ROB PIERCE - WITH THE RIGHT ENEMIES (2017)

 

Synopsis/blurb ...

Vollmer’s a young guy, grows up on ugly streets. He survives by being uglier, hurting people for money, hurting people because he likes hurting people. When he’s hired to track down Dust and bring back the money he stole, keeping Dust alive isn’t a priority. Neither is keeping anyone else alive, even people he loves. Vollmer’s killed people he loves before.

With the Right Enemies is the bullet-drenched follow-up to Uncle Dust, Rob Pierce’s acclaimed debut novel about a bank robber’s disastrous fling with domestic life.

Praise for WITH THE RIGHT ENEMIES:

“A detailed and empathetic portrait of a personal struggle with demons we may not all face directly, but which always lurk beneath our carefully calculated covers. Pierce rips off that lid and exposes the common darkness of all our souls, whether we want to admit it or not.” —Will Viharo, author of Hard-Boiled Heart and Love Stories Are Too Violent For Me

My kind of book, which begs the question why I took so long to get around to reading it. A question for which there is no sensible answer, other than I have too many books competing for my attention. Sometimes the good ones get ignored.

With the Right Enemies is the second in Pierce's Uncle Dust series (three so far). The opener Uncle Dust was enjoyed a while back. Last year's third entry, Blood by Choice will be getting some love soon.

Dark, violent, gritty, raw, funny .... all positives in my book.

Decent story line - a man and some money goes missing. Our main character, Vollmer is sent to retrieve one or both. I think the money carries more weight. He's not the only one seeking Dust. The search takes him and them to other territories where other parties need to be approached and managed, either through a temporary alliance or through violence. Along the way there are casualties, innocent victims as well as players.

I liked the main character, Vollmer. We get his back story, we understand how he is how he is. Single-minded, capable, cunning, and probably lacking in anything close to compassion or warmth. Interesting and despite his ice cold blood, Pierce with his skills as a writer, has you rooting for him all the way. Even his brutality doesn't shift you from his corner. Nothing personal, in his world if you're an obstacle you will be removed.

Not a book for the faint-hearted. A book which hit all the right notes for me though.

4.5 from 5

In addition to Rob Pierce's Uncle Dust, I've enjoyed Tommy Shakes and Vern in the Heat. A collection of his short stories also waits on the TBR pile.

Read - March, 2021

Published - 2017

Page count - 234

Source - review copy from publisher All Due Respect (only 3 and a half years late)

Format - Kindle