Fortune Favors the Dead
A Pentecost and Parker Mystery
(Sprache: Englisch)
Includes an excerpt from Murder under her skin.
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Includes an excerpt from Murder under her skin.
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Chapter 1The first time I met Lillian Pentecost, I nearly caved her skull in with a piece of lead pipe.
I had scored a few shifts working guard duty at a building site on West Forty-second. A lot of the crew on Hart and Halloway s Traveling Circus and Sideshow picked up gigs like that whenever we rolled into a big city. Late-night and off-day gigs where we could clock in after a performance and get paid cash on the barrel.
There were more jobs like that available in those years. A lot of the men who d usually have taken them were overseas hoping for a shot at Hitler. When you re desperate to fill a post, even a twenty-year-old cirky girl starts to look good.
Not that it required much of a résumé. It was a knucklehead job. Walk the fenced-in perimeter from eleven until dawn and keep an eye out for anyone slipping through the fence. If anyone did, I was supposed to ring a bell and shout and make a ruckus to drive them away. If they refused, I ran and found a cop.
At least that was what I was supposed to do. McCloskey the site foreman, who was paying me had other thoughts.
You catch anyone slipping in, you give them a good clobber with this, he said, tugging at the ends of his greasy moustache. This was a two-foot length of lead pipe. You do that, you get an extra dollar bonus. Gotta set an example.
Who I was setting an example for, I didn t know. I also didn t know what was around the site that would be worth stealing. Construction had just started, so it was basically a giant hole in the ground half the size of a city block. Some lumber, some pipe, a few tools, but nothing really worth pinching. This close to Times Square, I was more likely to get drunks looking for a place to sleep it off.
I expected to spend a handful of uneventful nights, collect a few bucks, and be done with my shift in time to run back to Brooklyn and help with the circus s matinee. I was also hoping to find some quiet time to devour the detective novel I d picked up
... mehr
at the newsstand down the street. Maybe catch a few hours sleep in some corner of the yard. On the road, solitary sleep especially sleep without the rumble of trucks or the roar of the tigers prowling in their cage across the yard was a rarity.
The first two nights, that was exactly how it went. It was actually kind of lonely. New York might be the city that never sleeps, but even those few blocks in the heart of Midtown took a catnap between two and five. Not much in the way of foot traffic, or at least little that could be heard through the seven-foot-high wooden fence surrounding the construction site. That half-block hole in the ground was eerily quiet.
So on the third night the creak of a board being pried away from the fence rang out like a bell.
Heart racing, I grabbed the piece of lead pipe and made my way around the edge of the pit. I was wearing dungarees and a denim shirt soft fabrics that didn t make a sound. My boots had worn-thin soles, which didn t do any favors for my arches but meant I was able to slip like a shadow. I crept up on the figure crouched on its haunches at the edge of the pit.
Whoever it was picked up a handful of dirt and let it sift through their fingers. I thought about yelling and trying to drive them off, but they were bigger than me. In their other hand they were brandishing what looked like a stick or cudgel something heftier than my length of pipe at any rate. If I yelled and got rushed, I wasn t sure I d be able to stay on my feet long enough to hit back.
I took one slow step after another. When I was only a short stride away I lifted the pipe above my head. I wondered what it would feel like when I brought it down. Could I finesse it so I just knocked them out? Detectives were always managing to do that in the dime
The first two nights, that was exactly how it went. It was actually kind of lonely. New York might be the city that never sleeps, but even those few blocks in the heart of Midtown took a catnap between two and five. Not much in the way of foot traffic, or at least little that could be heard through the seven-foot-high wooden fence surrounding the construction site. That half-block hole in the ground was eerily quiet.
So on the third night the creak of a board being pried away from the fence rang out like a bell.
