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Yellow-Dog Contract
A large sum of money brings former campaign manager and Washington insider Harvey Longmire out of retirement and on the trail of a missing union leader, a trail that leads through the seamy side of the Capital's political scene. Reprint.
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First published January 1, 1976
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About the author
Ross Thomas
58 books170 followersRoss Thomas was an American writer of crime fiction. He is best known for his witty thrillers that expose the mechanisms of professional politics. He also wrote several novels under the pseudonym Oliver Bleeck about professional go-between Philip St. Ives.
Thomas served in the Philippines during World War II. He worked as a public relations specialist, reporter, union spokesman, and political strategist in the USA, Bonn (Germany), and Nigeria before becoming a writer.
His debut novel, The Cold War Swap, was written in only six weeks and won a 1967 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Briarpatch earned the 1985 Edgar for Best Novel. In 2002 he was honored with the inaugural Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award, one of only two authors to earn the award after their death (the other was 87th Precinct author Evan Hunter in 2006).
He died of lung cancer two months before his 70th birthday.
Thomas served in the Philippines during World War II. He worked as a public relations specialist, reporter, union spokesman, and political strategist in the USA, Bonn (Germany), and Nigeria before becoming a writer.
His debut novel, The Cold War Swap, was written in only six weeks and won a 1967 Edgar Award for Best First Novel. Briarpatch earned the 1985 Edgar for Best Novel. In 2002 he was honored with the inaugural Gumshoe Lifetime Achievement Award, one of only two authors to earn the award after their death (the other was 87th Precinct author Evan Hunter in 2006).
He died of lung cancer two months before his 70th birthday.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
July 2, 2024
Entirely satisfactory.
July 2, 2015
Former political campaign manager Harvey Longmire is enjoying a pleasant semi-retirement with his wife on an 80-acre farm in Virginia when he is visited by two old friends. They are working for a millionaire who has set up a foundation to investigate conspiracies and want to hire Longmire to look into the disappearance of a famous union leader.
May 25, 2023
I fear I've delved too deeply into Ross Thomas's body of work. I've skimmed the cream, and now I've reached a book like this one. It has many of the hallmarks of his better work, but the dialogue just isn't as crisp as his best, the action is forced, and even though I thought I was reading carefully, the complex unwinding of the plot at the end left me with no idea of what was really going on. I was, however, motivated by the title to remind myself of what a yell0w-dog contract really is, and I won't be giving anything away when I tell you that it has very little to do with the plot. Not that it matters. But I really don't mean to be negative; I just think I've reached the end of the very, very clever stories by Mr. Thomas, and it was a great ride.
April 6, 2017
It’s been so long since labor unions have appeared high on our radar screens here in the US that you may be unaware what the phrase “yellow-dog contract” means. I for one had forgotten. Well, it turns out that such a contract, or a clause in a contract, requires that a new employee never join a union. And that archaic concept is the hook at the centerpiece of this brilliant novel about dirty politics, union style. The book was published in 1976, so the concept was by no means archaic then.
The reigning master of dirty tricks
Though not yet 40, Harvey Longmire has long since retired to his farm near Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, as Yellow-Dog Contract opens. There he lives with his wife and a zoo’s worth of animals when two men from his checkered past show up in a large Mercedes. Murfin and Quane were his henchmen in an unsuccessful union election campaign a dozen years earlier, when their candidate, the incumbent president of the Public Employees Union (PEU), narrowly lost to his challenger despite their considerable electioneering skills. Now the two men have come to enlist Harvey in an effort to find the man who defeated their candidate and has served as PEU’s president ever since: the man has disappeared, and shenanigans are afoot in the union under his successor. Harvey had proven himself the reigning master of dirty tricks in politics by winning eleven of the twelve “hopeless” Congressional and Senatorial campaigns he took on after their work together at the union. Their new boss, the multimillionaire head of a family foundation, insists that they bring Harvey back to investigate the disappearance of the PEU president, and he won’t take no for an answer.
A plot that twists, turns, and does little dances
You can expect three things above all in a novel by Ross Thomas: colorful, three-dimensional characters; dialog that is unfailingly witty and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny; and a plot that twists, turns, and does little dances before your very eyes. Yellow-Dog Contract offers all that and more, including a huge dollop of suspense. It would spoil the fun to describe any more of the story. Read it. You’ll thank me.
