt, there have to be characters that keep my interest, and City of Dark Corners has them. Besides the City of Phoenix, which is a character in and of itself, there is Gene Hammons, the World War I veteran, a former police detective who was Amelia Earhart's bodyguard when she was in town, and now private eye who sings in a church choir to help keep him sane. His love interest, Victoria Vasquez, is a strong, interesting character, too. She's a photographer who often takes crime scene photos for the police department, but she's working toward a career in photojournalism like Margaret Bourke-White's.
If you're in the mood for a historical mystery that's a bit gritty, a puzzler to solve, and has two strong characters, City of Dark Corners may be just the thing for you. I'm hoping that it's the start of a brand-new series. If you don't go in for historicals, try Talton's David Mapstone mysteries. They are first-rate.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
The mystery is a good one, too, which is something that I always expect from Jon Talton, and it has a noir feel that some readers are going to love. If you're not a noir fan, don't roll your eyes and move along. I said a noir "feel"-- a bit like using margarine instead of butter.
As with any mystery worth its salt, there have to be characters that keep my interest, and City of Dark Corners has them. Besides the City of Phoenix, which is a character in and of itself, there is Gene Hammons, the World War I veteran, a former police detective who was Amelia Earhart's bodyguard when she was in town, and now private eye who sings in a church choir to help keep him sane. His love interest, Victoria Vasquez, is a strong, interesting character, too. She's a photographer who often takes crime scene photos for the police department, but she's working toward a career in photojournalism like Margaret Bourke-White's.
If you're in the mood for a historical mystery that's a bit gritty, a puzzler to solve, and has two strong characters, City of Dark Corners may be just the thing for you. I'm hoping that it's the start of a brand-new series. If you don't go in for historicals, try Talton's David Mapstone mysteries. They are first-rate.
(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley)
May 19, 2021
3.5 stars
A gritty & dark Depression-era murder mystery with deep layers of corruption, organized crime, & racism shadowing the centerpiece of a brutal killing. Detailed & decently written, this story grew on me as I got to know the complex characters.
[What I liked:]
•The writer really captured the flaws & depravity of humanity side-by-side with real compassion & empathy. I appreciate how the MC is a realist & street smart, sometimes feels pulled in different directions in morally gray situations, but always has a bit of empathy even for those he dislikes.
•There are some great characters in here: cocky young bootlegger Marley, preacher & crime boss Cleveland, the MC’s drug addict police detective older brother, talented crime scene photographer Victoria, the shady Frenchy Navarre, etc. All the minor characters felt unique & were skillfully drawn as well, & there are a lot of side & minor characters in this book.
•The historical setting is extremely well done. Both the knowledge of the locales of Phoenix & the surrounding areas (landscape, architecture, local history, etc.), & the historical minutiae of police work & migrant camps & race relations & organized crime in the Depression-era Southwest US were convincingly detailed in a way that gave a strong sense of time & place without bogging down the narrative.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•Every time a new character is introduced we immediately get a page of their backstory & family history. It often pulled me out of the flow of the narrative. This was mainly an issue towards the beginning, when many new characters popped up one after another.
•Some of the dialogue is wordy & doesn’t flow, mainly towards the beginning of the book (where some info dumping was happening via lengthy conversations).
•I’m not really sure why the strangler case from 1929 was embedded in the middle of this story. It was interesting & well written, & did give background on the characters, but honestly it felt like it could’ve been it’s own novel.
•I was a bit disappointed by the ending. Why did the murderer show up & suddenly confess? That felt out of the blue & unsatisfying. I also felt like where the MC’s romantic relationship was left was a loose end—no resolution, but also why did it need to take a downturn right before the end & just be left to dangle?
CW: use of anti-Semitic & racial slurs (including the “n” word), mistreatment of & violence towards homeless people, drug use, infidelity, racism, murder, dismembered corpses, r*pe, substance abuse, physical assault
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
A gritty & dark Depression-era murder mystery with deep layers of corruption, organized crime, & racism shadowing the centerpiece of a brutal killing. Detailed & decently written, this story grew on me as I got to know the complex characters.
