A delicious little insight into how a one man mafia can own a town. For once the Warden has no interests at stake save his own, no body to defend or avenge save himself.



For those of us who have watched him through the distractions of "The Straight Razor Cure", "Tomorrow the Killing" and "She Who Waits" it is very satisfying to see him in an earlier interlude in his career, assailed by threats from without and disloyalty within.



He rides the crest of criminal and syndicate venality with more assurance than the nimblest surfer balanced atop a Tahitian Teahupoo wave. In the end it is perhaps no surprise, and I hope not too much of a spoiler, to note that it is the wave of opposition that breaks and the Warden who steps ashore in command, as ever of his domain.



For those who have not yet read Polansky's masterful trilogy of Low Town, this is a good introduction to the mind and methods of the Warden, a snapshot of a character you may want to see more of, but only from a safe distance (aka the medium of Polanksy's writing)