No Pockets in a Shroud

by Horace McCoy

In the city of Coltron, Mike Dolan wages a lone war against corruption. Surrounded by lies, he wants to print the truth in his paper. Mike's friends try to stop him with words, but his enemies—the society abortionist, the discredited baseball player, and the neo-fascist 'Crusaders' — try lead pipes and bullets. But Mike's not after a Pulitzer Prize; he's after a clean city and a clearer conscience—no matter what the cost.

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

182 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1937

About the author

Horace Stanley McCoy (1897–1955) was an American novelist whose gritty, hardboiled novels documented the hardships Americans faced during the Depression and post-war periods. McCoy grew up in Tennessee and Texas; after serving in the air force during World War I, he worked as a journalist, film actor, and screenplay writer, and is author of five novels including They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? (1935) and the noir classic Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1948). Though underappreciated in his own time, McCoy is now recognized as a peer of Dashiell Hammett and James Cain. He died in Beverly Hills, California, in 1955.

Reviews

[Andy Weston · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ve read one McCoy, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, and been meaning to read more from him for a while, though I must accept that I chose the wrong one.

Frustrated by the politics of the press room, Mike Dolan quits his job as a journalist and sets up his own magazine, hoping to lift the lid on the same corruption and malpractice rife in the city. In his naivety though, he attracts the attention of the criminal underworld that the bosses in his former job had protected him from.
Specifically, he goes after a murderous abortionist and a KKK influenced racist group, then loses his longtime girl-friend and marries a senator’s daughter on the rebound. His fate is predictable, even the manner of it, and no spoiler as the title has already done that job.

It may sound an interesting premise, but quite a bit of the content is dated and confusing. Those who criticise pulp fiction for attitudes to women, and the sort of roles they play are usually inaccurate when it comes to the best of the writing. But here McCoy’s protagonist, and indeed hero, is a flawed and unpleasant character, an unconvincing paragon of liberal virtues. What materialises is a cliche-ridden patronage of his ostentatious macho attitude.
By way of his hero Dolan, McCoy also includes insensitive passages that come over as homophobic and racist. A small amount can be accounted for by the fact that it was published in 1937, but a reissue as recently as 2013 is difficult to believe.
One to avoid.

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stereotypical characterizations of blacks and homosexuals, at least by contemporary standards, are hard to take, but the promiscuity, swearing and over-the-top violence in the hard-bitten "No Pockets in a Shroud" help make the book more palatable. The prejudice isn't particularly surprising for a novel published in 1937, but the rest is.

The book's biggest weakness, though, is its self-righteous main character Mike Dolan, who won't stop talking about how amoral everyone else is and how he's the only one who wants to do the right thing. "No Pockets in a Shroud" also isn't helped by Horace McCoy's reliance on dialog almost to the total exclusion of description as a narrative tool; characters end up telling each other things they would already know or the reader has learned just a couple pages before.

"No Pockets in a Shroud" isn't as popular or well-regarded as McCoy's excellent "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" from 1935. (McCoy's novels had great titles, didn't they?) "No Pockets in a Shroud"'s relative lack of renown is for good reason, but it's still worth a read, especially for its then-relevant depiction of communist witch hunts as well as its shocking conclusion.

[Jean-Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme...by which I'm obviously referring to print media choosing not to publish stories that are of great consequence to the public because their rich owners are trying to protect themselves or their cronies from some or other scandal. It was happening in 1937 and it is undeniably happening today, with events such as the 2024 US presidential election, which includes the neverending saga of the Epstein files, or the genocide in Palestine highlighting where various loyalties lie. Money talks is what it comes down to, has always come down to, and those with power/influence protect their own, as the novel's wrong-side-of-the-tracks protagonist finds out.

The book is written in a style I always associate with Ivy Compton-Burnett, where certain plot points—a character's firing, a liaison with an older woman—are conveyed largely through dialogue rather than a more traditional narrative voice. I enjoyed the blend of theatre—McCoy was a founder of the Dallas Little Theatre—high society, and barely-scraping-by bohemianism with more traditionally hardboiled elements. The New Yorker is mentioned about half a dozen times, and literary references—from Ezra Pound to Dorothy Parker—abound. I was surprised to find a gay character spoken of with unexpected tolerance and unsurprised (this being 1937) at the racial epithets, which are minimal. I think this book sets the record (for non-erotica, that is) for the number of scenes featuring a nude or partially nude protagonist, of which I obviously approve. Mike Dolan remains so boundlessly virtuous throughout—except concerning women—that by the end even his associate pokes fun at him.