[What I liked:]
•The writer really captured the flaws & depravity of humanity side-by-side with real compassion & empathy. I appreciate how the MC is a realist & street smart, sometimes feels pulled in different directions in morally gray situations, but always has a bit of empathy even for those he dislikes.
•There are some great characters in here: cocky young bootlegger Marley, preacher & crime boss Cleveland, the MC’s drug addict police detective older brother, talented crime scene photographer Victoria, the shady Frenchy Navarre, etc. All the minor characters felt unique & were skillfully drawn as well, & there are a lot of side & minor characters in this book.
•The historical setting is extremely well done. Both the knowledge of the locales of Phoenix & the surrounding areas (landscape, architecture, local history, etc.), & the historical minutiae of police work & migrant camps & race relations & organized crime in the Depression-era Southwest US were convincingly detailed in a way that gave a strong sense of time & place without bogging down the narrative.
[What I didn’t like as much:]
•Every time a new character is introduced we immediately get a page of their backstory & family history. It often pulled me out of the flow of the narrative. This was mainly an issue towards the beginning, when many new characters popped up one after another.
•Some of the dialogue is wordy & doesn’t flow, mainly towards the beginning of the book (where some info dumping was happening via lengthy conversations).
•I’m not really sure why the strangler case from 1929 was embedded in the middle of this story. It was interesting & well written, & did give background on the characters, but honestly it felt like it could’ve been it’s own novel.
•I was a bit disappointed by the ending. Why did the murderer show up & suddenly confess? That felt out of the blue & unsatisfying. I also felt like where the MC’s romantic relationship was left was a loose end—no resolution, but also why did it need to take a downturn right before the end & just be left to dangle?
CW: use of anti-Semitic & racial slurs (including the “n” word), mistreatment of & violence towards homeless people, drug use, infidelity, racism, murder, dismembered corpses, r*pe, substance abuse, physical assault
[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]
June 24, 2021
A thoroughly enjoyable neo-noir that convincingly captures the atmosphere of Depression-era Phoenix. While I can quibble about occasional heavy-handed characterization and a plot that hinges on a few too many coincidences, the brisk pace, refreshing style, and a refusal to lard things up with extraneous characters and exposition make this one a must for anyone utterly exhausted with the mountains of 300-400 page books that always end up being about child molestation.
June 11, 2021
4.5 rounded up
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I don’t know if it was the pleasure of reading about my city or the character of Gene Hammons, but it was probably both! This book had all of the historic highlights of Phoenix in the ‘30s. The movers and shakers of the time period combined with the historic buildings made this such a pleasure to read.
For true crime lovers, there are also details of the Winnie Ruth Judd case and also the serial strangler case in the 1930s.
PI Gene Hammons is a fascinating character with so many layers. I really hope this will become a series.
If you enjoy books about Phoenix, historical mysteries or police procedurals, this book is for you.
Thank you to @poisonedpenpress for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I don’t know if it was the pleasure of reading about my city or the character of Gene Hammons, but it was probably both! This book had all of the historic highlights of Phoenix in the ‘30s. The movers and shakers of the time period combined with the historic buildings made this such a pleasure to read.
For true crime lovers, there are also details of the Winnie Ruth Judd case and also the serial strangler case in the 1930s.
PI Gene Hammons is a fascinating character with so many layers. I really hope this will become a series.
If you enjoy books about Phoenix, historical mysteries or police procedurals, this book is for you.
Thank you to @poisonedpenpress for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 21, 2023
Thank you to Booklist for the ARC and the opportunity to review this title!
Living in Arizona during the Depression, WWI veteran and former police detective turned private investigator Gene Hammons finds himself on the wrong end of a heinous murder case. A young woman is found dismembered next to railroad tracks with Gene’s business card in her purse. The police department rules it a suspicious death, but Gene is certain it’s much more than that. As he searches for the victim’s identity, Gene begins to unravel her secrets, leading to confrontations with some of Phoenix’s most prominent movers and shakers, both power brokers and criminals. Talton, author of the long-running David Mapstone series (The Bomb Shelter, 2018), set in contemporary Phoenix, shows his range with his first venture into historical mystery. (At the outset, Talton provides a considerate explanation of and warning about his decision to use language from the era.) Gene is an amiable and savvy protagonist, and Talton shines in weaving together the mystery elements of the plots with historical events from the Prohibition period. Fast-paced, gritty, and exciting, this one will have fans of both Depression-era and southwestern-set crime fiction begging for more!
