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Hooligans / Sharky's Machine
Jake Kilmer is a cop for the Feds. His specialty is a branch of the Mafia known as the Cincinnati Triad. He's pursued them for years, and now they've set up shop in Dunetown, Georgia. This time, they will not escape the Hooligans, a tough squad of ex-cops that Jake has organized. This time, he'll settle the score once and for all....
832 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
89 people are currently reading
371 people want to read
About the author
William Diehl
47 books170 followersWilliam Diehl was an American novelist and photojournalist.
Diehl was fifty years old and already a successful photographer and journalist when he decided to begin a writing career. His first novel, Sharky's Machine, which became a movie by the same name was directed by and starred Burt Reynolds. Diehl saw the movie shot on location in and around his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.
Following the success of Sharky's Machine, Diehl relocated to St. Simons Island, GA in the early 80's where he lived for the next 15 years before going back to the Atlanta area. While living on St. Simons, he completed eight more novels, including Primal Fear, which also became a movie by the same name starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton. Diehl died at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta on November 24, 2006, of an aortic aneurism. He was a resident of Woodstock, Georgia at the time of his death and was working on his tenth novel.
Diehl was fifty years old and already a successful photographer and journalist when he decided to begin a writing career. His first novel, Sharky's Machine, which became a movie by the same name was directed by and starred Burt Reynolds. Diehl saw the movie shot on location in and around his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia.
Following the success of Sharky's Machine, Diehl relocated to St. Simons Island, GA in the early 80's where he lived for the next 15 years before going back to the Atlanta area. While living on St. Simons, he completed eight more novels, including Primal Fear, which also became a movie by the same name starring Richard Gere and Edward Norton. Diehl died at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta on November 24, 2006, of an aortic aneurism. He was a resident of Woodstock, Georgia at the time of his death and was working on his tenth novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 21, 2008
I just finished reading this hard-hitting, police procedural last night, and I gotta say that I enjoyed it. With passages like;
"He sat forward, almost on the edge of his seat, his legs tucked close to the black cane, his gimlet eyes glittering like diamonds. When he wanted, his voice had the lilt of Irish flavored with molasses, a voice you listened to and wanted to believe. It could also be as tough as a cowhand's behind."
or
"He was wrapped around her like kudzu around a telephone pole"
The whole thing read like an old Cagney movie, and I enjoy it from cover to cover. Definately *not* "chick-lit"; some very graphic scenes and flashbacks from Vietnam.
I liked it enough that I would probably read others by Diehl.
"He sat forward, almost on the edge of his seat, his legs tucked close to the black cane, his gimlet eyes glittering like diamonds. When he wanted, his voice had the lilt of Irish flavored with molasses, a voice you listened to and wanted to believe. It could also be as tough as a cowhand's behind."
or
"He was wrapped around her like kudzu around a telephone pole"
The whole thing read like an old Cagney movie, and I enjoy it from cover to cover. Definately *not* "chick-lit"; some very graphic scenes and flashbacks from Vietnam.
I liked it enough that I would probably read others by Diehl.
February 3, 2018
Další kniha z akce "probíráme knihovnu". Titul, který vyšel ve slovenské Zelené knižnici a který už jsem si skoro nepamatoval. Potom, co jsme ho přečetl, si ho nepamatuju dál. Přitom je tam spousta věcí, kvůli kterým by z toho měl být hit. Drsňáčtí poldové. Město ovládané mafií. Válka gangů proti které je Rudá žeň je odpolední piknik u kávy. Stará femfatální láska. Dostihy, psí závody, Vietnam, pašování drog. Občas i nějaká ta hláška. A ani autor není žádné béčko, má za sebou zfilmovaný Primární strach či Sharkys Machine. Ale tahle kniha je prostě zívačka. Přes všechny ty zajímavé věci se plouží celých pět set stránek, aby se jen v závěru vzedmula k nějakému zrychlení. Hrdina je necharismatický a ustavičně vzpomínající na minulost, vraždy vás moc neberou... číst tuhle knihu je jako prodírat se hromadou balastu, jako procházka muzeem toho, co bylo v osmdesátých letech populární, šokující a nové.
