The Old Dick is unusual in that the hero that we are following here is a 78 year old former private investigator who is essentially forced out of retirement. The result is a fast-paced story that hits all of the necessary spots for an entertaining romp.
We highlight this book because it was nominated for the 1982 Shamus Award for Best Paperback Original PI Novel, however it is more noted for the fact that it won the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Paperback Original.
Book Details
Title: The Old Dick
Author: L.A. Morse
Pages: 236
Published Date: 1981
Publisher: Avon Books
Series Details: Non-series
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Publisher's Synopsis
Retired private eye Jake Spanner may have gotten old, but he hasn’t gone soft. When an old gangster Jake put away some forty years ago shows up at his door, it’s time for Jake to grab his hat and Browning automatic and get back to work.
Old? Sure. Slower to catch his breath? Maybe. But, sharp as a tack and with a lifetime of investigating know-how, Jake Spanner has nothing to lose and everything to prove. Sniffing out leads between Sunset Boulevard and the Hollywood Hills, Jake pulls in old friends to help. The work is hard; it’s gritty. So is Jake. And, with a three quarters of a million dollars ransom at stake, the bad guys don’t stand a chance.
With THE OLD DICK, author L.A. Morse creates a new kind of hero, one that laughs at death not because he’s too young to understand it, but because it’s right around the corner. It’s time to face it head on and maybe go out swinging.
Reviews From Other Sites
Goodreads Reviews
Imagine Philip Marlowe at 78 waiting for his personal long goodbye.
Then a shadowy figure from his past shows up begging Jake to come out of retirement one last time to help him rescue his granddaughter from the chains of drug addiction… - Read All Reviews
At the time of writing there are 18 reviews posted to the GoodReads website for an average of 4/5 stars. You can read these reviews by visiting the GoodReads website.
Amazon.com
Wouldn't you know it? The Old Dick chronicles the legendary adventures of Retired PI Jake Spanner. It is a tongue-planted-firmly-in-cheek hilarious escapade featuring the king of the geriatric private eyes and his stumbling around town… - Read All Reviews
At the time of writing there are 15 reviews posted to the Amazon website for an average of 3.5/5 stars. You can read these reviews by visiting the Amazon website.
Browse through the entire L.A. Morse book list
Other Shamus Best PI Novel nominees - 1982
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