Living in Arizona during the Depression, WWI veteran and former police detective turned private investigator Gene Hammons finds himself on the wrong end of a heinous murder case. A young woman is found dismembered next to railroad tracks with Gene’s business card in her purse. The police department rules it a suspicious death, but Gene is certain it’s much more than that. As he searches for the victim’s identity, Gene begins to unravel her secrets, leading to confrontations with some of Phoenix’s most prominent movers and shakers, both power brokers and criminals. Talton, author of the long-running David Mapstone series (The Bomb Shelter, 2018), set in contemporary Phoenix, shows his range with his first venture into historical mystery. (At the outset, Talton provides a considerate explanation of and warning about his decision to use language from the era.) Gene is an amiable and savvy protagonist, and Talton shines in weaving together the mystery elements of the plots with historical events from the Prohibition period. Fast-paced, gritty, and exciting, this one will have fans of both Depression-era and southwestern-set crime fiction begging for more!
February 25, 2021
"City of dark corners" is a smoothly written whodunit full of unexpected twists, a very suspenseful noir full of unease, dread, blood & body parts.....
It's 1933, and Eugene "Gene " Hammons, an ex WWI veteran & former detective from the Phoenix Police Department working now as a private investigator, stumbles into a gruesome murder that will take him on a journey through a world peopled with violent mobsters, corrupt city officials & dirty cops.
Mixing fictional and nonfictional characters, John Talton takes us into a nightmarish voyage straight into the social violence of the Great Depression. I particularly loved the descriptions of Phoenix & its surroundings at the tail end of the prohibition era. This is a great piece of historical fiction. Bravo!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Poison Pen for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date
It's 1933, and Eugene "Gene " Hammons, an ex WWI veteran & former detective from the Phoenix Police Department working now as a private investigator, stumbles into a gruesome murder that will take him on a journey through a world peopled with violent mobsters, corrupt city officials & dirty cops.
Mixing fictional and nonfictional characters, John Talton takes us into a nightmarish voyage straight into the social violence of the Great Depression. I particularly loved the descriptions of Phoenix & its surroundings at the tail end of the prohibition era. This is a great piece of historical fiction. Bravo!
Many thanks to Netgalley and Poison Pen for the opportunity to read this wonderful novel prior to its release date
May 18, 2021
I would have DNF'd this book, if not for the high ratings and the fact that it was only 200 and something pages long.
It started off fine enough. The setting is fleshed out and the language used really sets the tone of the time. But the pacing was slow, and I found not much really happened - and when it finally did, I just didn't buy it.
This is just my own opinion, as it seems like most readers so far have really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this one was not for me.
It started off fine enough. The setting is fleshed out and the language used really sets the tone of the time. But the pacing was slow, and I found not much really happened - and when it finally did, I just didn't buy it.
This is just my own opinion, as it seems like most readers so far have really enjoyed it. Unfortunately, this one was not for me.
February 15, 2021
This book will take you back to Phoenix during the early years of the Depression. It is filled with atmospheric background, a gruesome murder of a beautiful young girl, and an ex-policeman turned private eye who refuses to give up. Corrupt cops, bootleggers, speakeasies, the mob and even iconic Barry Goldwater as a young man. This narrative will immerse you in history along with an exceptional mystery.
Place this one on your to-read list. Did I mention the ending.....
Place this one on your to-read list. Did I mention the ending.....
October 5, 2021
“City of Dark Corners” is the first of what I hope will become a series. In it, Jon Talton introduces us to ex-cop-turned-private investigator Gene Hammons, bumped from the police department’s detective bureau for refusing to go along with a cover-up. Hammons is a great character, flawed but solid, and the story builds to a more than satisfying conclusion as a murder mystery. But what I found especially interesting was its setting – Phoenix, Arizona, in 1933—the tail end of Prohibition and square in the middle of the Great Depression.
