Bad Men by Graham Powell delivers the goods. The cover mentions the
fact this collection is filled with “crime stories.” They definitely are crime
stories. There are plenty of crimes, some mayhem, and a number of mysteries at
work in these seven short stories. Short stories where people do what they do
to survive and deal with the world as they see it.
“Grace, Period” opens the book where
Tommy Roccaforte is being forced to relocate to an apartment far from where he
used to live in Staten Island. Forced to give up his heavy oak and Italian
leather furniture along with his old life to move to Tucson, all he has left is
his wife Marie. That, a new job in a book store, and his old habits and urges
which were not left behind when the Feds relocated him to save his life.
The man known to many as “Duke” for
reasons that become clear was tending bar when Steven came in to talk that
Wednesday night. Steven is just a college kid and out of place in the biker
bar. But, he wants a job done and his money is good in “Payday.”
A job is also a major point in the
next story titled “Cold Storage.” Dave Dewberry has a job in mind and wants Al
to be involved. It involves a bank, a guy named Eugene Bosco, and the city of
New York in its winter time glory.
The setting moves to Kentucky in
“The Leap.” Specifically, the Kentucky State Correctional Center at Paintsville
where new inmate Kenneth Pennywell has just arrived as the story opens.
Assigned to the third room in dorm four, Pennywell has a plan for a certain
inmate. The reason why is based on recent events told through flashbacks.
The truck may not be real and the
narrator may not be stable in “The Ins And Outs.” Then again, they really
could be after him. He takes his medication and waits knowing if they find him
they won’t make him wait long.
Crime Boss Bobby Gianetti was nabbed
with a suitcase of money destined for one Tony Lambrusco. How the cops found
out and what his bodyguards are going to do about it are a couple of things at
work in “Cutting Diamonds.”
“Ken Bruen Is Dead, Alas” is the
closing story of the book. A story that has its own story according to the
preface. It is all best explained by reading it in the book. This is an
incredibly funny read and a real highlight of the book.
Bad Men by Graham Powell is filled with plenty of crime, mystery, and
certainly the possibility of bad men.
Ignoring the whole nature/nurture argument, these are seven short tales where the
guys involved are doing what comes naturally. Whether or not they are truly bad
men really depends on your moral compass …. assuming you have one.
Bad Men
Graham Powell
Self-Published
ASIN# B006Y2USGE
January
2012
E-Book
94
Pages
$0.99
Material
was purchased to read and review using funds in my Amazon Associate Account.
Kevin
R. Tipple ©2015
Posts
3 comments:
I am glad you liked it. These stories were generally a lot of fun to write, and I hope they were fun to read. A couple were the results of challenges - "The Ins and Outs" was a challenge originally issued by screenwriter Paul Guyot, I believe, for a story with an armored car and maybe one or two other elements I've forgotten. "The Leap" was for the second Blog Short Story Project, organized by Dave White and Byron Quetermous.
"Grace, Period" is actually the second story featuring Grace. Both it and "Goodnight Gracie" originally appeared in Plots with Guns, and editor Neil Smith gave me some suggestions that really improved them.
Also, I'd like to say that the cover I made is pretty damn cool. Maybe better than the book.
Really enjoyed the book.
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