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Once a Man Indulges
A fast-paced, detective story in the tradition of L.A. Confidential, Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain, Once A Man Indulges is a page-turning 1940's mystery with a provocative femme fatale, murderous mobsters and Nazi sympathizers.
★★★★★ "An exhilarating and fun read!" — Amazon Review
Haunted by experiences he had as a Marine Corps fighter pilot, a persistent injury and a litany of self-doubt, Harry Thorpe is making ends meet as a private detective in 1949 Denver, specializing in cases that typically involve stolen goods and cheating spouses. All that changes when the Mighty Marquand, a national hero and Harry’s overbearing flying mentor, shows up and slaps a crisp thousand dollar bill on the desk. Marquand needs Harry to get at the source of some threatening letters – at any cost.
At every turn and twist, Harry finds he must juggle his loyalty to the imperious Marquand with his own better judgement, while also balancing a tenuous friendship with a persistent cop named Greenberg. When the investigation thrusts Harry into the underworld, he is confronted by Johnny Two-Nose, an explosive mob enforcer who vies to steer every step ahead. Harry must make a series of decisions that leave him reeling as he encounters unpredictable mobsters, secretive Nazi sympathizers and a woman he wants to love, but is not sure he can trust.
This spiraling detective noir explores addiction and post-traumatic stress through the eyes of a man as he comes to terms with love, loyalty and deceit. It raises the question; how far will one man go to be true to himself?
AMAZON REVIEWS FOR ONCE A MAN INDULGES:
★★★★★ "Highly entertaining with twists and turns and an unpredictable finish."
★★★★★ "One of those books that you can't put down but you don't want to finish."
★★★★★ "You won't be able to put it down!"
★★★★★ "Outstanding read. Kelsey has a strong writing style that is polished, clear and compelling."
★★★★★ "An exhilarating and fun read!" — Amazon Review
Haunted by experiences he had as a Marine Corps fighter pilot, a persistent injury and a litany of self-doubt, Harry Thorpe is making ends meet as a private detective in 1949 Denver, specializing in cases that typically involve stolen goods and cheating spouses. All that changes when the Mighty Marquand, a national hero and Harry’s overbearing flying mentor, shows up and slaps a crisp thousand dollar bill on the desk. Marquand needs Harry to get at the source of some threatening letters – at any cost.
At every turn and twist, Harry finds he must juggle his loyalty to the imperious Marquand with his own better judgement, while also balancing a tenuous friendship with a persistent cop named Greenberg. When the investigation thrusts Harry into the underworld, he is confronted by Johnny Two-Nose, an explosive mob enforcer who vies to steer every step ahead. Harry must make a series of decisions that leave him reeling as he encounters unpredictable mobsters, secretive Nazi sympathizers and a woman he wants to love, but is not sure he can trust.
This spiraling detective noir explores addiction and post-traumatic stress through the eyes of a man as he comes to terms with love, loyalty and deceit. It raises the question; how far will one man go to be true to himself?
AMAZON REVIEWS FOR ONCE A MAN INDULGES:
★★★★★ "Highly entertaining with twists and turns and an unpredictable finish."
★★★★★ "One of those books that you can't put down but you don't want to finish."
★★★★★ "You won't be able to put it down!"
★★★★★ "Outstanding read. Kelsey has a strong writing style that is polished, clear and compelling."
274 pages, ebook
Published February 6, 2021
16 people are currently reading
2196 people want to read
About the author
Tony Kelsey
1 book29 followersTony Kelsey, author of "Once A Man Indulges", is Vice President of Marketing for a premier cycling apparel brand headquartered in Denver, Colorado. He's the recipient of several awards for UI design and was VP of Global Creative for an international, $1B IT consultancy where he oversaw web and brand strategy. Prior to that, Tony served 12-years in the US Marine Corps as a combat air controller, attending the prestigious Navy Fighter Weapons School (aka Top Gun). He is a summa cum laude graduate in political science and history from the University of Colorado. In addition to his love for cycling and traveling the world with his wife Julie, he is currently working on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 5, 2021
Tony Kelsey’s debut novel “Once A Man Indulges” is a page-turner of a mystery and a well-crafted homage to the private eye stories of the 40s and 50s, the era in which it is set. Kelsey describes his work as “neo-noir”, which promises snap-brim fedoras and trench coats, bourbon and Lucky Strikes, dames and gats and double-crosses, all of which are provided in abundance.
