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The Last Deep Breath
The Last Deep Breath follows Grey, a drifter on the search for his foster sister, who showed up for the first time in ten years with a knife in her side, then vanished without a trace.
Grey winds up in Los Angeles dealing with manipulative actresses and scummy agents, hoping to find some clue as to what happened to her after she dropped out of a porn career he didn't know about.
Praise for The Last Deep Breath
"By now I'm convinced that Tom Piccirilli is genetically incapable of delivering a tale that's anything less than immaculately conceived and beautifully rendered. The Last Deep Breath is the latest evidence, a tough yet tender noir that cuts to the heart of what sibling bonds are all about. It ricochets around like a bullet in a cinderblock room - you can never be sure where it's going to go, but you know it's probably going to hurt before it's done." --Brian Hodge, author - WILD HORSES, MAD DOGS.
"The Last Deep Breath is an absolute gem of a crime novel, with prose so dead-on and moving, you'll be laughing and gasping, often in the same sentence. Tom Piccirilli is already one of the big guns in crime fiction, and proves here that he may be the heir to Elmore Leonard." --Jason Starr, author - PANIC ATTACK, THE CHILL.
Grey winds up in Los Angeles dealing with manipulative actresses and scummy agents, hoping to find some clue as to what happened to her after she dropped out of a porn career he didn't know about.
Praise for The Last Deep Breath
"By now I'm convinced that Tom Piccirilli is genetically incapable of delivering a tale that's anything less than immaculately conceived and beautifully rendered. The Last Deep Breath is the latest evidence, a tough yet tender noir that cuts to the heart of what sibling bonds are all about. It ricochets around like a bullet in a cinderblock room - you can never be sure where it's going to go, but you know it's probably going to hurt before it's done." --Brian Hodge, author - WILD HORSES, MAD DOGS.
"The Last Deep Breath is an absolute gem of a crime novel, with prose so dead-on and moving, you'll be laughing and gasping, often in the same sentence. Tom Piccirilli is already one of the big guns in crime fiction, and proves here that he may be the heir to Elmore Leonard." --Jason Starr, author - PANIC ATTACK, THE CHILL.
124 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2010
6 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Tom Piccirilli
186 books390 followersThomas Piccirilli (May 27, 1965 – July 11, 2015) was an American novelist and short story writer.
Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, horror, erotica, and science fiction fields. He was a two-time winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for "Best Paperback Original" (2008, 2010). He was a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He was also a finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America, a final nominee for the Fantasy Award, and the winner of the first Bram Stoker Award given in the category of "Best Poetry Collection".
Piccirilli sold over 150 stories in the mystery, thriller, horror, erotica, and science fiction fields. He was a two-time winner of the International Thriller Writers Award for "Best Paperback Original" (2008, 2010). He was a four-time winner of the Bram Stoker Award. He was also a finalist for the 2009 Edgar Allan Poe Award given by the Mystery Writers of America, a final nominee for the Fantasy Award, and the winner of the first Bram Stoker Award given in the category of "Best Poetry Collection".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
December 27, 2016
There's something sneaky about Tom Piccirilli's writing. His plots, such as in this novella, were deceptively simple. Here, we have a brooding drifter traveling across country from New York City to Hollywood in a search to find the man who put a 4-inch knife in his sister's side. It seems like a pretty straightforward crime thriller, but as everyone should come to expect from Tommy Pic's work, by the end of this short book, you discover that it's all a ploy, a simple vehicle (as most good crime fiction should be) to touch on complex topics like violent natures and the meaning of family and why you choose to include certain people in that category. And even then, you get the sense that the story is about even more than that. It feels like these later books by Piccirilli can't be fully appreciated in one reading. But I haven't been dissatisfied with a Piccirilli book so far. With each book, he quickly climbs higher on my favorite authors list.
She had an easy way about her, an effortless laugh that sounded just a little too natural. It was the soft melody of every woman you wanted to lie beside, your head resting in her lap while she stroked your forehead. You look up into her eyes and she leans down, gives you the killer grin, her bee-stung lips parting to meet your own.
