It’s not often that I rave about a book, but this one is really special. When it comes to noir detective stories, there are some great authors: Elmore Leonard and Raymond Chandler spring to mind. Then there’s Hammett and Spillane and Robert B. Parker. When it comes to contemporary noir authors, there’s none better than Declan Burke or Eoin Colfer’s two adult offerings. Now there’s a new kid on the block – and his name is Gerald Heys.
Take a Bow, Missy Chin is a debut novel of exceptional quality by a gifted writer. It is written in a modern version of the classic noir style, but set in the exotic world of modern day Prague. Narrated, for the most part, by the two main characters, Harry Novack and Olga Bradova, Heys maintains a tantalizing sexual tension between the two throughout. The story fairly barrels along, with pages populated with lots of fascinating characters like Czech women of easy virtue and Russian gangsters. If you like noir detective stories, this one is for you. If you appreciate polished writing, you won’t find anything better than this. And if you want to be in on the emergence of a sparkling new writing talent, grab a copy today.
Gerald lives in England where he works as a freelance journalist and editor of a magazine. In his past lives he has been an actor, a stand-up comedian, and a teacher of English and Drama, in Prague, for 16 years.
I first met Gerald online in a writing club in about 2011. He shared the first chapter of this book with us, and I knew then that I was reading the work of a truly exceptional writer. We kept in touch for a few years. I urged him to self-publish, but he hesitated. I imagine he submitted his work to agents and received the usual form rejections. Anyway, he has finally published this, his first book, using a small independent publisher. Six years is a long gestation period, but it was worth the wait. Take a bow, Mr Heys.