Falling union membership
By the end of World War II, the percentage of workers employed in the US economy who were members of labor unions peaked at more than one-third. Three decades later, in the mid-1970s, that proportion had fallen to between one-fourth and one-fifth. (In 2013 the share was 11.3%.) Most economists today consider this trend to be a major factor, and perhaps the greatest factor, in creating the yawning gap between rich and poor in America today. Undoubtedly, dirty tricks of the sort portrayed in Yellow-Dog Contract as well as corruption within a few major unions helped undermine the trade union movement. However, it’s clear that the biggest factor by far was a massively funded nationwide campaign by the American Right that began in the US Chamber of Commerce, gained steam throughout the 1970s, and continues today under Republican governors in such states as Wisconsin and Michigan.
About the author
According to his bio on Wikipedia, Ross Thomas “served with the infantry in the Philippines during World War II. He worked as a public relations specialist, correspondent with the Armed Forces Network, union spokesman, and political strategist in the USA, Bonn (Germany), and Nigeria before becoming a writer.” Is it any wonder that Thomas would be well positioned to write Yellow-Dog Contract and so many other great books about dirty politics?
The reigning master of dirty tricks
Though not yet 40, Harvey Longmire has long since retired to his farm near Harper’s Ferry, Virginia, as Yellow-Dog Contract opens. There he lives with his wife and a zoo’s worth of animals when two men from his checkered past show up in a large Mercedes. Murfin and Quane were his henchmen in an unsuccessful union election campaign a dozen years earlier, when their candidate, the incumbent president of the Public Employees Union (PEU), narrowly lost to his challenger despite their considerable electioneering skills. Now the two men have come to enlist Harvey in an effort to find the man who defeated their candidate and has served as PEU’s president ever since: the man has disappeared, and shenanigans are afoot in the union under his successor. Harvey had proven himself the reigning master of dirty tricks in politics by winning eleven of the twelve “hopeless” Congressional and Senatorial campaigns he took on after their work together at the union. Their new boss, the multimillionaire head of a family foundation, insists that they bring Harvey back to investigate the disappearance of the PEU president, and he won’t take no for an answer.
A plot that twists, turns, and does little dances
You can expect three things above all in a novel by Ross Thomas: colorful, three-dimensional characters; dialog that is unfailingly witty and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny; and a plot that twists, turns, and does little dances before your very eyes. Yellow-Dog Contract offers all that and more, including a huge dollop of suspense. It would spoil the fun to describe any more of the story. Read it. You’ll thank me.
Falling union membership
By the end of World War II, the percentage of workers employed in the US economy who were members of labor unions peaked at more than one-third. Three decades later, in the mid-1970s, that proportion had fallen to between one-fourth and one-fifth. (In 2013 the share was 11.3%.) Most economists today consider this trend to be a major factor, and perhaps the greatest factor, in creating the yawning gap between rich and poor in America today. Undoubtedly, dirty tricks of the sort portrayed in Yellow-Dog Contract as well as corruption within a few major unions helped undermine the trade union movement. However, it’s clear that the biggest factor by far was a massively funded nationwide campaign by the American Right that began in the US Chamber of Commerce, gained steam throughout the 1970s, and continues today under Republican governors in such states as Wisconsin and Michigan.
About the author
According to his bio on Wikipedia, Ross Thomas “served with the infantry in the Philippines during World War II. He worked as a public relations specialist, correspondent with the Armed Forces Network, union spokesman, and political strategist in the USA, Bonn (Germany), and Nigeria before becoming a writer.” Is it any wonder that Thomas would be well positioned to write Yellow-Dog Contract and so many other great books about dirty politics?
November 14, 2023
Having discovered Ross Thomas just 3 years ago, Yellow-Dog Contract is my 10th read. So according to the kindle store, I’m just 1/2way through his oeuvre, including his, pen name Oliver Bleeck’s series. Not reading Thomas’ works consecutively, rather in a random manner. Throughout which, there is a similarity to the personalities of his characters, and the topics of political and corporate chicanery. However, I’m yet to tire of his characters or plots. Over riding all is Thomas wry, sardonic and bemused look at the human condition, “civilization” and American society. In particular it’s politics. And I should add, frequently hilarious in his dialog and detailed description.
