This was the first of the Hard Case Crime series I have read, and I am eager to read more. This book is relatively short and can be read in one day. It has the feel of an older, gritty detective story, but is set in modern times (e.g. there is a reference to 9/11.) The story has action, lots of detecting, and a little (rekindled) romance. Highly recommended.
I am not a HUGE fan of Spillane, to start with. And while this is his last[completed after his death] I can't say it is his best or as good as others in the Hard Case series which I am a fan of. That said, it does share much of Spillane's classic style set a contemporay time. A good read, well worth the swap to get and trade.