Judging by this book, a Race Williams tale seems to be more effective at a shorter length. The first half is quite interesting, despite the fact that the villain can be easily guessed much too early. However, it starts to drag in the latter half. By the way, Ole Race is definitely rather slow on the uptake in this particular story! Surprisingly, The Hidden Hand would have been even more captivating if the Tina character and her background had been developed a bit more thoroughly. The title of the novel wouldn't have been so bad if it weren't mentioned an excessive number of times: a whopping 166 times! It appears that Race's ego has found its equal in detective Gregory Ford, and I firmly believe he will make appearances in future outings. Well, 19 stories have been completed, and there are many more to come.... Actually, I have higher expectations for the next one, The Tag Murders.
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Race Williams #2
The Hidden Hand
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Very good condition
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Genres
260 pages, Paperback
First published January 1,1929
This edition
- Format
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260 pages, Paperback
- Published
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January 1, 1992 by HarperCollins
- ISBN
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9780060974367
- ASIN
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0060974362
- Language
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English
About the author
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With a single screen writing credit to his name, Carroll John Daly is an unlikely mention as being the originator of the private eye... but he just might be. And he was, by contemporary accounts, a strange guy; born in Yonkers, New York in 1889, he most certainly was neurotic, agoraphobic and had a severe fear of dentists. These considerable obstacles to a conventional career were fortuitously offset by the genetic good fortune of having a sympathetic wealthy uncle who encouraged his writing efforts. Daly began to make a name for himself in the nickel and dime pulps in the early 1920s. He was 33 when he managed to get published in the fledgling Black Mask. His character Terry Mack is significant as the first tough-talking private eye (debuting in May, 1923) ever to appear in the pulp genre. Daly's characterization was pretty crudely drawn and he quickly created another character in the same vein, the twin-toting .45 gumshoe Race Williams. Black Mask hired a visionary editor, Joe "Cap" Shaw in 1926, who almost immediately took an intense dislike to Daly's one-dimensional writing style. Shaw conceded to his popularity for the time being, while methodically building up a stable of far greater writing talent. Criticism aside, Daly's 'The Snarl of the Beast' (1927) has the distinction as being acknowledged as the first private eye novel ever published. As Joe Shaw groomed other writers, contemporary critics began to condemn Daly, accusing him of subverting the morals of society and bemoaning the quality of his writing. The mind-numbing void the Race Williams character filled in Black Mask became less important in the early 1930s as the magazine featured vastly superior stories written by the likes of Raoul Fauconnier Whitfield and John K. Butler. Daly and Shaw argued continually over the quality of Daly's writing, and to a lesser extent money and to the delight of Joe Shaw, Daly walked off the magazine in late 1934. Daly would sporadically reappear in Black Mask after Shaw left the publication in 1936, but would fade into obscurity, ending his writing career ignobly by writing comic book dialog. He died in 1958, unappreciated and virtually forgotten by those working in the genre he largely helped create.
* Complete list of his short stories.
* Complete list of his short stories.
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A good beginning. Good reflections (first person) and lively rhythm. It reads very well. I like that it is divided into many short chapters and that each chapter has its own title, -a sentence that summarizes what is going to happen in the chapter-. Usually this sentence hooks you. The story and the character building didn't appeal to me as much as in "The Roar of the Beast", by the same author. However, there are still many aspects that are worth noting. The author's writing style is engaging and keeps the reader interested from start to finish. The use of short chapters makes it easy to read and allows the reader to take breaks without losing the thread of the story. Additionally, the titles of each chapter are clever and add an element of mystery. Despite my reservations about the story and character building, I would still recommend this book to others. It is a quick and enjoyable read that has something to offer for everyone.
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Hardboiled by the writer who began it all.
Written in 1927, this work is by the author who invented hardboiled detective fiction. It moves at a brisk pace, albeit on a slightly rickety plot frame. The language used is vivid, which sets the tone for all those who followed, such as Hammett and Chandler. The author was the most popular Black Mask writer of his time. Fairly typically, this story races along at breakneck speed and concludes abruptly, with all the revelations tumbling in during the last few pages. There are no real surprises, perhaps because Daly was so widely imitated. However, this is the motherboard, and it hums with authenticity. It serves as the foundation upon which the entire genre of hardboiled detective fiction was built. Despite its age, it still holds a certain charm and allure, captivating readers with its fast-paced action and gritty atmosphere.
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