Most of the great line of Hard Case Crime paperbacks are lost American noir classics reissued with great period covers, but Kiss Her Goodbye is a rare, but welcome, exception; it is a modern crime novel that takes place in Scotland.
Joe Hope is an Edinburgh legbreaker who has done a lot of bad things; but is not responsible for the murders of his wife and daughter, though the local constables are eager to put him in the nick. Joe ends up having to rely on a novice attorney, a hardened hooker, and a guy who runs a writer's colony (!) to clear his somewhat tarnished name.
Guthrie writes in a tough, sardonic style with bursts of brutal action. I enjoyed this modern novel greatly and think it stands in good company with its classic counterparts.
I bought this in a big lot of Hard Case Crime paperbacks off of ebay and have been merrily working my way through them.
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