Talton’s Phoenix is a microcosm of the nation as a whole in the 1930s, and some might claim it’s just as representative of the country today—fabulous wealth surrounded by poverty and want, creating a world where crime flourishes, and where a good detective has to know all the dark corners if he wants to survive. If you’re a fan of mysteries, noir, or just like a good story, I’d recommend “City of Dark Corners.”
Talton’s Phoenix is a microcosm of the nation as a whole in the 1930s, and some might claim it’s just as representative of the country today—fabulous wealth surrounded by poverty and want, creating a world where crime flourishes, and where a good detective has to know all the dark corners if he wants to survive. If you’re a fan of mysteries, noir, or just like a good story, I’d recommend “City of Dark Corners.”
May 30, 2021
I just didn't connect with this one. There is a lot of historical information that is interesting but often seemed to me to distract from the overall story more than it informed it. Almost like too much attention to minor or insignificant details and the flow of the narrative suffered for it.
The best way I can put is that, while it isn't boring or dull, this is a very easy book to put down. You just never get any kind of intense, what's going to happen next sensation. Not a bad book just not a good fit for this reader.
Lots of period correct stuff - racial slurs and things of that nature - that will likely offend more sensitive readers (there's a warning at the beginning of the book so there's no excuse for not being prepared for it).
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.
The best way I can put is that, while it isn't boring or dull, this is a very easy book to put down. You just never get any kind of intense, what's going to happen next sensation. Not a bad book just not a good fit for this reader.
Lots of period correct stuff - racial slurs and things of that nature - that will likely offend more sensitive readers (there's a warning at the beginning of the book so there's no excuse for not being prepared for it).
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.
June 23, 2024
Detective fiction set in Arizona
I like this book more because of the setting and the time period than the Police procedure. The setting is Phoenix in the 1930s. I also like Talton‘s books set in Cincinnati. Many familiar names and places in both cities.
I like this book more because of the setting and the time period than the Police procedure. The setting is Phoenix in the 1930s. I also like Talton‘s books set in Cincinnati. Many familiar names and places in both cities.
March 6, 2025
New author to me - well written - story set in the 30's, Arizona was at the "growing" stage - x detective, turned PI - serial strangler - some "good cop/bad cop"- influence of powerful political man and the Great Depression - well described characters - interesting to the end......
June 10, 2021
This is my first book by jon talton and it is well worth the read , nice to find anew excellent author.
Jon Talton knows old time Phoenix - and he wrote a really great novel about it. Real to life characters. Couldn't put it down once I started it. Lets hope we have some more of p.i eugene hammon who is central to the story, we have murders ,gangsters crooked police ,race issues and lots more that go to make this a great story. So just go out and BUY this book and ENJOY,ENJOY, ENJOY.
Jon Talton knows old time Phoenix - and he wrote a really great novel about it. Real to life characters. Couldn't put it down once I started it. Lets hope we have some more of p.i eugene hammon who is central to the story, we have murders ,gangsters crooked police ,race issues and lots more that go to make this a great story. So just go out and BUY this book and ENJOY,ENJOY, ENJOY.
June 7, 2021
I loved this dark story about a P. I. asked by the police to help investigate a horrific murder of a young woman in 1932. Phoenix is the setting for competing developers, Chicago mobsters, bootleggers, policemen and politicians. The suspects are mostly intimidating, ruthless and greedy. P. I. Eugene Hammons is tough and tortured from WWI but he has some principals and he isn’t afraid of anyone. Of course he has a dynamic girlfriend who happens to be a police photographer — and a good dancer. I hope to read more about Eugene Hammons.
May 30, 2021
I just didn't connect with this one. There is a lot of historical information that is interesting but often seemed to me to distract from the overall story more than it informed it. Almost like too much attention to minor or insignificant details and the flow of the narrative suffered for it.
The best way I can put is that, while it isn't boring or dull, this is a very easy book to put down. You just never get any kind of intense, what's going to happen next sensation. Not a bad book just not a good fit for this reader.
Lots of period correct stuff - racial slurs and things of that nature - that will likely offend more sensitive readers (there's a warning at the beginning of the book so there's no excuse for not being prepared for it).