Ross’ protagonists are likeable. Despite their talents, and like Thomas always bemused -reluctant to take part in the status quo, but somewhat accepting of the nature of things -willing to rub elbows with scoundrels, and take part in the unsavory realities of of getting things done. Able to bend, but to also refuse when some inner moral code is on the line. So much for the nature of Thomas’ writing. On to The Yellow Dog Contract, and Harvey Longmire.
Harvey Longmire, New Orleans bred, entered politics early- the youngest ever popularly elected to the Louisiana legislature with a great future ahead. Likeable and candid both, but: “achieved no little notoriety by making a good solemn campaign promise, which was to introduce a bill that would legalize cunnilingus and fellatio between consenting adults. Needless to say (then why say it?) my political career died swiftly and my self-appointed mentor, a kindly, aging former crony of the sainted Huey Long, advised me in all seriousness that, “Harvey, the state just ain’t quite ready for a pussy-eatin’ bill yet.” … “state legislature is an excellent place to further one’s political education, and if one is particularly interested in the study of political chicanery, knavery, improbity, and bamboozlement” - an excellent schoolground for his latter move into big union organizations and later as a highly successful political operative with an amazing talent for getting his candidate elected.
1976. Harvey, now 42, while not retired is in retreat having purchased 80 acres in ‘64 in NW Virginia at a good price ($300 per), in ‘72 gotten out of the game and with his wife Ruth taken to country living, and modest farming. “How long have you been living on your farm?” “Four years. Since 1972.” “That was when you dropped out, wasn’t it?” “I didn’t drop out.” “Retired.” “I didn’t retire.” “What would you call it?” “I don’t have to call it anything.” … “ By trial and error I had turned myself into a pretty fair vegetable gardener and a so-so goatherd. But what I did best was grow Christmas trees. Eight years ago, I planted 11,000 white pines. Sentimentalists from as far away as Washington and Baltimore now came with their kids at Christmas to pick out and chop down their own trees. I furnished the axe. I charged five dollars a tree regardless of its size. But this year I was thinking of charging ten.” Between the sale of trees, some honey, clover and goat’s milk and cheese they brought in the past year about 1/2 their income of close to $12,000. The other 1/2 from: “ the sale of Ruth’s watercolor drawings to a Los Angeles greeting card firm. She drew gentle, immensely clever caricatures of animals and her models were mostly members of our own menagerie” [A slew of cats and dogs, two goats and two ornery peacocks 🦚] “The Los Angeles firm couldn’t get enough of Ruth’s drawings. Quite by accident I had found that I had a remarkable talent for writing greeting card verse that contained just the right touch of simpering banality. The L.A. firm paid me two dollars a line and occasionally dropped me warm little notes that compared my efforts favorably with those of Rod McKuen.” … “By the time I arrived at Connecticut Avenue and M Street I had composed thirty-six lines of doggerel, which I dictated into a small portable tape recorder, shouting some of the lines, even declaiming them to make myself heard above the Ford’s clatter. They rhymed, they scanned, and they were as sticky as honey and twice as sweet.”
Harvey’ ride into DC prompted by the arrival of two close former Union operatives cronies with an offer to consider. “ Murfin and Quane came out on the porch and looked around… We shook hands then and they both still had their quick, firm, professional handshakes—the kind that preachers, politicians and most labor organizers have. After that was over I told them to sit anywhere and they decided on two canvas chairs, the kind that they call directors chairs in Hollywood and safari chairs in Africa. I’m not quite sure what they’re called in Virginia.” The pitch and M&Q’s boss. “He spent maybe a million or so and ninety-six percent of the ones he backed got elected and it was gonna be veto-proof, except it didn’t quite work out like that, and Vullo got a little disillusioned with politics.”