But Kelsey’s reinterpretation of some of the classic tropes provides unexpected delights. Private eye Sam Spade didn’t play jazz bass and smoke pot, hard-drinking Philip Marlowe wasn’t a full-blown alcoholic with PTSD who disappeared inside a bottle for weeks at a time, sexed-up Travis McGee didn’t have a wank in a bathtub, and Nero Wolfe’s orchids notwithstanding, gentle affectations like a pet goldfish seldom feature in the genre.
Kelsey's private eye, Harry Thorpe, is settling into a newly-expanding Denver after serving as a Marine pilot, and surviving being shot down in New Guinea.
Aviation pioneer, American hero, and right-wing crypto-fascist Colonel Christian Marquand hires Thorpe to investigate “threatening letters," rescuing him from the classic borderline poverty of the beleaguered gumshoe, and setting the whole thing in motion.
Marquand is a thinly-veiled stand-in for Charles Lindbergh, and sure enough, the story gets more complicated with a kidnapping. Along the way, we encounter some bent cops and some honest cops, former Nazis, and born-again eugenicists.
That sounds like quite a lot, but the narrative never feels strained. Kelsey manages to blend it all together nicely, and although some of the more modern-day plot-points definitely put the "neo" into "neo-noir".
It is a particular pleasure to dive into a novel that has such a very good sense of place, even if it is set some 70 years in the past. Kelsey is a Denver native, and his love of his home town shows in his attention to detail; when he describes a particular post-War intersection, it's clear that he knows those specific streets intimately. It's his local knowledge that allows him to peel back the layers of history, so that on the summer breeze through Thorpe's open windows, you can almost hear the cars clicking and clacking up the wooden roller-coaster at Elitch's nearby.
All in all, an excellent novel, I'm looking forward to seeing much more from Tony Kelsey!
But Kelsey’s reinterpretation of some of the classic tropes provides unexpected delights. Private eye Sam Spade didn’t play jazz bass and smoke pot, hard-drinking Philip Marlowe wasn’t a full-blown alcoholic with PTSD who disappeared inside a bottle for weeks at a time, sexed-up Travis McGee didn’t have a wank in a bathtub, and Nero Wolfe’s orchids notwithstanding, gentle affectations like a pet goldfish seldom feature in the genre.
Kelsey's private eye, Harry Thorpe, is settling into a newly-expanding Denver after serving as a Marine pilot, and surviving being shot down in New Guinea.
Aviation pioneer, American hero, and right-wing crypto-fascist Colonel Christian Marquand hires Thorpe to investigate “threatening letters," rescuing him from the classic borderline poverty of the beleaguered gumshoe, and setting the whole thing in motion.
Marquand is a thinly-veiled stand-in for Charles Lindbergh, and sure enough, the story gets more complicated with a kidnapping. Along the way, we encounter some bent cops and some honest cops, former Nazis, and born-again eugenicists.
That sounds like quite a lot, but the narrative never feels strained. Kelsey manages to blend it all together nicely, and although some of the more modern-day plot-points definitely put the "neo" into "neo-noir".
It is a particular pleasure to dive into a novel that has such a very good sense of place, even if it is set some 70 years in the past. Kelsey is a Denver native, and his love of his home town shows in his attention to detail; when he describes a particular post-War intersection, it's clear that he knows those specific streets intimately. It's his local knowledge that allows him to peel back the layers of history, so that on the summer breeze through Thorpe's open windows, you can almost hear the cars clicking and clacking up the wooden roller-coaster at Elitch's nearby.
All in all, an excellent novel, I'm looking forward to seeing much more from Tony Kelsey!