February 2, 2012
Tom really does good character writing this is the second story where I was hooked on the main protagonist. This main protagonist Grey has had a hard start to life, he was one of the ones that could not go bide by the system a rebel by nature and byproduct of a dysfunctional upbringing . He feels right through the story that's his life has not quite turned out as good as his pal Pax and feels he has not done enough for his sister like friend Elle. They have parted their ways over the years due to problems and a sudden visit from Elle in despair rockets his life into desperate measures of retribution to those that done her wrong. But was she to blame? She's in an ever decreasing plight of trouble riddled by Drugs, prostitution and the porn industry.
He tries to piece her life together as he tracks her down and takes you through the seedy side of acting.
This story was a page turning struggle of individuals, fame and infamy whom you might never know about that live over that picket fence. Splendid stuff.
Review also here.
He tries to piece her life together as he tracks her down and takes you through the seedy side of acting.
This story was a page turning struggle of individuals, fame and infamy whom you might never know about that live over that picket fence. Splendid stuff.
"He'd lost his family, been abused by foster parents, kicked out of school, booted out of the Army, had nothing of value except the car, couldn't hold a steady job and worked temp labor wasting his days waiting for something to happen. He wondered if this was it."
Review also here.
April 13, 2014
Grey is a man with no direction, drifting through life wherever the road takes him, attracting the type of women whose package usually involves killing a husband or abusive partner, he is a means to an end, looks like he could kill someone and that’s what most of them want.
Until he runs into faded, ex-drug addict actress Kendra, who still looks like she has what it takes to get back on the screen and he finds himself heading to Hollywood for a trip to the last chance saloon.
Back in Tinsel town he is confronted by a blast from the past, over 10 years past in the shape of his foster sister Ellie, now a porn actress who turns up on his doorstep with a four-inch blade buried in her side. As soon as she’s patched up she’s gone leaving Grey to broach the downtrodden side of Hollywood in search of dodgy agents and ex-partner Harvey Wallbanger in a vain attempt to save her and himself.
Tom Piccirilli writes some great stuff with some wonderfully flawed, hard as nails characters and I’ll be slowly working my way through his back catalogue.
Until he runs into faded, ex-drug addict actress Kendra, who still looks like she has what it takes to get back on the screen and he finds himself heading to Hollywood for a trip to the last chance saloon.
Back in Tinsel town he is confronted by a blast from the past, over 10 years past in the shape of his foster sister Ellie, now a porn actress who turns up on his doorstep with a four-inch blade buried in her side. As soon as she’s patched up she’s gone leaving Grey to broach the downtrodden side of Hollywood in search of dodgy agents and ex-partner Harvey Wallbanger in a vain attempt to save her and himself.
Tom Piccirilli writes some great stuff with some wonderfully flawed, hard as nails characters and I’ll be slowly working my way through his back catalogue.
Want to Read
August 24, 2015This is copy 7 of 180 copies printed Signed by the author.
March 22, 2018
First Pic I've read since his tragic passing in 2015.
That man was just above the game. He took a contrived trope (dude killing his mistress' husband), turned it on its head and made it an improbable story of love and redemption. Not only he turned an insanely original novella with The Last Deep Breath, but he wrote it in his spellbinding style where he makes third person sound almost like first person narration.
It's writers like Tom Piccirilli who make me reconsider the talent vs success spectrum because the fact he wasn't at least as popular as, let's say Stephen King, makes me believe one doesn't equal the other.
He was off-the-walls talented.
That man was just above the game. He took a contrived trope (dude killing his mistress' husband), turned it on its head and made it an improbable story of love and redemption. Not only he turned an insanely original novella with The Last Deep Breath, but he wrote it in his spellbinding style where he makes third person sound almost like first person narration.
It's writers like Tom Piccirilli who make me reconsider the talent vs success spectrum because the fact he wasn't at least as popular as, let's say Stephen King, makes me believe one doesn't equal the other.
He was off-the-walls talented.
September 7, 2012
A trio of misled youths form a strong bond as a result of their less than perfect existence which carries through to adulthood. Despite going their separate ways, a violent incident brings them together which threatens to leave a trail of blood from New York to Hollywood.