“Vullo came up with something else,” Quane said. I nodded. “One should keep busy.” “We’ve been setting it up for him.” Quane said.” … “ When everything’s all set it’ll sell for twenty or twenty-five bucks a year and for that you also become a member of the Foundation. And the twenty or twenty-five bucks or whatever will be deductible.” “We stole that from the National Geographic,” Quane said. “What’re you going to call yours?” I said. “The Paranoia Review?” “Nah,” Murfin said. “I came up with the title, as a matter of fact. We’re gonna call it The Vullo Report.” Vullo wants to meet Harvey, who is not interested. They offer $500 to meet and to listen, “I’ll talk to him for a thousand.”
Accepted. Considering the family income, $1,000 to drive into DC for an hour to listen seems worth it.
Vullo. “Tell me about you and the CIA,” he said. “I decided to tell him about my Uncle Slick. His name wasn’t really Uncle Slick, of course, it was Jean-Jacques Le Gouis and he was my mother’s younger brother. The Le Gouis family had moved to the States from Dijon in 1929 when my mother was eighteen and my uncle was nine. By 1941 my uncle was twenty-one and a senior at Yale… My uncle had a very pleasant war with the OSS in England and France and afterward he stayed on with the CIA. In 1961 I had been in the Congo for a while, about the time that Patrice Lumumba was getting his, and that had been the last time I had seen Uncle Slick, which was, I thought, a bit more than coincidental. I never was sure what Slick did for the CIA. Something nasty probably. In 1964 he showed up unexpectedly in Berlin where I was working for something called the Morningside Network…”
Uncle Slick gets him set up with the AFL-CIO, running Hundermark’s reelection campaign. “He died the year after Mix defeated him.” “That was when?” “Mix beat him in 1964.” “You went to work for Hundermark when?” “That same year. Sixty-four. Early sixty-four.” “What happened?” “Mix squeaked in by eight votes at the convention. I could have bought the votes, if I had known they were up for sale, which I should have, but didn’t.” … “ “The CIA’s real interest in Hundermark was that international thing he set up—what was it called?” “The PWI,” I said. “Public Workers International.” “It was sort of a loose confederation of all the public-employee unions in the world, wasn’t it?” “The free world,” I said. “I think they were still calling it the free world back in the sixties.” … “The second thing that Mix did when he won the presidency was to dissolve the PWI, or at least dissolve the union’s ties with it.” “What was the first thing he did?” “He fired me—except that I’d already quit. But Mix fired me anyway, at least in the newspapers. Then he fired Murfin and Quane.”
The deceased Hundermark. “Harvey?” Murfin said. “Harvey don’t go to funerals.” That was a new fact and new facts always interested Vullo. He looked at me and said, “Why not?” “I no longer do things that I don’t like to do, if I can avoid doing them. I can avoid going to funerals. So I don’t.” … “I think I find that a rather irresponsible attitude,” he said finally. “So do I,” I said, “but being responsible to anyone other than myself and my family is one of the things I now avoid because I never much liked it anyhow.”
Despite Harvey’s questionable attitude Zullo wants to hire him to consult on Mix’s disappearance… agreement reached $5000 now and $5000 at time his report in two weeks. Which leads us to the story, Mix’s disappearance and the union/political conspiracy, where it takes Harvey and us the reader… providing you should choose to read it…
Ross’ protagonists are likeable. Despite their talents, and like Thomas always bemused -reluctant to take part in the status quo, but somewhat accepting of the nature of things -willing to rub elbows with scoundrels, and take part in the unsavory realities of of getting things done. Able to bend, but to also refuse when some inner moral code is on the line. So much for the nature of Thomas’ writing. On to The Yellow Dog Contract, and Harvey Longmire.
Harvey Longmire, New Orleans bred, entered politics early- the youngest ever popularly elected to the Louisiana legislature with a great future ahead. Likeable and candid both, but: “achieved no little notoriety by making a good solemn campaign promise, which was to introduce a bill that would legalize cunnilingus and fellatio between consenting adults. Needless to say (then why say it?) my political career died swiftly and my self-appointed mentor, a kindly, aging former crony of the sainted Huey Long, advised me in all seriousness that, “Harvey, the state just ain’t quite ready for a pussy-eatin’ bill yet.” … “state legislature is an excellent place to further one’s political education, and if one is particularly interested in the study of political chicanery, knavery, improbity, and bamboozlement” - an excellent schoolground for his latter move into big union organizations and later as a highly successful political operative with an amazing talent for getting his candidate elected.
