Sat 18 Jul 2020
STEVE KNICKMEYER – Straight. Steve Cranmer & Butch Maneri #1. Random House, hardcover, 1976. Pocket, paperback, 1977.
Referring to the comment with which I ended my previous review, it is too early to mourn the passing of the private eye yarn. This is Knickmeyer’s first novel, and one presumes it won’t be the last we shall hear of the detective agency team of Steve Cranmer and Butch Maneri.
There office is in Oklahoma City, a locale which certainly is not the usual New York, Los Angeles or San Francisco. A jeweler in the small town of Solano, population 3000, is at first thought to have committed suicide, but their investigations delve deeply into this outwardly friendly country of western swing and John Wayne rednecks. Intruding on the scene are two high-powered syndicate killers, hired for local reasons.
Knickmeyer has good control over his main characters, although Maneri might agree that he could reign in his active sex life a lot more effectively. The minor characters are less well drawn, and in particular the transformation of Richard Straight from dedicate city cop to mysterious Mafia hit-man seems too flatly stated.
In the end, it is the wry humor throughout and the strong portrayal of a pair of private eyes happy with what they’re doing that carry the book along so agreeably.
Rating: B
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Bibliographic Update: Knickmeyer has only one other entry in Al Hubin’s Crime Fiction IV, that being Cranmer (Random House, hardcover, 1978).
July 18th, 2020 at 6:50 pm
I missed this one, but it is a good locale for a private eye series, close to a number of major cities (well, close in Texas/Oklahoma terms, close being a place you can drive to and still get home again before work the next day — we are strange about distances in this part of the world). Urban, suburban, and Dukes of Hazard rural all well within driving distance — plus the history of gang violence from the Depression still within memory.
Cattle, oil, crops, corruption, drug cartels, and today even Exotic Joe all well within the extended metro area. Plus country music stars and before the virus a bit of Hollywood. All your average private eye needs to prosper.
Preppies, cowboys, farmers, and rednecks oh my.
July 18th, 2020 at 6:54 pm
I thought the setting would catch your eye,David, if it hadn’t already.
July 19th, 2020 at 8:12 am
I read and enjoyed both of Knickmeyer’s books when they were new, but I recall something about the plot of one of them bothering me. Didn’t quite work for some reason. But at this late date, my memory isn’t any more specific than that. I really did like the setting, though.
July 19th, 2020 at 10:24 am
My memory is worse than yours, James. All I remember about this one is that I enjoyed it. I don’t recall reading the second one, so I probably didn’t. If I ever find either one hidden somewhere in my collection, right on top of my TBR pile it goes.