The Three-way Split

by Gil Brewer

Genres: Crime

128 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1960

About the author

Florida writer Gil Brewer was the author of dozens of wonderfully sleazy sex/crime adventure novels of the 1950's and 60's, including Backwoods Teaser and Nude on Thin Ice; some of them starring private eye Lee Baron (Wild) or the brothers Sam and Tate Morgan (The Bitch) . Gil Brewer, who had not previously published any novels, began to write for Gold Medal Paperbacks in 1950-51. Brewer wrote some 30 novels between 1951 and the late 60s – very often involving an ordinary man who becomes involved with, and is often corrupted and destroyed by, an evil or designing woman. His style is simple and direct, with sharp dialogue, often achieving considerable intensity.

Brewer was one of the many writers who ghost wrote under the Ellery Queen byline as well. Brewer also was known as Eric Fitzgerald, Bailey Morgan, and Elaine Evans.

http://www.gilbrewer.com/

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Three-Way Split begins with Gil Brewer reworking the opening of one of of his short stories. In “Death Comes Last” (Hunted Detective Story Magazine, October 1955), Brewer begins with an aggrieved protagonist, who runs a modest charter-boat service, getting shafted out of his fee because his obnoxious clients didn’t catch any fish and one of them lost a watch overboard. The Three-Way Split begins with another aggrieved protagonist running a charter boat, and this time a necklace falls into the Gulf. On this occasion, however, our protagonist—Jack Holland, which also happens to be one of Brewer’s pseudonyms—manages to find the necklace, and he finds something else too: a recently uncovered sunken ship. Perhaps it contains treasure? After this, Brewer rushes to get his other characters on stage: Jack’s girlfriend, his girlfriend’s sister, his friend the old treasure hunter, his ne’er-do-well father, and the men who want to kill his ne’er-do-well father. If you like this sort of thing, how much you ultimately like The Three-Way Split will probably hinge on how effective you find its ending. Currently available as part of a two-fer reprint from Stark House Press.

[Mark Baumgart · Rating 4 out of 5]

“There was dried blood everywhere, in splotches, in fine flower-like designs, and in bigger puddles…”

Jack Holland is an honest man in love with Sarah, an honest woman. A woman who just wants to marry Jack, and for Jack to get an honest, and well-paying job. Jack, on-the-other-hand, just wants to make enough money to marry his sweetheart.

This is because Jack is the owner of a fishing boat that barely stays afloat financially. Sarah is also stuck with a party girl sister more intent on having a good time than doing an honest job.

Then when things couldn’t get more sticky between Jack and Sarah, Jack learns that his loser and grifter father, is coming to visit him. It seems that Jack’s father is always in trouble, who only seems to remember who Jack is when he is in SERIOUS trouble, and who always seems to rope his son into his troubles.

Meanwhile, while on a fishing job, Jack has found an ancient wreck that may be worth some real money, and recovering the possible treasure that is on the ship may give him enough money to marry Sarah. He even manages to talk Mike, his alcoholic neighbor into reluctantly helping him retrieve it.

Then everything goes down the drain when Sam, Jack’s father, actually shows up. Sam is sociopathic grifter, who it will turn out, is not only not above murder, but Sam is intent on sticking his nose into everybody’s business, as Sam knows no personal boundaries.

However it seems that Sam has really stepped into it this time, as he is being tailed by a series of paid killers. So, to keep himself alive Sam, who has found about the possible treasure, spills the beans to some of the killers to help buy himself out of his troubles. And to get this treasure he blackmails and threatens Jack and Mike into diving for the treasure on the wreck.

The Three-Way Split by Gil Brewer is a short, dark, and moody adventure noir of desperate men, both good and bad, just struggling to keep their heads above water. An adventure that is mixed with violence, murder, sex, sibling rivalry, adventure, the sea, and desperation. If you can get your hands on a copy, The Three-Way Split is a novel well worth reading from this neglected and nearly forgotten pulp novel writer.

[Eric C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps not the best Brewer but far from his worst. The story leaps right in and doesn’t stop until the end, moving very quickly through the simple, but, enjoyable plot. A dark, brooding nautical yarn with entertaining characters and a satisfying ending. A very quick read. Recommended to Brewer, MacDonald, Williams fans.