Protagonist Grey, is reacquainted with his foster sister Ellie in unsavoury circumstances when she shows up on his doorstep in New York with a knife stuck in her. The presumed culprit, John Raymond, a Hollywood agent whose clientele lean towards the more risqué and less respectable side of the industry soon becomes the target of a manhunt fuelled by rage and inspired by vengeance.
Accompanying Grey is a noir-inspired dame, Kendra, whose attributes and manipulation ensure a two way arrangement that benefits both parties. Him – working his way into the biz, her – reintroduction into the glamour life she once held prior to addiction.
The lean prose and upside down end had a futile quality to it – not in a derogatory sense, more so in that Grey’s plight was never due to produce a Hollywood ending – a major motion picture ending that is. The downtrodden characters and seedy occupation contribute to a feeling of grey (apt name for a protagonist in this setting), you know its not going to end with roses and sunshine yet you’re hopelessly drawn to theconclusion by virtue of wanting to know what Grey does next.
‘The Last Deep Breath’ is solid enough novella which pays homage to the genre nicely. I would’ve like a little more substance to Grey despite what was alluded to and to have seen more of mentioned-yet-never-sighted,Pax, the absentee character who influences Grey’s every move in almost God worship-like fashion. This is a quick, one sitting read that’s sure to please – 3.5 stars.
Protagonist Grey, is reacquainted with his foster sister Ellie in unsavoury circumstances when she shows up on his doorstep in New York with a knife stuck in her. The presumed culprit, John Raymond, a Hollywood agent whose clientele lean towards the more risqué and less respectable side of the industry soon becomes the target of a manhunt fuelled by rage and inspired by vengeance.
Accompanying Grey is a noir-inspired dame, Kendra, whose attributes and manipulation ensure a two way arrangement that benefits both parties. Him – working his way into the biz, her – reintroduction into the glamour life she once held prior to addiction.
The lean prose and upside down end had a futile quality to it – not in a derogatory sense, more so in that Grey’s plight was never due to produce a Hollywood ending – a major motion picture ending that is. The downtrodden characters and seedy occupation contribute to a feeling of grey (apt name for a protagonist in this setting), you know its not going to end with roses and sunshine yet you’re hopelessly drawn to theconclusion by virtue of wanting to know what Grey does next.
‘The Last Deep Breath’ is solid enough novella which pays homage to the genre nicely. I would’ve like a little more substance to Grey despite what was alluded to and to have seen more of mentioned-yet-never-sighted,Pax, the absentee character who influences Grey’s every move in almost God worship-like fashion. This is a quick, one sitting read that’s sure to please – 3.5 stars.
May 3, 2021
The world sucks a lot more without Tom Piccirilli in it.
Characters so real you could smell them and plots so tense you shatter. He did flawed people very well, probably better than anyone else. He gave clear voices to the downtrodden. That's where The Last Deep Breath comes in. You can in no way say anyone in here is a good person but you do care for them. tLDB is a gross look behind the scenes of the sex vid biz with a pretty compelling searching-for-someone mystery. This starts off a little dark, gets darker, then you get a punch in the gut as what little light there was is extinguished.
A great fast read and as with EVERY other Piccirilli purchase, worth every penny!!!
Characters so real you could smell them and plots so tense you shatter. He did flawed people very well, probably better than anyone else. He gave clear voices to the downtrodden. That's where The Last Deep Breath comes in. You can in no way say anyone in here is a good person but you do care for them. tLDB is a gross look behind the scenes of the sex vid biz with a pretty compelling searching-for-someone mystery. This starts off a little dark, gets darker, then you get a punch in the gut as what little light there was is extinguished.
A great fast read and as with EVERY other Piccirilli purchase, worth every penny!!!
May 30, 2016
The plot in this one is simple. Guy trying to track down the guy who stabbed his sister. How it progresses is something else. Begins with a bit of a ruse as Piccirilli presents the story as being about something else, then drops in the deep backstory as a set-piece mini-story, and only then clues us in on what the real plot is. Hook, line, and sinker. A bit of craft I found fascinating after I'd become completely absorbed in the story that then mainlined to the end.
