- Paperback: 190 pages
- Publisher: No Exit Press (7 April 1998)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1874061777
- ISBN-13: 978-1874061779
- Product Dimensions: 20.6 x 14.7 x 1.8 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 418,644 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
David Bradley
"One of the most intriguing, disturbing, literate, intelligent and powerful novels I've read in years, and Lew Griffin is one of the most flat-out human detectives since Marlowe. There's enough story here for three good novels, but Sallis crafts them into one truly fine one - he's a ligitimate contender in the Heavyweight Division. Make that Superheavyweight."
Time Out
"Classic American crime of the highest order."
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6 reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Started on a whole new mystery series and a fine writer.
30 Jun 1998
Format:Hardcover
Am a regular reader of mysteries. How I'd missed Sallis I don't know. I am pleased to "discover" him and his wonderful characters. He has a fine feel for my favorite city to visit: New Orleans, and gives a sound psychological sense to his characters. Even the minor characters stand out as people I would be interested to know. I took several quotes from the book and introduced them to a class I was teaching on Human Identity. The words just fit right into the context of the class. Now I've read Black Hornet and am waiting for more.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Social commentary posing as noir mystery
30 April 2008
Format:Paperback
Eye of the Cricket is the 4th Lew Griffin novel and begins similarly to the others with Lew attempting to locate a missing person. Although Lew has no real vested interest in finding the brother of one of his students, Lew naturally takes on this role even if it interferes with his job as a college professor. The irony is that Lew's own son is missing, and he has no clues where to look until a bum appears at a local hospital with one of Lew's books that he'd given to his son years ago.
As with the other Lew Griffin novels, the focus is not on the mystery but more on the inner struggle that Lew goes through, having dealt with the loss of so many loved ones and trying to reconcile. This book is really more of a social commentary, and the noir feeling to it beautifully highlights the struggles that Lew and all of us have to deal with. Lew just allows himself to sink to lower depths than most people would ever consider, giving him a different and well-rounded perspective.
The writing here is outstanding. Occasionally I'd have to pause in my reading just to bask in the perfection. For lack of a better word, it's just so poetic. The words and tone are spot-on, and many scenes are so wonderfully illustrated that I found myself smiling with satisfaction after reading them. Sallis doesn't waste any words yet still conveys the emotions and impressions of his characters so well. These novels leave such an impact that I'm always left wanting to read the next one.
As with the other Lew Griffin novels, the focus is not on the mystery but more on the inner struggle that Lew goes through, having dealt with the loss of so many loved ones and trying to reconcile. This book is really more of a social commentary, and the noir feeling to it beautifully highlights the struggles that Lew and all of us have to deal with. Lew just allows himself to sink to lower depths than most people would ever consider, giving him a different and well-rounded perspective.
The writing here is outstanding. Occasionally I'd have to pause in my reading just to bask in the perfection. For lack of a better word, it's just so poetic. The words and tone are spot-on, and many scenes are so wonderfully illustrated that I found myself smiling with satisfaction after reading them. Sallis doesn't waste any words yet still conveys the emotions and impressions of his characters so well. These novels leave such an impact that I'm always left wanting to read the next one.
Threadbare plot, but some nice writing
10 Feb 2012
Format:Paperback
This is the first I've heard of James Sallis, although it turns out the film Drive was based on his novel of the same name. And he's written a sequel called, naturally enough, Driven. I'm guessing the third in the series will be called Driving. Anyway, Cricket is one of seven novels Sallis has written featuring private detective Lew Griffin. Griffin is black, a resident of New Orleans, and in this novel a part-time university prof teaching modern literature and French. Reading between the lines it would seem that Griffin was once more of a full-time private dectective.
Cricket presents the problem of the crime writer who doesn't appear to be all that interested in writing about crime. In this novel Griffin investigates a couple of missing persons cases in a laidback sort of way that involves a lot of eating and drinking in colourful New Orleans eateries while asking questions of obligingly talkative friends and acquaintances. In this way we get an engaging tour of the city, but there isn't really any detection going on. And the final 40 or so pages have Griffin living on the street in order to find his son who disappeared in New York several years previously. The missing son portion the story is poorly developed and makes for a limp, saccharine finale.
Sallis isn't the first crime writer to lose interest in crime. Michael Dibdin's series of mysteries featuring Comissario Aurelio Zen eventually became mood pieces with a bit of crime on the side. American mystery writer K.C. Constantine hit the wall after nine books about Mario Balzic, the Chief of Police of Rocksburg, PA. He rejuvenated himself by retiring Balzic and writing about his replacement, but before that happened his last two Balzic novels were nothing more than extended rants about life in America under Ronald Reagan.
Sallis' focus in this novel is on Griffin coping with middle age and dealing with the demons of his past. Sallis is a good writer, sometimes a fine writer with a Faulknerian way with words, but his ability to craft prose can't disguise the fact that he isn't really interested in telling a story. Another sign that Sallis is more interested in creating a literary novel is that he has Griffin quoting and referencing famous authors at a furious clip. That kind of thing is never a good idea; it always seems to be a substitute for storytelling. I can't recommend this book, but I'm curious to see if Sallis is a more disciplined writer in Drive and the earlier Griffin novels.
Read more of my reviews at JettisonCocoon dot com.
Cricket presents the problem of the crime writer who doesn't appear to be all that interested in writing about crime. In this novel Griffin investigates a couple of missing persons cases in a laidback sort of way that involves a lot of eating and drinking in colourful New Orleans eateries while asking questions of obligingly talkative friends and acquaintances. In this way we get an engaging tour of the city, but there isn't really any detection going on. And the final 40 or so pages have Griffin living on the street in order to find his son who disappeared in New York several years previously. The missing son portion the story is poorly developed and makes for a limp, saccharine finale.
Sallis isn't the first crime writer to lose interest in crime. Michael Dibdin's series of mysteries featuring Comissario Aurelio Zen eventually became mood pieces with a bit of crime on the side. American mystery writer K.C. Constantine hit the wall after nine books about Mario Balzic, the Chief of Police of Rocksburg, PA. He rejuvenated himself by retiring Balzic and writing about his replacement, but before that happened his last two Balzic novels were nothing more than extended rants about life in America under Ronald Reagan.
Sallis' focus in this novel is on Griffin coping with middle age and dealing with the demons of his past. Sallis is a good writer, sometimes a fine writer with a Faulknerian way with words, but his ability to craft prose can't disguise the fact that he isn't really interested in telling a story. Another sign that Sallis is more interested in creating a literary novel is that he has Griffin quoting and referencing famous authors at a furious clip. That kind of thing is never a good idea; it always seems to be a substitute for storytelling. I can't recommend this book, but I'm curious to see if Sallis is a more disciplined writer in Drive and the earlier Griffin novels.
Read more of my reviews at JettisonCocoon dot com.
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