My Review (5 stars out of 5)
Back home for his brother’s funeral, Jack Carter wants to know what happened. Told that Frank was found dead and drunk in a car at the bottom of a cliff, mob-enforcer Jack knows his sibling was no great drinker. Instructed by his gangster bosses Gerald and Les to keep his nose out, Jack starts asking questions…
First published as Jack’s Return Home, this is the first in the Jack Carter trilogy, long hailed as a classic of the British noir school of crime fiction. It is a dark and gritty tale of gangsters and murderers and while not quite the same as the movie version (with Michael Caine, 1971), it’s a cracking good read. The story is slower and there’s less violence than in the movie, although when the violence does happen, it doesn’t hold back. The dialogue too, is short and snappy, which adds to the story’s dark mood:
‘Get dressed,’ I said.
‘Dressed?’
‘We’re going out.’
‘Where?’
‘We’re going to see if Albert knows any more than you do.’
‘Why—why do you want me to come?’
‘Don’t be fucking stupid.’
A dark murder mystery full of atmosphere.
Colin Garrow 
This is the first time I’ve heard of British noir school of crime fiction, Colin. An excellent review of an interesting sounding book.
LikeLike
Thanks, Robbie.
LikeLiked by 1 person