The Friends of Eddie Coyle: A Novel (John MacRae Books) (Paperback)

by George V. Higgins (Author) "JACKIE BROWN at twenty-six, with no expression on his face, said that he could get some guns..." (more)
Key Phrases: stubbled man, stocky man, black revolver, Jackie Brown, Eddie Coyle, Robert Biggers (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
George V. Higgins's first novel is like a blast of Atlantic air; the Boston prosecutor virtually reinvents the language of the crime novel with his unique ability to breathe life into the dialogue of the smalltime hoodlum and hustler. Trying to pull off one final score, career crook Eddie Coyle finds himself squeezed out of shape by the people above and below him. The explosive conclusion is inevitable yet fascinating. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review
"Chilling...the most penetrating glimpse yet into what seems the real world of crime...positively reeking with authenticity!"--The New York Times Book Review
-- Review

"Chilling...the most penetrating glimpse yet into what seems the real world of crime...positively reeking with authenticity." -- The New York Times Book Review

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; 2nd edition (September 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805065989
• ISBN-13: 978-0805065985
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #53,263 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good read, great dialog..., January 8, 2001

By	Erik J. Larsen (st. paul, mn) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I read a list by James Ellroy where he listed Higgins as one of his major influences, so I bought this one. I was pleasantly surprised.

The story is very simple, the dialog is incredibly lifelike and readable. The characters are very real and the story is believable. Its not really a mystery as much as it is a story about some criminals and what they think and feel.

Warning, though. Don't buy this if you like the 'high concept' plots of Grisham and Patterson. This is a very simple story about real people and real criminals. If you're an aspiring writer of crime fiction, definitely check it out especially the dialog.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars streetwise dialogue, October 13, 2000

By	Orrin C. Judd "brothersjudddotcom" (Hanover, NH USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Friends of Eddie Coyle: A Novel (Paperback)

Eddie Coyle is a low-level Boston hood, supplying mobsters with handguns. He earned his nickname, "Fingers", after one gun deal went poorly & he had his hand slammed in a drawer, giving him an extra set of knuckles on his left hand. Once in a while the mob throws him some more lucrative work, but on the last such opportunity he was arrested in New Hampshire illegally trucking liquor. Now he faces three to five years in prison and as he says: "Well, ...I got three kids and a wife at home, and I can't afford to do no more time, you know? The kids're growing up and they go to school, and the other kids make fun of them and all. Hell, I'm almost forty-five years old."

The only way Eddie can avoid prison is to trade information & he's soon caught in between the Feds, his gun dealer & the Mob. George V. Higgin's debut novel (now almost thirty years old) is notable for it's streetwise dialogue and the nearly Shakespearean sense of tragedy (well, at least, Billy "Sonnets" Shakespeare) that surrounds Eddie.

GRADE: A

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dialogue that spits, June 24, 2000

By	Charles Stella (Long Island, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Friends of Eddie Coyle: A Novel (Paperback)

I first read The Friends of Eddie Coyle 25 years ago and I can still remember the opening lines (Jackie Brown, at twenty-six, with no expression on his face, said that he could get some guns.) It is a shame Higgins is gone. He was the true master of dialogue. This was the book that drove my desire to write crime fiction myself. It is the story of the real-life poor SOBs who are just trying to make it day to day in a world moving way too fast for them. It is real, which is why I believe I enjoyed it so much ... and can still remember the characters so well (not to mention the dialogue). This is a story of how it really goes in the underworld. The Godfather is for the simple minded fantasy seekers; George V. Higgins was the real deal.