1976. Harvey, now 42, while not retired is in retreat having purchased 80 acres in ‘64 in NW Virginia at a good price ($300 per), in ‘72 gotten out of the game and with his wife Ruth taken to country living, and modest farming. “How long have you been living on your farm?” “Four years. Since 1972.” “That was when you dropped out, wasn’t it?” “I didn’t drop out.” “Retired.” “I didn’t retire.” “What would you call it?” “I don’t have to call it anything.” … “ By trial and error I had turned myself into a pretty fair vegetable gardener and a so-so goatherd. But what I did best was grow Christmas trees. Eight years ago, I planted 11,000 white pines. Sentimentalists from as far away as Washington and Baltimore now came with their kids at Christmas to pick out and chop down their own trees. I furnished the axe. I charged five dollars a tree regardless of its size. But this year I was thinking of charging ten.” Between the sale of trees, some honey, clover and goat’s milk and cheese they brought in the past year about 1/2 their income of close to $12,000. The other 1/2 from: “ the sale of Ruth’s watercolor drawings to a Los Angeles greeting card firm. She drew gentle, immensely clever caricatures of animals and her models were mostly members of our own menagerie” [A slew of cats and dogs, two goats and two ornery peacocks 🦚] “The Los Angeles firm couldn’t get enough of Ruth’s drawings. Quite by accident I had found that I had a remarkable talent for writing greeting card verse that contained just the right touch of simpering banality. The L.A. firm paid me two dollars a line and occasionally dropped me warm little notes that compared my efforts favorably with those of Rod McKuen.” … “By the time I arrived at Connecticut Avenue and M Street I had composed thirty-six lines of doggerel, which I dictated into a small portable tape recorder, shouting some of the lines, even declaiming them to make myself heard above the Ford’s clatter. They rhymed, they scanned, and they were as sticky as honey and twice as sweet.”
Harvey’ ride into DC prompted by the arrival of two close former Union operatives cronies with an offer to consider. “ Murfin and Quane came out on the porch and looked around… We shook hands then and they both still had their quick, firm, professional handshakes—the kind that preachers, politicians and most labor organizers have. After that was over I told them to sit anywhere and they decided on two canvas chairs, the kind that they call directors chairs in Hollywood and safari chairs in Africa. I’m not quite sure what they’re called in Virginia.” The pitch and M&Q’s boss. “He spent maybe a million or so and ninety-six percent of the ones he backed got elected and it was gonna be veto-proof, except it didn’t quite work out like that, and Vullo got a little disillusioned with politics.”
“Vullo came up with something else,” Quane said. I nodded. “One should keep busy.” “We’ve been setting it up for him.” Quane said.” … “ When everything’s all set it’ll sell for twenty or twenty-five bucks a year and for that you also become a member of the Foundation. And the twenty or twenty-five bucks or whatever will be deductible.” “We stole that from the National Geographic,” Quane said. “What’re you going to call yours?” I said. “The Paranoia Review?” “Nah,” Murfin said. “I came up with the title, as a matter of fact. We’re gonna call it The Vullo Report.” Vullo wants to meet Harvey, who is not interested. They offer $500 to meet and to listen, “I’ll talk to him for a thousand.”
Accepted. Considering the family income, $1,000 to drive into DC for an hour to listen seems worth it.