April 4, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. The characters and setting, especially the time period, really hooked me into the mystery. If I could write like this, I would come out of retirement! At first, I thought of the protagonist as a "Joe Friday" from the old tv series, Dragnet. But, that idea changed as I continued reading. The protagonist was too cynical and the story developed into a true work of "noir fiction!" The author's descriptions were quite vivid, making it easy for me to picture the bleak apartment Harry Thorpe went home to every night or his barren office he used for work. I kind of thought I knew who had "done it," but I was way off in the many important details of who all were actually involved. (As an aside, when I thought of Joe Friday and Dragnet, I looked up the "just the facts, ma'am" quote to see what google had to say about it. I thought it would be something our protagonist in this book would say. Joe Friday used the phrase, "We just want to get the facts..." It was later, in 1987, when Dan Aykroyd used the phrase in a Dragnet movie.) I also liked thinking about the cars mentioned in the book. Back in the late 40's, the cars were big. My parents had a friend who drove a 1050's DeSoto, and that is what I pictured our protagonist driving. This book was a great page turner. It had cops and robbers, dames, good guys and bad guys, and all kinds of clever writing. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 20, 2021
A deranged mystery thriller with deadly surprises and not one good guy in all the different mix of characters.
April 30, 2021
Most genre fiction owes its existence, at least in part, to personal or significant events from the author’s life or knowledge of something that has been. Some are subtle uses of historic events, other very personal. Some, I am persuaded, are actually unconscious. Here. The kidnapping of the infant son of a WWII flying ace with an international reputation, instantly brings to mind the tragedy of the 1932 disappearance of the son of flying ambassador Charles Lindberg.
The parallels between that tragic case and the execution of Bruno Hauptman, the convicted kidnapper and killer, are many, but the novel is not a retelling of the entire story. Indeed there are a host of additional characters, a different location—the novel is set in Denver—and motivations for the several crimes that are peripheral to the reality.
Former WWII ace Christian Marquand reaches out to a Marine pilot he knew in the South Pacific during the Second World War. Harry Thorpe is now a struggling private detective, mostly working domestic cases and barely scraping by, partly due to heavy drinking. He’ s more interesting when it develops he also plays bass fiddle in a local blues and jazz band, although that interesting element is never developed. Marquand, an arrogant talented wealthy man explains to Harry that he’s getting a series of nasty and threatening letters. He wants Harry to find the sender and stop the letters. He offers an inordinate amount of money as a fee, something that should have been a first-line clue to Harry. It isn’t and that’s a clue that Harry Thorpe is not a first-class detective. He’s actually more of an alcoholic than an investigator.
There are several scenes in local bars and clubs as well as some occasional dissertations into Thorpe’s philosophy of life. That view is often skewed by the women who distract him, especially after he encounters and falls in lust with the sister-in-law of the real ruler of this tale, impatient imperious Christian Marquand.
The story spins along in a mostly satisfactory way, there are however a surprising number of factual and grammatical errors which cry out for a good line editor. The errors are small details which do not damage the principal narrative. They are however, distractions which should be corrected. In spite of the distractions the story does wind to a tidy conclusion.
The parallels between that tragic case and the execution of Bruno Hauptman, the convicted kidnapper and killer, are many, but the novel is not a retelling of the entire story. Indeed there are a host of additional characters, a different location—the novel is set in Denver—and motivations for the several crimes that are peripheral to the reality.
Former WWII ace Christian Marquand reaches out to a Marine pilot he knew in the South Pacific during the Second World War. Harry Thorpe is now a struggling private detective, mostly working domestic cases and barely scraping by, partly due to heavy drinking. He’ s more interesting when it develops he also plays bass fiddle in a local blues and jazz band, although that interesting element is never developed. Marquand, an arrogant talented wealthy man explains to Harry that he’s getting a series of nasty and threatening letters. He wants Harry to find the sender and stop the letters. He offers an inordinate amount of money as a fee, something that should have been a first-line clue to Harry. It isn’t and that’s a clue that Harry Thorpe is not a first-class detective. He’s actually more of an alcoholic than an investigator.
There are several scenes in local bars and clubs as well as some occasional dissertations into Thorpe’s philosophy of life. That view is often skewed by the women who distract him, especially after he encounters and falls in lust with the sister-in-law of the real ruler of this tale, impatient imperious Christian Marquand.
