Never Street

If, for some reason, you must read books that are well written, with tough talking, wise-cracking, good intentioned, interesting, likeable private eyes who live in the atmospheric pages of a master crime writer, then you must read this book. Great fun for lovers of the hard-boiled genre. Read all of Estelman's Amos Walker series and you'll be have something to measure all the rest by.

I just finished Never Street. I had to. It nagged me when I put it down. Like the late show movie, I was hooked when I first put eyes on it, wanting to know what happened next. Amos Walker is the genuine article, a renaissance man to the bygone era of street wise 'private dicks' who often find out more than they wanted to. Walker is the real gem. He's involved in a track down of a nut case hooked on film noir by the worried movie widow during a Detriot heatwave. A conniving partner, a crooked shrink, an ex-con, a bumbling P.I. competitor, and a sultry mistress later, produces a couple of bodies and more than one headache the kind a couple of aspirin can't help. Walker's wisecracks alone are worth the cover price. It's no wonder Estleman is one of the most decorated mystery writers in the business.

The book is an easy and entertaining read, a new side of looking at a private eye, the book takes you into a neatly woven plot, comforting i should add. read it to know more...

I have never read any other books featuring Amos Walker, nor any others by Estelman for that matter. I stumbled upon the book by accident, and found I couldn't put it down. Walker is a great protagonist, and the author plays him well off all the characters. Highly entertaining.

Amos Walker has returned. After what seems like forever (I believe it's only 5 years) Loren Estleman gives us more of the hard-boiled gumshoe from Detroit, Amos Walker. He comes to us with a mixture of old and new. The old would concern trappings from the plot; A man is missing after seemingly becoming obsessed with "Film-Noir" movies. Since Mr. Walker's character is firmly entrenched in the same attitudes and dialogue as some of these same movies, this is right up his alley. The new touches are simple ones; Estleman scatters references to computers throughout, vague references to the new Mayor of Detroit (Mayor Archer), and even some rap music tossed in to remind you this is set in present time. Loyal readers may be heartened to know some of Walker's friends have returned such as ex-newspaperman Barry Stackpole, and Walker's childhood friend Police Inspector John Alderdyce. The sharp tongue and extremly witty comebacks are there also. I found myself laughing out loud many times while reading this book, something I try not to do in public. The weather pounding the steaming streets of Detroit in this book is as hot and oppresive as most of the characters Walker runs into during his investigation. Estelman has a great talent for threading seemingly unattached segments of the story all into one neat little package. In the end, it makes so much sense you wind up kicking yourself for not having discovered the seam before Walker lets you in on it himself. In "Never Street", as in most Amos Walker novels, you find yourself suspecting everybody, because nearly all the people the unlucky Mr. Walker comes into contact with is guily of something. If you're looking for an updated flashback to the days of the smart-cracking detective that has more answers than most of us have questions, then give this book a whirl. If you're a fan of the Amos Walker series, why are you wasting your time with this review? Go get it!!! Larry Wangemann