Vullo. “Tell me about you and the CIA,” he said. “I decided to tell him about my Uncle Slick. His name wasn’t really Uncle Slick, of course, it was Jean-Jacques Le Gouis and he was my mother’s younger brother. The Le Gouis family had moved to the States from Dijon in 1929 when my mother was eighteen and my uncle was nine. By 1941 my uncle was twenty-one and a senior at Yale… My uncle had a very pleasant war with the OSS in England and France and afterward he stayed on with the CIA. In 1961 I had been in the Congo for a while, about the time that Patrice Lumumba was getting his, and that had been the last time I had seen Uncle Slick, which was, I thought, a bit more than coincidental. I never was sure what Slick did for the CIA. Something nasty probably. In 1964 he showed up unexpectedly in Berlin where I was working for something called the Morningside Network…”
Uncle Slick gets him set up with the AFL-CIO, running Hundermark’s reelection campaign. “He died the year after Mix defeated him.” “That was when?” “Mix beat him in 1964.” “You went to work for Hundermark when?” “That same year. Sixty-four. Early sixty-four.” “What happened?” “Mix squeaked in by eight votes at the convention. I could have bought the votes, if I had known they were up for sale, which I should have, but didn’t.” … “ “The CIA’s real interest in Hundermark was that international thing he set up—what was it called?” “The PWI,” I said. “Public Workers International.” “It was sort of a loose confederation of all the public-employee unions in the world, wasn’t it?” “The free world,” I said. “I think they were still calling it the free world back in the sixties.” … “The second thing that Mix did when he won the presidency was to dissolve the PWI, or at least dissolve the union’s ties with it.” “What was the first thing he did?” “He fired me—except that I’d already quit. But Mix fired me anyway, at least in the newspapers. Then he fired Murfin and Quane.”
The deceased Hundermark. “Harvey?” Murfin said. “Harvey don’t go to funerals.” That was a new fact and new facts always interested Vullo. He looked at me and said, “Why not?” “I no longer do things that I don’t like to do, if I can avoid doing them. I can avoid going to funerals. So I don’t.” … “I think I find that a rather irresponsible attitude,” he said finally. “So do I,” I said, “but being responsible to anyone other than myself and my family is one of the things I now avoid because I never much liked it anyhow.”
Despite Harvey’s questionable attitude Zullo wants to hire him to consult on Mix’s disappearance… agreement reached $5000 now and $5000 at time his report in two weeks. Which leads us to the story, Mix’s disappearance and the union/political conspiracy, where it takes Harvey and us the reader… providing you should choose to read it…
June 4, 2019
Morbidly funny and terribly cynical writer Ross Thomas tackles the 1970s conspiracy thriller in his own way with "Yellow-Dog Contract." The hero-narrator, Harry Longmire, used to be a hotshot campaign consultant but he's now retired to a Virginia farm to grow Christmas trees, milk goats, write greeting card doggerel and enjoy the company of his artist wife. But then a pair of sharp operators from his past show up waving big money in his face, seeking his help in finding a missing union leader.
Before the book's over Longmire will witness two brutal murders, meet with a party's nominee for president, buy clothing from a dead man's widow and sketch out an astonishingly bold conspiracy to bring cities across the nation to their knees.
As usual, Thomas writes terrific dialogue and description, bringing the characters to life. There's a scene in an Oddfellows Hall in St. Louis that snaps and crackles with violence and comedy. I enjoyed this novel, and sat up late to finish it.
The mystery of who's behind the whole thing isn't much of a mystery, because the hints Thomas drops along the way are just a tad too broad. But the tactics and goals of the conspiracy itself are clever indeed, and his hero is such a throwback character (he rolls his own cigarettes and drives a beat-up pickup truck) that it's fun to watch the other characters being thrown off by his mannerisms and preferences. Alas, we never quite find out what happened to make him so desperate to drop out of the rat race. A few hints about that, and fewer about the conspiracy's origin, would have been welcome.
Before the book's over Longmire will witness two brutal murders, meet with a party's nominee for president, buy clothing from a dead man's widow and sketch out an astonishingly bold conspiracy to bring cities across the nation to their knees.
As usual, Thomas writes terrific dialogue and description, bringing the characters to life. There's a scene in an Oddfellows Hall in St. Louis that snaps and crackles with violence and comedy. I enjoyed this novel, and sat up late to finish it.
The mystery of who's behind the whole thing isn't much of a mystery, because the hints Thomas drops along the way are just a tad too broad. But the tactics and goals of the conspiracy itself are clever indeed, and his hero is such a throwback character (he rolls his own cigarettes and drives a beat-up pickup truck) that it's fun to watch the other characters being thrown off by his mannerisms and preferences. Alas, we never quite find out what happened to make him so desperate to drop out of the rat race. A few hints about that, and fewer about the conspiracy's origin, would have been welcome.
December 13, 2017
This is actually a pretty good Ross Thomas political thriller. With a little updating, it might be a good movie, to be honest.