The story spins along in a mostly satisfactory way, there are however a surprising number of factual and grammatical errors which cry out for a good line editor. The errors are small details which do not damage the principal narrative. They are however, distractions which should be corrected. In spite of the distractions the story does wind to a tidy conclusion.
August 17, 2021
Wow!! What can I say about this book that will really do Kelsey’s work justice? Once a Man indulges is a must for all mystery / detective fans.
This book grabbed me from the first page for a debut novel he really has the hook perfected, and I was quickly emerged into Harry Thorpe’s world as a Private Detective. Set in 1949 and with the second world war still fresh in people’s mind. Thorpe finds himself with a case with the legendary Christian Marquand. I’m reluctant to reveal much more of the plot for fear of spoiling it for other readers. But you will not be disappointed by the multitude of characters and twists and turns along the way.
I loved Kelsey’s language and descriptions that, at times, were almost poetic. I often speed up when I am reading in eagerness to get to the big reveal, but with Kelsey’s work I wanted to devour word to ensure I didn’t miss a beat.
What I can also say is that it appeared to be historically accurate for the time period and nothing seemed out of place. The dialogue was great and reminded me of the detective movies of old. In fact, I can really see this book as a movie. I could picture all the scenes in my head.
I enjoy a good mystery / thriller even better when I can’t figure it out from the subtle hints dropped in here and there. I honestly didn’t see the outcome coming.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.
This book grabbed me from the first page for a debut novel he really has the hook perfected, and I was quickly emerged into Harry Thorpe’s world as a Private Detective. Set in 1949 and with the second world war still fresh in people’s mind. Thorpe finds himself with a case with the legendary Christian Marquand. I’m reluctant to reveal much more of the plot for fear of spoiling it for other readers. But you will not be disappointed by the multitude of characters and twists and turns along the way.
I loved Kelsey’s language and descriptions that, at times, were almost poetic. I often speed up when I am reading in eagerness to get to the big reveal, but with Kelsey’s work I wanted to devour word to ensure I didn’t miss a beat.
What I can also say is that it appeared to be historically accurate for the time period and nothing seemed out of place. The dialogue was great and reminded me of the detective movies of old. In fact, I can really see this book as a movie. I could picture all the scenes in my head.
I enjoy a good mystery / thriller even better when I can’t figure it out from the subtle hints dropped in here and there. I honestly didn’t see the outcome coming.
I highly recommend this book to everyone.
August 19, 2022
I couldn't figure out how to rate this a four and a half, so I gave it a solid four star. This book is well written and is a pleasure to read. The story takes place in the late 1940's Denver, Colorado. I like books that feature cities that I know and unfortunately, I don't know Denver that well. The main character (Harry Thorpe) is a Private Eye (of sorts) and is hired by a very rich and powerful man to track down people he says are trying to hurt his family. Thorpe is a serious drinker and smoker - I started coughing halfway through the book. The case turns into a very dark and very dangerous story of child kidnapping, brutal murder and political tension. I didn't get a very good sense of the late 1940s feeling that I thought I should have. But it was a terrific story, and you'll love it!
August 20, 2021
Lindbergh kidnapping meets LA Confidential
The novel feels like a movie. I can envision Paul Blackthorne as the main character. Set somewhere after 1946, the story is a brutal and multi-layered mystery. The epigraph is hilarious. The police investigation is like the Keystone cops. Amid the darkness, we see lovely images of neon, rain, flashbulbs clattering under beds, and periods like stones in a well. The final act wraps it all up nicely and gives everyone a chance.
Only a couple clunky notes other than commas and formatting:
“I was just about to jimmy the door with the stiff plastic card I carried in my wallet,”
Seems like an anachronism.
Hotel name changes from Oxford to Wellborn
The novel feels like a movie. I can envision Paul Blackthorne as the main character. Set somewhere after 1946, the story is a brutal and multi-layered mystery. The epigraph is hilarious. The police investigation is like the Keystone cops. Amid the darkness, we see lovely images of neon, rain, flashbulbs clattering under beds, and periods like stones in a well. The final act wraps it all up nicely and gives everyone a chance.
