Category: Crime

NIGHT SQUAD by David Goodis / Z-View

Posted on by

NIGHT SQUAD by David Goodis

First sentence…

At 11:20 a fairly well-dressed boozehound came staggering out of a bootleg-whiskey joint on Fourth Street.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Corey Bradford is a thirty-four-year-old ex-cop on a downnward spiral.  His wife left him.  Still no steady job.  He drinks too much.  All because he took a small handout from a gambler.  It wasn’t a big bribe to cover up evidence.  It wasn’t to let a hardened criminal walk.  It was just a sweetener because Bradford was a decent cop.  And it cost him everything.

Then one night Bradford, with just a couple of bucks to his name, headed to Grogan’s bar. Walter Grogan ran a nightly poker game in the back room and Bradford hoped to get in and get lucky.  That all changed when two masked-wearing and pistol-carrying men busted in.  They weren’t there to rob the game.  No, they came to kidnap Grogan.  Before they could Bradford stopped ’em cold.

Grogan was impressed.  He knew Bradford’s reputation and now had seen him in action.  So he offers Bradford a job.  $15,000 if Bradford can find out who sent the kidnappers.  Bradford accepts the job.

That evening Bradford is picked up by Detective-Sergeant Henry McDermott.  McDermott runs the Night Squad, a team of cops working the night shift who target and take down the city’s worst. The Night Squad’s tactics are brutal and extreme.  They get the job done. McDermott wants Grogan behind bars.  Walter Grogan runs the part of town known as The Swamp.  Grogan has his fingers in everyt illegal racket there.  But he’s too smart to get caught.

So McDermott offers Bradford a chance at redemption.  If Bradford works undercover and gathers evidence to bring Grogan to justice, he can get his badge back.  Refuse and the Night Squad will target him.  Bradford accepts.

Bradford is playing a dangerous game.  Working both sides against each other can get him dead.

And someone besides Bradford knows the score…

+++

David Goodis takes us on another journey to the seedy side of town.  I’m surprised NIGHT SQUAD was never adapted into a movie.  It would have made a good one.

Rating:

THE PROTECTOR by Arnold Schwarzenegger & James Patterson is Coming!

Posted on by

Arnold Schwarzenegger is teaming with James Patterson to co-author THE PROTECTOR.  Here’s the scoop…

The world’s bestselling author and the global icon, actor, former governor, and seven-time Mr. Olympia are co-authoring a new novel.

Father Viktor Brennan is a parish priest. He’s also The Protector.

At Saint Dominic’s in East Los Angeles, Father Viktor Brennan — a spiritual leader with a murky past — builds a soup kitchen, and a gym with a boxing ring. He is determined to protect his flock from both moral and physical harm, and to keep his new congregation safe from gang violence.

LAPD Detective Sandra Reyes’s beat covers the same local territory, and she’s strictly by the book. Reyes is keeping a wary eye on the new priest—and both she and Brennan are watching a kingpin known as Cera.

When an innocent victim is caught in murderous crossfire—and as revenge becomes a conversation with God—will good win out over evil?

THE PROTECTOR drops on October 4, 2027.  Pre-orders are available now.

“The Last Run” (1971) starring George C. Scott / Z-View

Posted on by

The Last Run (1971)

Director: Richard Fleischer

Screenplay:  Alan Sharp

Stars:  George C. Scott, Tony Musante, Trish Van Devere and Colleen Dewhurst .

Tagline: In the tradition of Hemingway and Bogart.

The Plot…

Harry Garmes was a getaway driver.  And a good one.  But he left his life of crime years ago.  After his son died.  And his wife left him.  Now Garmes lives alone in a small fishing village in southern Portugal.

When Garmes is unexpectedly offered a job, he accepts it.  Garmes is to drive Paul Rickard, an escaped convict, across the border.  Garmes wasn’t expecting Rickard to show up with his girlfriend.