This is the third journalism-related novel I've read this year (the others were The Rum Diary and Scoop) and I was unexpectedly engrossed and impressed. Written during the rise of fascism just before the outbreak of WWII, it proved to be much more timely than I'd expected it to be, 'God-fearing' 'all-American' white supremacists included. America for Americans—old-timey bigots were just as stupidly vile as the modern ones.

...in the back of his mind was Carlisle - and the Cosmopolite, and what a hell of a shape this country was in to permit such things, and that there was a Carlisle in every town in the country, but that millions upon millions were too stupid to care, and that it was that way all over the world: millions upon millions of people who believed Hitler and Mussolini were great fellows, not knowing (or caring) that they were madmen beating on drums, poor diseased bastards, driving a lot of cattle (these same stupid millions upon millions) to slaughter, and that they would surely suck us into it (Hemingway was right about the radio in the next war when he said you can imagine what that will do for hysteria): thinking we should nip all these Carlisles and Hitlers and Mussolinis right now: oh yes, everything is peaches and cream in this superb, marvellous, wonderful paradise called the United States of America, the only country where the radio is free and uncensored, and the press is free and uncensored, and speech is free and uncensored - oh yes, a man can say what he pleases, any time he pleases - the hell he can - you try it, and you get your magazine taken away from you.

[Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Martiri lo si diventa a furia di scavare

Considerando l'anno di uscita, 1937, il romanzo mostra tutto il suo coraggio con una sanguigna determinazione, affidata a Mike Dolan, un brillante reporter che, stanco di essere zittito dai direttori di giornale al solo tentativo di svelare altarini imbarazzanti, decide di provare con una testata tutta sua, il Cosmopolite.

Mike diventa un personaggio scomodo, perché vuole stanare il marcio nel Potere, la corruzione e il razzismo che circolano a Colton, cittadina rappresentativa di quell'America paladina della Libertà.

Il suo spirito di intraprendenza, aiutato da un sentimento viscerale che lo guida ad attaccare tutto e tutti, lo fa apparire sopra le righe, forse, ma mi ha scaldato il cuore, poco importa se i suoi sono slanci che la Società trasformerà in utopie.

Romanzo dinamico, cinematografico, molto dialogato e dal titolo intelligente di un autore da leggere.

[Mana.Fa · Rating 3 out of 5]

بعضی تصمیماتش حرص ادمو در میوررد همش به خودت میگی خب این چرا همچین کرد کلا کتاب حرص دراری بود خیلی حرص دراررر

[Therese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deeply critical view of racism, sexism, political corruption, and capitalism. McCoy's books are genius and his protagonists will turn your stomach, essential to the best of noir. The ending of this novel is hair-raising.

[Guy Salvidge · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is about a guy who decides to take on all the corruption in his city (in the US in the thirties) by publishing his own magazine to blow a lid on everything. The guy, Mike Dolan, is apparently also the world's greatest lover. He has women throwing themselves at him throughout the book. The biggest problem I had with this, other than the fact that Dolan isn't a very sympathetic character, is that McCoy includes virtually no descriptive writing at all. I'm no fan of verbose description, but surely some physical detail here and there is a must. Consequently I found myself bored and disaffected.

[Stephen Rowland · Rating 2 out of 5]

McCoy's weakest novel. Tired, hackneyed one-man-takes-on-the-SYSTEM plot, with predictable results. Ah, the good ol' days, when all one had to do to shut up some broad was punch her with his fists until she was unconscious. Then you'd just have your boy drag her body home (if he wasn't out chasing some high yaller, that is). This is the sort of protagonist McCoy gives us to take on the INJUSTICE and UNFAIRNESS of the world. There are homophobic and pro-Communist (?!) subtexts thrown into the mess to make it even more confusing. In no way does it work in 2022 and I imagine even in 1937 it was impossible for any thinking person to take it seriously.

