Jack Curran

Thrill Girl by Jack Curran is a 2018 La Verita Publishing publication.

Fall back into the nostalgic atmosphere of 1950s California, the hardboiled noir of blonde bombshells, dedicated news reporters, and genuinely creative mysteries-

War hero, Jack Curran, is a reporter biding his time, hoping to sell his screenplay, when a string of murders committed by a beautiful blonde woman, protecting innocent victims, lands him career making headlines when he dubs the gorgeous woman- “Thrill Girl” a phrase that catches on city wide.

As he digs deeper into this complex and sordid case, he is surprised when the trail leads him to socialite Alana Maxwell. Alana is sultry, sophisticated, and sexy, but riddled with guilt over her brother, Tomas’, dire health diagnosis. While Alana will do anything to find a cure for her brother, including becoming a human guinea pig and coping with a host of unusual side effects, Jack finds himself falling under her spell, sensing her hidden vulnerabilities.

Meanwhile, a grisly murder divides the public’s attention, giving Jack’s story a little competition. But, the more Jack learns, the more he suspects these two stories are somehow connected. While the newspapers compete for headlines, Jack enters a realm of shocking secrets, revealing the depths of humanity’s evil.

“Einstein warned us. He said victory is always temporary, claimed only by those blind to the reversal of fortune that is sure to come.”

This story blew me away. In truth, I had no idea what to expect when I started reading this novel. I was thinking it is probably a straight up historical mystery set in Los Angeles in the 1950s, and it sounded like it would be something I’d really enjoy.

But, this is not in any way a standard mystery novel. As a huge fan of noir, I recognized the style right away and immediately felt my pulse quicken. I knew right then, I wasn’t going to just like this book- I was going to love it.

The author did an amazing job of capturing the uneasy paranoia, vernacular, writing styles, and overall atmosphere of the fifties. Jack Curran is a fantastic character I couldn’t help but root for.

The story is moody, dark, horrifying, yet poignant. As with most noir the surprises creep up on you, taking you off guard, refusing to sugarcoat or water anything down. The more I thought about this novel, the more layers I found. This is certainly thought provoking, a little melancholy, perhaps, but, an excellent representation of pure noir fiction.

This is a well-written, imaginative tale, and is recommended for anyone, but it will be an even tastier treat for anyone stuck in a reading rut or just tired of the same old plot lines rehashed six ways from Sunday. I loved it!!

I do hope to catch up with Jack Curran again someday as he combs the underbelly of Los Angeles and uncovers more shocking truths along the way.… (mehr)