December 1, 2011
I enjoyed this novella much more than I did "Every Shallow Cut." The protagonist in "Last Deep Breath" was more interesting for both his flaws and the purpose that drives him past the edges of acceptable behavior. Piccirilli also uses a lighter touch here when it comes to brutal acts, giving those that do appear in the story more emotional weight. The plot is credible, the protagonist sympathetic, and the conclusion uneven, murky, bloodied, and despondent. Altogether, this is good noir in short form.
June 12, 2012
You know that old cliché about not being able to put a book down, staying up `til the wee hours of the morning to finish it? I always have trouble believing people when they say that, but, well, that's what happened. This is a monster of a good book.
The story: Grey, a drifter deeply troubled by an unsavory past, stumbles across his long-lost foster sister Ellie, slumped across his doorstep with a knife in her side. He manages to save her life, but before he can learn what happened to her, she disappears again--leading Grey to Los Angeles in search of her. His journey takes him up against sleazy Hollywood agents, porn stars, pimps and drug dealers, in a whirlwind of noir conventions turned on their ears.
The pace of The Last Deep Breath is lightning-fast, and stays centered furiously on Grey, an intriguingly damaged protagonist. But what I really love about this book is how Piccirilli pulls out all these ideas we have about noir fiction, shows us the undersides of them, and then deftly displays new ways they can be used.
A good example is the opening bit:
She turned over in bed, ran her fingers through the wet thatch of his chest hair, and said, "I want you to kill my husband." Grey wasn't surprised. It seemed like every third woman he ran into wanted her husband dead. No divorce. No let's get him into AA or rehab. No he's the father of my children, sweet baby Jesus he deserves a second chance. No smack him in the teeth and leave him bleeding in the gutter.
Right away, Piccirilli takes a concept as old as Cain (James M., that is) and lets us know that, no, he's not gonna go that route because it's too easy.
And he does that sort of thing all through the book--giving us a glimpse at the old way of doing it before tossing it aside and doing it the Piccirilli way.
The Last Deep Breath is an immensely satisfying noir. Be sure to take a few deep breaths before you read it, because you'll be holding your breath the whole time.
The story: Grey, a drifter deeply troubled by an unsavory past, stumbles across his long-lost foster sister Ellie, slumped across his doorstep with a knife in her side. He manages to save her life, but before he can learn what happened to her, she disappears again--leading Grey to Los Angeles in search of her. His journey takes him up against sleazy Hollywood agents, porn stars, pimps and drug dealers, in a whirlwind of noir conventions turned on their ears.
The pace of The Last Deep Breath is lightning-fast, and stays centered furiously on Grey, an intriguingly damaged protagonist. But what I really love about this book is how Piccirilli pulls out all these ideas we have about noir fiction, shows us the undersides of them, and then deftly displays new ways they can be used.
A good example is the opening bit:
She turned over in bed, ran her fingers through the wet thatch of his chest hair, and said, "I want you to kill my husband." Grey wasn't surprised. It seemed like every third woman he ran into wanted her husband dead. No divorce. No let's get him into AA or rehab. No he's the father of my children, sweet baby Jesus he deserves a second chance. No smack him in the teeth and leave him bleeding in the gutter.
Right away, Piccirilli takes a concept as old as Cain (James M., that is) and lets us know that, no, he's not gonna go that route because it's too easy.
And he does that sort of thing all through the book--giving us a glimpse at the old way of doing it before tossing it aside and doing it the Piccirilli way.
The Last Deep Breath is an immensely satisfying noir. Be sure to take a few deep breaths before you read it, because you'll be holding your breath the whole time.
August 31, 2014
Found this lurking on my ereader. I don't recall reading it before (or even choosing it in the first place), but I'm glad I stumbled across it. It's a powerful, moving story, very quick to read, extremely well-written, about a man with a sad history trying to hold what's left of his foster family together in a violent, angry world.
September 17, 2021
Pic man, Pic.
October 10, 2010
Taking a break from horror, I picked up a copy of The Last Deep Breath by Tom Piccirilli, which is a gritty, crime noire. Tasmaniac Publications are renowned for producing top grade limited soft covers, and this is no exception. I thought it better to snag one quick, as these books tend to sell out fast...which this one did!
Grey is a bit of a drifter, going from relationship to doomed relationship. Every woman wants him to kill her husband/boyfriend. Is there something about him that attracts this kind of woman?
Out of the blue, his foster sister appears at the door to his apartment in New York with a knife in her side and a heroin addiction. In the morning, after being patched up by one of Grey's army buds, she's gone. The only information Grey's obtained is the name Johnny, and that his sister had been working in porn.
With revenge in mind and his sister's welfare at stake, Grey heads to Hollywood to track down her past, and ultimately...her future.
Piccirilli gives us a taste of the sleazy side of the American dream. Desperate actresses, dodgy agents, porn stars, drug dealers, pimps and junkies are crammed into this book, and being a mere 100 page novella, results in none stop action and intrigue.
The violence is brutal and realistic, and while Grey threatens and intimidates his way to the truth, not carrying about people but only what those people can do for him, Piccirilli has created a very sympathetic protagonist despite his flaws. You want Grey to succeed, because in his pathetic and messed up life, it's all he has.
But then, this is noire, and there's rarely a happy ending.
In fact my one qualm with the book was the ending. It's over in the blink of an eye, and I actually turned the page and got confused who all these new characters were. Turns out I'd crossed into the bonus short story, Between the Dark and the Daylight. I think one last chapter to fully resolve the story would have been perfect. At the moment, it just stops dead.
Between the Dark and the Daylight. This sounds farcical, with a several men trying to stop a renegade hot air balloon. A young boy is trapped in the basket, and as the balloon sweeps through a nearby forest, only two men, the protag and the boy's father are left, hanging onto the guide ropes. Both men are forced to let go, and the balloon heads into the perilous Rockies. The boy's father, a mad man named Frank Bradley who tried to hijack the balloon in the first place, blames our protagonist, and so starts a story of revenge and kidnap.
Tightly written and an enjoyable dark romp, this was a great little bonus after a very good novella.
Recommended for any dark crime fan, although the book is now sold out! I believe there may be a few copies remaining at the online book store www.merchantskeep.com.
Grey is a bit of a drifter, going from relationship to doomed relationship. Every woman wants him to kill her husband/boyfriend. Is there something about him that attracts this kind of woman?
Out of the blue, his foster sister appears at the door to his apartment in New York with a knife in her side and a heroin addiction. In the morning, after being patched up by one of Grey's army buds, she's gone. The only information Grey's obtained is the name Johnny, and that his sister had been working in porn.
With revenge in mind and his sister's welfare at stake, Grey heads to Hollywood to track down her past, and ultimately...her future.
Piccirilli gives us a taste of the sleazy side of the American dream. Desperate actresses, dodgy agents, porn stars, drug dealers, pimps and junkies are crammed into this book, and being a mere 100 page novella, results in none stop action and intrigue.
The violence is brutal and realistic, and while Grey threatens and intimidates his way to the truth, not carrying about people but only what those people can do for him, Piccirilli has created a very sympathetic protagonist despite his flaws. You want Grey to succeed, because in his pathetic and messed up life, it's all he has.
But then, this is noire, and there's rarely a happy ending.
In fact my one qualm with the book was the ending. It's over in the blink of an eye, and I actually turned the page and got confused who all these new characters were. Turns out I'd crossed into the bonus short story, Between the Dark and the Daylight. I think one last chapter to fully resolve the story would have been perfect. At the moment, it just stops dead.
Between the Dark and the Daylight. This sounds farcical, with a several men trying to stop a renegade hot air balloon. A young boy is trapped in the basket, and as the balloon sweeps through a nearby forest, only two men, the protag and the boy's father are left, hanging onto the guide ropes. Both men are forced to let go, and the balloon heads into the perilous Rockies. The boy's father, a mad man named Frank Bradley who tried to hijack the balloon in the first place, blames our protagonist, and so starts a story of revenge and kidnap.
Tightly written and an enjoyable dark romp, this was a great little bonus after a very good novella.
Recommended for any dark crime fan, although the book is now sold out! I believe there may be a few copies remaining at the online book store www.merchantskeep.com.
December 13, 2018
Man, ive become spoiled from reading Remarque, King, and Follett. Now I want things like a elaboration and character development. I expect too much.
This was a Jack Reacher novel done wrong.
If the author wasnt dead, Id say he has some potential, but as he is pushing daisies his legacy will forever be.....meh....
This was a Jack Reacher novel done wrong.
If the author wasnt dead, Id say he has some potential, but as he is pushing daisies his legacy will forever be.....meh....
March 26, 2020
The Last Deep Breath follows Grey, an orphan who is shaped by events in his past and continues to let the world chart his course, like a boat adrift at sea. And yet, there is something about Grey that doesn’t strike anyone around him (except perhaps his foster brother, Pax) as someone aimless.
In fact, most people seem to look at him and think he’s capable of killing.
Woman after woman begs him to off her husband and he bides his time, moving from woman to woman and never taking care of their spouses before he leaves without saying goodbye.
When he meets Kendra, things start to change. She’s an actress who is looking to make a comeback, and he was on his way to Los Angeles, so it’s a good match for him at the time. Once in LA he can proceed with his personal quest, which is to find the person his foster sister mentioned, the man he thinks can help him locate Ellie after her disappearance.
One of the best features of Tom Piccirilli’s writing is how fully he fleshes out characters without overtelling; he makes it look effortless to tell such an engaging tale in a hundred pages. He also doesn’t start out with a lot of backstory, and when Grey’s history is introduced it weaves in with the present in such a way that you never feel like you lost forward momentum.
Piccirilli also breathes life into Ellie and Pax, despite how little time they’re actually on the page and despite the fact that, other than a phone call with Pax, neither of them appears in the book in real time. Pax lingers like a shadow, his presence felt throughout. There’s a sense of how much of Grey has been influenced by his foster brother, and Grey’s love for his foster sister is a driving force that’s as real as water or skin.
Things do not go as planned, and the twists and turns along the way lead to an unexpected resolution for this novella, which is highly recommended. The print version has a bonus short story called “Between the Dark and the Daylight”, rounding out a worthy collection for crime fiction fans.
In fact, most people seem to look at him and think he’s capable of killing.
Woman after woman begs him to off her husband and he bides his time, moving from woman to woman and never taking care of their spouses before he leaves without saying goodbye.
When he meets Kendra, things start to change. She’s an actress who is looking to make a comeback, and he was on his way to Los Angeles, so it’s a good match for him at the time. Once in LA he can proceed with his personal quest, which is to find the person his foster sister mentioned, the man he thinks can help him locate Ellie after her disappearance.
One of the best features of Tom Piccirilli’s writing is how fully he fleshes out characters without overtelling; he makes it look effortless to tell such an engaging tale in a hundred pages. He also doesn’t start out with a lot of backstory, and when Grey’s history is introduced it weaves in with the present in such a way that you never feel like you lost forward momentum.
Piccirilli also breathes life into Ellie and Pax, despite how little time they’re actually on the page and despite the fact that, other than a phone call with Pax, neither of them appears in the book in real time. Pax lingers like a shadow, his presence felt throughout. There’s a sense of how much of Grey has been influenced by his foster brother, and Grey’s love for his foster sister is a driving force that’s as real as water or skin.
Things do not go as planned, and the twists and turns along the way lead to an unexpected resolution for this novella, which is highly recommended. The print version has a bonus short story called “Between the Dark and the Daylight”, rounding out a worthy collection for crime fiction fans.
February 14, 2020
Excellent short crime drama
A brother feels guilty he allowed his sister to get lost in the seedy side of Hollywood
Well narrated and highly recommended
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
A brother feels guilty he allowed his sister to get lost in the seedy side of Hollywood
Well narrated and highly recommended
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review
January 22, 2021
Another crime-noir winner from the always excellent Piccirilli.
July 15, 2021
My first book by this author, I will definitely be reading more. A tale of a drifter looking for his sister. Well written and interesting.
August 29, 2021
I wanted more character development than this seedy short was able to deliver. Still, very readable just the same.
February 25, 2011
Another prolific writer whose talents have managed to slip under the radar, Tom Piccirilli is a four time Bram Stoker winner with over twenty novels to his credit and a slew of shorter tales that range the gamut of mystery, thriller, horror, erotica and science fiction. A heavy-hitter in the horror clique, his name has clout – so I was excited to finally delve into his take on the novella form with Tasmaniac Publications The Last Deep Breath.
Even from the illustration and from Tom’s reputation I pieced together this is a kind film-noir frolic and that’s exactly what is on offer. The story follows Grey, a washed out drifter with no clear idea or centralized compass on where he wants to be - he only knows that he must find his foster sister before the excesses of the world kill her. After both of them escaped the tortuous embrace of abusive foster parents, their crimes have seen them go in different directions … and his sister only desires reconciliation when death is just around the corner. After another vanishing act he follows her again – this time into the bustling heart of Hollywood. Soon he is seduced into a dirty world of scummy agents, fading movie stars and half-baked leads.
The first thing that jumped out at me is the prose: Tom’s style is immediately accessible and I’ve always been partial to writers who are not afraid to lay on heavy doses of metaphor. It was a little gyrating at the beginning to be sucked into a hard-boiled world set in the present day (let’s face it, most of us are conditioned to see this world through black and white sepia mirroring the styles of a bygone era). But this knee-jerk reaction is probably caused by not having read far and wide enough in the genre. Having never tackled a tome by Elmore Leonard, unfortunately this reviewer’s familiarity with the genus extended no further than films like Get Shorty with the locale setting of Mulholland Drive
Like other Tasmaniac titles, this one is short and slips by with the speed of our protagonist Grey experiencing a chemical high. There are cool vintage cars, porn stars and pimps; there are movie stars and murders. And underlying all of it is the mystique and allure of what it is to come to Hollywood for the first time. Also, it wouldn’t be a Tasmaniac edition if it didn’t have a lengthy and very entertaining foreword - this time by Patrick Lussier.
To top it off there is a bonus short Between the Dark and Daylight, a completely original and funny romp whose idea might have been spawned by the real life ‘balloon boy’ saga that dominated headlines some time back. Although comical, it’s still skewed with the penchant for violence.
As with my previous review for Within his Reach, it seems Tasmaniac have already sold out of this limited edition. But don’t let that deter you. Head on over to their web presence and grab another of their glossy little novellas before they too suffer the same fate.
Even from the illustration and from Tom’s reputation I pieced together this is a kind film-noir frolic and that’s exactly what is on offer. The story follows Grey, a washed out drifter with no clear idea or centralized compass on where he wants to be - he only knows that he must find his foster sister before the excesses of the world kill her. After both of them escaped the tortuous embrace of abusive foster parents, their crimes have seen them go in different directions … and his sister only desires reconciliation when death is just around the corner. After another vanishing act he follows her again – this time into the bustling heart of Hollywood. Soon he is seduced into a dirty world of scummy agents, fading movie stars and half-baked leads.
The first thing that jumped out at me is the prose: Tom’s style is immediately accessible and I’ve always been partial to writers who are not afraid to lay on heavy doses of metaphor. It was a little gyrating at the beginning to be sucked into a hard-boiled world set in the present day (let’s face it, most of us are conditioned to see this world through black and white sepia mirroring the styles of a bygone era). But this knee-jerk reaction is probably caused by not having read far and wide enough in the genre. Having never tackled a tome by Elmore Leonard, unfortunately this reviewer’s familiarity with the genus extended no further than films like Get Shorty with the locale setting of Mulholland Drive
Like other Tasmaniac titles, this one is short and slips by with the speed of our protagonist Grey experiencing a chemical high. There are cool vintage cars, porn stars and pimps; there are movie stars and murders. And underlying all of it is the mystique and allure of what it is to come to Hollywood for the first time. Also, it wouldn’t be a Tasmaniac edition if it didn’t have a lengthy and very entertaining foreword - this time by Patrick Lussier.
To top it off there is a bonus short Between the Dark and Daylight, a completely original and funny romp whose idea might have been spawned by the real life ‘balloon boy’ saga that dominated headlines some time back. Although comical, it’s still skewed with the penchant for violence.
As with my previous review for Within his Reach, it seems Tasmaniac have already sold out of this limited edition. But don’t let that deter you. Head on over to their web presence and grab another of their glossy little novellas before they too suffer the same fate.
June 20, 2017
Tom Piccirilli's noir novellas have been on my radar for a while now. I've never read his initial horror background works but he slides easily into the noir genre.
With a drifter of a protagonist, a femme fatale porn star, a murder mystery, a seedy underworld that's invisible to those living behind white picket fences and hidden behind all the make-up, perfume, glitz, and glamour of Hollywood. Underneath it all, you have the ugliness of the porn industry, the party drugs, and how deep that rabbit hole goes. A lot of the old school noir tropes are all here, and they're all done very well.
It's a breezy quick read, that never loses sight of the objective. I got caught up in the world and had a hard time leaving once it was all over.
A lot of people applaud the ending, I thought it was a bit too much of a right turn, too much of a didn't see it coming, which is good for most, it just didn't set well with me. Nonetheless, this is noir, there is no happy outcome here, it's not black, but it's grey, dark grey.
It's not all dark and dreary, there's some black humor here, and thematic elements of what makes a killer, what does a killer look like, and ultimately, you find out that really anybody could be a killer, out of love or hate, we could all kill, probably.
With a drifter of a protagonist, a femme fatale porn star, a murder mystery, a seedy underworld that's invisible to those living behind white picket fences and hidden behind all the make-up, perfume, glitz, and glamour of Hollywood. Underneath it all, you have the ugliness of the porn industry, the party drugs, and how deep that rabbit hole goes. A lot of the old school noir tropes are all here, and they're all done very well.
It's a breezy quick read, that never loses sight of the objective. I got caught up in the world and had a hard time leaving once it was all over.
A lot of people applaud the ending, I thought it was a bit too much of a right turn, too much of a didn't see it coming, which is good for most, it just didn't set well with me. Nonetheless, this is noir, there is no happy outcome here, it's not black, but it's grey, dark grey.
It's not all dark and dreary, there's some black humor here, and thematic elements of what makes a killer, what does a killer look like, and ultimately, you find out that really anybody could be a killer, out of love or hate, we could all kill, probably.
March 27, 2012
I read this a while a go. It’s a novella rather than a novel. It’s also an easy read which draws you in quickly. This made it feel a lot shorter than it really was. I felt like I got picked up half-way along some dusty road and didn’t really know what was going on until we hit LA. By that time the intent came through. The lead character had led a pretty fucked up life. Trying to redeem something or perhaps out of some new-found loyalty, or baser instincts Grey (the lead character) is on the trial of his foster-sister – or adopted sister, I’m not certain which. He gets there eventually, uncovering the seedier side of life along the way. The ending is neat – Taxi driver neat.
July 19, 2015
With The Last Deep Breath I was expecting a quick little book that I would sit down afterwards and say that was pretty good then move on to the next book. It ended up being a lot deeper than that and I should have known better being a Tom Piccirilli book. It's about family even though the characters aren't blood related. It's about revenge and its definitely noir. There's plenty of character and action for a full blown novel packed in this tiny gem. I wasn't wild about the ending but you always get quality when reading one of Piccirilli's books.
August 1, 2013
Nice short piece of noir. Very dark, just how I like it. Piccirilli is one of the best. A romp through the underbelly of the porn industry. Can't get enough of Tom's take on the genre. Highly recommended.
November 4, 2015
A good, fast read. Piccirilli always satisfies. Three stars is a good rating. Four and five should be reserved for timeless classics. This is a good noir and makes me want more of Pax, Grey and Ellie's story.
April 12, 2011
Another Gem from Piccirilli...this writer can do no wrong in the noir genre...
February 23, 2013
Full review here...
http://pulp300.wordpress.com/2013/02/...
http://pulp300.wordpress.com/2013/02/...
October 3, 2013
Book was a total let down.
September 4, 2014
Piccirilli is a master at recreating the noir character in modern settings. This novella is so fast, and the feeling of desperation is almost claustrophobic. Anything by the author is a treat.
April 30, 2017
Snappy little noir. Loved it.
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