March 20, 2011
"His knuckles were the size of Bermuda onions" Really? Just can't finish this stinker. Liked his other stuff, like Chameleon and Sharkey's Machine but this one goes onto the very small unfinished pile.
October 7, 2020
Holy cow!
This book will keep you on your toes until the last pages. It has more twists and turns Lombard street in San Francisco. Characters are just that, absolute characters. One good read for sure.
This book will keep you on your toes until the last pages. It has more twists and turns Lombard street in San Francisco. Characters are just that, absolute characters. One good read for sure.
October 2, 2024
Seemingly LONG Book, With Lots of Artistic Prose
Wow … It’s been a long, long time since I’ve come across an Author who wants to say so much in so many different ways in one sentence (or, perhaps, paragraph) … truthfully, it was almost enough to make me want to move on to another book — but, the story line was captivating, if not even a bit confusing. There were LOTS of characters involved in this book, and keeping track of them (and their different nicknames) was fairly difficult.
This book could be considered difficult to read and plow through, but in the end, I think it was worth it — and hence the 5-stars rating rather than just 4-stars. So, yes, I highly recommend The Reader grab hold of this and keep at it. The action in the last few chapters, in particular, make it all worthwhile.
Wow … It’s been a long, long time since I’ve come across an Author who wants to say so much in so many different ways in one sentence (or, perhaps, paragraph) … truthfully, it was almost enough to make me want to move on to another book — but, the story line was captivating, if not even a bit confusing. There were LOTS of characters involved in this book, and keeping track of them (and their different nicknames) was fairly difficult.
This book could be considered difficult to read and plow through, but in the end, I think it was worth it — and hence the 5-stars rating rather than just 4-stars. So, yes, I highly recommend The Reader grab hold of this and keep at it. The action in the last few chapters, in particular, make it all worthwhile.
May 25, 2025
A forty-year-old tough guy/murder mystery novel set in a fictional city in coastal Georgia. It hasn't aged well. Mr. Diehl was in his late fifties (where I am as I write this review) and it's pretty obvious he was channeling writers like Spillane and Westlake when he wrote this book circa 1983. The dialogue, characters and so on seem more like something out of a novel from approximately twenty-five years earlier. It might have been better if Mr. Diehl had set his story in 1960 instead of 1983. The mystery isn't really all that much of a mystery and the characters are cardboard stereotypes. Did I hate this novel? No. As such things go it was readable enough and I did finish it, but it's not a keeper. Very much a read for road trips and sitting on the beach (see my shelves). Paid fifty cents for it at a secondhand store and that is where it is going back to.
October 25, 2017
I enjoyed the book, however it was somewhat slow. I have read a couple of his other books and
they were faster reads in general. The characters were interesting but the action was slightly difficult to follow
they were faster reads in general. The characters were interesting but the action was slightly difficult to follow
January 3, 2018
Complicated Carolina mafia intrigue w local politicians trying to build a city.. horse racing and cocaine make strange bedfellows
January 5, 2020
A Home Run!!
Great story well laid out with a lot of great characters. I will have to read other books by this author.
Great story well laid out with a lot of great characters. I will have to read other books by this author.
September 11, 2020
Read in 1984. Group of ex cops known as the Hooligans takes on the Mafia. One of my favorites that year.
December 19, 2020
This is one of my favourite thrillers!
November 4, 2022
Recommended
Surprisingly engaging. A well told, intriguing 1st person narrative. The best I've read of his ouvre.
Sort of reminded me of Greg Iles.
Surprisingly engaging. A well told, intriguing 1st person narrative. The best I've read of his ouvre.
Sort of reminded me of Greg Iles.
October 31, 2023
One of my favorite crime / mafia novels. I really like the Hollywood action movie setting done right and the redemption arc feels so good.
