Act of Fear

Dan Fortune, a one-armed private investigator in New York City, takes on a case involving a missing boy from a poverty-stricken neighborhood. The investigation leads him through the stark realities of 1960s Manhattan, from crime-filled streets to exclusive penthouses. Fortune must navigate complex relationships with the NYPD, local gangs, and wealthy power brokers as he searches for the truth. His own background as an orphan who grew up on the same streets gives him insight into the neighborhood's dynamics and its residents' struggles. The novel explores themes of social inequality, urban corruption, and the human cost of poverty in mid-century America. Through Fortune's perspective as both an insider and outsider to the neighborhood's world, the story examines how fear can shape both individual choices and entire communities.

Readers describe Act of Fear as a gritty, fast-paced mystery that captures 1970s New York City's atmosphere through one-armed PI Dan Fortune's investigation. Readers highlight: - Detailed descriptions of Manhattan neighborhoods and streetscapes - Complex character development of Dan Fortune - Social commentary woven into the plot without being heavy-handed - Tight, economical writing style Common criticisms: - Slow pacing in the middle sections - Some dated cultural references and attitudes - Secondary characters lack depth Average Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (78 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (23 ratings) Sample review: "Collins makes you feel the heat and grime of a New York summer while Fortune pounds the pavement. The one-armed detective angle could have been gimmicky but instead adds authenticity." - Goodreads reviewer Few reviews exist online for this older title, with most appearing on vintage crime fiction blogs and forums.

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Cotton Comes to Harlem by Chester Himes Two Black police detectives navigate the streets of Harlem to recover stolen money while dealing with racial tensions and criminal schemes.

The Moving Target by Ross Macdonald Private investigator Lew Archer searches for a missing millionaire in Southern California and uncovers family secrets spanning generations.

The Last Good Kiss by James Crumley A private investigator's search for a missing persons case leads him through Montana's underbelly and into a web of interconnected crimes.

Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley An unemployed World War II veteran becomes an unwitting private detective while searching for a mysterious woman in 1948 Los Angeles.

🔍 "Act of Fear" (1967) was the first book in Michael Collins' celebrated Dan Fortune series, which ran for 17 novels. 📚 Michael Collins was actually a pen name for Dennis Lynds, who wrote more than 80 novels under various pseudonyms during his career. 🏆 The book won the 1968 Edgar Award for Best First Novel, establishing Collins as a major voice in hardboiled detective fiction. 💫 The protagonist, Dan Fortune, was one of the first disabled private investigators in crime fiction, having lost his left arm in a childhood accident. 🌆 The novel takes place in Greenwich Village, New York, during a time when the neighborhood was transforming from a working-class area to an artistic and counterculture hub.