I like Ross Thomas because he writes dialog like Raymond Chandler: men doing their work competently, even though the work isn’t very satisfying. He reminds me a lot of Robert Ludlum, except Ludlum dealt with international and Cold War politics, instead of domestic/local politics and crime.
My biggest beef is his inability to write about women. Most of the time they exist to sleep with the main character. This one was slightly better in that regard. I think there are five women who have first and last names!!! Staggering!
This was going to be four stars, except the twisty ending defied logic. Everything was tied up pat, but not very satisfying. I won’t spoil it, but I didn’t get the motivation. It’s worth reading though.
Recommended if you like Political Thriller.
I like Ross Thomas because he writes dialog like Raymond Chandler: men doing their work competently, even though the work isn’t very satisfying. He reminds me a lot of Robert Ludlum, except Ludlum dealt with international and Cold War politics, instead of domestic/local politics and crime.
My biggest beef is his inability to write about women. Most of the time they exist to sleep with the main character. This one was slightly better in that regard. I think there are five women who have first and last names!!! Staggering!
This was going to be four stars, except the twisty ending defied logic. Everything was tied up pat, but not very satisfying. I won’t spoil it, but I didn’t get the motivation. It’s worth reading though.
Recommended if you like Political Thriller.
August 9, 2017
Easily one of Ross Thomas' best works (I think I have written that sentence about a half dozen times now), this novel is much less cynical and nihilistic than many of the other DC-area whodunits. In classic Thomas fashion the setup takes about 80% of the pagespace, and the plot is clever enough to have happened in real life--what if the wildcat strikes of the late seventies that helped shift middle management very solidly into the Republican party and guaranteed 12 years of Republican political hegemony were indeed a plot by ex-CIA guys working for a management consulting firm?
Anyhow, a very quick and satisfying read, like a well-made sandwich.
Anyhow, a very quick and satisfying read, like a well-made sandwich.
October 25, 2020
What's old is new
Written in the 70's, a lot what happens in the story can relate to the current times. Ask yourself what is the difference between "right to work" laws and "Yellow Dog contracts.
Written in the 70's, a lot what happens in the story can relate to the current times. Ask yourself what is the difference between "right to work" laws and "Yellow Dog contracts.
December 17, 2019
Tricky.
Mr. Ross could really write the best books about political chicanery and jiggery pokery. Even though slightly dated, this was thoroughly enjoyable.
Mr. Ross could really write the best books about political chicanery and jiggery pokery. Even though slightly dated, this was thoroughly enjoyable.
June 11, 2021
I've read a few of his other books, and for a "political thriller" this one was a little uninteresting.
July 30, 2024
Sooner or later, every author who writes a lot of books inevitably produces one that isn't up to his usual standards and, to my mind at least, this stand-alone novel from Ross Thomas is not among his best efforts. The book, published in 1976, is serviceable enough, but it lacks a lot of the wit and sparkle that one normally associates with a Ross Thomas story. Additionally, the characters, though well-drawn, are not as engaging as most of Thomas's protagonists, especially his series characters.
The main character, Harvey Longmire, is a political operative with a great track record, but he has left the game and is now living in semi-retirement on a small Virginia farm with his wife and a menagerie of animals. As the book opens, two of his old associates appear, asking Harvey to listen to a proposition.
Several years earlier, Harvey and the two associates had been involved in a campaign to elect the national president of the Public Employees Union. Twelve years down the road, the man who won that election has disappeared and is probably dead. Sinister forces are now working within the union in ways that will discredit the union and will almost certainly impact the upcoming election for president of the United States. Longmire reluctantly agrees to help try to determine what happened to the missing union official and who is behind the resulting skullduggery.
As always in a Ross Thomas novel, the plot will take a lot of twists and turns en route to something of an explosive climax, but I found that I just could not get invested in either Harvey Longmire or in this plot. Normally, Thomas is one of those authors who sucks me in immediately on the first page with an interesting setup and compelling characters. As a result, I usually race through one of his books as fast as I can. I felt no such compulsion here. Again, this is not a bad book, but those who have not yet discovered this truly talented author would be well advised to start with almost any of his other novels.
