City of Blood

Dirty Harry #6

by Dane Hartman

Vintage movie tie-in paperback

Genres: Fiction

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Following the release of the third Dirty Harry movie, The Enforcer, in 1976, Clint Eastwood made it clear that he did not intend to make any more Dirty Harry movies. In 1981, Warner Books (the publishing arm of Warner Bros., which made the films) began publishing a number of men's adventure series under its now-defunct "Men of Action" line. One such series features the further adventures of Inspector Harry Callahan. The books, written primarily by Ric Meyers and Leslie Alan Horvitz, appeared under the house name Dane Hartman. The series was brought to an end when Eastwood decided to direct, produce, and star in a fourth Dirty Harry movie, Sudden Impact, which was released in December 1983.

Reviews

[Garrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

OiFull gross blood bath like a slasher movie. The ending seems rushed at the end like there was a page or word maximum. Another partner, but this one is likeable and capable. Does he meet the usual fate, i will not say, i will never give spoilers. Again like #4 Harry gives you his thoughts at times. It makes him more than a killing machine or robot. There is a hint of a not quite done problem when the book's words stop. Is there more to be done...?

[Jeremiah · Rating 2 out of 5]

One thing that's annoying about these Dirty Harry novels is that the bones of some great crime fiction are present, but they keep it pretty shallow and by the numbers. Maybe that was the mandate from the studio. The novels are less deep and less introspective than the films are.

[Bradley Schlieper · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better stories in the series so far.

[Beauregard Shagnasty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first read about six of these Dirty Harry novels as a teenager and liked them well enough. So far, upon re-investigating the series in my middle-age, I am not quite as impressed as I once was; the plotting in some of the books is a bit arbitrary,the mysteries not very surprising,but what the heck, it is pulpy writing that proves entertaining and reads pretty fast. That said, I enjoyed City of Blood more than The Mexico Kill but less than Hatchet Men. I am a rather undemanding reader when it comes to dime store novels of this sort. I would collect these Dirty harry books for the covers alone.

[Chris Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not the best of the series thus far, but still an exciting romp. Fairly simple plot, but the sex and violence make it completely worth while.