- Paperback
- Publisher: Grove Pr (April 1980)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0394176588
- ISBN-13: 978-0394176581
- Product Dimensions: 17.8 x 10.4 x 2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 718,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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First Sentence
Short, nasty and brutish. Troy stared. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Back Cover
Short, nasty and brutish. Troy stared. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Most importantly, this is the American edition of a book about to be published in the UK, Blue Rondo. Although this is a great series, the author and publishers have confused readers again by changing titles. This is a repeat of the publication of Bluffing Mr. Churchill in America, which is Riptide in the UK.
Despite my enjoyment of Flesh Wounds, I think that my previous knowledge of the repeat characters and the series "history" were extremely important to my understanding the who the characters were and the plot. In short, this is not the book to chose to start the Troy series. Veterans of the series will still enjoy it mainly because of the characters. The actual crime to be solved is muddled by the fun the author (and we ) have with Troy et al.Someday, the publishers will get around to offering readers a proper chronological order of the books and sales will soar, because the writing is crisp and just plain good and Troy is, well, lovable despite many flaws, like us all.
Despite my enjoyment of Flesh Wounds, I think that my previous knowledge of the repeat characters and the series "history" were extremely important to my understanding the who the characters were and the plot. In short, this is not the book to chose to start the Troy series. Veterans of the series will still enjoy it mainly because of the characters. The actual crime to be solved is muddled by the fun the author (and we ) have with Troy et al.Someday, the publishers will get around to offering readers a proper chronological order of the books and sales will soar, because the writing is crisp and just plain good and Troy is, well, lovable despite many flaws, like us all.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
8 reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful
exhilarating British historical police procedural
13 Mar 2005
Format:Hardcover
World War II ended fourteen years ago, but London still shows the ruins. For Russian descendent Chief Superintendent of Scotland Yard Freddie Troy, the conviction of crime kingpin King Alf should be a time of elation. Instead the war years have returned; his former lover Kitty Stilton is back in town but unavailable since she is married to American presidential hopeful, Calvin Cormack, another person from Freddie's espionage past.
Private investigator Joey Rork is in town to insure that Kitty behaves while in England. However, while London swings with Kitty as its biggest swinger, a war seems imminent to take over King's Alf's crime syndicate and American gamblers and crooners are in the middle of the action. When Rork and others are violently killed, Freddie leads the inquiries that take him back to 1944 when he was recovering from a bullet courtesy of his mistress and the antics of his family especially his promiscuous sisters and his brother, who has present day (1959 that is) ambitions. There is also links to when he was Sergeant Freddie Troy. Still, in spite of his efforts London with Ike coming is filling up with mutilated corpses.
FLESH WOUNDS is an exhilarating British historical police procedural that binds events and real persona or obviously disguised persona between World War II and 1959. The story line is overloaded with several subplots that at times may feel overwhelming, but not only come together but enables readers to compare 1944 and 1959 London. Freddie is terrific in both eras as he is the string that keeps the multitude of subplots tied together. Fans will appreciate this deep but dark look back to two distinct Great Britain's only fifteen years apart within a fine Noir.
Private investigator Joey Rork is in town to insure that Kitty behaves while in England. However, while London swings with Kitty as its biggest swinger, a war seems imminent to take over King's Alf's crime syndicate and American gamblers and crooners are in the middle of the action. When Rork and others are violently killed, Freddie leads the inquiries that take him back to 1944 when he was recovering from a bullet courtesy of his mistress and the antics of his family especially his promiscuous sisters and his brother, who has present day (1959 that is) ambitions. There is also links to when he was Sergeant Freddie Troy. Still, in spite of his efforts London with Ike coming is filling up with mutilated corpses.
FLESH WOUNDS is an exhilarating British historical police procedural that binds events and real persona or obviously disguised persona between World War II and 1959. The story line is overloaded with several subplots that at times may feel overwhelming, but not only come together but enables readers to compare 1944 and 1959 London. Freddie is terrific in both eras as he is the string that keeps the multitude of subplots tied together. Fans will appreciate this deep but dark look back to two distinct Great Britain's only fifteen years apart within a fine Noir.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Excellent book, but note - this is actually UK book "Blue Rondo"
24 Nov 2006
Format:Paperback
The strange thing with the Inspector Troy books is that they get different titles when they're released in the US to when they originally come out in the UK. So, if you're from the UK and excited that to find a new Inspector Troy story you're sorely mistaken -- this book was originally called "Blue Rondo" and was first published in paperback in 2005. Why the title "Blue Rondo" is unsuitable for an American audience I don't know.
