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TRAIN
by Pete Dexter
Arrow, September 2004
288 pages
6.99GBP
ISBN: 0099469316


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

If you missed TRAIN on its first release, you will find ample rewards in buying it now that it is being sold in small paperback format. An historical thriller, it mixes a commentary on racial relations in the America of the 1950s with an extremely fast-paced, brutal yet compassionate tale of a young black caddy and a somewhat dysfunctional policeman.

The character of Sergeant Miller Packard is established in the prologue, set in the Philadelphia of 1948. For a hobby, Packard tempts dwellers of the night by invading their haunts, insulting them then outrunning them. Most of the time.

The story moves forward to an exclusive golf club in Los Angeles in 1953. Lionel Walk, nicknamed 'Train' and nearly 18, is a black caddy. Packard is playing against Train's tote and has another caddy, Florida, carrying his sticks. The fat golfer whose gear Train is carrying is dissatisfied with Train and demands that he and Packard swap caddies. Then Florida dies on the course. (Dexter, fortunately, resists the temptation of inflicting a cerebral haemorrhage on the unfortunate caddy then wondering if he counted that stroke -- something I have heard in real life.) The fat man is not impressed, exhibiting his disregard for the life of anyone not of his own social class.

Train comes to the attention of Packard because of the events of the day. Then the caddies of the club become the subject of Packard's professional attention. Two of them are involved in a murder on board the luxury Georgia Peach. The owner is murdered and his wife brutally raped and mutilated (some readers may need to skim the detail at this point -- I still cringe at the thought of what was done to Norah.)

Despite Packard's addiction to thrills, he seems equally addicted to protecting victims. He marries Norah, then when Train is brought once more to his attention, takes him under his wing, noting the young man's brilliance at golf and taking advantage of it, to the immense profit of both.

This is a strange novel. The characters are beautifully drawn. Train makes an indelible impression on the reader as a highly principled, compassionate man, yet able, at times, to commit an act of brutality. He has two treasures: his dog and his rusted nine iron. He is abused by many yet exhibits his high principles and compassion when he takes care of an older caddy who is stricken with blindness. Packard, too, is an anomaly. Despite his seeming lack of class consciousness, he is able to deal out summary justice to two black malefactors. One wonders if he would be quite so ready to do so to white criminals.

While the novel is written in the third person, it is told differently according to the content of the individual chapters. When the narrative is told from the viewpoint of Train, the form is that of a black dialect. The writing changes to what would be acceptable speech for a white policeman when the aspect is from Packard's point of view.

The book could scarcely be called a 'police procedural' since, despite Packard's profession, the policeman does not seem inhibited by any job restrictions. There is no mystery, but a great deal of tension. Readers with an interest in the historical aspect of race relations in the US as well as a love of suspense fiction would do well to read this award-winning writer's book.

Reviewed by Denise Pickles, November 2004

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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


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