Or that he would fall for her.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The Last Run had a troubled production.  The original director was John Huston.  Huston and George C. Scott repeatedly clashed.  Within a few weeks, Huston walked.  Richard Fleischer came on as director.  The original leading lady, Tina Marquand, was replaced with Trish Van Devere.  Despite these problems and more, the film finished one week and just $30,000 over budget.

Colleen Dewhurst and George C. Scott were married during the production of The Last Run.  Dewhurst completed her scenes and returned to the US.  As production continued George C. Scott and Trish Van Devere fell in love.  After filming completed Scott divorced Dewhurst and married Van Devere.

George C. Scott said he made this film because it felt like something Bogart would have done.  It does have an “old time” feel.

The Last Run (1971) rates 3 of 5 stars.

“Neagley” Season 1 starring Maria Sten / Z-View

Posted on by

Neagley: Season 1 (2026)

Based on: Characters by Lee Child

Developed by: Nick Santora, Nicholas Wootton

Directors: Sam Hill (Eps.1–2); Gary Fleder (Eps. 3–4); Phil Abraham (Eps. 5–6);  MJ Bassett (Eps. 7–8)

Teleplay: Nick Santora & Nicholas Wootton (Ep. 1-2; 7-8); Adam Higgs (Eps. 3; 6); Kyle Long (Ep. 4); Lacey Herbert (Ep. 5)

Starring: Maria Sten, Greyston Holt, Adeline Rudolph, Jasper Jones, Matthew Del Negro, Damon Herriman, Rebecca Liddiard and Alan Ritchson

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Frances Neagley, an ex-Military Police Investigator, now works as a Chicago Private Eye.  When a childhood friend turns up dead, police rule it a suicide.  Neagley doesn’t believe it and starts to investigate.  Clues point to Echo Farm, a new age cult led by Lawrence Cole.

Neagley is sure Cole has sinister motives for creating Echo Farm.  But what?  And why was her friend murdered?  As Neagley digs deeper she becomes a target.  Neagley will learn too late that someone with money, power and influence is pulling Cole’s strings… and trying to eliminate her.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Maria Sten is perfect as France Neagley.

Dewey Crowe will always be my favorite character played by Damon Herriman, but he’s also great as Lawrence Cole.

I loved this season of Neagley.  However, I thought much of the decisions made by Keno at Echo Park were dumber than they needed to be.  With that said, I must also add that I do like the character.

The Frances Neagley personal subplot was a nice addition that added depth to the character.

It was cool having Alan Ritchson make cameo bookends in season one.

Bring on Season 2!

THE BOXER by Tom Reilly!

Posted on by

I’m a sucker for a good crime story.  Especially ones with a tough guy who refuses to bow down to mobsters.  Way back in 2019, I’d never heard of Tom Reilly (or seen his art).  I came across the pieces above and below and was SOLD.  I thought they were preview art for a new series.  I immediately e-mailed Tom to find out where/when I could purchase the series.

Tom wrote back to say, that there wasn’t one.  He created the art for himself… just toying around with ideas.  I asked Tom if he took commissions.  He did and so I requested Sly Stallone as Jack Carter teamed with Keanu Reeves as John Wick. (No surprise, right?).

Tom came through with a winner.  He also surprised me by gifting me the art above and below.  I was (and remain) blown away.  What a wonderful, kind thing to do.

Maybe someday Tom will return to the idea that sparked these drawings.  You just KNOW it would make for an awesome story.

“Icefall” (2025) starring Joel Kinnaman / Z-View

Posted on by

Icefall (2025)

Director: Stefan Ruzowitzky

Screenplay:  George Mahaffey, Steve Isles

Stars:  Joel Kinnaman, Cara Jade Myers, Danny Huston and Graham Greene.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

Harlan, a loner, is on a remote frozen lake preparing to ice fish.  His plans change when he finds a case full of money. Harlan decides to keep the cash and sets out across the ice.

