Robin Greaves is an armed robber whose professionalism is put to the test when he discovers his wife has been sleeping with a fellow gang-member. Robin plans the ultimate revenge, but things go from bad to worse when the gang bungles a post office robbery, leaving carnage in their wake. Suddenly they are stalked by the police, sleazy private eyes, and a cold-blooded killer who may be the only one not looking for a cut of the money.
Two-Way Split
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Review
'Delectably nasty' NEW YORK POST 'An amoral romp of a thing ... never less than compelling.' THE HERALD 'Guthrie has created a novel which is easily the match for any of the modern American masters of the noir genre." THE BIG ISSUE ***** 'A stone cold classic , , , the most exciting novel I've read since Ellroy put out White Jazz' BULLET MAGAZINE
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
About the Author
Allan Guthrie was born in Orkney and now lives in Edinburgh. He is married to Donna and he is a full-time writer. He has published several short stories in a variety of magazines and anthologies. Allan is webmaster/editor of Noir Originals, commissioning editor for both Pulp Originals and PointBlank Press, and a literary agent. Visit his website www.allanguthrie.co.uk.
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Untouchable
Format:Paperback
Every now and then I come across a book that takes me completely by surprise. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked up my copy of TWO-WAY SPLIT by Allan Guthrie although I had my suspicions it would involve the darker side of life. At least I was correct in that assumption. What I wasn't prepared for was the superb depiction of a group of troubled people unknowingly digging themselves deeper and deeper into terrible trouble.
Robin Greaves, his wife Carol and her lover Eddie Soutar are robbers who are planning on robbing a post office in a daring daylight raid. Their plan, in order to get the cashiers to cooperate, is to utilise the two ingredients that they believe is common in all successful robberies: hostage taking and violence. It's not a perfect plan but it's a pretty good one and should have a good possibility of success. But a few ingredients are added to the set-up that not only tips the balance towards a more precarious outcome, but also turns the story into a melange of unexpected twists and turns.
The first glimmer that all may not go smoothly comes when Greaves finds out through a private investigator that Carol and Eddie are having an affair. Understandably Robin doesn't take the news well and the simmering rage he harbours looks like it could bubble over at any moment.
Possible problem number two is the revelation that Robin has already spent some time in a mental institution. In itself this wouldn't exactly be a problem, but we also know that he hasn't been taking some sort of medication for almost five months. When going into a tense situation carrying weapons, one wouldn't think that the ideal person to be watching your back is a betrayed husband, who may not be 100% mentally stable, would one?
Another problem is that a man named Pearce, a recently released prisoner who has done time for murder is planning on visiting his mother at lunchtime. Oh yeah...his mother works in a post office.
The final little fly in the ointment is the appearance of Don. (Keep an eye out for Don).
Guthrie has chosen to tell this story along a timeline, heading each new chapter with a timestamp which serves to remind us just how quickly the events unfold. It's a wonderfully tough crime novel set in Edinburgh in a suitably sleazy part of town where the feeling of desperation simply oozes off the pages. Massage parlours, broken down tenements and dirty alleyways form the grim backdrop to this dark story of greed, violence and betrayal.
There are no heroes in TWO-WAY SPLIT, in fact none of the main characters are particularly likable but what they lack in endearing personality they more than make up in complex obsessions. The gang of Robin, Carol and Eddie are doomed to fail from the start. What's unclear is just what character deficiency will be the one to ultimately trip them up. Pearce probably comes closest to hero status, at least displaying some sort of empathy with others. But he is also established as a man of extreme violence, much of it controlled and rather cold-blooded giving him a frighteningly dangerous air about him. And as for Don, well you'll just have to wait and read about him yourself.
At only around 180 pages long, it is an extremely fast-paced book with not a word wasted on overly long descriptions of incidental details. From the build up of the robbery to the robbery itself and beyond to the thieves apartment den, this is a tightly woven story that flow together seamlessly as all the main players are drawn inexorably together for a thrilling finale.