But with that out of the way, "Flesh Wounds"/"Blue Rondo" is one of my favourites of the Troy books. Over time, we've got to love the characterisation, Police Surgeon Kolanciwicz is one of the foulest-mouthed people I've come across, but is hilarious to read, and Troy's attitude to most people seems to be that they can go and get lost.
The best so far.
But with that out of the way, "Flesh Wounds"/"Blue Rondo" is one of my favourites of the Troy books. Over time, we've got to love the characterisation, Police Surgeon Kolanciwicz is one of the foulest-mouthed people I've come across, but is hilarious to read, and Troy's attitude to most people seems to be that they can go and get lost.
The best so far.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Unique series
26 Feb 2010
Format:Paperback
This is the fifth installment in the Frederick Troy series. Troy is a London homicide detective of Russian heritage - his father an immigrant who became a very powerful and wealthy newspaper publisher. The series takes place between the 1930's and the sixties and although there is a chronology to these books, the series doesn't follow a calendar. Also several of the books, including this one, have been published under different titles, i.e. same book, different title depending on if it's the British or American version.
I have not run across many folks who are familiar with this series which is unfortunate - these are great books - Flesh Wounds or Blue Rondo - being no exception. The books are historically based mysteries with historic figures - for instance Eisenhower makes an appearance in this one - and follow the events of the time. Our hero Troy is somewhat of a lone wolf on the police force - jaded just enough to be both pragmatic and at times very funny but personable, politically savvy and competent enough to climb the promotion ladder. He's the Chief Superintendent in this one.
There's also a supporting cast of characters - Troy's family, his friends and co-workers, including a distant cousin of Winston Churchill - who are well developed and engaging on their own. The books are a blend of mystery, police procedural and political intrigue, all handled extremely well by the author. Lastly, much like Charles McCarry's books, there is a lot of sex in this series and there's even more bed-hopping in this book than its predecessors - including one brief but bizarre and somewhat disturbing scene.
Flesh Wounds begins with a brief flashback to 1944 and war-time London and then moves forward to 1959. Troy finds himself embroiled in case in which the London East End underworld is in transition as a more violent group of Young Turks are supplanting their older predecessors. Troy and his cohorts get knocked around a bit and find themselves not only dealing with this new breed of criminals but also the same old corrupt politicians - but they come out on top in the end.
A very good book and highly recommended although - and I seem to be saying this with more and more frequency - I wouldn't start here simply because you miss a lot of Troy's history - specifically familial - if you haven't read the earlier books.
I have not run across many folks who are familiar with this series which is unfortunate - these are great books - Flesh Wounds or Blue Rondo - being no exception. The books are historically based mysteries with historic figures - for instance Eisenhower makes an appearance in this one - and follow the events of the time. Our hero Troy is somewhat of a lone wolf on the police force - jaded just enough to be both pragmatic and at times very funny but personable, politically savvy and competent enough to climb the promotion ladder. He's the Chief Superintendent in this one.
There's also a supporting cast of characters - Troy's family, his friends and co-workers, including a distant cousin of Winston Churchill - who are well developed and engaging on their own. The books are a blend of mystery, police procedural and political intrigue, all handled extremely well by the author. Lastly, much like Charles McCarry's books, there is a lot of sex in this series and there's even more bed-hopping in this book than its predecessors - including one brief but bizarre and somewhat disturbing scene.
Flesh Wounds begins with a brief flashback to 1944 and war-time London and then moves forward to 1959. Troy finds himself embroiled in case in which the London East End underworld is in transition as a more violent group of Young Turks are supplanting their older predecessors. Troy and his cohorts get knocked around a bit and find themselves not only dealing with this new breed of criminals but also the same old corrupt politicians - but they come out on top in the end.
A very good book and highly recommended although - and I seem to be saying this with more and more frequency - I wouldn't start here simply because you miss a lot of Troy's history - specifically familial - if you haven't read the earlier books.
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