Duffy by Dan Kavanagh

First published in the UK in 1980; published digitally by Open Road Media on February 4, 2014

Two men enter Rosie McKechnie's home, bind her, and make a precise three inch cut on her back. They mention the name Barbara, which means nothing to Rosie but has significance to her husband Brian, who has good reason to keep Barbara's existence a secret from Rosie. Brian is soon being blackmailed and when the police prove to be useless, he turns to Nick Duffy, a former vice officer who is a bit touchy about his reason for leaving that job.

Duffy spends quite a bit of time trolling the sleazy side of Soho, an area he got to know well when he was working vice. His investigation takes him to peep shows and massage parlors and places that show dirty movies (this is before video rentals and the internet put X-rated theaters out of business). A few chapters explore Duffy's diverse sexual interests and his frustratingly impotent relationship with the woman in his life. There aren't many bisexual detectives in mainstream crime fiction (at least, not that I've seen) and Duffy offers an interesting perspective on such issues as the difference between one night stands with men and women.

With crooked cops, gangsters, and the denizens of Soho's underbelly, Dan Kavanagh (the pen name used by Julian Barnes) provides a colorful cast of unsavory characters to enliven Duffy's life -- although it is exactly the sort of life in which Duffy wants to wallow. The sharply written story moves quickly and reaches a satisfying resolution. This novel (and presumably the short series) would not be a good fit for cozy mystery fans, but readers who like their detective fiction served with a side order of raunchiness should enjoy it.

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