Although I've painted a picture of a rather dark story of violence, hatred and evil, it's a fascinating story that will keep you guessing as there is no telling in which direction Guthrie will take it next. From a simple robbery to a showdown of unbelievably unusual proportions, it's an engaging example of tartan noir that is very difficult to put down once picked up.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.4 out of 5 stars
27 reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Remarkable Crime Story
July 18 2004
By Untouchable
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Every now and then I come across a book that takes me completely by surprise. I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked up my copy of TWO-WAY SPLIT by Allan Guthrie although I had my suspicions it would involve the darker side of life. At least I was correct in that assumption. What I wasn't prepared for was the superb depiction of a group of troubled people unknowingly digging themselves deeper and deeper into terrible trouble.
Robin Greaves, his wife Carol and her lover Eddie Soutar are robbers who are planning on robbing a post office in a daring daylight raid. Their plan, in order to get the cashiers to cooperate, is to utilise the two ingredients that they believe is common in all successful robberies: hostage taking and violence. It's not a perfect plan but it's a pretty good one and should have a good possibility of success. But a few ingredients are added to the set-up that not only tips the balance towards a more precarious outcome, but also turns the story into a melange of unexpected twists and turns.
The first glimmer that all may not go smoothly comes when Greaves finds out through a private investigator that Carol and Eddie are having an affair. Understandably Robin doesn't take the news well and the simmering rage he harbours looks like it could bubble over at any moment.
Possible problem number two is the revelation that Robin has already spent some time in a mental institution. In itself this wouldn't exactly be a problem, but we also know that he hasn't been taking some sort of medication for almost five months. When going into a tense situation carrying weapons, one wouldn't think that the ideal person to be watching your back is a betrayed husband, who may not be 100% mentally stable, would one?
Another problem is that a man named Pearce, a recently released prisoner who has done time for murder is planning on visiting his mother at lunchtime. Oh yeah...his mother works in a post office.
The final little fly in the ointment is the appearance of Don. (Keep an eye out for Don).
Guthrie has chosen to tell this story along a timeline, heading each new chapter with a timestamp which serves to remind us just how quickly the events unfold. It's a wonderfully tough crime novel set in Edinburgh in a suitably sleazy part of town where the feeling of desperation simply oozes off the pages. Massage parlours, broken down tenements and dirty alleyways form the grim backdrop to this dark story of greed, violence and betrayal.
There are no heroes in TWO-WAY SPLIT, in fact none of the main characters are particularly likable but what they lack in endearing personality they more than make up in complex obsessions. The gang of Robin, Carol and Eddie are doomed to fail from the start. What's unclear is just what character deficiency will be the one to ultimately trip them up. Pearce probably comes closest to hero status, at least displaying some sort of empathy with others. But he is also established as a man of extreme violence, much of it controlled and rather cold-blooded giving him a frighteningly dangerous air about him. And as for Don, well you'll just have to wait and read about him yourself.
At only around 180 pages long, it is an extremely fast-paced book with not a word wasted on overly long descriptions of incidental details. From the build up of the robbery to the robbery itself and beyond to the thieves apartment den, this is a tightly woven story that flow together seamlessly as all the main players are drawn inexorably together for a thrilling finale.
Although I've painted a picture of a rather dark story of violence, hatred and evil, it's a fascinating story that will keep you guessing as there is no telling in which direction Guthrie will take it next. From a simple robbery to a showdown of unbelievably unusual proportions, it's an engaging example of tartan noir that is very difficult to put down once picked up.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tough, vehement, dark, and funny....
July 17 2011
By M Elliott "a reader from TX"
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition
The clock ticks down on those who travel the mean streets of Edinburgh in Allan Guthrie's Two-Way Split.
Robin Greaves, child prodigy turned thief, needs to reconnoiter the site he and his wife, Carol, and best friend, Eddie, have agreed will be their next heist. But first he has to meet with the private detective he's hired to find out if Carol is two-timing him with Eddie. Pearce, recently out of prison after a ten year stint for murder, needs to find a way to pay back money he borrowed from a loan shark to buy an engagement ring for a woman who then disappeared, taking the ring with her. Hilda, his mother, with whom he lives, needs to find a safer job than the post office where she currently works. Ex-cop Eddie needs to end his partnership with Robin and Carol, both of whom he has reason to believe may be more than a little crazy, but is bound by his lust. Bored out of his mind private investigator Kennedy needs to find a job where he will actually get paid, but apathy keeps him from it. Ailsa needs ammunition for the gun she has bought to stop a violent ex-boyfriend from killing her and her daughter. Don needs to reconnect with his little brother, Robin.