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.
The best way I can put is that, while it isn't boring or dull, this is a very easy book to put down. You just never get any kind of intense, what's going to happen next sensation. Not a bad book just not a good fit for this reader.
Lots of period correct stuff - racial slurs and things of that nature - that will likely offend more sensitive readers (there's a warning at the beginning of the book so there's no excuse for not being prepared for it).
I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley.
May 6, 2021
The horrific death of a beautiful young college coed that takes place in the burgeoning city of Phoenix, Arizona during the spring of 1933 is the focus of a dandy new novel that’s written in the best pulp fiction traditions of Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. Jon Talton, features an honorable, smart and much respected Phoenix PD homicide detective who’s turned private investigator after refusing to give false testimony in a controversial murder case that sent a woman to death row. His name is Gene Hammons.
As the story begins, Gene Hammons is picked up by his brother Don—also a police detective, but one with a tarnished character—and taken to the scene of a gruesome, and strange death. It’s where the body of an unidentified young and pretty woman was found dismembered, alongside the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railroad . . . the line that operates the famed Sunset Limited, luxury Pullman Car service to California. The cops are calling it ‘suspicious’ at first and theorize that the woman fell from the train and was cut into pieces by the wheels. The police detectives want a quick solution and a fast closure of the case, but Hammons can tell at a glance that she was murdered, because there’s no blood on the tracks. The case takes on a sinister twist a moment later when Don, the Phoenix cop, surreptitiously passes his brother Gene, one of the PI’s own business cards, which he found in the woman’s purse . . . and stole to protect his brother. And so begins Private Eye Gene Hammons’s fight to solve the heinous murder and keep himself out of prison. It’s a crime no one—not the well connected, nor the criminal class want solved—and one of the best Depression-era crime capers since Sam Spade tried to hunt down the Maltese Falcon!
As the story begins, Gene Hammons is picked up by his brother Don—also a police detective, but one with a tarnished character—and taken to the scene of a gruesome, and strange death. It’s where the body of an unidentified young and pretty woman was found dismembered, alongside the tracks of the Southern Pacific Railroad . . . the line that operates the famed Sunset Limited, luxury Pullman Car service to California. The cops are calling it ‘suspicious’ at first and theorize that the woman fell from the train and was cut into pieces by the wheels. The police detectives want a quick solution and a fast closure of the case, but Hammons can tell at a glance that she was murdered, because there’s no blood on the tracks. The case takes on a sinister twist a moment later when Don, the Phoenix cop, surreptitiously passes his brother Gene, one of the PI’s own business cards, which he found in the woman’s purse . . . and stole to protect his brother. And so begins Private Eye Gene Hammons’s fight to solve the heinous murder and keep himself out of prison. It’s a crime no one—not the well connected, nor the criminal class want solved—and one of the best Depression-era crime capers since Sam Spade tried to hunt down the Maltese Falcon!
April 7, 2021
This mystery set in Phoenix in the 1930s stars Gene Hammons who was a homicide detective until he lost his job when his efforts to free a wrongly convicted woman came into conflict with a well-connected, powerful man. Now he's a private investigator trying to make a living in the midst of the Great Depression.
Gene served in World War I, even lied about his age so that he could enlist with his older brother, and came home with bad memories and trouble with loud, unexpected noises. He managed to build a very successful career in the Phoenix police department. He's most famous for finding the University Park Strangler who left a trail of young female bodies in a nice part of town.
When his brother calls him to a crime scene, Gene gets involved in trying to find out who murdered a beautiful young blonde, dismembered her, and left his business card in her purse. He's pretty much alone in his investigation since the powers that be don't want any more bad publicity for Phoenix which would damage their role as a tourist destination.
Gene and his girlfriend news photographer Victoria Vasquez soon find lots of hidden secrets surrounding the murder victim Carrie Dell. The story is filled with corrupt cops, mob exports from Chicago, and local criminals from a variety of ethnic groups. The language is contemporary to the times and jars a little on our more sensitive current nerve ends, but the story is compelling and fast-paced.
Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this story which is larded with real life characters including Barry Goldwater. It paints a vivid picture of life and crime in 1930s Phoenix, Arizona.
