The Hook no. 5
The Hook was a series from Warner Books consisting of five entries between 1981 to 1982. Bill Lockwood, an investigator for the Transatlantic Insurance Company, is an ex-boxer who had a Smokin’ Joe Frazier left hook that could drop a man in one hit, hence the nickname, The Hook. He’s a suave and dapper fellow, driving around in his Cord convertible in the 1930s, consistently bagging ladies, chain smoking and taking hoods out to the trash where they belong and I guess, solving insurance claims.
This is the last installment and the first one I’ve ever read so I have zero expectations on the character, atmosphere, or storyline.
The second sentence in the book has a glossy bare-chested woman answer a door.
“...her bare right breast glistening as it reflected the harsh light of the steaming hallway.”
A glistening boob. That’s how we’re starting this off. Now I have some expectations.
The basic premise: A nightclub has been burned down and a group of bodies have been found inside. The owner of the nightclub is a rich old guy who has been having financial troubles. He also has a young sexy wife with a glistening boob problem. He’s usually at the club every night around the time of the fire but this time he just happened to be out. The Hook is called in from the insurance company to investigate the claim. He finds it strange that the dead bodies were all located together in the main room instead of piled up at the door trying to get out. Something isn’t right. Investigation ensues.
We have disgruntled ex-employees, old rich guy, his wife, the mob, and even the cop who happened upon the scene as suspects.
Hook asks the most basic questions like, “who was mad at you?” and the nightclub owner is genuinely impressed by his thoroughness. It made me chuckle.
Hook interviews a showgirl who was fired from the nightclub and within ten minutes is getting down to naked business. What’s funny is he’s not evening going for it, the lady literally is like, hey you’re good looking, let’s get it on. Though the flirting was very classic hardboiled cliché it leads into a more descriptive sex scene. It wasn’t exactly porn but reminded me of an adult western. It was graphic and went on longer than I was expecting.
As Hook was a former boxer there are a few mandatory fist fight scenes where he kicks some ass that I enjoyed. The one-on-one fight scenes were written well though nowhere near the expected boxing style. Definitely more street fight style. At one point though he punches out three guys who happen to be holding guns on him which was comical but cheap fun.
As he runs the gamut of interviewees, he encounters another looker and once again is doing the no pants dance within ten minutes. This book gives off heavy sleaze vibes and made me wonder if this would be considered sleaze with crime elements or a crime book with sleaze elements or was this just standard operating procedure of early 80s fiction targeted to men?
Though the story takes place in the 1930s there really wasn’t much to put you there. I had to keep reminding myself of the setting. It also takes place in New York City and not much is mentioned of the Great Depression either. Which is weird because I feel like every Great Depression photo I’ve ever seen is of people in New York looking like scenes from Soylent Green. I felt they really missed an opportunity to up the level of grit. Though Hook does interview some folks who live in run down apartments most of the people are average comfortable living. Maybe it’s played up in the first four entries and they were trying something different?
All in all, Hook was damn enjoyable. It was 158 page quick and simple, macho and ridiculous, mystery with a climax that was pretty good all though well worn in. It’s the same comfortable P.I. ground you know and love but with softcore sex scenes. Hook would be a great book to read if you are stuck in a reading slump and need something breezy and fun to get you back in the swing of things. I do wish it had more 30s flavor though.
Warner Books 1982
Cover art by George Wilson
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