The Distance (Billy Nichols Crime Novels) [Paperback]

Eddie Muller (Author)

Book Description

Series: Billy Nichols Crime Novels | Publication Date: October 2004

It's 1948, an era when newspapermen were stars — and San Francisco sportswriter Billy Nichols is no exception. Known as Mr. Boxing throughout the city, he is the West Coast's answer to Damon Runyon, an insider's insider who plucks and polishes his pearl-like stories from the nonstop hustle of the city's nightclubs, gambling dens, and ringside seats. Nichols is right where he wants to be, until he stumbles onto a shocking crime scene. Heavyweight boxer Hack Escalante has killed his manager, and for reasons he doesn't understand himself, Billy makes a spur-of-the-moment decision to protect the prizefighter. Soon Billy's in too deep, caught in a conspiracy of desire, deceit, and betrayal, and he sets off a chain of events whose consequences may cost him his beloved career — and his life. Winner of the Shamus Award for Best First Novel, this hard-boiled thriller is given a gritty authenticity by author Eddie Muller's knowledge of boxing and film noir.

Product Details

• Paperback: 413 pages
• Publisher: Uglytown Productions (October 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0972441271
• ISBN-13: 978-0972441278
• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 4.7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,031,821 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A knock-out., December 6, 2004

By 

CHF Digital (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Distance (Billy Nichols Crime Novels) (Paperback)

Picked this up on a whim, it looked interesting enough. But the book is taut, engaging and very noir, with effortless writing. Certainly a KO-- am now reading the sequel and looking forward to more of "Mr. Boxing."

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Smashing debut, June 9, 2009

By 

Jeff (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Distance (Billy Nichols Crime Novels) (Paperback)

I knew of the author through his fine work on the film posters of famous film noir movies. I had no idea he could write a great novel, but that is exactly what his debut novel is.

The Distance covers the boxing scene in the Bay Area in 1948. The author's father was a sports columnist for over 30 years covering boxing, and it would seem that his understandling and love for the sport passed through to his son.

Not since James Ellroy's The Big Nowhere has a crime novel caught the sense of place that The Distance does. The reader experiences mid-century San Francisco and the many larger than life characters there as if he had been transported there. One literally feels that he could walk the streets of San Francisco with nothing but this book serving as a map.

The novel opens with a bang and does not let up all the way through. There's great tension between the charactes and we care greatly about the protagonist and his many challenges. The argot of the period is expressed with panache and complete realism.

All I can say about the plot without spoiling it is that it crackles all the way through the book. I read this book in a very crowded coach section of a trans-continental flight and completely forgot how crammed in and tired I was.

If you're a fan of sport, the Bay Area, and or noir, you can't go wrong with this book. it will stick in memory for a very long time.