A Fix Like This

Rating:
Summary: Two wrongs might not make a right but three or four could
Review: "A Fix Like This" is the fourth Mario Balzic mystery by the author known as K. C. Constantine, who has clearly settled on the simple approach that works for these tales of the problems solved by the Chief of Police in the fictional Western Pennsylvania town of Rocksburg. Balzic engages people in conversation. Actually, a lot of people in a lot of conversations, very few of which are actual police interrogations. The impulse to have those in power try to get in Balzic's way as he hunts down the truth has been totally controlled; there are only references to the obnoxious D.A. who was a constant thorn in the first novel and the equally idiotic local State Police lieutenant has retired early on disability. All Balzic has to worry about this time are people who will not talk to him or tell him lies when they do.

Armand "Fat Manny" Manditti has been stabbed repeatedly and is brought into the emergency room by his brother Tullio the Tub. Only his obesity saved Fat Manny from joining the choir of angels, but he refuses to tell Balzic what happened. The chief is suspicious and convinced that Tullio is going to take care of this himself. The Mandittis both work for Dom Muscotti, Manny as a runner and gofer, while Tullio runs Muscotti's dump. Just to make things even worse on the other side of the law in Rocksburg, Dom has been seeing a younger woman on the side and Balzic fears the worst should Mrs. Muscotti learn about what is going on. Meanwhile, Father Marrazo has received some very upsetting news about his good friend Father Sabatine.

Usually while Balzic is having his conversations around town he is trying to figure out who murdered the town's latest victim. But this time around he is trying to prevent at least one murder, probably more depending on whether he can get a break. What makes "A Fix Like This" the best of Constantine's mysteries to date (1975 in this case) is that clear thinking, good intentions, and quick action are not always enough to make things come out right. Fortunately Balzic has some people to talk to, not just when he is trying to find things out but also when he need to talk aloud to figure out how everything fits together.

My only real complaint about the Mario Balzic mysteries is that the title and/or the cover art tend to give too much away. Fortunately I have trained myself to avoid them when I read the book and that one I do not start thinking two far ahead wondering when the second murder will happen at the Rocksburg railroad or when the x-rated film is going to be discovered. But if you started reading this stories because of Stephen King's recommendation at the end of "From a Buick 8" and you have gotten this far, you know there is not reason to stop now. I have been devouring these mysteries at the rate of almost one a day so far this week and will only stop when I find a hole in the local library's collection.