I
just read the closing paragraph of Bitter Water Blues written by Patrick Shawn
Bagley and I am already awaiting the next novel from Bagley. Bitter Water Blues
is proof that Bagley has a wonderful career ahead of him as a noir writer and
is sure to pen noir tales that will be deemed as “must reads” by lovers of
noir, and dare I say, all lovers of great books.
Bagley
has created a great cast of characters within this book. They come to life as
the story evolves and he really fleshes them out and allows the reader to
become attached to them. Their motivations are well explained and that allows
the reader to understand them and become connected to the story.
Joey
Kotex is a former mob enforcer who has decided to forgo the life of criminal
enterprise and instead open a blues bar in Chicago and live out his life
playing harmonica and listening to blues classics. But when the
leader of the mob family he walked out on needs one more job completed, Joey
finds his best friend kidnapped and his choice of a quiet life pulled out from
under him.
Joey
finds himself in the small town of Wesserunsett, on the lookout for a mob
turncoat who holds a sex tape of the mob leader's niece. Joey must find the
tape, and kill the turncoat, or his friend will not live to see another day.
As
the story evolves, Bagley introduces a wonderful set of secondary characters
that are fun to read about and help propel the story forward.
Wanda
is a police officer within the small town. She is happily stuck in the rut of
her job, but has a pull deep within herself that tells her it may be time to
move onto bigger and better things. But being torn between her desire for a
fresh start and keeping watch over her parents leads her to spin her wheels and never really make a true effort to move
forward. She has a nose for crime and
upon meeting Joey, senses something strange is happening. Her curiosity may hamper Joey’s ability to perform his job and
make a quick getaway, which sets up a great showdown between a cop with a sense
of honor and duty, and a former crook that just wants to get back to the
peaceful life he has created.
This
small, quiet town has its own set of undesirables. Hag is the local thug, fresh
from jail on a drug charge and looking to set up his own empire through
contract killings. He's come to realize he needs to take what he wants
and damn the consequences. He shows no mercy for anyone who gets in his way,
even his best friend, Earl. Earl wants nothing more than to spend his life on a
couch watching television and eating snacks that will add to his 300 pound plus
frame. He has no desire to lead a life of crime, but his sense of loyalty to
Hag makes it impossible for him to pull away from him.
The
plot of the book begins to ratchet up as the chapters fly by. The inevitable
conflict between the cast of characters feels like a slow burn throughout the
book and that serves the reader well. Bagley lights a slow burning fuse in the
opening chapter and the reader is on pins and needles waiting for the big
explosion they know is coming. Bagley has a great knack for letting you feel
the flame and anticipate the burn you know is forthcoming.
I
loved the simplicity of the book. The bad guys are bad, the good guys are good,
and the conflict seems straightforward in that regard. But the complexities of
Joey Kotex, a man torn between the violence that simmers below the surface and
the dream of living a simple life, allows this book to have a depth that lifts
the book above the average noir offering. Bagley has penned a great book and if
this book is any indication, seems destined for big things in the future. A
lover of noir would be served well to jump on this train right out of the
station and enjoy the ride Bagley is sure to take them on in the upcoming
years. This is a strong offering right out of the station.
Highly
recommended.
Reviewed by Derrick Horodyski. Link to Amazon: Bitter Water Blues
