Friday 21 March 2014

MIKE MCCRARY - GETTING UGLY

Synopsis/blurb……
A young FBI star (Leon) is sent to hunt down a most dangerous man - a terrifying legend hated and feared by both the law and the criminal underworld alike. A man called Big Ugly.

Leon and Big Ugly engage in an epic struggle, but unlike the poor souls before him, Leon lives...barely. Big Ugly disappears like a ghost leaving Leon a broken man with only a scrambled head full of bad memories.

Years later, a degenerate criminal stumbles upon Big Ugly's hidden compound. A raving band of nasty individuals are assembled. Leon gets the call to go undercover and join this team of psychopaths to ensure Big Ugly is brought to justice...but nothing is what it seems.

A breakneck pulp action thriller, GETTING UGLY will twist your head like a pretzel leaving you struggling to guess what happens next, but so much fun you won't want it to end.
About the Author
Mike McCrary is a screenwriter and author. His short fiction has appeared in Out of the Gutter, Shotgun Honey and The Big Adios. Mike barely earned an Economics degree, somehow got an MBA, and has been a waiter, securities trader, dishwasher, investment manager, and an unpaid Hollywood intern. He’s quit corporate America, come back, been fired, been promoted, been fired, and currently writes stories about questionable people who make questionable decisions. He lives in Texas.

150-odd pages………fast, funny, furious and frantic, filled with fantastic fights and frenetic f… err fornication (ok just a bit of the latter then).

Enjoyable, exciting, exhilarating! Not a book you would foist on your granny for her birthday unless of course she likes a bit of wild and a touch of weird. Quite filmic – reminded me of the film, Tropic Thunder……but that might just be me.

FBI, crims, guns, death, loss, humiliation, vengeance, redemption, knives and double-D’s all feature along with a large sex-aid!  

An intriguing lead character, well written action scenes, explosive throughout. Happy days!

If you like your crime fiction classic, Golden Age or a touch literary this probably won’t appeal to you. If conversely you want a fun few hours and some action packed escapism, you could do a hell of a lot worse.

The author has a second title available – Remo Went Rogue, which I will be enjoying soon.

4 from 5

My thanks to the author for my copy of this one. His website is here.

Hat-tip to Paul D. Brazill for bringing another under the radar author to my attention.




11 comments:

  1. I've just finished sandpapering my brain, as in your last book, I'm not sure I can face it being turned round like a pretzel by this one just now.... I know, feeble.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No problem, Moira........chalk, cheese, cheese and chalk.........the last few. Kirschman is probably a much better fit for you.......maybe his second book will be up your street!

      Delete
  2. Col - Glad you enjoyed this one. I'll admit, I'm not usually one to reach for this sort of book, but there can be some gems of this type, and I may just give it a try at some point.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Margot, each to their own, but I'll keep one eye out for this appearing on your blog.....just in case!

      Delete
  3. You continue to spotlight the under the radar authors and for that, I say thanks. Even if they all don't push me to purchase, I still appreciate knowing who they are. Glad this one was a quick and fun read for you, Col. Can't really say this one reaches out to me like the one from yesterday did. But great write up as usual.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Keishon thanks for your comments. I do like it when there's a light bulb moment and you (and others) say yep - fancy that.
      When it doesn't happen, there's no problem either...not everyone like's what I read. Hell - I don't always like what I read either!
      I'll keep them coming anyway.
      I think this year you've got me interested in John Ball, Donald Goines and Nic Pizzolatto for 3 - only fair I at least try and return the favour.

      Have a great weekend,

      Delete
  4. The length sounds good, FBI sounds good, might be able to handle "furious and frantic" and frenetic fornication (if not too much)... I will be interested in how you like Remo Went Rogue.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm wondering if Remo will be a different style of book, or main of the same. Either way I'm sure I will enjoy it. I think at 150-odd pages it's worth a look, IMO, but I know you have loads on already.

      Delete
    2. oops typo alert......*more of the same*

      Delete
  5. Col, all the 'F' words has got me thinking about this book. I haven't read something like it for a while, at least not since I started wearing the vintage badge on my sleeve.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Prashant, never say never, this one might be up your street.

      Delete