That Which Does Not Kill You by
Christian Thompson
hbk out July 02
Published by Allison Busby
at £17.99
Chris O'Brien is Bradford's answer to Philip Marlowe although his pedigree is
somewhat different. As well as being a private eye O.B. is a Philosophy graduate, a
martial arts expert, a practitioner of Chinese medicine and an ex-psychiatric nurse. In
his first outing O.B. is hired by Tim Marconi, manager of nightspot Club Zed, who
fears that someone is dealing drugs on his premises. It doesn't sound like too hard a
case to crack until a dead body turns up outside the premises, the police get involved
and things become a lot more complicated. But O.B. is not one who is easily derailed
and when his loyal sidekick Kelp is hospitalised in the course of the enquiry he
becomes even more determined. Assisted by Kelp's sister, the gorgeous and gutsy
Debra, the investigation takes O.B. to the depths of Dorset after elusive mystery man
Greg D'ancona. The action gets tougher and dirtier but in the best tradition of the
private eye novel our sleuth lives to fight another day. An enjoyable and sparky first
novel from Thompson with a hero who has a fine line in wisecracks and a new
philosophical take on the usually jaundiced world-view of the traditional gumshoe.
M.E.N. 21.9.02
(
Cath Staincliffe
author of the popular Sal Kilkenny mysteries set on the mean streets of Manchester)