[Olga]

Честный журналист в коррумпированной Америке 30х. Ни черта не эскапизм для меня. Как-нибудь никогда.

[Rita Grilo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first time I read something from Horace McCoy was "They shoot horses, don't they?" and I can say that's likely the book that impressed me the most in 2019. So when "No pockets in a shroud" came to my hands I was quite curious to know if Horace McCoy could get my interest again and...he did! The book tells a story about a reporter from a small town that is tired of being held back in his investigations by economical and political interests. The most impressive thing is that the book focus on different themes that are so actual to us: press freedom and fake news, women rights, xenophobia, sports corruption. This is a book written in 1937, but it's style and the story it tells definitely don't show it's age.

[Davethorson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book less than others by Horace McCoy. I read four of his novels that were collected in one omnibus volume and this was my least favorite. (The others in the collection were They Shoot Horses, Don't They?, Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye and I Should Have Stayed Home.)

"Shroud" contains many more characters than his other novels and more closely resembles "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" than it does "They Shoot Horses" and "Stayed Home" which were both really novellas, and to my mind at least, "Stayed Home" could have been a prequel to "They Shoot Horses." I think McCoy's true genius lay in the shorter forms. Although I greatly enjoyed "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye," in "Shroud" I think there are just too many characters, too many plot twists, and too relentless of the same one note samba that makes it a little tiresome to wade through.

The plot concerns a raffish, demanding former sports writer who decides to go into the magazine publishing business to expose the corruption and scandals in the town he lives in. One problem is that the main character just never seems likable enough. Don't make the mistake of thinking this is because he's not a sympathetic character. I loved the criminal who was the main character in "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye". The lead character in "Shroud" is, at least on the surface, a do gooder and a crusader, but he just somehow comes off as petulant and spoiled.

McCoy is still a pleasure to read, for the details he brings to certain situations. One of the things that's fun about reading him is the way the characters treat firearms and near deadly potential violence so casually. These are the more "noir" aspects of McCoy's writing but he does it with such deadpan offhandedness that it's almost humorous at times, and fun to read.

Where I think McCoy falls a little short in this book is there are just too many characters, and the ending seems almost tacked on, as if McCoy wasn't sure how to end the book. To me, it also had signs of being written quickly as I could swear a few times characters misrepresented earlier events or related something as if it had already happened when it hadn't. Perhaps I was just losing interest and not paying as much attention.

Still, McCoy is always worth reading. I just don't think this book is his masterpiece. As I mentioned earlier, I believe his true vehicle was the novella. I understand he wrote a number of short stories for Black Mask magazine, and I'm anxious to read those as I have a feeling that with McCoy, the less words he used, the more expressive and the more compelling a writer he truly was.

[Alessandro Giuliani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opera del 1937, racconta un’America terribile, corrotta e violenta e Mike Dolan, giornalista tutto di un pezzo che non si vuole piegare alle logiche di omertà che dominano tutti i quotidiani cittadini.
Conclusione inevitabile e scontata per un libro duro, che non lascia al lettore nemmeno uno spiraglio per credere in una società migliore.
Se avete bisogno di qualcosa di consolatorio, questo ottimo libro non fa per voi

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me sixteen years to get back to reading another Horace McCoy novel after the scorcher of They Shoot Horses, Don’t They and I wish I hadn’t. He doesn’t write great literature but he does write great books.

[Robin Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

And I thought James M. Cain was dark. . . A head-spinning trawl through the sewers of small-city political/police corruption, media capitulation, sexual opportunism, and Jim-Crow "justice" -- but good!

[Mehdi Zandpoor · Rating 3 out of 5]

.‌ داستان جذابی دارد. اما من با ترجمه ش مشکل دارم.
با اینکه شهریار وقفی پور جزو مترجمین خوب است اما به نظرم یک جاهایی دقت لازم را ندارد و بخش هایی از داستان رج خورده است.

