I came across the following review of Allan Guthrie's Two-Way
Split on Charlie Stella's (Charlie Opera, Jimmy Bench-Press)
web-site (btw. I agree with Charlie's assessment):
-Dave
Blue Velvet, Edingburgh style . that's what I was thinking as
I read through Allan Guthrie's wonderfully dark debut novel,
Two Way Split . one guy (Robin) finds out his wife (Carol) is
cheating with his mate
(Eddie) (at least Robin has evidence she's cheating) and is
haunted by demons that compel him to cross the edge and come
back . another guy
(Pearce) is just out the joint and hell bent on righting the
wrongs with his world (this guy you'll love), which will too
quickly involve the unthinkable . an opportunistic PI gets
slapped into a potential score he never dreamed existed (even
if he's forced to share it with the gopher he hasn't paid in
two months) and how that gopher (Kennedy) turns the tables
.
Add to the above an armed robbery that goes wrong in the most
unfortunate way, a loan shark (god love those guys), operatic
references
(god love those, too) and what you have is one hell of a noir
novel . Guthrie plots with the best of them . the end of each
transition leaves you wanting more and anxious to keep
reading . I went through this baby in two nights (passing the
last 60 pages while on a treadmill-an hour never passed so
exciting or quickly) . Two Way Split is a fun read filled
with the darker slices of life I enjoy . it's good to know
that Edinburgh is as full of life as some of us know it and
others try to deny . Guthrie nails the darker side with this
debut . a compelling read that leaves me wondering about the
fun a David Lynch might have with this story adapting it to
the silver screen.
Lines I loved most . there are others, but these I read over
and over.
Ten years may not have taught him much, but one thing he
knew. This time he wasn't prepared to spend all morning
sharpening a screwdriver."
"Revenge," he said, "is an important part of my grieving
process."
"You don't look so good." "Neither do you," Pearce said. "I'm
dying,, what's your excuse?"
You'll want to read this one for Pearce's dialogue alone, and
the plot only enhances some terrific writing. Pick this one
up and enjoy a really great read.
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