Blog Posts - A.B.PATTERSON

Book Review - "All Things Violent" by Nikki Dolson.

17/3/2019

I've been sampling the crime and noir offerings published by Fahrenheit Press, and All Things Violent by Nikki Dolson is one of a bunch of Fahrenheit titles I bought late last year.
I thoroughly enjoyed this novella from Dolson, whose female protagonist, Laura Park, goes through a brutal journey into a career as a hired killer. I do love a really tough female protagonist (thinking writers like Christa Faust) and Dolson delivers a very fine tough character. Naturally, the disappointments Laura faces from men become a driving force for her, but there is a well-balanced mixture of emotions played out here. For me, this adds to the dark realism of the narrative. Dolson's prose is crisp and direct, and she makes great use of sensory images, especially taste and smell. The first person narrative does much to strengthen the impression of Laura and, given this is a story about her, nothing is lost by using her POV alone. We get all we need of the other characters from their actions and the dialogue. I certainly found myself urging Laura on, and I'd be keen to read any follow on stories.
A good, solid piece of noir. I recommend it, and I'll be coming back for more of Dolson's work.
Cheers,
ABP

Book Review - "10-33 Assist PC" - superb police realism from Canadian ex-detective Desmond P. Ryan

12/3/2019

I always love reading crime fiction from those fellow ex-cops from my Cops Writing Crime project - The Squad, as I've named us.
My normal crime reading is down the hard-boiled and noir avenues (and all those glorious gutters of depravity!), but I do love police procedurals from fellow ex-cops (at least all the ones I've read so far). Having walked those streets in those boots, there's something that reaches out viscerally, I find. And so I do occasionally venture from one variety of mean streets to another - a bit of variety in my genre sex life!

I actually read this debut novel from Canadian author Desmond P. Ryan at the end of last year, but I'm a tad behind in my book reviews. Apologies.
Ryan is a former long-serving Toronto detective, and his debut novel, 10-33 Assist PC, is a superb police procedural just basting in the realism that one hopes to get from ex-cops writing crime fiction.
All of the brush strokes of police life are here, as we follow the protagonist, Det. Mike O'Shea, through the underbelly of Toronto, doing his best to take down a prostitution ring of enslaved girls. We have the police partner with the annoying habits, the glimpses of family life and its second place to "the job" (my Aussie slang, there), the obsession with getting a result, the conflict with those cops not equally sharing the passion, the internal police politics and petty rivalries and oneupmanship, the ensuing clusterfucks (if you thought police departments were well-oiled machines, they're usually not, and Ryan nails this aspect), and the tragic end results.
Never any spoilers from me on the story - if you love police procedurals, then I strongly recommend you read it.
Ryan's realism evoked many memories for me, and I've been out of the cops for 20 years now. But so much came rushing back, especially as I worked vice, and this is the litmus test for me when I'm looking for realism in crime writing about police work. If those memories come flooding back (some of them unwelcome, I have to say), then I know the author has done a very fine job.
Take a bow, Mr Ryan, you're off to a flying start as a crime author.
And I've just gone online this afternoon to buy your next. Looking forward to the epilogue to this novel, and the next novel.
Cheers,
ABP
P.S. You can check out the Cops Writing Crime here - The Squad.

I love the English language - here are some Australian colloquialisms from the Harry novels!

25/2/2019

I love, that's LOVE, the English language - so much sheer vocabulary, delightful irregularities, variety and nuance; and then there are all the regional versions in the wide spread of English-speaking countries around the world.
Down here, that's "down under" here, we have our own little quirks: Australian words and phrases that a visitor from another English-speaking land hears and says, "WTF does that mean?!!!" Of course, all our cousins around the globe have their own gems, but here are some Aussie colloquialisms as used in the Harry novels, Harry's World and Harry's Quest. These all appear in the "Glossary" section in both books, but I've culled the lists to leave the particularly Aussie stuff. I concede a few may also be colloquial elsewhere. And some of them are definitely local police slang.
Enjoy.

