Check 'Em Out: Fight Card Presents Battling Mahoney & Other Stories/Fight Card: Push - Jack Tunney (Nathan Walpow)

Fight Card Presents: Battling Mahoney & Other Stories is the second in a series of charity anthologies from the Fight Card authors’ cooperative – a writers’ community featuring many of today’s finest fictioneers, including James Reasoner, Loren D. Estleman, Len Levinson, James Hopwood, Mark Finn, Jeremy L. C. Jones, Michael Zimmer, Marc Cameron, Nik Morton, Marsha Ward, Clay More, Chuck Tyrell, Bowie V. Ibarra, Art Bowshire, and featuring an extensive essay, On Boxing, by Willis Gordon. 

Compiled by Paul Bishop and Jeremy L. C. Jones, 100% of the proceeds from these anthologies go directly to an author-in-need or a literacy charity. Words on paper are the life blood of a writer. The writers in this volume were willing to bleed in order to give a transfusion to one of their own – and then continue to bleed to give a transfusion to literacy charities in support of that most precious of commodities...readers. They are true fighters, every one...

(My story in this anthology is a brand-new Judge Earl Stark yarn called "The Bandera Brawl", for those of you who read the Big Earl series.)

You’re a “jobber.” You make your living by losing in the wrestling ring. You’re a good wrestler, but promoters don’t think you have what it takes to become a superstar. Then Thumper shows up. Big and strong, with a bunny-rabbit gimmick and fans eating out of his hand. His finishing move is called The Thump, and most guys don’t get up from it on their own. One night, Thumper puts his opponent in the hospital. Not a big deal. Sure, the outcome of a wrestling match is fake. But the “bumps” in the ring can be all too real. Sometimes you get hurt. Part of the territory. 

Then it happens again. Only this time, the guy who got Thumped is tossed into a car like a sack of potatoes. Lou Boone, the promoter who runs Central States Wrestling with an iron fist, knows you saw something and offers you a “push” if you keep your mouth shut. A push. Every jobber’s dream. To get to win some matches, to get to be on the big cards in the big arenas. You want it more than anything. You begin thinking you imagined the sack-of-potatoes guy – until it happens again. 

Now, you have to choose between wrestling fame and doing the right thing. Before this is over, someone else will be dead. And you don’t want it to be you … 

Based on the short story “Push Comes to Shove,” selected by Lawrence Block for the Best American Mystery Stories series.

Fight Card: Rumble in the Jungle - Jack Tunney (David James Foster)

This has been such a busy year that I've fallen behind on my Fight Card reading, a situation I'm going to attempt to remedy, beginning with RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE, written under the Jack Tunney house-name by David James Foster, who contributed the first international entry in the series, KING OF THE OUTBACK. In this excellent yarn, boxer Brendan O'Toole, haunted by tragedy and seeking refuge in the bottle, winds up working on a construction crew building a hotel in an African country wracked by revolution. When the Americans are captured by rebel forces, they're tossed into a jungle prison camp known as Hell Camp XXI, which is under the command of a brutal ex-Nazi who stages boxing matches between the prisoners and a giant guard.

If that plot set-up doesn't pull you right into the story, you're made of sterner stuff than I am. Foster does a fine job with the action as the prisoners try to survive and O'Toole has to step back into the ring several times. The boxing scenes are great and Foster keeps the tension building to a satisfying conclusion. This volume is a good reminder of just how entertaining the Fight Card series is, and I hope I can get caught up on it soon. In the meantime, if you haven't read this one, you should give it a try.

Fight Card: The Knockout - Jack Tunney (Robert J. Randisi)

Brooklyn, 1954

Frankie ‘The Piston’ Corleone was an up-and-coming light heavyweight fighter until a broken hand took him out of contention. Now, Frankie works as a private eye, occasionally taking sparring work to stay in shape make ends meet.

Cappy O’Brien has trained a lot of fighters, including Frankie. But Cappy has never had a real contender until now ... Candy Marquez is the real deal, and after being battered by Marquez during several rounds of sparring, Frankie has to agree. But the fight game is as crooked as a dog’s hind leg, and other trainers and the mob all want a piece of Cappy’s best prospect.

When Cappy winds up dead, it’s time for Frankie to take off the gloves and take The Piston’s punching power to the street to knockout a killer ...

Yes, it's Fight Card stories back to back on the blog. And all you really need to know about this one is that's by Bob Randisi, and you know what that means. It's fast-paced, colorful, and very entertaining. Frankie the Piston is a great character, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him again. The mystery in this one is solid and Bob does a fine job with the setting. THE KNOCKOUT is one of the best Fight Card yarns so far, and that's saying something.

