The Chicago Way introduces private eye Michael Kelly, a former Chicago cop who has issues (don't they all?) and an apparent fondness for ancient Greek literature (in the original Greek, no less). If this sounds like the standard set-up to the usual private eye novel, don't be fooled. The book has much more going for it.
The Set-up
Kelly is hired by his former partner on the force to solve an old rape and battery case – it's several years old and as cold as they come. Kelly gets drawn even further into solving the crime when his ex-partner/client is murdered and it appears Kelly's being framed for it. One thing leads to another and Kelly is looking into the connections between the old rape case and the recent murder.
To solve the mystery, Kelly turns to his many contacts (loads and loads of them). Every time you turn the page, the reader gets to meet a new (often, colorful) character – some from Kelly's past. People who can help him with his predicament (being suspected of killing his client), as well as solving both crimes. They include an ambitious (and, of course, sexy) television news reporter, a childhood friend who works as a forensic DNA expert and an old pal from the district attorney's office. Plus Kelly must deal with the rape victim, who seems to have a few psychological problems and pops up unexpectedly, often armed with a gun like so many "dames" in hardboiled fiction.
A Terse, Evocative Style
Michael Harvey is a skilled writer, to say the least. His style is terse, yet evocative, and manages to convey both the look and feel of Chicago. He delves into the city's politics with authority. He also includes details about the weather, the streets, the neighborhoods and the bars (of course, there are bars). And he does so with prose so well-crafted, wry and gritty it would make Raymond Chandler weep.
Typical of the genre, the plot is convoluted (and premised on some events that could break one's suspension of disbelief, if scrutinized too closely) and the cast of characters (along with all their backstories) can be somewhat overwhelming. Also typical is the fact that Kelly seems to have at least two women beating down various doors (his home and his car) to sleep with him.
The dialogue is playful – sometimes, a bit too much. There's a back-and-forth to it that conjures up images of a tennis match with the both players standing next to the net, bouncing the ball repeatedly between immobile rackets. Yes, it's still a game, just not a really interesting one. After a while, throwaway responses like "And?" or "I can see that" or repetitions of what another character just said can make the dialogue feel a mite too teased out. However, while Harvey may occasionally overuse this device, his dialogue is mostly engaging and the payoff makes the book well worth reading.
Fast-Paced and Suspenseful
The payoff in this case is not only Harvey's deft writing, characterization, plotting skills and dialogue (when it doesn't get too cute), but the way he manages to keep the reader engaged and convinced that Kelly needs to be investigating this case, long after he's been ruled out as a suspect. The pace is fast, the writing taut and suspenseful, and the noir ending illustrates the book's title perfectly.
The Chicago Way Vintage Books (January 2008), ISBN: 978-0-3073-8628-1
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