arvo - afternoon
baccy - tobacco
Baygon - brand of insecticide
bewdy - a beautiful thing
biffo - fist-fight, punch-up
binos - binoculars
bogan - red-neck, rough-neck
Brizzie - Brisbane (capital of Queensland, an Australian state)
brumby - wild horse
bush (the) - the Australian countryside
chicken - child victim (paedophile slang)
circle work - doing 360 degree burn-outs in a car
D / demon -slang for ‘detective’
deli - delicatessen (corner store, convenience store)
dero - tramp, itinerant
dinkum - the real thing, genuine
doona - duvet, Continental quilt
doss house - lodging house, somewhere to sleep
dossing - lodging, crashing somewhere to sleep
doughnuts - see ‘circle work’
drum - information
dunny - toilet
eckys - ecstasy tablets (the drug MDMA)
fair suck of the sav - fair go, fair chance
Feds - Australian Federal Police
gat - handgun
GDs - general duties (uniformed police)
good sort - attractive girl or woman
grog - alcohol
hammer - heroin
job (in the) - in the police force
klicks - kilometres
Malachi Crunch - sexual position sandwiching a female between two males
MO - modus operandi(method of operation)
moolah - money, cash
ped - paedophile
pineapples - Australian $50 notes (yellow in colour)
piss - alcohol
Plastic Fantastics - derogatory term for the Australian Federal Police, used by the state police forces
pom - English person
Port Jackson - the first historic name of Sydney
P-plate - the “P” sign provisional drivers must attach to their cars
recce - reconnaissance
rego (plate) - registration number/plate (of a car)
rock spider - paedophile, child molester
‘roger’ (in dialogue) - police jargon for ‘affirmative’, usually used over the police radio
roger (to) - to have sexual intercourse (originally English slang)
root - sexual intercourse
rort - trick, deception
rorter - someone who pulls off a rort
rubbernecking - bystander watching behaviour at a scene
sav - short for ‘sauvignon’, in wine terms
schooner - a beer glass (in NSW 425ml, or 15oz)
shadowing - following, as in surveillance
sheila - girl, woman
shout - a round of drinks at a bar / to buy a shout
skippy - slang term used by immigrants to Australia to refer to Australians (from the TV show about a kangaroo called “Skippy”)
sledging - throwing insults
Special Constable - armed officer with limited police powers assigned to protection duties
stubby - a 375 ml bottle of beer
super - short for ‘superannuation’, an Australian pension system
thunder-box - an outdoor toilet
town bike - promiscuous girl or woman
tradie - tradesman
true blue - genuine

Cheers,
ABP

Book Review - "Breaking Glass" - a masterful dose of noir.

20/2/2019

I’m happy to shout from the rooftops that I love Alec Cizak’s work, and this latest masterpiece of hard-boiled noir is incontrovertible proof that he is at the top of his game.
We met the female protagonist, Chelsea Farmer, in the excellent Down on the Street, where you could be forgiven for thinking young Chelsea had had it pretty much as bad as it gets – used, abused, and exploited by every man in her life, and derided by other women.  But, of course, life can always get worse – the best noir thrives on downfall and tragedy. Without giving anything away, by the time we meet Chelsea again in this novel, she’s tumbled down the tunnel from sexual exploitation to chronic drug addiction.  Sadly this is so often the trajectory from what I’ve seen in my professional life.  And Chelsea is hanging out with the bottom rung – anarchically violent robberies paying for all the drugs.  She’s in her version of Hell.
But Chelsea’s got innate verve and courage hiding in the haze of opiates.  She grabs for some higher rungs, or what the righteous types in society (namely the power Establishment) dictate as the ladder.  The façades of modern society are laid bare by Cizak in his true manner: caustic, penetrating, and brutally honest, but with palpable empathy for the genuine human beings out there, as flawed as they (we) all are.  It’s the “American Nightmare” in Cizak’s words.  All the sacred cows of societal hypocrisy and the Establishment’s “respectable values” are rounded up, slaughtered, and then barbecued.  How’s this for a great quote: “Surrounded by mansions, by people who’d landed in the good dimension, the one where they had enough useless shit around them to convince them their lives had meaning.”  And as for the political zeitgeist, Cizak captures the crisis of western liberal democracy perfectly: “Every four years the same two parties ran miserable, rotten candidates, and people wasted their time going to the polls to pretend they had any say in who ran the country.”  He’s talking about the USA, but, hell, sounds to me just like Australia as well.  And, no doubt, most of our comparable countries. A tragedy in itself.
Cizak’s writing is the perfect weaving of story with social commentary, and he deserves a place amongst the great writers of socially incisive fiction. Aside from riotously entertaining storylines and richly drawn characters, Cizak’s work makes you read and think, then re-read and think a whole lot more.  Not to mention the regular punches in the guts.  I cannot recommend Breaking Glass highly enough.  And when you’ve savoured it, go back for his other works.  I’ve done that and read them all, for now.  I’m just quietly willing Mr Cizak on with his next project – but I’m a patient man, especially when something is so worth the wait.
Cheers,
ABP

