cover image Go Down Hard

Go Down Hard

Craig Faustus Buck. Brash (brash-books.com), $14.99 trade paper (322p) ISBN 978-1-941298-70-1

From Hollywood Hills mansions to porn factories in the Valley, freelance journalist Nob Brown uncovers deeply buried family secrets that lead to murder in Buck's first novel, a solid romp through territory that Raymond Chandler first put on the map. The 20th anniversary of the shooting of pop singer Lana Strain%E2%80%94Nob's teenage dream girl%E2%80%94starts the investigation. Soon Nob encounters Lana's daughter Ginger, posing as her mother for live cybersex sessions%E2%80%94and more murder and attempts at murder. He's up against a crooked lawyer, Russian mobsters, shrinks, former band members, and Lana's other, more attractive daughter. Behind Nob stand a cop girlfriend, a quirky assistant, and an ex-wife. Readers will find nothing profoundly original, but all the i's are dotted for fans of the form, including Marlow-esque banter. When a female porn exec who has a movie poster on her wall showing her practically nude asks Nob whether he has never seen a CEO portrait before, he quips, "They're usually wearing a watch." (May)