[Mingo Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Buena dentro de su género, tiene un ritmo frenético y una estructura que le acerca más al guión de cine que a una novela, aunque tiene las carencias literarias típicas de este tipo de obras

[Talita Koycheva · Rating 4 out of 5]

В библиотеката ми отдавна се е настанила книгата на Хорас Маккой “Уморените коне ги убиват, нали?” и доста дълго отлежаваше, преди да посегна към нея. Оказа се, че в нея се съдържат още 2 романа, които не са посочени нито на корицата, нито в анотацията: “Прости се с утрешния ден” и “Саванът няма джобове”. И толкова по-добре, защото оценката ми щеше да бъде доста по-различна.

Давам 3,5 звезди за “Уморените коне ги убиват, нали?”. Въпреки че романът има лека криминална нотка, със съответното присъствие на смърт и насилие, за мен по-интересното в него е екзистенциалното измерение, което историята предава. Танцовият маратон, през който се развива действието, се движи в реалистични рамки, но малко по малко долавяме приплъзвания в символични и дори абсурдни плоскости. И тук е най-доброто. Защото абсурдните на пръв поглед въпроси, имащи символично значение, което насочва към отчуждението на един състезателен свят на „всеки за себе си“, се преживяват и в днешната реалност. Абсурд е, че абсурдът е реален. Тогава измисленият свят придобива различни нюанси и читателят може да се настани в който си поиска, тъй като всички те съжителстват в един кратък (от 91 страници), напрегнат роман, който почти век след появата си все още е валиден.

Няколко думи за “Прости се с утрешния ден”, който наистина ме впечатли, и с 5те звезди, които му давам, вдига общата ми оценка. Ако има една дума, с която да опиша този “noir” роман, това би била интензивност. Началото на историята е отлично, бързо увлича читателя. След около една трета от пътя обаче стилът и темпото забележимо се променят, действието се разсейва и разказът става по-психологичен. Сцените стават малко провлачени, на места има ненужно повторение на мисли/диалози. Въпреки това, историята е завладяващ разказ за човек, обсебен от идеята да бъде също толкова безмилостен като Дилинджър, но много по-умен и успешен в престъпленията си.

Не на последно място: “Саванът няма джобове” и моите 4,5 звезди. Написан през 1937 г., романът разказва за една ужасна, корумпирана и изпълнена с насилие Америка. Майк Долан е брилянтен журналист, който не иска да се подчини на логиката на мълчанието, доминираща във всички градски вестници.
Неизбежен и очевиден извод за една сурова книга, която не оставя у читателя и капка надежда за едно по-добро общество.
Ако ви се чете нещо утешително, тази книга не е за вас.

[Josh Carter · Rating 2 out of 5]

In short, this is a novel about a man, Mike Dolan, who gets fired for arguing with his editor and decides to start his own magazine so he can report on all the seedy, corrupt goings-on in his town. In the process, he makes enemies, treats friends poorly, and sleeps around a lot.

This book had so much promise. The dialogue is snappy and generally pretty good, McCoy clearly has no problem writing about things that were clearly taboo in 1937 (incest, involuntary castration, fornication, etc.), and the political leanings are generally pretty progressive!

However, our lead, Dolan, is insufferable. He's whiny, mercurial, impulsive, and too lucky. He has convenient mishap one after another, he apparently knows every person in his city, he's good friends with both the chief of police and county sheriff, and women throw themselves at him left and right (including the mother of one of his paramours, who gives him thousands of dollars—this is 1937—in gratitude). Dolan is a perfect example of a Mary Sue.

We also see a level of casual racism, sexism, and homophobia that I know was normal for the time, but given that the big antagonists of this story are the Crusaders, a group similar to the KKK, I expected black people to be treated better by the author. And the violence against women. Oh boy! Dolan knocks out one of his lovers and when she wakes up she's merely amused that he sucker punched her. He constantly makes jokes about hitting—or threatens to!—women he talks with. And when he's not being violent or threatening it, he's being emotionally abusive (not just to women, but also the men). Why would anyone, in real life, like this person?

The ending, however, was perfect. Many reviewers feel it was tacked on, but it was foreshadowed throughout the entire book.

2.5 stars, only because the writing and plot were compelling.

