Tales from the seedy underbelly of cities
In Leviathan, philosopher Thomas Hobbes envisioned the life of man in a state of nature in the oft-quoted passage as “poor, nasty, brutish and short.”
Master crime writer George Pelecanos has, with his debut short-story collection, issued forth a collection of dispatches from the Hobbesian world.
His book of seven short stories and a novella invite the reader to tour the realms of society where Hobbes’ vision is realized.
The stories span the globe, but drill down to basic human tendencies we can all understand. Problems of pride, vengeance and ambition plague the characters in his stories.
In “When You’re Hungry,” Pelecanos takes his pen to South America, following a claims adjuster who runs up against a well-connected local.
“Miss Mary’s Room” brings us back to the cadaver-littered alleyways Pelecanos so thoroughly explored in his time as a writer for the Wire. Several of the stories in The Martini Shot are set in the seedy underbellies of cities, which highlights Pelecanos’ flair for gritty, snappy dialogue and moody prose.
The collection stumbles a bit with “Chosen” — a story meant as a treat for readers of Pelecanos’ previous novels that feature Iraq veteran and investigator Spero Lucas.
The story contains biographical details, focusing on Lucas’ parents’ multiple adopted children, but reads as a rote list of events that does little to bring the reader in.
Still, fans of Pelecanos’ work will enjoy the biographical sketch imparted.
“String Music” is a gem in the collection. The story alternates between the perspective of a hard-boiled beat cop and a young man just trying to steer clear of trouble.
An encounter on the basketball court threatens to erupt into violent retribution against the well-meaning protagonist, Tonio Harris.
This short story is a master class in pacing and suspense.
Each paragraph has the reader on the edge of their seat, waiting for the appearance of a gunman.
Ultimately, the ending brings the story to a satisfying conclusion, but makes clear that in the lives of the characters, this is not the end.
The title of the book and collection — The Martini Shot — is a film term that refers to the last shot of the day.
As films and television shows are not always shot in sequence, the martini shot is not the final scene, but rather a scene that caps off the day.
Pelecanos’ stories are martini shots of their own — a scene at the end of a violent time in the lives of the characters. The reader is invited to imagine the future of the character outside the story.
The novella of the collection, The Martini Shot, is a superbly layered story that straddles two worlds Pelecanos knows well.
It centres on a writer for a crime drama who takes it upon himself to investigate the grisly death of a crew member. The investigation leads him to the real world behind the fictional one he is responsible for writing.
The characters of the novella are rich, deeply textured and perfectly Pelecanos. Were it released on its own, The Martini Shot would make a great afternoon-sized read.
Together with the short stories, the novella serves as the main course after a raucous round of appetizers.
The gritty world he knows so well provides ample fodder for the vignettes in this book, the characters are strong and the dialogue is sharp.
The collection is a solid read for anyone who’s a fan of crime writing and especially Pelecanos’ work. Tim Alamenciak is a reporter with the Toronto Star and an omnivorous reader.