July 11, 2024
I did not enjoy this book at all.
February 23, 2014
Only one more Diehl book to go. Hooligans is somewhat different from his other novels. It is almost like reading Dragnet with Joe Friday. Most of the novel is narrated. It is gripping drama showing how the Vietnam War affected many of the men in the book. I am certain he used Savannah, GA as the city in the book, since so many scenes are typical of that city. The Hooligans are good-guy vigilantes that actually work under the auspices of the police. The protaganists are members of the Mafia, high-roller upper-class of the city, and the Hooligans who try to solve a number of murders. A good read. Its message might be war messes up men's minds AND one can never go back to before.
February 7, 2017
Good. Beach read
June 30, 2020
Basic ..maybe too basic?
It's an ok read. It's not revolutionary in terms of writing style. It's a crime investigation type of book that you read quickly on a train or plane. This book is also very American in terms of linguistics and references which I usually enjoy but found a bit flat towards the end. The author is highly regarded but to me it's not a patch on a good James Ellroy or James Patterson...
It's an ok read. It's not revolutionary in terms of writing style. It's a crime investigation type of book that you read quickly on a train or plane. This book is also very American in terms of linguistics and references which I usually enjoy but found a bit flat towards the end. The author is highly regarded but to me it's not a patch on a good James Ellroy or James Patterson...
May 2, 2015
I really wanted to rated this only one star, but wanted to be fair to the author. The book isn't bad, it's just not my genre. Mafia and politics...bleck! Depressing. If you like this type of book, I think this is a good book. Characters well defined. A good mystery as to what's going on. Who is behind what. Who can be trusted. Just not for me.
August 19, 2017
Good novel about a group of maverick cops that do what has to be done to get the right result,
This is my second novel by William Diehl and absolutely nothing like the first (Primal Fear) which is one of my all time favourites. I'll take that to prove what a good diverse writer Diehl is.
Highly recommended but don't expect a Martin Vail type novel.
This is my second novel by William Diehl and absolutely nothing like the first (Primal Fear) which is one of my all time favourites. I'll take that to prove what a good diverse writer Diehl is.
Highly recommended but don't expect a Martin Vail type novel.
May 6, 2010
A fairly typical mafioso crime story that takes place in a small coastal
Georgia city. (Savannah ?) A federal investigator comes to town and
joins forces with a local group of officers. Not Diehl's best effort.
Georgia city. (Savannah ?) A federal investigator comes to town and
joins forces with a local group of officers. Not Diehl's best effort.
July 30, 2011
This is definetly a guys book, full of murder, mayhem, sex and guy talk. The way guys really talk or wished we talked. The story told through the voice of the protaganist is great and lends a feel to the book that is hard to find. Definetly on of the best noir books I've ever read.
August 4, 2011
This book is very entertaining. It is also tricky to follow. If you like a lot of action and a good plot twist this would be a good book for you.
Want to read
November 19, 2012I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11539987
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11539987
April 30, 2014
This book is very entertaining
July 20, 2014
Good read
Good read
Very god book on the lines of James Paterson. Keeps your attention with various people all through out the book ,then the surprise ending.
Good read
Very god book on the lines of James Paterson. Keeps your attention with various people all through out the book ,then the surprise ending.
August 13, 2014
Great read
One of the best mystery thriller I've read in a long time. William Diehl is a very good author. A must read.
One of the best mystery thriller I've read in a long time. William Diehl is a very good author. A must read.
February 9, 2016
Great read!
October 28, 2014
Truly enjoyable
It was a well developed story that kept you involved. There was good character building that continued through out the end
It was a well developed story that kept you involved. There was good character building that continued through out the end
January 17, 2015
great book
A great cop thriller with lots of plot twists and many different characters to keep track of. A must read.
A great cop thriller with lots of plot twists and many different characters to keep track of. A must read.
June 1, 2024
Good crime novel
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews