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Ken Bruen's THE WHITE TRILOGY is trio of short novels set in London and featuring assorted officers at a London nick. As with Ed McBain's 87th Precinct books, numerous characters take their turn in the rather seedy limelight, but the stories concentrate mainly on three individuals. First of all, there's Roberts - the disillusioned, calculating, aloof, aging Chief Inspector who has a thing for noir films. He's determined to hang onto his position at all costs - his job has become more important to him than his marriage and, sadly, it appears to be all he has in his life. Secondly, and for me the most important character in the books, Brant - who's never going to progress further than DS - he's brutal, chauvinistic and brash, but loyal and with his own moral code, as well as a satisfyingly warped sense of humour. Finally, there's Falls - a black policewoman with unerringly poor taste in men. Initially showing the softer side of police work, she becomes tougher as the stories progress and she learns to survive in the white male dominated police force. Ken Bruen's skill at taking three characters two of whom, at least, are thoroughly unlikeable, and making the reader care what happens to them, is unmatched. These books almost defy explanation and the term 'hard-boiled' sounds far too soft for such tough tales. Originally published as three separate short novels the books are THE WHITE ARREST, TAMING THE ALIEN and THE McDEAD. Variously they feature a serial killer called The Umpire who's killing cricketers, a gang who hang drug dealers from lampposts, a serial rapist, an arsonist, assorted ganglords, scumbags and ne'er-do-wells. But the crimes are almost incidental. The main focus is on the characters, their relationships, the way crimes affect them, how they change and develop. The stories are violent and uncompromising, but there's also a touching vulnerability that appears in the most unlikely places. Ken Bruen is a very stylish writer. Every word is important, every description vibrant. His love of the genre comes through in the numerous crime fiction and film noir quotes. There are great dollops of humour and sorrow in close proximity. Ken Bruen takes chances and puts his characters through things that are totally shocking and often unexpected. I cried, I laughed, I forgot to get off the bus at my stop I was so engrossed. The chapters are short, the writing spare. There are lots of little vignettes of stand out characters who never re-appear but are left in my memory so brilliantly. I'm sure his style is not for everyone, but I'm so glad it's for me, as the reading experience is wonderful. At the end of the trilogy I felt as though all my insides had been ripped out and left in a pulsating heap on the floor. But in a good way. I wanted to pick the book back up and start at the beginning again.
Reviewed by Donna Moore, November 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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