The main character, Harvey Longmire, is a political operative with a great track record, but he has left the game and is now living in semi-retirement on a small Virginia farm with his wife and a menagerie of animals. As the book opens, two of his old associates appear, asking Harvey to listen to a proposition.
Several years earlier, Harvey and the two associates had been involved in a campaign to elect the national president of the Public Employees Union. Twelve years down the road, the man who won that election has disappeared and is probably dead. Sinister forces are now working within the union in ways that will discredit the union and will almost certainly impact the upcoming election for president of the United States. Longmire reluctantly agrees to help try to determine what happened to the missing union official and who is behind the resulting skullduggery.
As always in a Ross Thomas novel, the plot will take a lot of twists and turns en route to something of an explosive climax, but I found that I just could not get invested in either Harvey Longmire or in this plot. Normally, Thomas is one of those authors who sucks me in immediately on the first page with an interesting setup and compelling characters. As a result, I usually race through one of his books as fast as I can. I felt no such compulsion here. Again, this is not a bad book, but those who have not yet discovered this truly talented author would be well advised to start with almost any of his other novels.
May 10, 2025
This was the 7th book by Ross Thomas I read almost back to back and I think I will pause here for a while. THe problem is, you get so much used to the level of quality that Ross Thomas offers that it doesn't surprise you anymore. You take it for granted. Hence the pause...
Yello-dog contract is another typical Thomas novel, masterfully mixing politics, espionage and crime, underpinned by witty dialogues and a vast gallery of colourful characters.
In particular, Harvey Longmire, the protagonist, is one of the most interesting characters I've met in Ross Thomas' novels (and he had
Yello-dog contract is another typical Thomas novel, masterfully mixing politics, espionage and crime, underpinned by witty dialogues and a vast gallery of colourful characters.
In particular, Harvey Longmire, the protagonist, is one of the most interesting characters I've met in Ross Thomas' novels (and he had
September 24, 2022
I do love a good labour story! This is maybe a tad too bare-bones; it does seem to be a bit of a frame to hang a (very good) mystery on, without enough quite enough characterization to stand alone.
October 5, 2014
Harvey Longmire is an ex-political and union operative who has retired to a farm with his wife to raise goats and Christmas trees. He is lured back by two men he used to work with to search for a missing union head. His investigation leads both to people he used to work with and his own family. Soon the bodies start to pile up and Longmire finds a wide-ranging conspiracy that could shake the foundations of the country.
Thomas wrote dark books about politics and conspiracy that feature engaging if not likable characters. I consider this one of his lesser works, well-worth reading, but lacking some of the humor that he leavens his other books with. At the finale, I think he lost track of his characters – one character talks about suicide, then a completely different character says they were going to commit suicide.
(It matters at the end.)
3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4 for readability.
Thomas wrote dark books about politics and conspiracy that feature engaging if not likable characters. I consider this one of his lesser works, well-worth reading, but lacking some of the humor that he leavens his other books with. At the finale, I think he lost track of his characters – one character talks about suicide, then a completely different character says they were going to commit suicide.
(It matters at the end.)
3 1/2 stars rounded up to 4 for readability.
November 24, 2015
Once a year, at the very least, one likes to sit down and imbibe a long slow shot of Ross Thomas, and feel cultured and clever and civilised for a while. This tale of a campaign organiser brought back from bucolic farm life to look into the disappearance of a union boss leads to a murderous political conspiracy to scupper the upcoming US elections. But who is behind it and is there anyone he can trust? The skullduggery of union politics from high-level power plays to low-level violence and intimidation all feature in this delightfully nasty and poisonous but smooth and powerful little thriller. Drink it slow, there's a bite on every sip.
July 3, 2009
It's a good Ross Thomas detective novel, this time involving labor unions and a political election. As usual with Thomas, the strength is in the detailed characterizations of the quirky and taciturn main players, while the plot wraps up a bit abruptly. Few writers capture the intrigue of DC and the machinations of politics quite like Thomas, and he does it in easy-to-read chunks. A good couple of hours.
May 21, 2020
A former Louisiana legislator and retired political fixer finds himself attempting to forestall a plot to take over the federal government.
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