I liked Denis Johnson‘s National Book Award-winning Tree of Smoke a great deal, even if I didn’t understand all of it. I also have been obsessed with crime/noir fiction for the past year or so, so when I heard that Denis Johnson’s new book was a crime/noir novel, well, need I finish this sentence? But this makes me wonder with all of the positive energy I have going into this book, can I be an impartial reviewer? Is it like your when your mom thinks everything you write is genius? However, conversely, if I am really excited to read something, wouldn’t I be let down by it not living up to high expectations? Hmm, I guess I should set this self-absorbed, metaphysical debate aside and get to a review for everyone who hasn’t clicked away from this page yet.

Nobody Move is a fast-paced, quick read. It also has a great, eye-catching cover. It’s just shy of 200 pages and has relatively large type. In fact, the novel was originally serialized in four parts in Playboy beginning in July 2008. It is the story of Jimmy Luntz, a gambler and roustabout, who owes a man named Juarez some money. Luntz is picked up by Juarez’s heavy, Gambol, and Jimmy knows he is headed to the end of the road. Luntz shoots Gambol in the leg, steals his car and wallet (loaded down with several thousand dollars), and sets the story’s plot in motion. The novel is a taut back and forth between the points of view of Luntz and Gambol, Luntz working on escaping an imminent manhunt and Gambol healing from his GSW to come after Luntz. We see the world through the third person limited eyes of Luntz and Gambol as the plot winds ever closer to their reunion near the conclusion of the novel. Minor characters imbue the novel with color and subplot, but the novel is really a tete-a-tete between Luntz and Gambol.

Fans of crime and noir fiction will enjoy Denis Johnson’s latest novel immensely. Also, if you’re interested in reading more about Nobody Move, there is a great discussion of it on the LA Times “Jacket Copy” blog. Check out a copy at your local library or make Farrar, Straus, and Giroux very happy by buying your own personal copy!