Craig Faustus Buck

This book has a lot of glowing reviews. I'm going to step outside the norm; I didn't love it. For the most part, I didn't even like it.

The genre is marketed as a "noir mystery", but it's more like whodunit crime fiction. The attempt at noir mainly comes through as sarcastic humor and juvenile sex references. This is only an observation meant for those serious readers looking for a true noir experience. Genre isn't an important factor for me when I read, though it does create show more expectations.

With any fiction book, I'm always drawn to characters first. These characters, for me, are stereotypical and one-dimensional. The story is told in first person, from Nob's perspective. He's a cop-turned-writer who acts like an inexperienced PI. I couldn't help but wonder what happened to his professional training. I didn't like him. He's sarcastic, all the time, and rarely has a serious or honest conversation.

Then there's Gloria, his best friend with benefits. She's an unprofessional homicide detective, who is brash and apparently can't keep her clothes on around Nob. I think the author intended her to be bold and independent, but she comes off instead as childish, impetuous, and needy. She's always grabbing at his crotch and making inappropriate comments in public, which feel more like she's trying to lay claim to property than her being a free sexual spirit. This is accented by the fact that, despite claims of her not being monogamous and wanting new sex partners all the time, Nob is the only man she's falling all over.

We also have Nob's assistant, Melody, who has a small and annoying part. I can only assume the author intended for her to be quirky. I thought she was ridiculous. Throughout the book, she'd randomly drop into a split or stick her foot up behind her ear, in the midst of a conversation, just because she could. She behaved like an eight-year-old.

And, finally, I have to mention the cast of bad guys. They were all thoroughly interchangeable, like stock characters picked off a shelf. Each had all the expected bad guy traits - nothing more and nothing less.

Now on to the plot. From my perspective, it's kind of a tangled mess. I have to give the author credit for his attempt in tackling a serious topic. But the sarcastic, childish nature of the characters took away from any real meaning behind the content.

I was also bugged by some inconsistencies. For instance, early in the story Nob mentions that Lana named her two daughters after classic movie stars. Then, later in the story when a clue pops up having to do with classic movies, Nob states that he never saw Lana as the "classic movie type". Also, at one point in the story he digs out his gun for protection, commenting that he rarely carries one because they make him uncomfortable. He was a cop! I likely noticed this stuff more because I was already irritated by all the sarcasm, brashness, and unprofessional behavior.

I wish I could be as enthusiastic about this book as the majority of readers. I was excited to read a book combining rock 'n' roll with the noir genre, but it just didn't work for me.

*I was provided with a free copy by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.* show less

As the child of a narcissist, this was the very first book I read on this subject, and it proved to be an excellent choice. The chapters are clear and concise, and the author covers a wide range of abuse. I immediately recognized my parent in two of the half dozen types mentioned by the author.

The author also discusses coping strategies, like what is now often called 'gray rock' (giving minimal, controlled responses, showing no emotion, giving limited information, etc) and various ways to show more confront the abusive parent. She offers no illusion in warning the reader that not all confrontations are successful, but also offers hope to the reader that their lives will be better, regardless of whether their parent acknowledges their wrongdoing or not.

Whether or not you were abused as a child, or are not quite sure, this is an excellent book, and if you were not abused, this will hopefully give you insight and more understanding towards others who were abused, and recognize behaviors/patterns of abuse. show less

I read this book many years ago when it was recommended by a psychologist who met me in a work training session and recognised I had all the symptoms of being raised by toxic parents. He also asked me if I'd like to talk more in a pro bono session. I did. He and this book changed my life - it really did. I can't recommend it highly enough. The words that really set me free were, "You must let go of the responsibility for the painful events of your childhood and put it where it belongs."

We all remember that female singer that made us crazy as adolescent boys. The one that you fantasized about meeting up close in the most intimate and very personal way. Okay, don’t admit it, but I did. I am also not about to say who that was, but I still have all her records. Not CDs like the kids today have, but the old vinyl records. For Nob Brown that certain singer was, and to a certain extent still is, Lana Strain. Her murder twenty years ago remains an unsolved case.

LAPD Lieutenant show more Gloria Lopes has decided to give the murder book to Nob in an effort to cheer him up. Nob used to be a cop before he walked away from the job. These days Nob is having a hard time on a variety of fronts including working as a freelance writer. The Lieutenant, who also happens to be his frequent bedroom and anywhere else sexual partner, says that she is giving him the book for six days so that he can do research and just maybe sell a piece on the murder as part of a twenty year retrospective on the stunning beautiful singer. Considering Nob is known as a true crime writer, as well as any other kind of writing that pays the mounting bills, this temporary gift of the murder book for a legendary cold case that is still a hot bed of publicity just might save him form the financial ruin of his recent divorce.

Lana Strain died when Nob was 17. It rocked his world at the time and the incident still shakes him to the core when he sees the brutality of the crime scene photos. While giving him the murder book for the stated reason of Nob’s being able to sell some writing is one goal, Nob is highly motivated to solve the crime the LAPD has not been able to for all these years.

Twenty years after Lana’s violent death in her home, Nob’s poking around will bring him contact with her family, Russian organized crime, porno peddlers, and more in Go Down Hard by Craig Faustus Buck. It also might get him and everyone he cares about killed as someone works to tie off loose ends uncovered by his poking into the cold case.

While some reviews have referred to this as a mystery noir spoof that would imply far more humor and slapstick than there is in the book. Nothing in this hard hitting and often violent book is remotely slapstick. At times graphic in terms of language and descriptions, this is a crime noir style story with an underpinning of sarcasm throughout the read. Nob Brown tends towards the sarcastic in word and action, but when things get dangerous he is prepared to be one hundred percent serious to get the job done.

According to the recent interview with the author on The Rap Skeet Blog this is the start of a new series. That is excellent news and this book was incredibly good. Go Down Hard by Craig Faustus Buck, recently published by Brash Books, is very much worth it and one you should not miss. It is one of those books that if the award committees and voters in various organizations have any sense next spring it will be up for quite a few awards.

Go Down Hard
Craig Faustus Buck
http://www.craigfaustusbuck.com
Brash Books
http://www.brash-books.com
May 2015
ASIN# B00UIVNIIC
E-Book (also available in print)
368 Pages
$3.99

Material supplied by the author in exchange for my objective review.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2015 show less