Only a couple clunky notes other than commas and formatting:
“I was just about to jimmy the door with the stiff plastic card I carried in my wallet,”
Seems like an anachronism.
Hotel name changes from Oxford to Wellborn
September 23, 2021
A smartly-written detective story in the vein of Chandler and Hammett. Harry Thorpe is a WWII vet working as a P.I. in late 1940s era Denver when he's hired by a Lindbergh-esque national hero (and former commanding officer of Thorpe's) to investigate a series of threatening letters. The situation quickly escalates and Thorpe finds himself caught up in Denver's underworld and investigating connections to Nazi war criminals. Lean prose, tight-plotting, and pacing that never lags leads to a satisfying conclusion. Highly recommended.
March 8, 2021
Dark & Crazy Thrill Ride
Wow! I’ve been reading this book all day today. It really sucked me in, and the first person narration from the viewpoint of the PI Harry Thorpe kept both the story and the suspense going. Tight editing with colorful characters and wild twists and turns will thrill you. I recommend this book to lovers of hard-boiled detective stories! Shocking ending that will knock your socks off.
Wow! I’ve been reading this book all day today. It really sucked me in, and the first person narration from the viewpoint of the PI Harry Thorpe kept both the story and the suspense going. Tight editing with colorful characters and wild twists and turns will thrill you. I recommend this book to lovers of hard-boiled detective stories! Shocking ending that will knock your socks off.
April 29, 2021
I won a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. In general, I liked the book, which I would classify as noir or hard-boiled. There was a good deal of violence, some of which was difficult to read. I did find the ending to be a satisfying one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 8, 2021
Very film noir!
This is an intriguing mystery that is reminiscent of the Charles Lindbergh case. It is a twisty tale that leaves you guessing who-done-it. Feels like ‘The Best Years of our Lives’ meets ‘The Third Man.’ Great read.
This is an intriguing mystery that is reminiscent of the Charles Lindbergh case. It is a twisty tale that leaves you guessing who-done-it. Feels like ‘The Best Years of our Lives’ meets ‘The Third Man.’ Great read.
March 20, 2022
Pretty good
Pretty good as a mystery novel a a few decent turns. Character development good. But wasn't sure if it was too much of a plot around a historical event combined w a Bogart/Bacall detective movie
Pretty good as a mystery novel a a few decent turns. Character development good. But wasn't sure if it was too much of a plot around a historical event combined w a Bogart/Bacall detective movie
June 21, 2022
Your old fashion gumshoe detective story, lots lies, Germans, drinking, shooting, the mob, kidnapping and everything you can think of in a 1940's black and white B movie. You can even here the accents in their voices while your reading it.
April 1, 2021
Great book! Lots of surprises! Very easy read!
August 5, 2021
Excellent
A very good read. Not that dark, but great dialog. Was Marquand loosely based on Lindbergh? I very highly recommend for fans of Sam Spade.
A very good read. Not that dark, but great dialog. Was Marquand loosely based on Lindbergh? I very highly recommend for fans of Sam Spade.
August 6, 2021
Good read
It ended just when you wanted the next book to come out.
There is a little Jack Reacher in there.
It ended just when you wanted the next book to come out.
There is a little Jack Reacher in there.
March 24, 2021
A fantastic thriller!
Once a Man Indulges is a great read that grabbed me right from the start.
Extremely well written and historically interesting, it is packed with thought-provoking underlying themes and some real plot twists. The character development is excellent and the action never lets up. In short, I can’t say enough good things about this debut novel by Tony Kelsey. Could there be a Harry Thorpe sequel in the future? Please?!
I cannot recommend Once a Man Indulges highly enough, and can’t wait to read Mountain Sounds next year!
Once a Man Indulges is a great read that grabbed me right from the start.
Extremely well written and historically interesting, it is packed with thought-provoking underlying themes and some real plot twists. The character development is excellent and the action never lets up. In short, I can’t say enough good things about this debut novel by Tony Kelsey. Could there be a Harry Thorpe sequel in the future? Please?!
I cannot recommend Once a Man Indulges highly enough, and can’t wait to read Mountain Sounds next year!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews