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54th out of 308 books
—
203 voters
Grifter's Game (Hard Case Crime #1)
by
Lawrence Block (Goodreads Author)
Con man Joe Marlin was used to scoring easy cash off beautiful women. But that was before he met Mona Brassard and found himself facing the most dangerous con of his career, one that will leave him either a killer or a corpse.
Grifter's Game was originally published as Mona by Gold Medal in 1961. This is the book s first publication under the author s intended title.
Mass Market Paperback, Hard Case Crime #1, 205 pages
Published
September 7th 2004
by Hard Crime Case
(first published 1961)
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ALERT: HARD CASE CRIME MAY CAUSE INTENSE, MULTIPLE BOOKGASMS!!
HCC, you saucy, filthy, gorgeous little minx. I’m so glad I found you. After gobbling up book #1, I learned there are...steady...steady...65 MORE OF THESE...which made me...well...
NOIRites, I gotta tell you, I fell hard, fast and "damn the consequences" for this sinister steaminess. And to then find out that there are 60+ more of these seedy, unwholesome, dangerously bits of noirish nastiness, caused such a stoking of my literary lib...more
HCC, you saucy, filthy, gorgeous little minx. I’m so glad I found you. After gobbling up book #1, I learned there are...steady...steady...65 MORE OF THESE...which made me...well...
NOIRites, I gotta tell you, I fell hard, fast and "damn the consequences" for this sinister steaminess. And to then find out that there are 60+ more of these seedy, unwholesome, dangerously bits of noirish nastiness, caused such a stoking of my literary lib...more
#8 Favourite Read in 2012
Holy Moly! Lawrence Block (and Hard Case Crime) just sucker punched me with this brilliant read. Presumably I'm being punished for not having read any of his work before now (and for the stack of a dozen Hard Case Crime books I've got sitting waiting to be read,) but rest assured I'm as hooked as the next man after this brilliant piece of noir fiction with the ending that makes Nightmare Alley feel like a unicorn ride through a flowery meadow to the end of the rainbow wh...more
Holy Moly! Lawrence Block (and Hard Case Crime) just sucker punched me with this brilliant read. Presumably I'm being punished for not having read any of his work before now (and for the stack of a dozen Hard Case Crime books I've got sitting waiting to be read,) but rest assured I'm as hooked as the next man after this brilliant piece of noir fiction with the ending that makes Nightmare Alley feel like a unicorn ride through a flowery meadow to the end of the rainbow wh...more
11 likes · like · see review
After plowing through about 1500 pages of the last two Dark Tower novels, Grifter's Game was exactly what I needed: A 200 pager cut-to-the-chase no nonsense story-driven novel.
I've read quite a bit of Lawrence Block, I think about five of the Matthew Scudder ones, and I enjoyed every one of them. Very dark crime fiction with a strong lead character. But a been there, done that attitude struck, and he fell off my radar for years.
Then I saw my Goodreads friend Stephen had hit a major scoregasm whe...more
I've read quite a bit of Lawrence Block, I think about five of the Matthew Scudder ones, and I enjoyed every one of them. Very dark crime fiction with a strong lead character. But a been there, done that attitude struck, and he fell off my radar for years.
Then I saw my Goodreads friend Stephen had hit a major scoregasm whe...more
7 likes · like · see review
Grifter's Game (Mona/Abzocker) ist schon 1961 erschienen. Und das merkt man auch daran, dass Geld in ganz anderen Dimensionen gewertet wird, an karierten Badehosen mit applizierter Tasche, dem übermäßigen Rauchen und natürlich öffentlichen Telefonen.
Erwähnenswert ist auch das Cover, als Reminiszenz an den Pulp, wenn es auch nicht das Beste der Reihe Hard Case Crime ist.
Joe Marlin ist ein Gauner, der sich mit kleineren Betrügereien durchs Leben schlägt. Als er ein paar schicke Koffer mit den Init...more
Erwähnenswert ist auch das Cover, als Reminiszenz an den Pulp, wenn es auch nicht das Beste der Reihe Hard Case Crime ist.
