Havoc in the Hub

Reviews / Votes

With this excellent study of Higgins, Peter Wolfe sustains, in his twentieth book, my judgment that he is the liveliest and wisest of crime fiction critics. His style and intellect were at high energy in his previous book on James Ellroy's shot-gun depiction of the sordid mysteries of Los Angeles. Wolfe adjusts his colorful style and delving intellect to do justice to Higgins' more controlled artistry and his objective analysis of Boston crime. I have followed Wolfe's work over four decades; I would follow him down any mean street he chooses. -- David Madden, author of books and articles on Tough Guy Writers of the Thirties, James M. Cain, Horace McCoy A new study by Peter Wolfe is always a cause for celebration, and Havoc in the Hub: A Reading of George V. Higgins is no exception. Perceptively written, critically astute, Wolfe's latest is an engaging read that informs us as much about the dynamics of the creative process as it does the importance of Higgins' work. -- Gary Hoppenstand, president of the Popular Culture Society of America * The Journal of Popular Culture * George V. Higgins, perhaps the contemporary American writer most gifted at making the commonplace fascinating, is himself made fascinating by the gifted and incisive Peter Wolfe. The synthesis of the author, his world, and his work is explored here with a precision and perception that hold the reader tight to the page. -- John Lutz, Shamus Award and Edgar Award-winning author of more than 30 novels and 200 short stories, includingSingle White Female and his l George V. Higgins changed the face of American crime fiction, and his first published novel, The Friends of Eddie Coyle, is one of the genre's enduring masterpieces. His extensive body of work is overdue for the thorough, sympathetic reading it receives from Peter Wolfe, who in this book shows scholars, students, and fans how to begin taking Higgins seriously as a teller of crime stories, a chronicler of the city, and an American novelist. -- Carlo Rotella, author of October Cities: The Redevelopment of Urban Literature and Director of American Studies at Boston College Wolfe should get a medal for this sympathetic and perceptive analysis of a most gifted writer. -- John le Carre, author ofThe Constant Gardener,The Tailor of Panama, andThe Spy Who Came in from the Cold At last - a scholarly reading of George V. Higgins by Peter Wolfe, who previously pioneered scholarship on Hammett, Chandler and Macdonald. His knowledge of the genre and broader literary context make this book a must for anyone interested in Higgins' characters, plots, and themes. -- William Marling, Case Western Reserve University Wolfe's own writing is lucid and enjoyable, and he offers here a clear-eyed evaluation of a writer whose place within crime fiction is assured....Recommended. * Choice Reviews *