[Dario Andrade · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do McCoy já havia lido há muitos anos o “Mas não se mata cavalos?” em uma edição bem antiga da Abril, acho do que início dos anos 80. Estória bem marcante, sobre a Grande Depressão e os concursos de dança típicos daquela época: não vencia quem eram os melhores dançarinos, mas aqueles que permaneciam dançando por mais tempo. Drama daqueles, cujo cenário lembra um tipo de competição que apareceu por aqui há alguns anos, com aspectos grotescos. Virou um filme, com a Jane Fonda. Vale a pena.
Esse “Mortalha não tem bolso” é também obra da década de 1930, em que os jornalistas eram heróis – havia jornalistas naquele tempo. Mike Dolan é um jovem idealista, que se demite de um jornal na cidade de Colton porque não consegue publicar as matérias de gostaria e que iriam demolir a sociedade local.
Graças – também – a uma coincidência é incentivado a criar uma revista, que vai publicar as tais matérias. Sempre endividado, vai usar também de certas artimanhas, moralmente duvidosas para conseguir dinheiro.
Publica a sua revista, mas as suas reportagens têm consequências para a sociedade, para as pessoas que o cercam e para ele próprio.
Não é um grande livro, daqueles que ficam na memória, mas tem coisas interessantes sobre a obsessão e sobre o preço que se paga para ser bem-sucedido. Nota para os diálogos – McCoy foi roteirista de cinema.
Tem uma reflexão interessante a respeito de coincidências. Como a cadeia de acontecimentos seria diferente se uma pessoa resolvesse beber um café a mais e demorasse mais 10 minutos para sair de casa?

[Marco · Rating 1 out of 5]

Half-way through and still nothing about fascism, and very little about corruption. I'm tired of hearing of Dolan's loveless sex life and his constant threats of domestic violence towards the many women (who for some very mysterious reason seem to find him irrestisble). This attitude is framed as inconsequiential, almost endearing.
He's also really horrible about money, honestly, and that's not something I usually cringe about but damn everyone is so nice and generous with him and he's such an asshole. He constantly sees poeple as a means to an end, which makes it very hard to believe that he would be so shocked by corruption? Let's not even talk about the portrayal of blacks and gays, which is just baffling, but somehow not even as bad as the one of women as horny pawns. Sorry, I did give it a try but it doesn't work. I kept telling myself again and again "calm down, it was written a long time ago, there were different values" but if that was true then no classic would be enjoyable and that's obviously not the case. To me it's just too disingenuine. It claims to be against racism but then proceeds to be racist, claims to oppose corruption but then Dolan acts the way he does... I know we don't have to love every protagonist we read about but it's clear when we read this book that the author expects the reader to root for Dolan, depite his antics. I think his attitude counts as dark humor or something. It's not condemned anyway, definitely not. And at some point you have to stop. I'm DNF ing this.

[Baris Balcioglu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Après finissant un amour de Swann j'ai voulu lire un livre très facile et j'ai choisi Un linceul. C'est un des livres qui appartenaient à sa défunte mère que Yasemin m'a donné. C'appartient au genre de Pulp Fiction peut-être ? Mac Coy l'a publié en 1937. C'est intéressant de lire sur Hitler dans un livre de cette époque. Ou le héros a des relations avec les femmes riches et sa secrétaire communiste dit que c'est à cause de le fait qu'il veux monter dans à les échelles de la haute société ou il peut partager le lit de son colocataire nu sans avoir souci d'avoir été étiqueté as gay. Les temps étaient différents. En fait, Horaca Mac Coy avait été traduit en turc aussi. Il est déjà oubli mais son ouvre atlari da vururlar est connu même si seulement comme un titre et une pièce du théâtre.

[Niloufar arbabian · Rating 5 out of 5]

تامس درآمد که: «دالن، این جلسه یک مورد استثنایی است. تمام روزنامه هایی که نماینده هایی این جا دارند، برای هدفی مشترک جمع شده اند. من حالا می توانم مطلعت کنم که ما عزممان را جزم کرده ایم که برای حق مان بجنگیم، منظورم این است که ما دست روی دست نمی گذاریم که تیراژمان همین طور افت کند. ما ازت خواستیم تشریف بیاری تا بهت پیشنهادی بدهیم...» . .
دالن حرفی نزد، منتظر ماند تا حرفش را ادامه دهد. .
«ما موافقت کرده ایم هر کدام بهت دوهزاروپانصد دلار بدهیم که جمعا می شود ده هزار دلار و برات شغلی ترتیب بدهیم توی هر روزنامه ای توی هر شهر بزرگی که خودت خواستی، به شرطی که آن شهر دست کم هزار مایل از کالتن دور باشد، در مقابل تو هم از خیر این مجله ات بگذری و پیمان نامه ای امضاء کنی که دیگر این جا فکر مجله درآوردن نمی افتی.»

