Review: Five Pubs, Two Bars and a Nightclub

In all likelihood, you haven't heard of John Williams. If so, that's a shame, because he's one of the finest noir writers going today. Then again, I was only recently enlightened, after an impulse purchase made at a Montreal bookstore a few days ago. Frankly, what grabbed my attention was the title. A certain cadence, rhythm, I don't know. Then there was the still-smoking cigarette in the ashtray on the cover. Certainly that made it clear that this wasn't going to be a comfortable read.

And indeed, it wasn't. But it was heart-wrenching, caustic, bitter, humorous, and bloody well-written. It's a gem of a book.

There are eight linked stories here, each one set in the nasty grimy streets of Cardiff, Wales. This isn't a city I'd particularly wanted to visit before and I sure as hell don't think I want to now. But Cardiff is the star, specifically the Butetown area. Here, there are no rich folk, and any chance of a future is stamped out pretty quickly. The protagonists are people barely making ends meet, finding ways to make money by hustling, selling drugs, double crossing, and pimping. For the women it's not much better at all, as they are saddled with multiple kids by different fathers, crappy jobs, and trapped in a city that will swallow them whole but not before ruining their progeny as well.

And yet, Williams treats his characters and his city--as he was born and raised, and still lives, in Cardiff--with a deft hand and light touch. He shines the light on several recurring players; there's Mikey, the "little man" who preaches about the virtues Nation of Islam in a hilariously misguided one-shot move, and in the next breath decides he might like to start pimping as a way to make extra cash. There's Ozzie, the middle-aged bloke who starts a radio station but is usurped by the lucky racing tips of a former footballer-turned-druggie known only as "the Colonel"; Mandy, with two kids and a couple of lousy boyfriends, she longs for love but doesn't find much considering the choice (or lack thereof) of men she's got. Those alien to Cardiff life, as BBC researchers find out in their attempt to "chronicle the war on drugs", are quickly found out and shamed.

Not every story succeeds to the same level, but each is poignant and wonderfully rendered. Perhaps the final, and longest installment, is my favorite. At the very least, it has the line I'll remember always. It's when Tony, fresh out of jail after a year's stint, returns to his hometown and muses on what he finds. "A year, it was a weird length, just long enough for everything to change but not long enough for anything to look different."

FIVE PUBS, which was published back in 1999, is the first book in Williams' Cardiff Trilogy, which concludes with CARDIFF DEAD (2001) and THE PRINCE OF WALES (2002). Frankly, I cannot wait to get my hands on these books. If they are even close to being as good, this set of books will be amongst my most cherished crime novels.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Sarah - RAM

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.

Book Review: Five Pubs, Two Bars and a Nightclub

Please Note: Books reviewed are usually provided by the publisher, author, or an agent. Reviewers usually get to keep the book.