The Outfit

By: Richard Stark

Narrated by: John Chancer

The Outfit was organized crime with a capital O. They were big. They were bad. They were brutal. And no crook ever crossed them and lived to enjoy it. Except Parker. So they wanted Parker dead, and a hit man proved they meant business. Too bad for the Outfit he missed. Ripping off the Outfit was the easy part of Parker's game. Going one-on-one with Bronson, the Outfit's Big Boss, was the hard part.

©1963 Richard Stark (P)2011 AudioGo

Unremorsefully cruel protagonist.

The self defining individualistic morals, entirely relative to the motivations of the character, creates the opportunity for a sympathetic psychopath, an immoral self server who appeals to our desire to “do whatever we want”

Better than the movies

If you could sum up The Outfit in three words, what would they be?

Dark, gritty, entertaining

What other book might you compare The Outfit to and why?

Maybe some Dashiel Hammett novels, but much darker.

Have you listened to any of John Chancer’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

He's no hero, but you want him on your side.

Any additional comments?

I'll be getting more of the series. Yes, they are dated but so are novels by Dash Hammett, Raymond Chandler and even Robert B. Parker.

Book 3 Parker is hunted by the mob

Parker has his straight identity discovered by the mob.
Wanting to be left alone, he goes on the offensive disrupting the mobs revenue stream, this topples the top man from his position, and the new boss makes peace with parker

Love Parker !!!

Such a great character in a wonderfully written series , and I’m just getting started on it !!
Excited to see how it goes

Love me some Noir

Another great instalment in the Parker series. Love the way the technique of heists and criminal organisations was explained.