[Thomas E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

One reader, Dr. Tealove, says" Horace McCoy rocks my socks right off!" I second that.
To criticize any of his four novels is frankly irreverent.
After his expose' of The Avengers, one knows disaster is on the way, but at least Dolan married Myra before it happened. To provide physical descriptions of the characters would have slowed down the narrative for the dialogue is clearly the main mover. I've read all his four novels and they each leave an unforgettable impression of uniqueness. I still think "I Should Have Stayed Home" is his best! So sad he never wrote more than four novels. My error: he also wrote "Scalpel" though not perhaps of the same ilk as the four. Someone should publish a collection of his short stories - surprised this has yet to happen, as far as I know.

[Kenneth McMahon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Idealistic journalist quits the newspaper after having a story quashed by his boss for financial and political reasons and decides to set up his own magazine to expose the dark underbelly of his city. There are essentially three short stories told in quick succession in the novel - baseball players on the take, a murderous abortionist and a Ku Klux Klan like group. The latter leads to the finale but feels like it gets short shrift, only beginning with about 30 pages remaining.

A solid entertaining read, though one which may end up being fairly forgettable.

[Cyrille Honoré · Rating 2 out of 5]

Un livre d'un journaliste plus scénariste qu'écrivain. Des personnages qui sont tous leur propre caricature et une histoire pas trop mal fagotée mais qui manque cruellement, comme les personnages, de profondeur et de subtilité.

[Giuseppe Aversano · Rating 3 out of 5]

More like 3,5

[miri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bufa com m'agrada aquesta història, què estereotípica és i com de dura me la posa!! El final més adient per una història així...

[Konstantinos Papapanagiotou · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ο Horace McCoy είναι μία σημαντική λογοτεχνική φιγούρα του Μεσοπολέμου. Ξεκίνησε σαν διηγηματογράφος σε διάφορα φτηνά περιοδικά, κυρίως στο Black Mask, τα οποία απευθύνονταν στα λαϊκά στρώματα της αμερικής με διάφορες hardboiled ιστορίες. Στο ίδιο περιοδικό έγραφαν και άλλοι γνωστοί ομότεχνοι, όπως ο Dashiel Hammet και ο Raymond Chandler. Μέσα από τα διηγήματα και από τις νουβέλες πειραματίστηκε με διάφορα είδη noir λογοτεχνίας, μερικά από τα έργα του μεταφέρθηκαν και στην κινηματογραφική οθόνη, ενώ αξιοσημείωτο είναι το γεγονός ότι για αρκετό χρονικό διάστημα δούλεψε στον αμερικάνικο κινηματογράφο. Κυρίως είναι γνωστός για το They Shoot Horses, Don't they (1935). Είχε μεγάλη απήχηση στην Ευρώπη καθώς το έργο του θεωρήθηκε ότι συνδιαλεγόταν με το φιλοσοφικό ρεύμα του Υπαρξισμού. Aσκησε μία οξεία κριτική στον καπιταλισμό, στην βία και την διάφθορα ως συστατικά στοιχεία αυτού του συστήματος και στις σοβαρές υλικές και ψυχολογικές επιπτώσεις που έχει στους ανθρώπους.

