Books: The Black Ice Score by Richard Stark (1968)

 

A corrupt African colonel has converted half his country's wealth into diamonds and smuggled them to a Manhattan safe house. Four upstanding citizens plan to rescue their new nation by stealing the diamonds back—with the help of a “specialist”—Parker, that is. He has the best references in town. Will Parker break his rule against working with amateurs and help them because his woman would be disappointed if he doesn’t? Or because three hired morons have threatened to kill him and his woman if he does? They thought they were buying an advantage, but what they get is a predated death certificate.

The opening chapters are actually (and unintentionally) funny, as Parker gets the information about the heist in random order with random bad guys. However, this reminded me of The Hot Rock, the first John Dortmunder book that was published two years after The Black Ice Score. According to Donald E. Westlake, The Hot Rock came about because he was starting a new Parker novel and it kept turning into a comedy –and while there is some gallows humor in the Parker books, they are not considered humorous. There are other aspects as well: both of the novels, of course, are set in Westlake’s beloved New York, and center around factions from small African nations who compete for ownership of valuable jewels—an emerald in The Hot Rock, and diamonds here. In both novels, and African faction hires professional American criminals to wrest the jewel(s) from the competing faction. Things get messy. However, this is where the two novels narratives diverge. Most writers recycle ideas –especially ones that are workable. The thing here is that the plot to both books is rather silly and unbelievable; however, it works for Dortmunber, but does not for Parker. I think the issue is that Parker seems more realistic, more grounded universe, where Dortmunder seems to live in a parallel New York filled with sight gags and no violence.

I’ve mentioned before –especially in the last Parker novel- how some of Parker’s issues with his plans going screwy is that he has little to no empathy and only vaguely understands that people are unpredictable. Parker has a code which he lives by, but does not understand that no one else shares this secret language. His relationship with Clair seems to be a deliberate attempt to somewhat humanize Parker a bit, but the trope of putting her in danger is another bad move on Westlake’s part. Clair is painted as non-violent woman who wants nothing to do with Parker’s dark half, but she is –and will- either have to change, leave him, or die, because once his enemies know he can be manipulated (which he is here), then he has a terrible weakness which will be exploited. It’s almost easier for him not to have a steady woman in his life.    

Certainly better than most, but The Black Ice Score lacks the grit and darkness of other Parker tales.