Joe Marlin ist ein Gauner, der sich mit kleineren Betrügereien durchs Leben schlägt. Als er ein paar schicke Koffer mit den Init...more
From ISawLightningFall.com
Chronological snobbery cuts both ways. Although the term is usually applied to those who dismiss arguments simply because they're old, it could also describe people who eschew new things because they happen to be, well, new. You see this equally in literature as well as logic. There's the one camp endlessly surfing Amazon for new releases, yearning to catch the Next Big Thing right from the get go, while the other sniffs at anything published after, say, the nineteenth...more
Chronological snobbery cuts both ways. Although the term is usually applied to those who dismiss arguments simply because they're old, it could also describe people who eschew new things because they happen to be, well, new. You see this equally in literature as well as logic. There's the one camp endlessly surfing Amazon for new releases, yearning to catch the Next Big Thing right from the get go, while the other sniffs at anything published after, say, the nineteenth...more
Wow, this was dark.
Until the killing immortalised in the cover art, you could be forgiven for thinking of this as a dashing caper with a charming, crooked narrator spouting quotable one-liners and turning romantic. Then things become darker after the murder; the killer isn't quite racked with guilt, he says, but spects of the act keep returning to haunt him. Then, as happens in a noir, there's one double-cross more than expected and things get seriously dark. I thought Jim Thompson gave an alre...more
Until the killing immortalised in the cover art, you could be forgiven for thinking of this as a dashing caper with a charming, crooked narrator spouting quotable one-liners and turning romantic. Then things become darker after the murder; the killer isn't quite racked with guilt, he says, but spects of the act keep returning to haunt him. Then, as happens in a noir, there's one double-cross more than expected and things get seriously dark. I thought Jim Thompson gave an alre...more
6 likes · like · see review
Small-time grifter hits the big one when he steals a suitcase with $1 million in heroin stashed inside. Copyright 1961 by Lawrence Block (original title 'Mona') but republished in 2004 as part of the Hard Case Crime series, which apparently aims to recapture the grit (and look) of the pulp-fiction novel. In that respect, Grifter's Game succeeds. It's well-written and hard-edged, with lean prose and a classic setup (grifter, two-timing wife, rich husband). The ending I've seen characterized as di...more
Oct 23, 2011
William Thomas
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
hardboiled,
pulp
Lawrence Block makes me insane. His novels written in modern times that replicate police procedurals are just throw-aways, nothing to hang onto, stories that spoil quickly and need to be tossed. Like he and Robert Parker were having a contest to see who could remove more edge from their writing, who could dull the blade more.
But then he writes for Hard Case and cranks out some of the most entertaining and well-written pulp books the label puts out. GG is one of these, hardboiled shell with a pu...more
But then he writes for Hard Case and cranks out some of the most entertaining and well-written pulp books the label puts out. GG is one of these, hardboiled shell with a pu...more
I enjoyed about ninety percent of this book. The author has a terrific eye for detail and it was like opening a time capsule from the late fifties/early sixties to read this novel (who knew people hated power steering when it first came out, for instance). The characters were believable and the hero sufficiently hard-boiled for the noir label, and I was absorbed in the story from the first paragraph. But it's the last ten percent of the book that will stay with me. The ending of this book is so...more
Feb 29, 2008
Andy
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
heroin, drug dealers, junksploitation
Shelves:
hard-case-crime
Kick-ass drug dealer noir from Lawrence Block from way back in 1961 when such things were still scary. Get this instead of the awful write-for-the-rent "A Diet of Treacle" that Hard Case just released. This is da shit.
A man steals a suitcase to find a contain a brick of pure heroin in one of them. From there I don't want to say to much because I don't want to give away any of the twist! The book description as another reviewer has mentioned does give away one of the twist and I wish I had not even read that but it didn't ruin the book for me or anything. When you think you know the next twist you soon find out you were way off! At least for me. Was very excited to find there are so many more books.
A very good...more
A very good...more
this was my second attempt at crime fiction. this was hardboiled high velocity pulp fiction at it's best. Wow!
i could not put it down. the story was plot-driven. the writing was concise, efficient, and laden with simple but effective details that moved things along at a quick pace. the ending was something i thought would go a completely different way. it didn't. it was awesome.
this was my first Block book and it won't be my last. i loved it. it was originally written early in his career (1961)...more
i could not put it down. the story was plot-driven. the writing was concise, efficient, and laden with simple but effective details that moved things along at a quick pace. the ending was something i thought would go a completely different way. it didn't. it was awesome.
this was my first Block book and it won't be my last. i loved it. it was originally written early in his career (1961)...more
Block's 2 books in the hard case crime series have been a welcome surprise the last couple of days. There is not much that is distinct from noir traditions here, but Block fuses things together pretty well and paces the text pretty quickly - the rhythm carries you through, the language is fresh/snappy enough, or at last aware of itself. I would recommend checking Block out - starting with Grifter's Game and if you dig it come back to the other titles available by Hard Case Crime.
