No blurb for this one as it was exclusively released to the author's website subscribers in December 2017.
What we have is another criminal tale involving the Stanton brothers..The Stantons - a couple of low-level Teesside criminals with a fearlessness when it comes to their trade - are recurring characters in a lot of Martin Stanley's fiction.
Get Santa, a possible riff on Get Carter sees them tackling Mal Nixon, a jeweller cum drug dealer cum fencer of stolen goods. Nixon with his white beard is the Santa of our tale and has ripped off one of the brother's friends after reneging on a deal involving some stolen electrical goods. Nixon with his two sons has a fearsome reputation. But then again so do the Stantons.
My kind of fiction. Plenty of fisticuffs and mayhem, infused with humour and put downs. There's a lot of banter between the brothers, our narrator is the brains of the operation and is forever winding up brother Derek. Derek isn't the brightest star in the galaxy, but his propensity for violence is a useful commodity. He's like a wrecking ball once pointed in the right direction.
An enjoyable story with a few twists and surprises in what would otherwise be a fairly standard tale of a rip-off. Violent but with comedic undertones which lightens the mood.
4 from 5Martin Stanley has his website here.
You can catch him on Facebook here and Twitter - @MStanleyAuthor
The Curious Case of the Missing Moolah was on the blog here.
Read in December 2017
Published - 2017
Page count - approx 60
Source - author's website
Format - Kindle
Happy New Year, Col! You continue to dig up some fine short crime fiction.
ReplyDeleteAnd to you Prashant. Yep - I keep unearthing some gems (in my opinion at least). This one found me rather than the other way around.
DeleteThis sounds good and definitely your kind of story. I like the length ... not too short, not too long.
ReplyDeleteTracy, ticks in a lot of boxes - perfect length and yes - my kind of tale!
DeleteCol – Thanks for the review. I have Stanley's MOOLAH on my Kindle, but have not gotten to him yet.
ReplyDeleteElgin, I hope you find it worth your time when you get to it. It might not be everyone's taste.
DeleteThis one sounds like a very 'Col' sort of story, Col, and I'm glad. I do like dark wit when it's written well, and I'm glad that in this one, too.
ReplyDeleteMargot - agreed. I like what I like, which may put me in a minority.
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