Odds Against Tomorrow

This is a solid crime story about the problems that ensue when an embittered ex-policeman recruits a hot-tempered White racist WW II hero, who's fallen on hard times, and an urbane black gambler who's heavily in debt to gangsters to help him pull off an 'easy' bank robbery in a small town watched over by an observant local lawman. McGivern, who also wrote the classic "The Big Heat", writes in an economical and atmospheric way, creating an exciting story of a 'perfect' caper that goes wrong. His inclusion of race as a crucial factor in the story is especially intriguing in light of the fact that the novel was published in 1957. The novel is the basis for an excellent but neglected 1959 Robert Wise film starring Robert Ryan, Harry Belafonte, and Ed Begley, and featuring a way-above-average score by jazz great John Lewis. This is a compelling, suspenseful novel that works well as a crime story,and is given extra depth by the inclusion of important social issues.