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.