Synopsis/blurb….
"If you like
your crime hard and fast, Kalteis is for you." - The Globe and Mail
Set to the cranking
beat and amphetamine buzz of Vancouver's early punk scene, Zero Avenue follows
Frankie Del Rey, a talented and rising punk star who runs just enough dope on
the side to pay the bills and keep her band, Waves of Nausea, together. The trouble
is she's running it for Marty Sayles, a powerful drug dealer who controls the
Eastside with a fist.
When Frankie strikes
up a relationship with Johnny Falco, the owner of one of the only Vancouver
clubs willing to give punk a chance, she finds out he's having his own money
problems just keeping Falco's Nest open. Desperate to keep his club, Johnny
raids one of the pot fields Marty Sayles has growing out past Surrey, along
Zero Avenue on the U.S. border. He gets away with a pickup load and pays back everybody
he owes. Arnie Binz, bass player for Waves of Nausea, finds out about it and
decides that was easy enough. But he gets caught by Marty's crew.
Johnny and Frankie
set out to find the missing Arnie, but Marty Sayles is pissed and looking for
who ripped off his other field - a trail that leads to Johnny and Frankie.
Another absolute belter from Canadian author Dietrich Kalteis.
Hands up, I’ll confess I’m a massive fan. This is the fourth of his five published
books that I’ve read and I’d be happy to pick any of them up and blast through
them again.
Zero Avenue has a real energy and vibrancy that leaps from
the pages. Johnny Falco runs a struggling bar. Despite the packed crowds for
his music nights, the figures don’t add up. Outgoings exceed income and he’s slowly
sinking. Owing rent to Marty Sayles, a local businessman and drug dealer is
problematic, especially as he has a new lieutenant, Zeke Chamas who’s keen to
enhance his position in the Sayles organisation. Intimidation and the breaking
of a few heads the way to go.
Frankie Del Rey is well into her music. Guitarist and lead
vocalist with Waves of Nausea, she’ll run drugs for Sayles if it helps her band
stay in the game, with the financing of an EP her immediate goal. She’s not
sure she want to go as far as sleeping with sleazeball Marty to keep the gig as
a delivery girl, but it’s difficult keeping him at arm’s length.
A falling out with Marty - who wouldn’t be annoyed at him
copping some oral in Falco’s dingy bog (think Trainspotting for a comparison)
when they were set on a dinner date - jeopardises her second job. With Johnny
privy to some information on where Sayles has one of his cannabis growing
fields, a solution may be at hand. Raid the field, steal the drugs, sell them and
buy some time paying Marty back with the cash gained from his own crop. Simple.
Plenty of attitude on show all-round, fantastic setting with
the punk-rock back-drop, a simple crime with consequences for all involved. And
a touch of romance.
I don’t think there was a dull sentence or paragraph in the
book, pedal to metal, a flat-out adrenaline fuelled read. I could hear the pounding
music in my head as I raced through it. I loved the characters, I loved the
setting, Vancouver and the late 70s. It reminded me of my youth – I loved the
music, but never embraced the fashion – too much of a wimp to rebel I guess.
Great dialogue and humour.
Ticks in every box.
5 from 5
Zero Avenue is released tomorrow - buy it!
His other works are
Ride the Lightning thoughts here
The Deadbeat Club thoughts here
Triggerfish thoughts here
House of Blazes - unread as yet.
Read in September, 2017
Published – 2017
Page count – 236
Source – review copy from ECW Press (thanks Susannah) (NET
GALLEY also)
Format – paperback ARC
I do like both the setting and the music context, Col. The early punk scene is fascinating. And it sounds as though the characters are interesting, too - always a plus for me. Glad you enjoyed this one.
ReplyDeleteMargot, I really liked this one. Growing up around the same time (a bystander, as opposed to a participant) helped, but even if I wasn't revisiting my youth so to speak everything else was pitch perfect. Dietrich writes the kind of books I want to read.
DeleteI hope I like his first book as well as you have liked all of them. The humor may help with some of the grittiness.
ReplyDeleteTracy, I hope you get on well with it. Might be more me than you, but my fingers are crossed for you!
DeleteCol – Thanks for the review. If you liked it, then I’m reading it.
ReplyDeleteI think you might enjoy any of his books TBH, Elgin. I hope so>
DeleteThis does sound good - I like a Vancouver setting (from visiting there a few times), and clubs and punk bands also appeal. You do a good job selling it....
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see you take the plunge here, as I'd be interested in your reaction to it. Ticks in every box for me.
ReplyDelete