COPS WRITING CRIME - 5 more American members for The Squad!

19/2/2019

Another 5 colleagues join The Squad today, and it's an all-American day.
Many thanks to Jonathan Zeitlin (the first new member today) for reaching out online - always great to touch base with a fellow "cop writing crime". Great to have you on the team, Jonathan.

So, today The Squad grows to 155 cops and ex-cops (and some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. Jonathan B. Zeitlin - former police officer in Cobb County PD, Georgia, and now a serving FBI Agent, with a couple of crime novels so far.
2. William J. Caunitz (deceased 1996) - served for 30 years with the NYPD and wrote numerous crime novels.
3. Steve Armstrong - served with the Petersburg Bureau of Police, Virginia. He has written a number of crime novels.
4. Mark Bouton - served for 30 years with the FBI. He has written several crime novels.
5. Lee Kohn - served with the Mobile PD in Alabama, and has written several crime novels.

Our Squad now consists of:

75 American
40 British
10 Australian
9 Canadian
4 New Zealanders
3 Finnish
2 Dutch
2 Swedish
1 French
1 Bahamian
1 Norwegian
1 Italian
1 Czech
1 Russian
1 Hungarian
1 Spaniard
1 Pakistani
1 Irish

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

Book Review - "Sydney Noir"

18/2/2019

I've read some of the other "(Insert city) Noir" series over the last few years, so was keen to see the very recent offering from my own city (current home, at least), especially being a writer of hard-boiled and noir crime myself.
So, this is an eclectic collection - some well-known names on the crime writing scene here, others I'd never heard of, in the crime genre anyway. Overall, the writing is good quality and the book is an entertaining read. Being a local here in Sydney, many of the stories definitely conjure up the local scene and feel pretty well. I enjoyed all the stories, without exception, although some resonated more with me than others. My stand outs are those by Mark Dapin and Leigh Redhead. There are certainly some beautifully drawn characters in various of the tales, and there are some lovely twists, as one would hope for from a "noir" label.
My only reservation is one of personal taste - I like my noir reading to be gut-punchingly dark and with little regard for sensitivities. I like controversy, discomfort, and brutal rawness. For me, this collection erred towards the tamer side of noir - I didn't come across pages which leapt out and smacked me in the face, unlike the hard-core noir I'm used to reading from Americans (and some Brits). This is very much a personal opinion, but I tend to find Australian fiction these days does seem to be preoccupied with not causing offence or upset. I guess that may be the result of this country's obsession with political correctness. And that's something which, in my view, is incompatible with the harder side of noir.
However, that said, if you're happy with your noir on the tamer side, then you'll probably find this a 5-star read. The storytelling is solid, after all.
Cheers,
ABP

COPS WRITING CRIME - 5 new members join The Squad!

13/2/2019

I'm working my way through the swag of new potential members for The Squad, so here's another 5 colleagues joining us today - 4 Americans and 1 Australian.
This now takes us to 150 in number, with our 5 new members.
That's 150 cops and ex-cops (and some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

So, we have joining us today:
1. Art Adkins - served a long career with the LAPD and then the Gainesville PD in the US. Two crime novels I could find, plus non-fiction works.
2. Theresa Handrahan - a serving Federal Law Officer/Customs Officer with Homeland Security in the US. One crime novel I could find reference to.
3. Nelson Andreu - serving as the Chief of Police in the West Miami PD, following a long career with the Miami PD. One crime novel I could find.
4. Roger Bray - British-born and ex-Royal Navy, but emigrated to Australia and served with both the Australian Federal Police and the Queensland Police. Three crime novels so far.
5. John M. Coyle - served a long career with the LAPD and the FBI is the US. One crime novel I could find.

