Sunday Story Ratings #26: Backwash

 

Backwash by Frederick Nebel

Originally published May 1932 in Black Mask; this edition 1995

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Collected in: Hard-Boiled: An Anthology of American Crime Stories (ed. Bill Pronzini & Jack Adrian)

 

PG

(D, L, V)

Drug Use (??) {Character is an alcoholic; other characters alcohol and tobacco}

Coarse Language (PG) {Not much}

Violence (PG) {Again not much}

 

Representations

Gender:

I think there is exactly one woman in the story. She is important, but not active.

Sex:

Sexuality of hetero sorts is a driver of the plot, displayer implicitly.

Race & Ethnicity:

Far as I could tell, everyone is white USAian. One character by name and description might have been of southern European origin.

Disability, Physical Diversity and Health:

One character is an alcoholic, does that count?

 

Awards

None found

 

Notes

Liked this one too, although it seemed a bit odd the supposed main detective of the series played so little of a role. Actually I don't think the crime was even solved, although it worked out. Don't think that was the main concern here. This one reminded me strongly of the Harvey Dent plot-line from The Dark Knight.