Pop. 1280 (Crime Masterworks, #27) (Mulholland Classic)

by Jim Thompson

Because the Baptist minister's children in a small North Carolina town have difficulty conforming to the roles their father wishes them to play for public consumption, fifteen-year-old Neal feels he must hide his consuming interest in jazz music.

• ISBN10: 0916870766
• ISBN13: 9780916870768
• Publish Date: 1 September 1985
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Creative Arts Book Company
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 215
• Language: English

Reviews

[Aidan Brack (Mysteries Ahoy)]

It should be said that while this is a crime story that this is not a mystery. There is nothing here for the reader to detect or deduce other than what exactly Nick has planned and his motive, both of which are spelled out early in the book.

Rather Pop. 1280 is both a character study of a killer and an exploration of the human propensity towards selfishness, greed and hatred.

Read my full review at Mysteries Ahoy!

[remo]

Es la primera novela de Jim Thompson que leo (gracias a mi hermano) y a pesar de que le llaman "escritor de novelitas", o "pulp king", esta novela está muy bien. Falla el final, que se me hace apresurado y que deja cabos sueltos. Pero el resto de la novela es fantástico. El prota es un sheriff glotón, vago, cuyo método de supervivencia es nunca detener ni incomodar a nadie a no ser que no haya más remedio y que el detenido no sea alguien importante o con dinero. Al principio vemos al típico personaje medio limitado, bonachón y sentimos pena por él. Pero a lo largo de la novela nos sorprenderá, él y los otros personajes. Nadie es exactamente lo que parece ser.

La lectura es entretenida, tiene puntos muy buenos y salvo el remate del final, como digo, está muy bien hecha. Un rato muy bien empleado.

Uno de mis puntos favoritos:

- So you're with the Talkington Agency," I said. "Why, god-dang if I ain't heard a lot about you people! Let's see now, you broke up that big railroad strike, didn't you?"
-"That's right." He showed me the tooth again. "The railroad strike was one of our jobs."
-"Now, by golly, that really took nerve," I said. "Them railroad workers throwin' chunks of coal at you an' splashin' you with water, and you fellas without nothin' to defend yourself with except shotguns and automatic rifles! Yes, sir, god-dang it, I really gotta hand it to you!"
-"Now, just a moment, Sheriff!" His mouth came together like a buttonhole. "We have never -- "

[Michael @ Knowledge Lost]

High Sheriff Nick Corey acts like a simpleton, he doesn’t arrest anyone, he doesn’t stir the pot, he acts and behaves the exact way everyone wants him to act; well at least the way he thinks he should act. But this kind and gentle nature is just a cover from his sinister attitude. But has this side of Nick always been there, or was this just a result of always acting the way he thinks he should?

The way Nick Corey acts, the lies and manipulating as scary; it’s like Jim Thompson is holding a mirror up to the reader and says ‘See, this is how you act’ (well maybe it was just for me). But with all the raging I was doing at Nick Corey, I almost missed just how brilliant this book really is.

Jim Thompson is very experimental with his writing, and while he never really got the recognition he deserved when he was a live, his books are dark, gritty and always ringing an element of truth in it. No one has ever done characters quiet like Jim Thompson; characters that always hiding their true nature and acting the way people want them to act, while hiding the darkness. Fans of pulp novels will enjoy this book, but people looking for a light, easy read then this book will not do.