Donkey Punch.

I've read two books in the past few days, quite astonishing considering the considerable time I've spent asleep or drunk.

The first was Donkey Punch by Ray Banks, that smiling devil with the heart of pitch. This was the second book of Ray's I've read, plus a handful of shorts. As always, Ray doesn't use the language the way other writers do. No, he gets it in a headlock, gives it a few quick shots, kicks it when its down and then props it up against the wall, a drink in one hand and a cigarette in the other.


Donkey Punch features Ray's recurring character, Cal Innes, an ad hoc PI, but here he's more of a baby sitter for amateur boxer Liam, a surly lunk who could be Cal's subconscious, always hectoring, always teetering on the edge of rage.

Because the bad guy in this book is Cal himself. Sure, there's a villain in the piece, but the man Cal wrestles with most is Cal. His addictions, his impatience, and his distractions nearly do him and his young charge in.

There's some beautiful writing here, as always, but what sticks with me is the first amateur fight. Liam is up against a young Latino named Puentes and the action is fast, hard, and clean, with an eye to the rhythm of the fight, pin-pointing the moment when the bout turns Liam's way. As a fight fan, I was knocked out. As near to perfect as a human can get.

It's a cliche, I know, but this level of writing is so close to music that I'm as happy reading Ray as I am listening to Charlie Musselwhite play harp. Like all the greats, Ray's tone is all his own. I look forward to a lot more. You can buy Donkey Punch from Amazon UK, but if you haven't read Saturday's Child, I suggest you start there.

He works very hard to make all this look easy.