- Hardcover: 356 pages
- Publisher: Ballantine Books (July 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0345447530
- ISBN-13: 978-0345447531
- Product Dimensions: 16.2 x 3.2 x 24.2 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,388,104 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Done for a Dime: A Novel
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Product Description
Book Description
A gripping tale of suspense, murder, deceit and corruption.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
David Corbett’s first book, The Devil’s Redhead, was hailed by critics as a searing work of suspense. Now, one of the hottest new names in modern crime fiction is back with a riveting and soulful new noir.
Back in the day, Raymond “Strong” Carlisle made his mark as an ace sideman blowing baritone sax alongside all the biggest names in R&B. Now he lies in the grass outside his home, shot dead from behind and pelted by the heedless rain that mingles with his own blood. He is the first official casualty of a dirty war being lethally waged for control of Rio Mirada: a low-rent, “city in transition” of clashing subcultures at the northern tip of the San Francisco Bay, beset by drug dealers, arsonists, squatters . . . and now murder.
Detective Dennis Murchison–white, weary, home-grown–has two possible perps: Arlie Thigpen, a teenage lieutenant in the crack-and-smack army of a local dealer; Toby Marchand, a straight-arrow, old-school, jazz horn player with some big shoes to fill: those of his father, Strong Carlisle. The smart money says the shooter is Arlie, a two-time loser who tangled with Carlisle the day he died, is the shooter. But too many things about Toby–his shaky alibi, suspicion that he’s not really who he claims to be, the fact that his girlfriend witnessed the killing but can’t remember it–have Murch doing a double take.
They say there are three sides to the truth. But in Rio Mirada, honesty is in short supply. What’s plentiful are people with angles, hidden agendas, and all the reasons in the world to make sure the murder of Strong Carlisle remains a mystery. And the harder Murchison pushes for answers, the clearer it becomes that this single, brutal homicide is just the tip of an inverted iceberg, casting its massive shadow over a town where small-time crime and big-time corruption are about to collide . . . with explosive consequences.
A harrowing, heartbreaking portrait of life on both sides of the law–and the grey place in between–Done for a Dime pays off powerfully on the promise of David Corbett as a writer to watch.
Back in the day, Raymond “Strong” Carlisle made his mark as an ace sideman blowing baritone sax alongside all the biggest names in R&B. Now he lies in the grass outside his home, shot dead from behind and pelted by the heedless rain that mingles with his own blood. He is the first official casualty of a dirty war being lethally waged for control of Rio Mirada: a low-rent, “city in transition” of clashing subcultures at the northern tip of the San Francisco Bay, beset by drug dealers, arsonists, squatters . . . and now murder.
Detective Dennis Murchison–white, weary, home-grown–has two possible perps: Arlie Thigpen, a teenage lieutenant in the crack-and-smack army of a local dealer; Toby Marchand, a straight-arrow, old-school, jazz horn player with some big shoes to fill: those of his father, Strong Carlisle. The smart money says the shooter is Arlie, a two-time loser who tangled with Carlisle the day he died, is the shooter. But too many things about Toby–his shaky alibi, suspicion that he’s not really who he claims to be, the fact that his girlfriend witnessed the killing but can’t remember it–have Murch doing a double take.
They say there are three sides to the truth. But in Rio Mirada, honesty is in short supply. What’s plentiful are people with angles, hidden agendas, and all the reasons in the world to make sure the murder of Strong Carlisle remains a mystery. And the harder Murchison pushes for answers, the clearer it becomes that this single, brutal homicide is just the tip of an inverted iceberg, casting its massive shadow over a town where small-time crime and big-time corruption are about to collide . . . with explosive consequences.
A harrowing, heartbreaking portrait of life on both sides of the law–and the grey place in between–Done for a Dime pays off powerfully on the promise of David Corbett as a writer to watch.
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First Sentence
Glancing up through the haze, he saw near his front door a shimmering radiance and wondered if it might not be a spirit, come to welcome him. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Glancing up through the haze, he saw near his front door a shimmering radiance and wondered if it might not be a spirit, come to welcome him. Read the first page
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10 reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Powerful, passionate, and compelling
6 Dec 2003
Format:Hardcover
David Corbett's story of the murder of a jazz musician is an utterly compelling read from start to finish. The deadly consequences of the initial killing, the aching hearts of the survivors, the alternating brutality and compassion of the all-too-human policemen - all are rendered in powerful, vivid prose that makes no compromises. Readers looking for crime fiction on a par with Dennis Lehane's MYSTIC RIVER need look no further than this terrific novel.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
stark, gritty and totally believable police procedural
3 Aug 2003
Format:Hardcover
There is tension between father and son because famous blues musician Raymond "Strong" Carlisle has started drinking again only months after having a kidney removed. Toby Marchand moved in with his father to nurse him through his health crisis and is irate that his dad disobeys medical orders. Toby goes to play with his own band at a nearby club and his girlfriend Nadya escorts his father to see him perform.
Strong picks a fight with everyone he comes in contact with. When he returns home someone kills him with three bullets in his back. The police turn their attention to Toby and Nadya, but that fails to turn up any leads. What the police have yet to realize is that the killer lives next door to Carlisle in a boarded up Victorian, waiting to set fire to a part of the town that his clients want destroyed. These developers want to rebuild it in the image that will bring them the most profit. Whether the killer will succeed in carrying out his objective remains to be read.
David Corbett's story line is stark, gritty and totally believable. From the police to the average citizen to the criminals, Mr. Corbett creates a microcosm of life in the pages of DONE FOR A DIME. His perspectives is realistic and readers will accept that the lead detective on the case has to go outside the law to try to see that justice occurs. While many readers will not agree with the protagonist's solution, they will understand why he was driven to break the laws he was sworn to uphold. This is one police procedural it will be impossible to forget.
Harriet Klausner
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Not done enough!
10 July 2008
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is the first of Corbett's books that I've read. It probably won't be the last even though I was underwhelmed. The writing was uneven. The plot was pretty good, the best part. The character dialogue was strained; I blinked a few times, wondering where that came from. Not fitting the character. The character development was weak; most of the characters I never could quite figure out. And there were a lot of characters, some with pretty ancillary roles that didn't seem to fit in very well. There were a number of things left hanging; don't like that. Maybe working toward a sequel (although the way things ended, that would be a challenge!). Worth a read and I'll read more of Corbett's stuff.
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