3 out of 5

HCC-023

This is exactly what you want when you plunk down cash on a series with a name like Hard Case Crime: tough killers; trouble with dames; double crosses; bloody revenge.  The three stars isn’t an insult: this is a solid crime noir book, the last (at least by in-story chronology, as per the afterword by Collins) in the author’s Quarry series.  It’s not really surprising, is all, and most of its twists are telegraphed by the genre (or notable turns of phrase).  Still, just as we can be absolutely entertained by predictable film or television, ‘The Last Quarry’ has that same flair: every page pretty much crackles with atmosphere and character; you can see every seen and hear every line of dialogue.

Our fearless hitman has, essentially, retired, managing a summer lodge for a buddy.  Life is good, with free lodging and few problems.  Except for the sleepless nights.  Which makes Quarry wander one night, out to the convenience store, where he witnesses the curiosity of a thug he knew buying Tampax.  Following this curiosity, Quarry steps into the middle of a kidnapping gambit, which leads him into the employ of Jonah Greene, for the fabled “one last job.”  Collins tries to play it cool by having Quarry speak to the cliche of the One Last Job, but this can’t put us off the scent of knowing what’s going to happen when the mark is a pretty girl.  But again, we stay invested ’cause Collins knows how to write his genre.

The big sell here is the vibe.  ‘The Last Quarry’ may not be the most original crime novel you’ll read, but it is a thoroughly entertaining one, with just enough dashes of all the seasonings of the scene to satisfy newbies and enthusiasts, as well as definitely serving as a fitting closing chapter for Collins’ character.