I'm a little sca...more
I'm a little sca...more
In the same way as Fake ID, this book's title has little to do with what the book entails. It's great though. I think that Block's books in the Hardcase series are my favorites because he is almost always writing about good-time criminals doing really terrible things, in a really grim but fun way, if you can imagine things being both grim and fun. The narrator here seems like a pretty normal con man until the last quarter of the book, when he turns into an obsessive, dark force. The last soliloq...more
Lawrence Block’s Grifter’s Game is a vintage title, originally published as Mona in 1961. Block does what any good hard-boiled crime writer should be able to do–take a hackneyed set of characters and plot devices and turn them into a thoroughly entertaining read. Not every portrait of a lady has to be the Mona Lisa, but the artist should at least be able to make the subject look decent enough on canvas. Otherwise, he might want to try his hand at bricklaying instead.
David Gavilan is a con man wh...more
David Gavilan is a con man wh...more
The book has a fairly simple plot with too much introspection on the part of the protagonist. It felt like he was spending so much time thinking to fill up pages so the book could reach novel length. A couple of the major twists were predictable and the protagonist should have figured them out sooner then he did. However, the ending worked. I didn't see it coming and it helped redeem the book. Also, some great lines in here. Block is one of the legends of the genre and this is one of his earlies...more
Taut and crisp, Grifter's Game grabs you tight from the first page and doesn't let go until the dark and twisted last.
Written early in Lawrence Block's career, the novel tricks you into thinking it is a well-written example of the murder for love trope, but the abrupt twist at the end quickly disavows you of that notion. You realize just how far Joe Martin is willing to go for love. It is a dark place indeed.
That ending must have made this book a dangerous one to read and enjoy in 1961. Fifty ye...more
Written early in Lawrence Block's career, the novel tricks you into thinking it is a well-written example of the murder for love trope, but the abrupt twist at the end quickly disavows you of that notion. You realize just how far Joe Martin is willing to go for love. It is a dark place indeed.
That ending must have made this book a dangerous one to read and enjoy in 1961. Fifty ye...more
If this is any indication of what I have ahead of me with Hard Case Crime, I'm a happy man. Not only is this novel so tightly edited, it's a no-nonsense, straight up page-turner.
When I was hit with the first plot twist, my mouth dropped open. Maybe some people might be able to spot it early on (if you read the plot description, I believe it's in there) but it came to me out of seemingly nowhere. As the novel progresses, you begin to really sympathise with Joe and start to like the guy; rooting f...more
When I was hit with the first plot twist, my mouth dropped open. Maybe some people might be able to spot it early on (if you read the plot description, I believe it's in there) but it came to me out of seemingly nowhere. As the novel progresses, you begin to really sympathise with Joe and start to like the guy; rooting f...more
7 likes · like · see review
Reminded me of a dime store detective novel. A con man stumbles upon something that maybe he should not have and suddenly a beautiful woman comes into his life. However, now is it a case of the chippy playing the grifter? Oh but in the end revenge is so sweet. This was a neat little quick read that was pretty transparent in the beginning, but the ending saved this one from a certain three star rating. These Hard Case books, a total of seventy some books by various authors, really look quite prom...more
This is the first publication of a great new publisghing house called Hardcase Crime. They are bringing back the hard-boiled novels of the 50's and 60's and also asking comtemporary authors to write in that style.
If you enjoy that style of writing, I strongly suggest checking out their website.
I've read five or six Hardcase Crime novels so far and none of them dissapoint. Good, quick reads that always keep me engaged.
As for this book, you can't go wrong with Lawrence Block.
If you enjoy that style of writing, I strongly suggest checking out their website.
I've read five or six Hardcase Crime novels so far and none of them dissapoint. Good, quick reads that always keep me engaged.
As for this book, you can't go wrong with Lawrence Block.
PROTAGONIST: Con man Joe Marlin
SETTING: Atlantic City
SERIES: Hard Case Crime #1
RATING: 3.5
WHY: Originally released in 1961 as Mona, this hardboiled gem still holds up well today. A con man steals some luggage and finds a surprising stash of heroin. He ends up getting involved with the owner's wife, and they make plans to eliminate the husband and run off together. Sounds pretty straightforward, but there are some nice twists. Worthy to be the first Hard Case Crime offering.