Gene served in World War I, even lied about his age so that he could enlist with his older brother, and came home with bad memories and trouble with loud, unexpected noises. He managed to build a very successful career in the Phoenix police department. He's most famous for finding the University Park Strangler who left a trail of young female bodies in a nice part of town.
When his brother calls him to a crime scene, Gene gets involved in trying to find out who murdered a beautiful young blonde, dismembered her, and left his business card in her purse. He's pretty much alone in his investigation since the powers that be don't want any more bad publicity for Phoenix which would damage their role as a tourist destination.
Gene and his girlfriend news photographer Victoria Vasquez soon find lots of hidden secrets surrounding the murder victim Carrie Dell. The story is filled with corrupt cops, mob exports from Chicago, and local criminals from a variety of ethnic groups. The language is contemporary to the times and jars a little on our more sensitive current nerve ends, but the story is compelling and fast-paced.
Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this story which is larded with real life characters including Barry Goldwater. It paints a vivid picture of life and crime in 1930s Phoenix, Arizona.
May 10, 2021
The Story:
Gritty, dark and compulsive - this was one historical noir set in 1930s Phoenix, Arizona that follows Gene Hammons, who lost his job as a homicide detective and works as a PI now. His brother Don a detective who still in the force, seeks Gene's help to investigate a case of the murdered young woman where her dismembered body is discovered beside the railroad tracks.
My thoughts: Wow, what an enjoyable read! I loved the setting so much and the author absolutely transported me to the 1930s. This was a slow-burn story but not lacking in suspense.
What stood out for me in this story was the characters! As I was not familiar with Phoenix history, I was surprised to discover in the author's note that some of the characters were real people! Among them were Barry Goldwater, Gus Greenbaum, Winnie Ruth Judd (The Trunk Murderess), Harry Rosenzweig and many more. So it was really interesting!
This was one complex murder mystery where the police were not always honest. In the end, this book exceeded my expectations and I am looking forward to reading more of this author's books!
Pub. Date: May 11th, 2021
***Thank you Poisoned Pen Press, and author Jon Talton for this gifted copy to read and review.***
My thoughts: Wow, what an enjoyable read! I loved the setting so much and the author absolutely transported me to the 1930s. This was a slow-burn story but not lacking in suspense.
What stood out for me in this story was the characters! As I was not familiar with Phoenix history, I was surprised to discover in the author's note that some of the characters were real people! Among them were Barry Goldwater, Gus Greenbaum, Winnie Ruth Judd (The Trunk Murderess), Harry Rosenzweig and many more. So it was really interesting!
This was one complex murder mystery where the police were not always honest. In the end, this book exceeded my expectations and I am looking forward to reading more of this author's books!
Pub. Date: May 11th, 2021
***Thank you Poisoned Pen Press, and author Jon Talton for this gifted copy to read and review.***
April 20, 2021
What can I say... I have a love of historical noir that makes me read any and all novels that come my way. City of Dark Corners was a fantastic fast paced read, that kept me trying to figure out the culprit until the end.
I was hooked from the first page, and as the novel progressed I realized i was flying through the pages at lightning speed. The characters have depth and are well written, the historical depiction of America during the depression/prohibition was spellbinding.
Loved every second of it and will be looking for more from the author and will be recommending.
I was hooked from the first page, and as the novel progressed I realized i was flying through the pages at lightning speed. The characters have depth and are well written, the historical depiction of America during the depression/prohibition was spellbinding.
Loved every second of it and will be looking for more from the author and will be recommending.
June 12, 2022
An intricately woven story of an investigation into the murder and dismemberment of a 19 year old girl in Depression era Phoenix. The story seamlessly weaves in a former investigation by our protagonist as he successfully arrests a serial killer as well as his flashbacks (and subsequent PTSD) from his service in World War I France all while trying to find 19 year old Carrie’s killer. The author positions the story with historical context in a way that doesn’t make it feel like historical fiction and in fact he documents the real life characters’ lives at the end of the novel so we can learn a bit more about the real life characters we meet in our story. An interesting read that will leave you wondering until the last couple of pages.
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