Fight Card: Irish Dukes - Jack Tunney (Mike Faricy)

Dublin, Ireland 1951

After winning his latest bout in Berlin, US Army boxing champ Sergeant Kevin Crowley is on military leave in Ireland. Raised in St. Vincent's Asylum For Boys in Chicago, he has finally returned to the place of his birth, where he is sure he will find the family he never knew and lay claim to his dream of a royal fortune.

What Crowley actually finds is the fight of his life... A near destitute grandmother, crippling debt left by a father he never knew, a feisty redhead with hatred in her heart, a villainous landlord and his gang who'll stop at nothing to settle a score going back a generation...

Kevin Crowley has never backed down in the ring or out... The treasures and truth awaiting him in Dublin are not what he first imagined. But with his past, his family, and his future at stake, Crowley will put up his dukes and fight like never before...

Like GOLDEN GATE GLOVES, this Fight Card entry is a nice change of pace due to a different setting. Author Mike Faricy does a great job with his vivid portrait of Dublin and creates a fine, likable protagonist in Kevin Crowley. The other characters are all well-written, too. As usual with the Fight Card series, IRISH DUKES is a fast-moving, entertaining yarn.

Fight Card: Golden Gate Gloves - Jack Tunney (Robert Evans)

San Francisco 1951

Conall O’Quinn grew up at St. Vincent’s Asylum For Boys, a Chicago orphanage where he learned the sweet science of boxing from Father Tim, the battling priest. After a stint in the Army, Conall finds work on the docks of San Francisco – a place where his fists make him the dock champion. Soon, however, he gets on the bad side of a union boss and is set up for a dock side brawl designed to knockout his fighting career. When Conall comes out on top, things go from bad to worse when he is framed for the docks going up in flames.

Along with Benson, his best friend and trainer, Conall heads for the hills in search of a lost treasure in the vicinity of a mine controlled by the union boss. However, where Conall goes trouble follows and he is quickly embroiled in a heated grudge match between fist-happy miners and lumberjacks.

Championing the miners in an all out slugfest, Conall is about to find out there is more to fighting than just swinging fists … giant, hammer-fisted lumberjacks, the mine owner’s beautiful daughter, union flunkies, and mob thugs all want a piece of him … and when the opening bell rings, the entire world appears to be against him …


As we've grown to expect from the Fight Card series, GOLDEN GATE GLOVES is a very entertaining yarn. With most of the books in the series being set in big cities, as this one partially is, I especially enjoyed the change of pace of having some of the story take place in California's mining country. Evans's prose has a nice headlong pace and the fight scenes are well-done. This is good solid storytelling, and I look forward to getting another prime example of that every month in the Fight Card series.

Fight Card: Bluff City Brawler - Jack Tunney (Heath Lowrance)

 The Fight Card series just keeps rolling along in spectacular fashion. The latest entry is BLUFF CITY BRAWLER, by Heath Lowrance writing under the house-name Jack Tunney. It's the story of boxer Tom Riley, who gets in trouble with the mob in Detroit and is forced to run for his life, winding up in Memphis. Tom settles in to his new life there, makes friends, meets a nice girl he falls for . . . but you just know that old trouble from Detroit is going to catch up to him sooner or later.

Since Heath Lowrance is one of my favorite newer authors (he's not brand-new with two novels, several novellas, and a bunch of short stories out there, all of them fine work), I expected a rousing good yarn and BLUFF CITY BRAWLER doesn't disappoint. Lowrance captures the 1950s era quite well. I especially liked the mention of Jo Stafford, a long-time favorite of mine. And the action hardly ever lets up, as well, with a number of gritty, well-done fight scenes. I read this one in a single evening, which is extremely rare for me these days. If you're a fight fan or just a fan of top-notch hardboiled fiction, BLUFF CITY BRAWLER gets a high recommendation from me.

Speaking of Jo Stafford, why not close with the iconic song Heath mentions in the story:

Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Fight Stories, June 1930

The cover story in this issue is a classic Robert E. Howard boxing yarn, "The Iron Man", one of Howard's best boxing stories. But it's not the only story by a notable author in this issue, as veteran pulpster Arthur J. Burks is also on hand, as is Octavus Roy Cohen, whose career as a popular mystery novelist lasted for several decades. There are also stories by writers I haven't heard of, such as Weed Dickinson and Charles Francis Coe. Howard is possibly the only author whose fiction from FIGHT STORIES is still in print, but if you're looking for top-notch boxing fiction (how's that for a segue?), you can always check out the Fight Card series.

Fight Card: Tomato Can Comeback - Jack Tunney (Henry Brown)

One thing I really like about the Fight Card series is that the authors (and editors/creators Paul Bishop and Mel Odom) have found ways to keep the series fresh and different from book to book. For example, the latest entry, TOMATO CAN COMEBACK, by Henry Brown writing under the Jack Tunney house-name, is narrated by sportswriter Gil Schwartz instead of one of the boxers involved in the story.