Το No pockets in a shroud είναι γραμμένο το 1937 την εποχή που οι ιδέες του φασισμού βρίσκονταν σε άνοδο και στις δύο πλευρές του Ατλαντικού. Ο Mike Dolan είναι ένας δαιμόνιος, αντικομφορμιστής δημοσιογράφος. Παραιτείται από την εφημερίδα που δουλεύει γιατί ο Τύπος συγκαλύπτει σημαντικά σκάνδαλα (τα στημμένα παιχνίδια στον αθλητισμό, τις εγκληματικές πράξεις ενός καθωσπρέπει γιατρού, τις ρατσιστικές επιθέσεις μία οργάνωσης αντίστοιχης της Κu klux Klan κτλ.) και ξεκινά μία δονκιχωτική εκστρατεία απέναντι στη σήψη και την διαφθορά μέσα από την ίδρυση και την κυκλοφορία ενός ανεξάρτητου περιοδικού. Ο Mike Dolan γίνεται ένας οδοστρωτήρας απέναντι στα συμφέροντα της οικονομικής ελιτ και σύντομα μπαίνει στο στόχαστρο του κράτους και του παρακράτους που προσπαθεί να τον φιμώσει με κάθε τρόπο.

Το βιβλίο αυτό είναι εξαιρετικά κακογραμμένο. Η γραφή είναι γρήγορη και λιτή και κυριαρχούν οι διάλογοι ανάμεσα στα πρόσωπα. Η πλοκή είναι εξαιρετικά αργή και πλατιάζει χωρίς ουσία. Είναι μία φιλόδοξη προσπάθεια κοινωνικοπολιτικής κριτικής εκτελεσμένη με άτσαλο και άσχημο τρόπο. Είναι προτιμότερο κανείς να διαβάσει κάποιο πολιτικό ή φιλοσοφικό έργο που να ααναφέρεται στα παραπάνω ζητήματα παρά αυτό το βιβλίο που προσωπικά το βρήκα βαρετό.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Escrita el 1935 no va poder ser publicada als Estats Units fins al 1948, tot i que a Anglaterra ho va ser el 1937, i això ja diu molt a favor d'ella.
Com tota bona novel·la negra fa crítica social, té personatges durs, tan bons com dolents, i un embolic policíac. En aquest cas el protagonista és un periodista de dubtosa moral, però ferms principis ètics que edita una revista per deixar al descobert als corruptes de la ciutat. Però la novel·la va molt més enllà.
Les opinions polítiques de l'autor, l'Horace McCoy, marxista convençut, la crítica als moviments polítics europeus encapçalats per Hitler i Mussolini, i als ideals feixistes de la burgesia nord-americana. La visió descarnada de la corrupció dels mitjans de comunicació, de la policia, els jutges, les màfies... no dona treva al llarg de la història.
Però el més sorprenent de tot són els personatges femenins. El protagonista és un pocavergonya que s'aprofita de les dones per obtenir plaer i diners, i l'opinió que tenen d'elles els personatges masculins no passa de ser d'unes nimfòmanes poc assenyades. Per contra, l'autor les descriu com dones intel·ligents, conscients de la seva sexualitat i que saben el que fan en tot moment. En especial la Myra, decidida, forta, capaç de lluitar per obtenir allò que vol sigui feina o l'home que s'estima, alhora que és capaç de renunciar quan cal, sense por.
I, com si no hi hagués prou, el ritme narratiu i una intel·ligent mesura en les descripcions, t'aboca a un paràgraf final que és com un cop de puny a la boca de l'estómac.
Tot un clàssic del gènere que cal tenir molt en compte.

[Христо Блажев · Rating 4 out of 5]

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Макар на корицата да има само едно име, че и отзад информацията е единствено за „Уморените коне ги убиват, нали?“, томчето съдържа още два страхотни романа на Хорас Маккой – „Прости се с утрешния ден“ и „Саванът няма джобове“. Събрани на едно място, трите творби допълват екзистенциалната си философия, предават си щафетата в градиращите морални избори и в крайна сметка надграждат хуманистичното си внушение – ей таквиз глупости мога доста да пиша, но това едва ли има особен смисъл, особено когато иде реч за модерни класики, които са издавани и четени доволно (вероятно повече хора ги свързват с филмите, нормално).

„Саванът няма джобове“ за времето си сигурно е била напрегната, но за наши дни ми се стори твърде наивна и предвидима. При все това ми хареса страшно много заради стила на написване, заради дълбаенето във винаги укоримите отношения между бизнес и медии (дори и само чрез връвта на рекламата, на която може да се обеси всяка медия), или пък заради все пак вдъхновяващата на някакво ниво упоритост на главния герой да следва принципите си.

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