Stray Dogs

Stray Dogs by John Ridley could have just as easily be called “A Bad Day Just Keeps Getting Worse”. A loner who has gambling debts to a mobster is on his way back to Vegas with the cash when his car overheats in the middle of the desert. Luckily, or so he thinks, he is on the edge of a small town. He manages to get his car as far as the garage but that’s where his troubles begin.

Spending the day in 108 degree heat, in this tiny, dusty, barren place is bad enough, but the people are strange, cantankerous and downright mean. He thinks things are looking up when he meets the delicious Grace, but events are only going to get shockingly worse.

A quick paced page turner with lots of tension, twists and excitement. The story takes place show more over the course of one day and is hard to put down once started. I thought this was simply a great noir read and I highly recommend it. show less

The protagonist of Stray Dogs has a knack for making bad life decisions, ones that lead to often having to leave town in a hurry. He's a gambling addict, so he eventually ended up in Las Vegas, settling down with a girlfriend, occasionally paying part of the rent, until an illegal poker game goes bad and he finds himself on the run once again. His car breaks down in the small, dying desert town of Sierra, which is where his luck turns even worse.

Stewart is not a man you would want to have anywhere near you or anyone you love. You probably wouldn't want him near your enemies. He's almost completely amoral, entirely self-absorbed and his language would make a gang member blush. He's also a lot of fun within the pages of a book. His luck show more is terrible. If a convenience store is being robbed, he'll be inside buying twinkies. If someone has a really bad idea, they'll invite him to participate. Which he will.

The writing is a bit sparse on characterization and nuance, but with so much going on, one barely notices that the characters are almost cartoons.

The truth. This is what telling the truth got him. Truth brings only pain, and heartache, and difficulty. If you care about someone, if you love them, and if you want to spare yourself a little suffering at the same time, then truth has got no place in a relationship and should only be used when a good lie doesn't come quick enough. show less