 "The
Getaway"
by Jim Thompson
(PB edition) Black Lizard, 1990
(Original) Signet, 1959
No one did the dark
noir crime paperback better than Jim Thompson. Thompson takes us through
a vision of metaphorical Hell that would scare Dante. This book has been
made into a movie a couple of times, but they can't even come close to
darkness this book holds. It's the story of "Doc" McCoy, an professional
criminal, and his seemingly perfect bank heist. What starts as a romanticization
of the classic gangster soon turns into a twisted tale of cruel irony,
chronicling the downward spiral of body and soul. This story is a brutal
discovery of the true evil and cruelty that can be found in the depths
of the human soul. The Getaway is not only one of Thompson's best
works, but it is one of the best examples of noir writings, going deeper
into the darkness than Chandler or Spillane dare. Thompson made his
living writing seemingly throw-away paperbacks like this as well as countless
numbers of stories that can be found in classic true crime magazines from
the 1940's & 1950's. His recently released biography,
Savage Art,
is a truly haunting read.
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