I also learn things from this series. I didn't know that "Tomato Can" is a derogatory nickname for a fighter who bleeds easily and profusely. In the case of this story, that's Tom Garrick, an alumnus of St. Vincent's in Chicago and a Korean War vet who launches a boxing career with his former sergeant as his trainer. Garrick's career is coming along nicely until he runs into an opponent who not defeats him but gives him a brutal beating that leaves the ring splattered with blood. The rest of the story, as you might expect from the title, is about Garrick's comeback and Schwartz's efforts to uncover the reason for Garrick's uncharacteristic behavior in the fight where he was beaten so badly.

Unlike most of the other Fight Card stories, there's no real crime angle to TOMATO CAN COMEBACK, but it's plenty hardboiled anyway with its mean streets portrayal of Detroit and a sense of gritty, sweaty desperation reminiscent of the work of Orrie Hitt. Schwartz and Garrick are flawed but sympathetic characters, as is Garrick's old sergeant. There's a romantic triangle, but it's handled in a low-key, realistic fashion rather than becoming more of a soap opera. Although as I've said many times, there's nothing wrong with soap opera where I'm concerned, it just wouldn't have worked as well here.

This is one of my favorite Fight Card books so far, and that's saying a lot because I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them. I haven't read anything else by Henry Brown, but I'm going to remedy that as soon as I can.

Fight Card: A Mouth Full of Blood - Jack Tunney (Eric Beetner)

A MOUTH FULL OF BLOOD is the sequel to Eric Beetner's previous Fight Card book, SPLIT DECISION, and as always in this series, it's a great yarn, well-plotted, well-written, and true to its time period.

After the events of the earlier book, boxer Jimmy Wyler has left Kansas City behind and returned to Chicago, where he grew up in St. Vincent's Orphanage. He's working as a dishwasher in a Greek restaurant, trying to stay out of trouble, but his friendship with a fellow employee results in Jimmy being drawn into the effort to save the young man's sister from being forced into a life of prostitution. The only way to do that is to buy her freedom from the pimp who's grooming her for a life on the streets, and the only way for Jimmy to come up with the money is for him to enter the ring again, in a series of brutal, unregulated boxing matches.

Beetner does a fine job with his characters, and he writes some bloody, really brutal fight scenes that are very effective. In addition, for the first time in this series that I recall, Father Tim, the mentor to all the fighters who come out of St. Vincent's, plays an on-screen role in the plot. I really raced through this one and thoroughly enjoyed it. FIGHT CARD continues to be one of the strongest of the original e-book series, and if you haven't given it a try yet, you really should.

Fight Card: King of the Outback - Jack Tunney (David James Foster)

The great Fight Card series goes international with KING OF THE OUTBACK, which is set in Australia. Another difference is that for the first time the narrator isn't a boxer but rather the trainer for a traveling tent show of fighters. Yack, as he's known, is an American who stayed in Australia after recovering there from wounds he received fighting in the South Pacific during World War II. The star of the traveling troupe is an aborigine named Tommy King, the so-called King of the Ring.

Not surprisingly, there's a dangerous rivalry between the show Yack works for and another troupe of boxers that's backed by the local crime syndicate. That rivalry escalates into open warfare. Throw in a boxing kangaroo, a whole tribe of aborigines, arson, a crooked referee, and it all builds to a very satisfying climax that has a nice epic feel to it.

The author behind the Jack Tunney house-name this time around is David James Foster, and while I'm not familiar with his work, he does a fine job of mixing local color, good characters, humor, and plenty of pugilistic action.  Fight Card is one of the most consistently entertaining e-book series out there, and KING OF THE OUTBACK is a worthy entry indeed.  Recommended.

Fight Card #5: Hard Road - Jack Tunney (Kevin Michaels)

The latest entry in the Fight Card series continues the string of overall excellence in this on-going project masterminded by Paul Bishop and Mel Odom. HARD ROAD, which was written by Kevin Michaels under the Jack Tunney house-name, is the story of Roberto Varga, another two-fisted graduate of St. Vincent's Orphanage in Chicago. Roberto has moved to Philadelphia, where he's carved out a decent career as a boxer, although no one considers him a legitimate contender for the middleweight crown, least of all his girlfriend Ginny, who wants him to give up the ring and get a real job.

Roberto has always been haunted by an early loss to Michael Boyle, another alumnus of St. Vincent's, but one who didn't take all of Father Tim's teachings to heart the way Roberto did. When Roberto gets a chance at a rematch with Boyle that might prove to be a stepping stone to a title shot, he's eager to seize the opportunity, but life proves to be more complicated than that and leaves him facing some hard choices.