Our Squad now consists of:

70 American
40 British
10 Australian
9 Canadian
4 New Zealanders
3 Finnish
2 Dutch
2 Swedish
1 French
1 Bahamian
1 Norwegian
1 Italian
1 Czech
1 Russian
1 Hungarian
1 Spaniard
1 Pakistani
1 Irish

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

Video of "Harry's Quest" book launch!

11/2/2019

Finally, I have loaded up the video of the book launch a couple of weeks back - hours of technical hell with file formats, sizes, etc. There are days I hate technology!!! Okay, strop over.

So, for those who couldn't join us at the delightful Nude Bar at the Australian Youth Hotel, here it is. The video is split into two parts, due to the file length. It's about 1 hour 8 minutes in total.
The acclaimed thriller author, L.A.Larkin, a writing friend of mine, introduces the new novel, and I chat about writing it, as well as meandering off who knows where! The event is held together by my MC, Allan Yates, friend and fellow corruption investigator.
After the chat, there are audience questions and some very lively answers.
Watch here on the website: MEDIA
Or there's Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7sdJeZfWbE

Enjoy the watch.
Cheers,
ABP

The book launch for "Harry's Quest" - a merry affair!

23/1/2019

Yes, Sunday afternoon saw the official book launch for Harry's Quest, and about 50 people turned up to listen to the chat and have a drink or two.
The Nude Bar at the Australian Youth Hotel was a perfect venue, as always - can't complain about all those erotic artworks! Harry would certainly approve.

I thank you all for coming along, and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.
It was videoed, so that will be loaded onto my media page soon. In the meantime, I have attached a gallery of photos to this blog.

Cheers,
ABP

Radio interview - A.B.Patterson - 89.7 Eastside FM

22/1/2019

I'll be back on air tomorrow afternoon, chatting with Eric Gyors on Eastside FM in Paddington.

Wednesday 23 January 2019, from about 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m.

I've enjoyed two previous interviews with Eric to talk about my crime writing with my first novel Harry's World.
Eric was one of the guests who came along to the official launch of Harry's Quest on Sunday just gone.
And I'm looking forward to another great discussion tomorrow.

Tune in if you're around Sydney, or you can listen online anywhere in the world!
Eastside FM

Cheers,
ABP

"Harry's Quest" giveaway competition exclusively for "Switchblade" readers!

22/1/2019

This is a special promotion I'm doing in conjunction with the venerable noir magazine, Switchblade - and a different way to celebrate the world of noir writing!
Serendipity reigns this month with the official launch of Harry's Quest coinciding with the publication of Switchblade: Issue 8, which has one of my Harry short stories lining up with a serious collection of talented noir crime writers - always a great honour to be selected to appear with such outstanding company.

I feel very at home in the Switchblade world, and I reckon many Switchblade readers would take to PI Harry Kenmare with gusto. Harry's Quest is the new novel, sequel to Harry's World.

So, the competition?
In conjunction with Switchblade, I'm giving away 10 signed copies of Harry's Quest exclusively to Switchblade readers, and I'll post them anywhere in the world.

All you have to do is to purchase Switchblade: Issue 8 (either Kindle or print) and/or a Switchblade T-shirt (I've got 2 of them, and they're great).
Then send your proof of purchase to Switchblade magazine.
The closing date will be soon after the print version is released - exact date TBA.
After that, the esteemed managing editor of Switchblade, Mr Scotch Rutherford, will then draw the 10 winners, and I'll send out the signed copies of Harry's Quest. Easy!

Now, you don't need any extra reason to buy Switchblade magazine - it sure as hell speaks for itself - but now there is a bonus incentive!
So, noir-loving folks, get buying Switchblade: Issue 8, you'll love it. And go hard and buy a T-shirt as well.
Looking forward to 10 of you winning a copy of Harry's Quest!

Cheers,
ABP

The new "Switchblade" issue is out, and PI Harry Kenmare is lurking in its pages!

19/1/2019

"Wankers" - my new short story in Switchblade Issue 8.

Fortuitous (and how) timing has resulted in my latest new short story being published in the incomparable Switchblade magazine on the eve of the official launch of my new novel, Harry's Quest. My stars must be aligned, or something...