Heart racing, I grabbed the piece of lead pipe and made my way around the edge of the pit. I was wearing dungarees and a denim shirt soft fabrics that didn t make a sound. My boots had worn-thin soles, which didn t do any favors for my arches but meant I was able to slip like a shadow. I crept up on the figure crouched on its haunches at the edge of the pit.
Whoever it was picked up a handful of dirt and let it sift through their fingers. I thought about yelling and trying to drive them off, but they were bigger than me. In their other hand they were brandishing what looked like a stick or cudgel something heftier than my length of pipe at any rate. If I yelled and got rushed, I wasn t sure I d be able to stay on my feet long enough to hit back.
I took one slow step after another. When I was only a short stride away I lifted the pipe above my head. I wondered what it would feel like when I brought it down. Could I finesse it so I just knocked them out? Detectives were always managing to do that in the dime
... weniger
Autoren-Porträt von Stephen Spotswood
STEPHEN SPOTSWOOD is an award-winning playwright, journalist, and educator. As a journalist, he has spent much of the last two decades writing about the aftermath of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the struggles of wounded veterans. His dramatic work has been widely produced across the United States. He makes his home in Washington, DC, with his wife, young adult author Jessica Spotswood.
Bibliographische Angaben
- Autor: Stephen Spotswood
- 2021, 352 Seiten, Maße: 13,1 x 20 cm, Kartoniert (TB), Englisch
- Verlag: Penguin Random House
- ISBN-10: 0593310756
- ISBN-13: 9780593310755
- Erscheinungsdatum: 04.08.2021
Sprache:
Englisch
Pressezitat
Winner of the 2021 Nero AwardBullets, blood, bodies, and belly-laughs: all the ingredients of a classic mystery novel. Stephen Spotswood hard-boils with the best of em! Alan Bradley, bestselling author of the Flavia de Luce Mystery Series
"Fortune Favors the Dead takes gritty 40s noir, shakes it up, gives it a charming twist, and serves it up with unforgettable style. My new favorite sleuthing duo are Pentecost and Parker, the spiritual sisters of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. An utterly brilliant debut!" Deanna Raybourn, author of the Veronica Speedwell Mysteries
Witty. . . Humorous and fun [with] all the hallmarks of an Agatha Christie mystery, and there s a delightful dose of noir thrown in for the more hardcore pulp fiction crowd, too. . . As mysterious and fun a caper as you will ever read, with plenty of misdirection and intrigue to keep you guessing. You don t need a clairvoyant to realize this duo will be around for years to come. Bookpage *Starred Review*
"Spotswood's stellar debut puts a modern spin on the classic hard-boiled fiction... The deep and sensitive characterization of the two protagonists coupled with the rich description and tonally spot-on humor, makes this a novel to remember. Spotswood is definitely a writer to watch." Publishers Weekly *Starred Review*
"One of the most rewarding and entertaining books I've read in years . . . Every page nay, every paragraph is rich and compelling. . . When it comes to male authors penning feminist issues that ring true and female characters who are fully realized and complex characters, Spotswood joins Terry Pratchett at the very top of the list. And if anyone s the heir apparent to Phryne Fisher or Elementary s Sherlock and Joan, it s Parker and Pentecost. This is an adventure you ll want to rave about to strangers on the streets. Personally, I m already impatient for these ladies
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next case." Criminal Element
A relentlessly entertaining romp through 1940 s New York City, and through the annals of mystery fiction, as well, with many sly nods to authors of the past and some invigorating reinventions of classic tropes and gambits. . . Spotswood s style is swift and witty, and the mystery at the novel s heart is a clever knot. CrimeReads
Sparkles [with] wit and personality. . . Delightful. . . This mystery plot has all the twists and surprises a fan of the genre could ask for, but it is Will s distinctive, captivating voice and background [that] is Spotswood s real triumph. . . Gutsy Will, with her snappy, slangy narrative style, ultimately wins readers hearts and carries the day. This classic noir-style mystery recast with humor, female leads and superb style is both satisfying and great fun. Shelf Awareness
