The Martini Shot, George Pelecanos
The Martini Shot, George Pelecanos
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The Martini Shot
A Novella and Stories

Author: George Pelecanos

Narrator: Dion Graham

Unabridged: 7 hr 21 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/06/2015

Synopsis

A thrilling collection of short stories and a novella from one of crime fiction's most revered writers. Whether they're cops or conmen, savage killers or creative types, gangsters or God-fearing citizens, George Pelecanos' characters are always engaged in a fight for their lives. They fight to advance or simply to survive; they fight against odds, against enemies, even against themselves. In this, his first collection of stories, the acclaimed novelist introduces readers to a vivid and eclectic cast of combatants. A seasoned claims investigator tracks a supposedly dead man from Miami to Brazil, only to be thrown off his game by a kid from the local slum. An aging loser takes a last stab at respectability by becoming a police informant. A Greek-American couple adopts an interracial trio of sons and then struggles to keep their family together, giving us a stirring bit of background on one of Pelecanos' most beloved protagonists, Spero Lucas. In the title novella—which takes its name from Hollywood slang for the last shot of the day, the one that comes before the liquor shots begin—we go behind the scenes of a television cop show, where a writer gets caught up in a drama more real than anything he could have conjured for a script. By turns heartbreaking and humane, brutal and funny, these finely constructed tales expose the violence and striving beneath the surface of any city and within any human heart. Tough, sexy, fast-paced, and crackling with energy, The Martini Shot is Pelecanos at his very best.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Kemper on November 19, 2015

I might have liked this martini more if it came with some blue cheese olives. One of the things I love about Pelecanos is that he creates a great sense of time and place which makes his characters come alive, and I was slightly worried about reading this collection because I wasn’t sure how well he c......more

Goodreads review by Richard on January 11, 2016

Pelecanos is undeniably one of my favorite authors, so of course I had to jump headfirst into this newly-released collection of his short fiction, although I was already familiar with some of the stories. Fellow fans of the author will find many of his usual strengths on display here: his knack for......more

Goodreads review by Ellis on December 11, 2015

Bill said, "Let's watch The Wire again," and I said, "Let's watch a show we haven't seen yet," and then we watched the first episode of the first season & I said, "Let's watch all five seasons now!" I didn't know who George Pelecanos was the last time we watched it, but oh boy do I want to give him......more

Goodreads review by Larry on December 14, 2021

George and I had kids together in a preschool in Silver Spring Maryland a long time ago before he got rich and famous! My daughter from then just turned 29 so you know what really was a long time ago. I loved George Pelecanos when I first ran into his books because they were sad in the heart of Silve......more

Goodreads review by Lee on April 10, 2015

I really like the economy of Pelecanos's prose. Dug most of the short stories but the novella didn't do anything for me.......more

Quotes

Praise for THE DOUBLE:

"It's astonishing all the good stuff Pelecanos can pack into one unpretentious book that make the story so rich."—Marilyn Stasio, New York Times Book Review

"Pungent, funny dialogue...believable black-and-white friendships...outstanding scene-setting...The Double is fast-paced, its villains feel fresh...Call me a hard-core Pelecanos junkie."—Jocelyn McClurg, USA TODAY


"The author laces his story with vivid descriptions of Washington's changing urban landscape. The writing is taut, the violence is graphic and the characters are so well-drawn that they step off the page and into your life. The Double is as good as it gets."—Bruce DeSilva, Associated Press

Praise for THE CUT:

"The writing is spare; the dialogue rings with authenticity; and walking D.C.'s mean streets with Lucas is the next best thing to being there. Easily the best crime novel I've read this year."—Hallie Ephron, Boston Globe

"Pelecanos at his best...The Cut crackles with energy."—Dan DeLuca, Philadelphia Inquirer

"Every time I read one of George Pelecanos's novels, I'm left a little awed...The guy's a national treasure."—Dennis Lehane

"A lean, swift, atmospheric detective novel...The characters-good-hearted, ill-intentioned or in between-are shown by Mr. Pelecanos with loving clarity, free of cliché, condescension or illusion. Spero Lucas is an engagingly layered character...The Cut is a resourceful and notably original work the delivers the thrills of an action movie and the poignancy of fine storytelling."—Tom Nolan, Wall Street Journal

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