Ani, the local Game Warden, sees Harlan out on the ice and decides to see what he’s up to.

When the plane carrying the stolen loot went down, everyone on board died in the crash.  The transmitter on the case didn’t.   The thieves on the ground have been on a mission to retrieve the case of cash.

As Ani questions Harlan, the crooks show up.  A gunfight ensues.

Ani and Harlan barely escape into the wilderness with the criminals closing in.  Ani and Harlan are utnumbered and outgunned.

As the temperature drops so do their odds of survival.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Graham Greene has a small role and sadly it was his last feature film appearance.

Icefall can accurately be described as Cliffhanger Horizontal or Cliffhanger Lite.

Icefall (2025) rates 2 of 5 stars.

A VIOLENT MASTERPIECE by Jordan Harper / Z-View

Posted on by

A VIOLENT MASTERPIECE by Jordan Harper

First sentence…

He tells them, “This place is a crime.”

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Jake Deal makes his living live-streaming nightly from L.A.’s dark, dangerous, crime-ridden hot spots. Jake takes his subcribers “live” to scenes of murders, crimes in progress, or whatever location that needs a police response. Jake’s car is loaded with a police scanner, cameras, wifi, and more. Jake planned to livestream the locations of the LA Ripper, a serial killer still on the loose.  That changed when Jake was hired to follow and compile dirt on a list of powerful and influential folks.

Doug Gibson is a lawyer for the common man.  Gibson’s clients are the under-served, the poor and the powerless.  So you can imagine Gibson’s surprise when Eric Alger contacts him. Alger needs a defense attorney and wants Gibson.

Eric Alger became rich as the producer of tween television shows.  Alger became even richer with his behind-the-scenes sex trafficking of youngsters.  He also served as a conduit to others with similar tastes.  Now Alger is behind bars.  Alger says if he’s not released, he’s going to name names.  If he’s going down, he’s taking rich and powerful sex deviants (like himself) with him.

Kara Delgado works for an underground concierge that gets the super-rich whatever they want. It could be the location for a private sex party, drugs, men, women, whatever the customer wants and can afford.   When Kara’s best friend goes missing and her apartment is scrubbed clean, Kara decides to investigate.

When Eric Alger is found dead in his jail cell, Jake, Doug and Kara’s paths cross.  Now they’re on the wrong side of powerful people with the money and contacts to make them disappear… and perhaps even the LA Ripper.

+++

Jordan Harper has another winner. A VIOLENT MASTERPIECE is a great follow-up to EVERYBODY KNOWS and gets my highest recommendation.

Rating:

“Kiss Me Deadly” (1955) directed by Robert Aldrich; starring Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart and Juano Hernandez / Z-View

Posted on by

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

Director: Robert Aldrich

Screenplay: A.I. Bezzerides, Robert Aldrich (uncredited); based on KISS ME DEADLY by Mickey Spillane.

Stars:  Ralph Meeker, Albert Dekker, Paul Stewart, Juano Hernandez, Marjorie Bennett, Strother Martin and Jack Elam.

Tagline: Blood red kisses! White hot thrills! Mickey Spillane’s latest H-bomb!

The Plot…

Driving home late one evening, Mike Hammer nearly runs over a woman in the middle of the road.  She’s barefoot and wearing just a trenchcoat.  Hammer stops.  The woman is running from someone but doesn’t say who.

Hammer gives her a lift, but soon thugs catch up to them.  The last thing Hammer hears is the woman’s scream.  When he wakes up, he’s in the hospital.  The goons killed the woman, then threw her and Hammer’s unconscious body in the car before pushing it over the cliff.

Hammer believes whatever the woman was involved in was “something big”.  Plus he wants payback.