SETTING: Atlantic City
SERIES: Hard Case Crime #1
RATING: 3.5
WHY: Originally released in 1961 as Mona, this hardboiled gem still holds up well today. A con man steals some luggage and finds a surprising stash of heroin. He ends up getting involved with the owner's wife, and they make plans to eliminate the husband and run off together. Sounds pretty straightforward, but there are some nice twists. Worthy to be the first Hard Case Crime offering.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
An interesting read as there wasn't any "good guys" in the story. The story is mainly about bad people preying on other bad people (Grifters). I like Block's style here as it's very lean with short terse little sentences. Sometimes the main character's thoughts come in a staccato of rapidity. It's definitely not a novel for everyone but I found the look into the main character's shrewd and profiteering life sort of refreshing (in an ugly fashion). It's a story that from the outset you know can't...more
My first read at a Lawrence Block book, and it's from early in his career, but it was enough to get me to look for more of his work. The plot itself was simple and easy to put together ahead of the protagonist, but the lead character was engaging without being a "good guy." We get deep in his head, without having a bunch of psychobabble as to why he cons people. A nice 50's entertainment novel that made a couple of afternoons pass pleasantly.
Quick, enjoyable noir read with excellent, tight pacing and narrative. Block is good at writing about the minutia of his character's lives while keeping the suspense. What I found interesting about this one was I had the situation sussed out rather quickly, well-before the protagonist. However, once the protag figured out what was really going on his response I didn't see coming at all, and made one of the best endings I've ever read/seen.
At first, I was ready to give this book three stars, the story being the formulaic, cynical man meets smoking hottie, knocks off her rich husband, then finds that he's been set up kind of thing.
The ending really clenches it. His solution to his problem is so simple, I wonder why I never thought of it when I encountered desirable women who just doesn't seem to want me that much. About two thirds of the wy through the book, he decides, "I would get the money, and I WOULD get Mona."
And he does.
The ending really clenches it. His solution to his problem is so simple, I wonder why I never thought of it when I encountered desirable women who just doesn't seem to want me that much. About two thirds of the wy through the book, he decides, "I would get the money, and I WOULD get Mona."
And he does.
My fist book of 2009. I was hoping that this would be my last of '08 but I will have to settle with first of '09. What I enjoyed most about this book was the way Lawrence could describe ordinary sequences of life in the most gripping way. I also liked that the book felt ripped from time during the height of pulp fiction. I like how I could figure things out a few lines or pages ahead of the main character, Joe, but the real twist to this book is in the last two chapters. Completely unique and un...more
Started out really disliking this book for about the 1st 100 pages. Too predictable, I thought.
Somewhere around page 129 I became totally immersed in unexpected plot developments and suddenly realized that I'd guessed wrong.
This novel wasn't going to turn out the way I'd thought.
The ending was a stunner all the way out through the final 5-7 pages.
Looking forward to reading everybody else's reviews.
Somewhere around page 129 I became totally immersed in unexpected plot developments and suddenly realized that I'd guessed wrong.
This novel wasn't going to turn out the way I'd thought.
The ending was a stunner all the way out through the final 5-7 pages.
Looking forward to reading everybody else's reviews.
I liked this book alot. It made me want to write a detective novel. It read quickly for i finished it in a couple of days, but it was a couple of days well spent in my opinion. if you want to read something a little violent, but funny, and with a twist, then read this book. i recommend it for people who want something different for people who want to read a good crime caper.
These are gritty dime store novels by some of the best writers that ever lived. The characters and the plot are tightly written with suspense and plenty of action. These books are about people who are on the wrong side of the tracks and how they got there. Driven by lust passion and greed! Makes for a story that packs a punch! I am definitely going to read more of these when I want a great and fast read.
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Received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 2002.
From his web site:
I'm told every good author website needs a bio, so here's mine:
"Lawrence Block's novels range from the urban noir of Matthew Scudder (A Drop of the Hard Stuff) to the urbane effervescence of Bernie Rhodenbarr (The Burglar on the Prowl), while other characters include the globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanne...more
More about Lawrence Block...
From his web site:
I'm told every good author website needs a bio, so here's mine:
"Lawrence Block's novels range from the urban noir of Matthew Scudder (A Drop of the Hard Stuff) to the urbane effervescence of Bernie Rhodenbarr (The Burglar on the Prowl), while other characters include the globe-trotting insomniac Evan Tanne...more
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I'll have to add this to the list, I haven't read Block in years (4 or 5 of the Scudder books)
Sep 08, 2011 11:14am
Sep 08, 2011 04:21pm