The Gutter and the Grave

A Hard Case Crime Novel

By: Ed McBain

Narrated by: Richard Ferrone

Detective Matt Cordell was happily married once, and gainfully employed, and sober. But that was before he caught his wife cheating on him with one of his operatives and took it out on the man with the butt end of a .45.

Now Matt makes his home on the streets of New York and his only companions are the city's bartenders. But trouble still knows how to find him, and when Johnny Bridges shows up from the old neighborhood, begging for Matt's help, Cordell finds himself drawn into a case full of beautiful women and bloody murder.

It's just like the old days - only this time, when the beatings come, he may wind up on the receiving end.

©2008 BBC Audiobooks; 1958 Hui Corp

Excellent Noir Novel

The Gutter and the Grave is a little dated but it's great noir, a well-written novel with a great cast of characters. I wouldn't quite call it a classic but I thoroughly enjoyed it and Richard Ferrone's performance is top-notch!

Pretty good entry into the genre

Classic noir with enough twists and turns to hold the interest. Great narration and a fairly good ending.

Classic Noir

This is a great story in the hard case crime tradition. It’s a down and out story with lots of unredeeming characters. The narrator has a slightly jaded cool observational style that works perfectly. If you like Chandler, Hammet, or MacDonald you’ll love this story.

Not the best or the worst.

Hard Crime novels are often hit or miss. This will slightly entertain you for a few hours but don't expect anything groundbreaking. The ending to me was very "meh" but that's my own opinion.