This title was released under a Creative Commons License with a link to the book here. There is additional acknowledgement AND a link again placed at the end of the book. Book was acquired from Munseys, BUT REFORMATED BY ME TO MY SPECIFICATIONS.
http://www.munseys.com/book/27436/Th...lous_Clipjoint
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I love
Fredric Brown's mysteries. They're light-hearted and fun to read. It's hard-boiled noir, no doubt about it, but the characters are often affable, and with human qualities that make them memorable.
Here's a very nice review from Amazon:
"After almost a decade of publishing pulp sci-fi and mystery short stories, Fredric Brown had his first novel published in 1947. Entitled THE FABULOUS CLIPJOINT, it was both a marvelous mystery as well as a superb "coming-of-age" story. The novel was so well received that it won the prestigious Edgar award for the Best First Mystery Novel by an American the following year. Brown would go on to write 6 more novels and at least 2 short stories starring young Ed Hunter and his fraternal uncle Am as they solved mysteries in and around Chicago. All were excellent, but this first one is special.
"The novel opens with teenager Ed getting the news that his father has been murdered. While he cared deeply for his father, he has never truly come to know him. His uncle Ambrose comes to assist with the family's grieving, then stays on to help Ed find the murderer. During the process Ed comes to learn about himself, the father he never really knew, and comes to terms with his feelings for his stepmother and stepsister. His own confusion about his life and his emotions make up as important a part of the story as does his and his carny (former private eye) uncle's delving into the night life and mean streets of Chicago while searching for the killer."
I hope you enjoy it.
Don