Here’s my book review of A Nasty Piece of Work: A Novel, a crime thriller by Robert Littell.

Littell has written sophisticated spy novels, including The Amateur. It would be glib to say A Nasty Piece of Work literally lives up to its title. It is a workmanlike, formula-gumshoe detective novel. The protagonist Lemuel Gunn is a worn-out, burned-out, world-weary intelligence operative. He’s retired to the desert. He gets dragged into a case and a buddied-up search by a beautiful young dame, Omelia Neppi.

The bad guys are unscrupulous and vicious, with mob ties embedded in the gambling racket. In the formula detective novel, the beautiful girl is trouble. In this case, our Omelia comes on like an ally, acting as an assistant investigator who knows where to find the crumb trail. Gunn eventually learns that she’s embroiled him in her plot to seek revenge on the perps.

The ending dishes out great gobs of graphic violence – justified Charles-Bronson style – because the guy by now has permission to give back as good as he and his client have gotten.

If you like pulp fiction – and a new idea that has withstood the test of time – go for it. Granted, authors of spy thrillers have had to rethink their missions since the Cold War, but this one in my opinion was a wrong turn for Mr. Littell.

What will you be inspired to do? Venturing to East Africa, Harry goes from being a passive observer as a tourist to an involved and committed resident. Two book awards (so far!) in 2021.