Manhattan Nocturne

by Colin Harrison

Book Overview

The author of Bodies Electric and Break and Enter takes the classic noir novel and elevates it into a literary portrait of a soul divided. A columnist for a New York tabloid finds the precarious balance of his life threatened by a woman who comes out of the Manhattan night to lure him with a promise he can't resist--a chance to see even deeper into the dark night of the city he is compelled to know. Reading tour.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0517584921
• ISBN13: 9780517584927
• Release Date: September 1996
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 355 Pages
• Weight: 1.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

EXCELLENT!!!

I could not put this book down. What a fantastic writer... takes the mystery genre and turns it into high art. Kudos.

Fantastic writer with rare writing talents

Beautiful prose-style writing! This is the only novel I have found so far that could be compared to "Gold Coast" by Nelson Demile. Wonderful narrative way of writing, a technique only could be created by a real talented writer. Every sentence is well written and worthy of being perused carefully and slowly. Once I've read about 1/3 part of it, I just couldn't wait to grap his other works to be ready in line to continue. Don't treat this book with anything of any genre, just appreciate it as a wonderfully constructed story. Fantastic characters, Porter Wren is especially an unique one, created by a most talented writer. If you failed to enjoy and/or appreciate this writer's "Dark Humor" as well as his wonderful and smooth writing skill, then you might have to admit that you are not a mature enough "thinking reader."

gritty, gothic and descriptive!

this is a very compelling, dark and moody book, filled with tension. It allows the reader to get very close to the lead character's thought process. Very entertaining reading-- well written too.

incredibly briliant writer!

I was facinated by this book! I still cannt belive that an American writer could write it like that. Its fantastic! Its not that i thought that Russian writers are the best,but not many American writers have it so briliant and deep in style,phsyhology and knowledge of life. Mr.Harrison is definately one of the best American authors of modern time! Read his books--they re irrisistible!

A "Book Noir"

If a book ever deserved to be defined as a "film noir," then Colin Harrison's "Manhatten Nocturne" is it. The author's descriptions of New York City evoke the mood of that town to the point of elevating this novel to the status of great literature. Is it a dectective novel? Not exactly. Is it a mystery? No, not exaclty, and yet it is both and more. A dark, and brooding story written in the first person, "Manhatten Nocturne" is a compelling book, not for prudes or the faith of heart. A gritty, tough, and at times sad novel about love, death, hate and everything that makes Manhatten what it is.