Hawk Moon [Import] [Hardcover]

Ed Gorman (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Headline; First Edition edition (1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0747215871
• ISBN-13: 978-0747215875
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Ed Gorman is an award winning American author best known for his crime and mystery fiction. He wrote The Poker Club which is now a film of the same name directed by Tim McCann.

He has written under many pseudonyms including "E. J. Gorman" and "Daniel Ransom." He won a Spur Award for Best Short Fiction for his short story "The Face" in 1992. His fiction collection Cages was nominated for the 1995 Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection. His collection The Dark Fantastic was nominated for the same award in 2001.

He has contributed to many magazines and other publications including Xero, Black Lizard, Cemetery Dance, the anthology Tales of Zorro, and many more.

Visit his blog at newimprovedgorman.blogspot.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Two Great Stories for the Price of One., June 5, 1998

By 

Chris Cosci ([e-mail]) (Babylon, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hawk Moon (Mass Market Paperback)

In Hawk Moon, Ed Gorman not only gives us a fascinating murder mystery with the retired investigator Robert Payne, but he also treats us to a flashback case involving an almost identical murder that was investigated by one woman using then unheard of criminology techniques. Although the main story is sometimes confusing to read, there are plenty of surprises to keep the reader's interest. And the flashback story is pretty good, too, occasionally being more fascinating than the main story.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MOON FOR THE MISBEGOTTEN, October 17, 2001

By 

Michael Butts (Berkeley Springs, WV USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hawk Moon (Mass Market Paperback)

I have to hand it to Ed Gorman. This second entry in his Robert Payne "Moon" series clearly demonstrates just how nice a guy this Payne really is. Although sometimes you might think he comes across as being too good, or too nice, you can't help but like and yes, admire, this man. He has a strong sense of friendship and love; his reminiscences of his deceased wife are some of the most touching in modern crime fiction. You know Payne really loved this woman. And his relationships with different characters in both books further proves that Payne is probably the nicest "detective" out there.
As for the plot of this one, it's a little complex and sometimes incoherent, but it moves well, and once again, his parallel story telling ties the two segments together nicely. Particularly unique is his handling of Anna Tolan, a police investigator back in 1903, who in addition to trying to solve a similar case to Payne's in the nineties, is having doubts about her relationship with Trace Wydmore, a nice young man who is trying to score a "home run" with the virginal young girl. Considering the times, one can understand both Anna and Trace's different problems. Their dialogue rings so true, it's refreshing.
The murders that Payne has to solve lead him to a belligerent Native American named David Rhodes, whose estranged wife, just happens to be policewoman Cindy Rhodes. I'll say one thing for Iowa---they certainly advanced women's lib in their use of women as police officers.
The supporting characters are appropriately shady and/or nice, and Payne's adventures with the two elderly Native Americans who want to fly in his biplane is extraordinary.
A great novel in spite of its minor flaws.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good mystery, but....., June 2, 2004

By 

Michael G. "mikefromrochester" (Rochester, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Hawk Moon (Hardcover)

Hawk Moon is a well constructed murder mystery set in a rural Iowa community. Two Native American women, Sandra Moore and her sister Karen, have been killed in a very grisly fashion. Robert Payne is a private eye and former FBI profiler who is asked to consult on the case by Cindy Rhodes, a local policewoman. As it happens, Cindy's husband, David, is the main suspect.
A similar crime had occurred in the same locale nearly a hundred years before and the author, Ed Gorman, cleverly juxtaposes the current investigation with the one that took place way back then. A remarkable juggling act to be sure.
Some interesting twists are revealed as the plot unfolds and Payne ultimately brings the guilty party to justice in a dramatic showdown at the book's conclusion.
That's the good part. Now for the bad.
Quite frankly, I find Gorman's writing style, at times, irritating. Despite the grisliness of the subject matter, he tends to frequently lapse into a type of maudlin prose that has a smarmy earnestness about it. Most of this out of place sentimentality gains expression through the musings of the lead character, Robert Payne. This causes Payne's personality to come through in an unflattering manner, as that of an idealistic Pollyanna.
Hawk Moon is an engaging, interesting tale, marred by stylistic choices that detract from its effectiveness.