Jim Pascoe

I'd never heard of the authors or this series until I saw it in the Early Review offerings. I don't know how I missed them because as a fan of pulp writing/movies and noir writing/movies this collection of tales fits right in. The book relates the adventures of the Always Reddy Detective Agency and are set in Testacy City. Testacy is reminiscent of those seedy border towns-not those on international borders, but those you find when crossing from one state into another. Here Ben Drake finds show more himself stalking through a seedy underworld looking for killers and mugs but also finding more than a few dames. The cases bring him into contact with Homicide dick Duke Wellington, cousin to classic detective story cops like Spillane's Pat Chambers. The dialogue is tight and crisp, like a classic Black Mask tale. Every story is a gem. A missing ventriloquist, Raspberry Jack the thrill killer and murder at Penny's Lanes are just some of the crimes Drake is called on to solve. This is brilliant detective story writing and Drake is going on my shelf with Spade, Hammer, Marlowe, Scott and Archer. show less

. The stories collected here ran concurrently with the start of Season 5 of Buffy and Season 1 of the Angel TV shows so it took a little effort to think back to where the characters were on their personal journey at that point. Like most extensive collections it's a mixed bag. What marks the volume is the inclusion of comics writers and artists not normally associated with the franchise that adds some fresh voices and styles to what otherwise could be a homogeneous reading experience.

By the Balls: The Complete Collection is a wonderful collection of pulp fiction stories previously published as two novels and several short stories. The Complete Collection also includes all of the fantastic illustrations done by Paul Pope. This is a very fun, over the top collection of hard-boiled noir mysteries recommended for any hard-boiled mystery fans with a sense of humor.

The 15th Anniversary of the By The Balls Collection is extremely enjoyable. Featuring tough, gritty firefighter turned detective, Ben Drake, the stories are well conceived if somewhat predictable. The prose flows quickly and with lots of smarts. Drake is a typical, slightly damaged hero, having lost his wife to a drunk driver. He perseveres through brawls and bar fights, searching for clues to solve this month’s crime. Some of the references are somewhat dated – who uses a pay phone show more anymore- but this is easily overlooked in light of the overall stories. It is a quick read, easy to put down and pick up. I would recommend it to anyone looking for an action packed and witty read. show less