Synopsis/blurb......
SOMETIMES REVENGE IS THE ONLY THING KEEPING A MAN ALIVE. COME MIDNIGHT, MIKE TREADWELL IS GOING TO GET HIS. NO MATTER WHAT.
Late one evening at a Las Cruces NM bar and grill called The San Franciscan, disgraced family man Mike Treadwell recalls the events that led to his downfall while the clock counts down toward a midnight showdown where blood will be shed, and the lives of everyone involved will be forever altered.
Another short story padding the reading stats and another new-to-me author that I haven't read before.
20-odd pages long and a sad tale of a family's demise.
Economics and family illness leave Mike Treadwell with little option but to offer his garage and mechanical skills in the service of a crime boss; Treadwell creating hidey-holes on some vehicles for the smuggling of drugs. So far, so good. The extra money helps with some of his daughter's medical bills but it isn't enough.
Expanding his operation leaves him exposed to greater risk. When the police come calling, he's on the way down and the final disintegration of his family has begun.
Prison time, his daughter's death, the disappointment and disapproval of his wife, her demise as the ruthless kingpin's punishment for his over-stepping the boundaries.
Mike Treadwell is out of prison and intent on exacting a measure of payback.
Dark, engaging, interesting and satisfying. Easy to see how one poor decision can escalate and speed up into a downward spiral into chaos and oblivion.4 from 5
Michael Pool has his website here.
He has a couple of other offerings to his name - Debt Crusher, a novella and a collection of stories, New Alley for Nothing Men. He is also the editor of Crime Syndicate Magazine
Read in August, 2017
Published - 2015
Page count - 23
Source - purchased copy
Format - Kindle
That downward spiral can make for a suspenseful story, Col. And this sounds like a taut read. Glad you enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting tale Margot. Enjoyable, but I feel like I'm rubber-necking at a car crash. What does that say about me?
DeleteSometimes you've got to be really in the mood to read such intensely atmospheric novels. I know I do.
ReplyDeleteAgreed, Prashant. This one wouldn't pass as light and fluffy!
DeleteI've read Michael Pool's New Alley for Nothing Men, and I loved it, a great collection of short stories. I'll add this one to my list, too. Thanks for the recommendation, Col.
ReplyDeleteDietrich, hope you enjoy it if you get to it.
DeleteGlad to hear the collection is worth checking out. Also noted is your co-editing gig on one of the Crime Syndicate issues, they are on the maybe list as well!
Sounds like my kind of story, Col. It also sounds like there is enough story in it for a full-length novel. Thanks for bringing this writer to my attention.
ReplyDeleteElgin, I think you might enjoy this one.
DeleteI agree with Elgin. After reading the description, I was thinking this had to be longer than 20+ pages. So I bought a copy of the story to see how he gets all that in the story.
ReplyDeleteHopefully you think its an enjoyable read.
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