Down Among The Jocks

Hardman #5

by Ralph Dennis

Au dire de tous, Ed Cross, vedette du football, était une vieille ordure. Faut croire que c'est vrai puisqu'on retrouve son cadavre dans une benne de la voirie. Au cours de leur enquête, qui s'annonce plutôt compliquée, Hardman et Evans, un duo de privés peu ordinaires, ont le chic pour tomber sur des gens, sans doute pleins de bonne volonté, mais qui ont la sale habitude de se faire trucider avant la visite de ces deux zèbres.

Genres: Crime

185 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 1, 1974

About the author

Ralph Dennis was born in South Carolina and had a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina, where he also taught. For mystery fans, Dennis will always be associated with the City of Atlanta, the locale for the twelve novel series about Jim Hardman, former cop and unofficial private eye, all published by Popular Library between 1974 and 1977.

At the time of his death in 1988, he was working at a bookstore in Atlanta and had a file cabinet full of unpublished novels.

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Consistently good series. My go-to when I can't decide what to read next.

Recommended. Entertaining read.

[Burt · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can’t beat Ralph Dennis (1931-1988) for well-written hardboiled novels. Down Among the Jocks was published in 1974 as the 5th novel in Dennis’ Hardman series, which has become a cult favorite. The series focuses on a disgraced, ex-Atlanta cop named Jim Hardman who works as an “unlicensed investigator.” Hardman teams with his buddy Hump Evans, a black, ex-football player. The series is much better than it sounds.

In the fifth installament, Hump receives a copy of an “adult” movie. The man who sent it is a sleazy ex-football player who had an affair with Hump’s girlfriend. Unsurprisingly, the man soon turns up dead. Hardman and Hump end up neck deep in the case. There’s nothing deep here, no attempt to speak to the deep issues of the day - just a fun tour through Atlanta’s gutters.

The elements of the Hardman series are the same as those in other hardboiled novels. But Dennis was a much better writer than most of his competition. Among other strengths, Dennis includes (mostly-) believable characters, great descriptions of 1970s Atlanta, and the details of Hardman’s somewhat-refined taste in food. All the while, he keeps the pages turning in these great, quick reads.

Hardboiled fans - do yourself a favor and enjoy a Hardman novel.