Angel

by Gil Brewer

96 pages

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Florida writer Gil Brewer was the author of dozens of wonderfully sleazy sex/crime adventure novels of the 1950's and 60's, including Backwoods Teaser and Nude on Thin Ice; some of them starring private eye Lee Baron (Wild) or the brothers Sam and Tate Morgan (The Bitch) . Gil Brewer, who had not previously published any novels, began to write for Gold Medal Paperbacks in 1950-51. Brewer wrote some 30 novels between 1951 and the late 60s – very often involving an ordinary man who becomes involved with, and is often corrupted and destroyed by, an evil or designing woman. His style is simple and direct, with sharp dialogue, often achieving considerable intensity.

Brewer was one of the many writers who ghost wrote under the Ellery Queen byline as well. Brewer also was known as Eric Fitzgerald, Bailey Morgan, and Elaine Evans.

http://www.gilbrewer.com/

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite my rating this two stars, Angel is one of the better of Brewer's bad novels. The problem is that books from smaller publishers like Avon, seem to have not been edited in any way and I'm convinced, especially after reading a book like this, that Brewer drank heavily while writing. An editor at Fawcett would have fixed the "would of"s and "could of"s and sentences such as "The rain rained."

All in all a weak effort and recommended only for Gil Brewer fans.

[Alex Budris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick Gavin blows into town, witnesses his best friend get murdered, and then blunders around drinking whiskey and eating codeine tablets trying to solve it... He gets off on the wrong foot with local law enforcement, and it does not help when he kind of accidently and impulsively beats up a cop. He himself gets beat up by hired thugs who then blow up his car. He's not welcome anywhere in town, so he hires a private investigator to take over the case while he goes back to his deceased friend's house and bangs his (his friend's) hot wife. The PI is murdered. Gavin teams up with his dead friend's hot secretary. The terrible truth about the murders is uncovered. But at what cost?

Not the best Gil Brewer. A charitable three stars.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Nick Gavin's friend Fred Westfall summons Nick back to his hometown of Gulfport because Fred needs his help, Nick arrives at Fred's house just in time to find Fred murdered and to pick up the gun (when will the Nicks of the world ever learn NOT TO PICK UP THE GUN?) just before the police arrive. And that's just what happens in Angel's opening scene. Fast and lean--what else can a Gil Brewer novel be when it's only 96 pages long?