GBH -- Ted Lewis

GBH is one of those books that I'd heard about for a long time but didn't think I'd get a chance to read.  It was published in Britain in paperback and Internet prices were, to say the least, scary.  There was no U. S. edition.  Until now.  Soho Press has put out a nice hardcover, and I've finally gotten to read it.  The question is, does it live up to its reputation?  The answer: Absolutely.

It's the end of the '70s, and George Fowler is a wealthy man.  He makes and distributes porn films.  He also distributes the occasional snuff film, though he doesn't make them, which is surprising, given the kind of man he is, the kind who can (and does) torture and kill without giving it a second thought.  He's living the good life until it appears that someone in his organization is ripping him off.  Naturally he has to find out who it is.  He uses very direct methods but doesn't get anywhere.  He becomes more and more paranoid, and bad things happen.  Very bad things.  GBH stands for "grievous bodily harm," so you can't say you weren't warned.

The book is told in alternating sections, "The Sea" and "The Smoke."  The Sea sections take place in the present and are narrated by Fowler in present tense.  He's hiding out near a seaside town as a result of the bad things I mentioned and waiting for . . . something.  He drinks heavily and grows more and more paranoid.  The Smoke sections take place in the city, and Fowler narrates these in the past tense.  Did I mention that bad things happen?  These sections let you know what those things were.  This is where I warn you that this is not a book for the faint of heart.   It's also where I direct you to Otto Penzler's definition of noir fiction and films (which not everyone agrees with, although I do) because this novel is noir of the darkest hue.  There's no one in it to admire or even like, and nothing uplifting or hopeful happens in the end.  It's also a mystery novel, though not one with a lot of clues.  You might be able to guess some things, but probably not all of them.  And some mysteries are more than just the ordinary kind. 

I found GBH compulsively readable, and it's a book I'm not likely to forget for a long time.