The new crime noir novel from Ed Kurtz is certainly long on style, even If I felt it was a bit lacking in substance. I think that may come from a lead character that I just couldn't connect with. Nick Drake is a killer, a low-rent hit man who fell into his line of work, more or less, by accident.
Nausea is told in two separate story-lines. The current timeline and one detailing the events which lead to the early years of Nick's, now, long time profession.
The writing is solid as is the way the story is told...
A few minutes later he ground the butt under the heel of his boot and narrowed his eyes at the purplish ribbon of the gathering dusk. The air was getting a bit nippy now that summer had ended; even this far from town he could smell woodsmoke. It was an odd, familiar smell, a comforting one. He gazed at the shooting stars made by the headlights of the semis on the freeway an wished he could vomit again."
Nausea is a suitably gritty tale. The writer does an excellent job in creating atmosphere and there is definitely a solid story here. It just wasn't one I found to be particularly compelling. I much preferred his previous release from Darkfuse, Angel of the Abyss. Read my review here http://frankmichaelserrington.blogspot.com/2014/11/angel-of-abyss-by-ed-kurtz-wonderfully.html.
Nausea is available now in both paperback and e-book formats from Darkfuse publishers. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited you can read it at no additional charge. Also, if you are an Amazon Prime member you can read it for FREE through the Kindle Owners Lending Library.
Recommended.
Ed Kurtz is the author of Angel of the Abyss, The Forty-Two, and A Wind of Knives. 2015 was a year of personal tragedy for Ed. 2016 begins with a new job and a new life in Minneapolis, MN. I wish him nothing but the best and look forward to his next novel.
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