Yes, PI Harry Kenmare is back for his third appearance in short story format, and in the first person again. This time it's peep shows, army veterans, government cover-ups and corruption. Nearly forgot, sex, too! As well as justice, Harry-style.

This story, like the last, is only available in Switchblade, so Amazon is the place to grab it, either paperback (yet to be released) or Kindle (available right now!):
www.amazon.com/Switchblade-Issue-B-Patterson-ebook/dp/B07MXRYJ4H/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=switchblade+issue&qid=1547898772&sr=8-6

Enjoy!

Cheers,
ABP

Copyright notice: The cover image at left is the copyright of Switchblade magazine.

COPS WRITING CRIME - Welcome to 2019 and to 5 new members of The Squad!

10/1/2019

Well, what I originally envisaged as a small project has consistently proved me wrong! The Squad just keeps growing. I've been busy doing research over the holiday period and have a swag of new names to potentially add to our group. Here are 5 more for starters.

This now takes us to 145 in number, with our 5 new members.
That's 145 cops and ex-cops (and some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

So, we have joining us today:
1. Susan Anderson - Anderson served as an officer with the Milton PD in Florida, and I found one crime fiction novel to date.
2. J. Todd Scott - Scott is still a serving Federal Agent with the DEA in the US, and now he has started writing crime fiction.
3. Denzil Meyrick - Meyrick served with the Strathclyde Police in Scotland and has now written a number of crime novels.
4. Omar Shahid Hamid - Hamid is our first Squad member from Pakistan. He served with the Karachi Police for many years and has so far written two crime novels.
5. Gerry O'Carroll - for another Squad first, O'Carroll is our first Irish cousin to join. He served in the Garda in Ireland before turning to writing crime fiction.

Our Squad now consists of:

66 American
40 British
9 Australian
9 Canadian
4 New Zealanders
3 Finnish
2 Dutch
2 Swedish
1 French
1 Bahamian
1 Norwegian
1 Italian
1 Czech
1 Russian
1 Hungarian
1 Spaniard
1 Pakistani
1 Irish

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

Book Launch - "Harry's Quest" - Sunday 20 January 2019 - Australian Youth Hotel

10/1/2019

Above: The Australian Youth Hotel (copyright ABP).

Right: The Nude Bar - photo courtesy of the AYH website (copyright of the AYH).

My first blog post for the year - appropriate that it's to announce the details for the official book launch for Harry's Quest.

We'll be back at the Nude Bar upstairs at the Australian Youth Hotel in Glebe, the scene of the launch of Harry's World 3 years ago. And how fitting, given that this pub, my local watering hole, is also Harry's local in the books, the Emerald Bar.

The big day is Sunday 20 January 2019 at 3 p.m. Drinks and canapés provided.

The acclaimed thriller author, L .A. Larkin, who I know through my writing circles, will be introducing the new novel. And Allan Yates, who I know through my investigator circles, will be the MC for the afternoon, to preside over lots of talk about crime fiction!

I'd love to see you there, so if you can make it, here is the link to register to get a place for it:
Eventbrite

Come along and enjoy.

Cheers,
ABP

COPS WRITING CRIME - ANOTHER 3 MEMBERS FOR THE SQUAD!

27/12/2018

I've picked up 3 more members for the Squad from my recent readings online, including our first Spanish colleague, and two more Americans, one of whom is still serving.

This now takes us to 140 in number, with our 3 new members.
That's 140 cops and ex-cops (and some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

So, we have joining us today:
1. Víctor del Árbol - Árbol served in the Catalonia Police for about 20 years. He has written a number of crime/thriller novels.
2. P.J.Bodnar - Bodnar served in the Half Moon Bay PD in California. He now lives and writes in New York, and his debut crime novel is forthcoming very shortly.
3. Mark Atley - Atley is still a serving officer with the police in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His debut novel is also forthcoming very shortly.

Our Squad now consists of:

64 American
39 British
9 Australian
9 Canadian
4 New Zealanders
3 Finnish
2 Dutch
2 Swedish
1 French
1 Bahamian
1 Norwegian
1 Italian
1 Czech
1 Russian
1 Hungarian
1 Spaniard

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP