Sunday, July 13, 2008

Saturday's Child (Cal Innes) by Ray Banks

Ray Banks brings us cricketbat-wielding loser unlicensed UK-based PI Cal Innes in his first full-length novel. Cal is an ex-con who takes on a job for a notorious gangster. The job is first described as tracking down a runaway, thieving casino dealer but the case turns out to be not exactly the same as the first impression was.

In some chapters the viewpoint alters from Cal to the gangster’s son, a very unsympathetic character. While both viewpoints are in the first person it’s easy to distinguish them because of their language. In fact, the language of the gangster’s son, Mo, made reading a bit difficult sometimes because of the dialect used. Non-UK readers might have a tougher time reading those chapters.

Like many other eyes Cal drinks way too much, takes a lot of beatings and isn’t exactly good mates with the cops. Not too much originality there, but it’s a nice, dark and violent read with colourful characters. This would make a nice Guy Ritchie movie!

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