The Ragged End of Nowhere

Roy Chaney's first novel, The Ragged End of Nowhere, is one of those quick and easy reads that will wet your palate, but not completely satisfy it. Bodo Hagen has returned to Las Vegas to bury his murdered brother... a misguided misfit who has returned from the French Foreign Legion with a relic he has taken more for personal reasons rather than for personal gain. A former CIA agent, Bodo has past connections to Las Vegas and his hunt for the killer and the recovery of the relic is the basis for the book. Generally the book is interesting and well-written, and the author accurately captures the atmosphere of Vegas and the elements within it. The plot is plausible, and it was nice to read about the search for something other than a mysterious buried treasure. What bothered me, however, is that the book seems incomplete. For instance, Bodo's father is/was a former German SS member and himself a Legionairre who has come to Vegas to work as a casino security specialist....one of Bodo's closest friends is "The Sniff", a gaming specialist who is hired by the gambling industry to train employees how to spot cheaters... Bodo is a former CIA agent with a history of hunting former SS... As these bits of information are introduced, you feel as though the author intends to carry the story in a different direction, but he doesn't. And although the book uses this background to help conclude the plot nicely, I sense that the author wants to make Bodo Hagen a recurring character with him returning to his family roots and his former occupation, thus the details. That doesn't make this a bad book, just one that seems as a set-up for future books. For a first effort, I'd give it a B+... good, but not great.

I ordered this book for my wife, who had heard about it. She thoroughly enjoyed it.

Ronnie Hagen - ex-French Foreign Legionnaire - returns to Las Vegas and is murdered within days of his arrival. Bodo Hagen - ex-CIA agent - returns to Las Vegas to find his brother's killer. It is soon apparent that Ronnie's death is somehow connected to a missing piece of wooden sculpture - but is this item "The Hand of Danjou," prized by the Legion, or part of a statue from a church in Russia? Is it real or a fake? And if real, is it worth ten thousand dollars or thirteen million? To find the answer and Ronnie's killer, Bodo is going to have to work his way through a group of unsavory acquaintances including information brokers, fences, casino workers, and a hard-boiled detective. And what is a group of Foreign Legionnaires doing in Vegas? //The Ragged End of Nowhere// by Roy Chaney is not a thriller that will keep you up past midnight, but it is a refreshing, old style crime story. The hero is not overly brilliant, and the criminals are neither fiendishly clever nor dumb. The story starts fast and keeps moving, and we don't learn who the master criminal is until the last chapters. An excellent book - read it. Reviewed by Douglas McWilliams

Ronnie Hagen, who was recently discharged from the French Foreign Legion, has stolen a wooden hand, an ancient relic worth millions. He has traveled back to his hometown of Las Vegas in hopes that one of his slimy associates, from his casino days as a security officer, can fence it. Someone who wants the hand for themselves has shot Ronnie dead at the Hoover Dam. Unfortunately for them, Ronnie did not have the hand. Now Ronnie's estranged brother, Bodo Hagen, a disgraced CIA agent, has arrived in Las Vegas; he is intent on tracking down his brother's killer and finding the missing hand. It is a cursed hand because all those who come in contact with it are murdered. Roy Chaney`s debut novel, "The Ragged End of Nowhere," is pure mystery that will keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Who killed Ronnie Hagen in this make believe city of glamour and glitter where no one can be trusted? Unable to garner much help from the detectives, Bodo must conduct his own investigation. He visits Las Vegas' most famous night spots, interviewing casino and strip club owners, fences and strippers. All the while he is constantly followed by a group of dangerous men who are devoted to finding the hand, a symbol of their faith and allegiance. There is much tension and suspense as Bodo and his ex-girlfriend, Peach, elude capture and death. He's a man who knows how to fight; she's a woman who knows how to shoot. I have always wanted to visit Las Vegas. After reading "The Ragged End of Nowhere," I feel that this is no longer necessary. With the help of his character, Bodo, Chaney takes the reader on a tour of Las Vegas, from the rumbling of the roller coaster at the top of the Stratosphere Tower to the roulette tables and slot machines of the MGM Grand. This novel is as colorful and dynamic as the Las Vegas Strip. It spans only a few days, during which Bodo obtains very little rest as he labors night and day to solve the mystery of his brother's murder. The origin of the hand is a mystery itself. Some claim it is the severed hand from a sacred statue of Jesus while others claim it is the prosthetic device used by a conqueror who invaded Mexico. The Hagen brothers have quite interesting backgrounds. The younger one, Ronnie, was quite shifty and vindictive. The more I learned about him the less sympathy I felt for his murder. His brother Bodo, however, has more respect for human life. He exhibited much camaraderie when he served in the CIA, whereas Ronnie couldn't follow rules while serving in the French Foreign Legion. Both of them fled from the seedy environment in which they were raised. Only Ronnie returned when he became a thief; unfortunately, his murder forced his brother to also return. Though it is set in modern day Las Vegas, "The Ragged End of Nowhere" is an old fashioned crime mystery; it reminded me of the novels written by Ellery Queen and his contemporaries. Many of them involved gangsters, mobsters and other l

What a ride! I just finished Roy Chaney's novel The Ragged End Of Nowhere and I couldn't put it down. It's a gem of a mystery novel that keeps you spell-bound. The Ragged End Of Nowhere is a tense suspenseful murder mystery that tells the plight of Bodo Hagen and his dutiful efforts to find his brothers killer. From the beginning the reader is riveted to the action. But what makes the story great, in additon to a twisting turning plot, is Roy Chaney's crisp dialogue, deft characterizations and vivid "Chaney-isms", that make the book so special. Like, "...and he drove down the hill, his headlights SCRAPING the concrete and stone embankments that lined the road" or, "...the rock song on the radio reached a crescendo. A high arching guitar riff FLEW PAST HAGENS SHOULDER. Then a second one, softer, full of electronic trills, floating lazily up to the ceiling." or, "...the meager strands of hair the detective combed over the top of his shiny scalp looked solid and crusty, as though he dipped them in MODEL AIRPLANE GLUE...to keep them in place." or, "...the whiskey went down like a hard dose of reality in a city of HALLUCINATIONS.". The book is full of such earthy descriptions that pull you further into the scene than you ever thought possible. Mr. Chaney works some magic with words. The Ragged End Of Nowhere is a fast paced murder mystery that keeps you guessing. A book that will delight all readers who value a good "who-done-it?". If you are looking for a fast moving, plot driven story, written in uniquely Roy Chaney style, yet in classic murder mystery fashion...without a doubt you will enjoy The Ragged End Of Nowhere. Douglas Carrington