I'm not familiar with Kevin Michaels or his work, but he does a fine job in HARD ROAD, handling not only the fight scenes with polished ease but also the quieter, more emotional moments as well. He captures the 1957 setting vividly, too, and I really enjoyed his style. The Fight Card books are all stand-alones, at least so far, so you can jump in anywhere. If you haven't sampled these yet, HARD ROAD would be a fine place to start.

Fight Card #4: Counterpunch - Jack Tunney (Wayne D. Dundee)

I've enjoyed all the previous FIGHT CARD books very much, and the just-released fourth volume, COUNTERPUNCH, is by my old friend Wayne Dundee writing under the house-name Jack Tunney. So I expected to enjoy it, too, and as always, Dundee doesn't disappoint.

COUNTERPUNCH is the story of Danny "Duke" Dugronski, an aging fighter in Milwaukee who's at the tail end of his career. After his long-time manager dies suddenly of a heart attack, he discovers that the man may have been involved in a shady deal with a mobster who's trying to move into the fight game. Dugronski doesn't really believe that for a second, but he has to find out the truth and his investigation leads him into trouble and more trouble.

At the same time, Dugronski is moving into a tentative romance with the daughter of his late manager, who's recently divorced from her cop ex-husband. It's open to debate whether the guy is going to be a help to the Duke's efforts or a hindrance, and there's also the worry about whether his new enemies may strike at him through those he cares about.

There's a strong thread of decency and humanity that runs through all of Dundee's work, and it's certainly present here. Danny Dugronski is a fine hero, a strong man who won't let obstacles get in the way of him doing what he thinks is right. There's also plenty of action, as COUNTERPUNCH opens and closes with a pair of epic battles in the ring. If you haven't sampled the FIGHT CARD series yet, this one is an excellent place to start, and if you've read and enjoyed the others, don't hesitate to grab this one, too. I had a great time reading it.

The Only Things Better Than Free Books . . .

. . . are free books as good as these. Really, don't pass up this opportunity to get started on an excellent series.

Fight Card #3: Split Decision - Jack Tunney (Eric Beetner)

Eric Beetner enters the ring for the third volume in the Fight Card series, and his novella SPLIT DECISION lives up to the high standards set by series creators Paul Bishop and Mel Odom. This one takes place in Kansas City and follows Jimmy Wyler, another graduate of the Chicago orphanage known as "Our Lady of the Glass Jaw".

Jimmy's not any sort of contender. He's just a low-level club fighter content to do his best and save his money so he can marry his beautiful girlfriend Lola. Then one of the local mobsters asks him to take part in a fixed fight, and in a nice twist on what usually happens in boxing fiction, Jimmy's not the one who's supposed to take the dive. He's going to win the fight. Against his better judgment, and motivated by his desire to have enough money to get Lola's engagement ring out of layaway, Jimmy agrees. And of course, that's where things start taking turn after turn for the worst.

Beetner's tale is darker than either of the preceding entries, but it's just as compelling and does a fine job of capturing the era. He has the knack of putting his protagonist in an impossible situation and then making the reader race along to find out how it's going to get even worse. SPLIT DECISION is a prime example of the sort of variety and adventurous storytelling we can expect from the Fight Card series, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Highly recommended.

Fight Card #2: The Cutman - Jack Tunney (Mel Odom)

THE CUTMAN, by Mel Odom writing as Jack Tunney, is the second installment of the new Fight Card series, and it's every bit as good as the debut novel, Paul Bishop's FELONY FISTS.

This one is narrated by Mickey Flynn, brother of Patrick Flynn, the hero of the first book.  The Flynn brothers are orphans who grew up at St. Vincent's Orphanage (better known as Our Lady of the Glass Jaw) in Chicago, where they were taught to box by the priest Father Tim. Mickey travels the world as a sailor on the cargo ship Wide Bertha, and as THE CUTMAN opens, the ship is docked at Havana, Cuba, where Mickey and his colorful friends among the crew quickly run afoul of gangsters who have moved in and taken over Havana in those pre-Castro days. The friction escalates until Mick finds himself in the ring battling a vicious boxer who works for one of the local mob kingpins, with the fate of his ship riding on the outcome.

That long, epic battle is a classic, and Mickey Flynn would be right at home next to some of the "iron man" characters who populate Robert E. Howard's boxing stories.  There's plenty of local color and tough-guy action, and Odom keeps the story moving along at a great pace. The best thing about this novel, though, is Mick's voice, which is just about perfect.

Like FELONY FISTS, THE CUTMAN is pure entertainment, and Fight Card is shaping up to be a great series.  Highly recommended.