Good news, mystery readers, your new favorite sleuthing duo has arrived on the scene! . . . Fortune Favors the Dead is a refreshing update to a classic Golden Age mystery, serving hard-boiled thrills and laugh-out-loud wit with charm and panache. A fantastic read! Northen Virginia Magazine
If you ve been dying for a fresh take on the sleuth genre, this book delivers that and more. A mix of classic noir aesthetics and tropes with an inclusive twist, Fortune Favors the Dead is the kind of mystery series that will capture your imagination in new and fun ways, and have you desperate to get your hands on more. Get Literary
Sparkles [with] wit and personality. . . Delightful. . . This mystery plot has all the twists and surprises a fan of the genre could ask for, but it is Will s distinctive, captivating voice and background [that] is Spotswood s real triumph. . . Gutsy Will, with her snappy, slangy narrative style, ultimately wins readers hearts and carries the day. This classic noir-style mystery recast with humor, female leads and superb style is both satisfying and great fun. Shelf Awareness
Will keep readers engaged from start to finish. . . [Pentecost is] reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. . . A fun whodunit. . . Perfect for a cozy weekend read. Library Journal
A fast-paced, lightweight, and engaging whodunit. . . Satisfying. . . Fun. Historical Novel Review
An intriguing locked-room mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end. . . Spotswood is fantastic at writing strong female characters. . . Fortune Favors the Dead is a fast-paced, smart murder mystery with a focus on strong women. . . A wonderful debut. Bookbrowse.com
A sprightly period debut. . . [A] provocative gender-flipping of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Kirkus Reviews
A relentlessly entertaining romp through 1940 s New York City, and through the annals of mystery fiction, as well, with many sly nods to authors of the past and some invigorating reinventions of classic tropes and gambits. . . Spotswood s style is swift and witty, and the mystery at the novel s heart is a clever knot. CrimeReads
Sparkles [with] wit and personality. . . Delightful. . . This mystery plot has all the twists and surprises a fan of the genre could ask for, but it is Will s distinctive, captivating voice and background [that] is Spotswood s real triumph. . . Gutsy Will, with her snappy, slangy narrative style, ultimately wins readers hearts and carries the day. This classic noir-style mystery recast with humor, female leads and superb style is both satisfying and great fun. Shelf Awareness
Good news, mystery readers, your new favorite sleuthing duo has arrived on the scene! . . . Fortune Favors the Dead is a refreshing update to a classic Golden Age mystery, serving hard-boiled thrills and laugh-out-loud wit with charm and panache. A fantastic read! Northen Virginia Magazine
If you ve been dying for a fresh take on the sleuth genre, this book delivers that and more. A mix of classic noir aesthetics and tropes with an inclusive twist, Fortune Favors the Dead is the kind of mystery series that will capture your imagination in new and fun ways, and have you desperate to get your hands on more. Get Literary
Sparkles [with] wit and personality. . . Delightful. . . This mystery plot has all the twists and surprises a fan of the genre could ask for, but it is Will s distinctive, captivating voice and background [that] is Spotswood s real triumph. . . Gutsy Will, with her snappy, slangy narrative style, ultimately wins readers hearts and carries the day. This classic noir-style mystery recast with humor, female leads and superb style is both satisfying and great fun. Shelf Awareness
Will keep readers engaged from start to finish. . . [Pentecost is] reminiscent of Agatha Christie's Miss Marple. . . A fun whodunit. . . Perfect for a cozy weekend read. Library Journal
A fast-paced, lightweight, and engaging whodunit. . . Satisfying. . . Fun. Historical Novel Review
An intriguing locked-room mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end. . . Spotswood is fantastic at writing strong female characters. . . Fortune Favors the Dead is a fast-paced, smart murder mystery with a focus on strong women. . . A wonderful debut. Bookbrowse.com
A sprightly period debut. . . [A] provocative gender-flipping of Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin. Kirkus Reviews
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