Hammer’s going to get answers he couldn’t have imagined and find himself the target of a crime syndicate after the result of a top secret government experiment.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Although based on Mickey Spillane’s novel of the same name, the film makes changes to Hammer as well as the plot.  In the film, Hammer is a sleazy LA PI who never uses a gun; instead of a fearless NY private eye.   In the film, Hammer finds himself in international intrigue with a suitcase containing stolen atomic material.  In the book, Hammer is up against the Mafia after a suitcase of heroin.

Kiss Me Deadly features Cloris Leachman’s first theatrical film role.

The haunting ending will stay with you long after the film ends.

Kiss Me Deadly (1955) rates 4 of 5 stars.

“Nocturne” starring Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz, and Stephen Graham – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

The poster and trailer to Nocturne starring Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz, and Stephen Graham are here!

Deal me in.

Catching a killer means crossing the line.

Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz, and Stephen Graham star in Nocturne, premiering October 30 on Apple TV.

When does Nocturne premiere?
Nocturne premieres October 30 on Apple TV.

Where can I watch Nocturne?
Watch Nocturne on Apple TV.

Who stars in Nocturne?
Nocturne features Liev Schreiber, Zazie Beetz, Stephen Graham, Rory Culkin, Poorna Jagannathan, Bill Camp, Chrissy Metz, Gary Carr, and Landon Valentin.

What is Nocturne about?
In Nocturne, when a victim of notorious serial killer Jurek Walter unexpectedly turns up alive, detective Jonah Lynn races against time to find the one person still missing, while his protégé Saga Bauer goes undercover to get answers from the killer himself.

What genre is Nocturne?
Nocturne is a crime thriller.

What are other shows and movies like Nocturne?
Shows and movies similar to Nocturne are Black Bird, Lucky, and Presumed Innocent.

“Tulsa King” Season 4 – The Poster & Trailer are Here!

Posted on by

Tulsa King Season 4 premieres October 16, only on Paramount+.

Dwight fights to legitimize his empire and protect his crew as corrupt politicians, dangerous new enemies, and a crushing personal loss hit from every direction. However, every hard-won gain comes with even harder truths: about loyalty, leadership and the cost of ambition. Each move drags Dwight deeper into the street instincts he left behind in New York – turning Tulsa into a battleground and Dwight into the one threat no one can afford to underestimate.

 

HANGING AND BURNING: A KING OLIVER NOVEL by Walter Mosley!

Posted on by

A new Walter Mosley tale is always welcome.  We have one coming on October 20th when HANGING AND BURNING: A KING OLIVER NOVEL drops.  Here’s the scoop…

A dying gangster’s plea sends Joe King Oliver on a quest for a missing woman across America’s coasts ― unraveling a dark and violent family history along the way―in this engrossing new novel from one of the most celebrated and acclaimed crime writers at work today.

Joe King Oliver is the big man you call to solve the most delicate and dangerous of problems. Fresh off unraveling the mystery of his own parents’ fates, King finds himself accepting (again at his grandmother’s request) a case from Arman Babylon, a powerful Los Angeles gangster now dying from cancer.

Babylon’s granddaughter, Twyla Mann, has been missing for years, and he’s desperate to find her before he passes. The search pulls King into the Babylons’ stained past and the cold case of Dalia Shorts, a torch singer who vanished without a trace and whom Arman was once suspected of killing.

As King follows her trail from L.A. to New York and back, he’ll realize nothing is what it seems as he uncovers a pattern of violence that has targeted the women around Babylon for decades. How much will King be willing to risk to finally set things right?

Pre-orders are available now.

Steven Fain Gets Carter!

Posted on by

Steven Fain is a fan artist who occasionally takes commissions.  I first saw Fain’s art on a bookmark for Anthony Neil Smith’s character Billy Lafitte (I highly recommend the Lafitte novel series if you like crime/hardboiled fiction).  I subscribed to Steven Fain’s substack and saw more of his art which I liked.

So I reached out to request a sketch.  I suggested two characters (Stallone from Tulsa King or Get Carter).  Steven liked both ideas, so I ordered both!