Thieves, ex-cons, druggies, thugs, crazies, opportunists, losers, victims. In this complex, brutal, tightly written, award winning noir, these characters are both connected and divided by their needs and their intent to commit mayhem, get revenge, bring redemption, find love, and cash in. Their activities are marked by the time--posted at the top of each chapter--which serves as a metaphor for the urgency, or perhaps, the wasted prospects of their lives. The intriguing first line-- "four months and twenty-two days"--tells us that time has value, that it is a commodity, a spent coin we cannot get back, and, lest we forget, Guthrie regularly reminds us, and his characters, of its importance: "seventy-two hours," "twenty-four hours," "due yesterday," one-thirteen," "five minutes, that's all," "2:31, according to the alarm clock," "back at 1:30."
While much of Two-Way Split portrays the grim landscape of Edinburgh's criminal underworld and the dangerous people who inhabit it, the story is also lightened by moments of absurdity and dark humor. Unexpected twists keep the plot suspenseful and moving as the characters carry out their business, meeting and reacting and repelling each other like balls on a pool table. The final chapter especially coalesces the principal players, bringing them together in a shattering end to the countdown that is horrific, suspenseful, surprising, blackly humorous, touching, and satisfying.
Two-Way Split is an unusually polished first novel, with no wasted words, no extraneous information, no waywardness. The characters are fresh, with individual foibles and experiences that make them frightening, foolish, tragic, and even sympathetic. The dialog sounds like real people talking as they argue and negotiate, threaten and compromise, and finally win or concede. Two Way Split is richly visual and would make a terrific film with enticing roles for the right--fortunate--actors.
Robin Greaves, child prodigy turned thief, needs to reconnoiter the site he and his wife, Carol, and best friend, Eddie, have agreed will be their next heist. But first he has to meet with the private detective he's hired to find out if Carol is two-timing him with Eddie. Pearce, recently out of prison after a ten year stint for murder, needs to find a way to pay back money he borrowed from a loan shark to buy an engagement ring for a woman who then disappeared, taking the ring with her. Hilda, his mother, with whom he lives, needs to find a safer job than the post office where she currently works. Ex-cop Eddie needs to end his partnership with Robin and Carol, both of whom he has reason to believe may be more than a little crazy, but is bound by his lust. Bored out of his mind private investigator Kennedy needs to find a job where he will actually get paid, but apathy keeps him from it. Ailsa needs ammunition for the gun she has bought to stop a violent ex-boyfriend from killing her and her daughter. Don needs to reconnect with his little brother, Robin.
Thieves, ex-cons, druggies, thugs, crazies, opportunists, losers, victims. In this complex, brutal, tightly written, award winning noir, these characters are both connected and divided by their needs and their intent to commit mayhem, get revenge, bring redemption, find love, and cash in. Their activities are marked by the time--posted at the top of each chapter--which serves as a metaphor for the urgency, or perhaps, the wasted prospects of their lives. The intriguing first line-- "four months and twenty-two days"--tells us that time has value, that it is a commodity, a spent coin we cannot get back, and, lest we forget, Guthrie regularly reminds us, and his characters, of its importance: "seventy-two hours," "twenty-four hours," "due yesterday," one-thirteen," "five minutes, that's all," "2:31, according to the alarm clock," "back at 1:30."
While much of Two-Way Split portrays the grim landscape of Edinburgh's criminal underworld and the dangerous people who inhabit it, the story is also lightened by moments of absurdity and dark humor. Unexpected twists keep the plot suspenseful and moving as the characters carry out their business, meeting and reacting and repelling each other like balls on a pool table. The final chapter especially coalesces the principal players, bringing them together in a shattering end to the countdown that is horrific, suspenseful, surprising, blackly humorous, touching, and satisfying.
Two-Way Split is an unusually polished first novel, with no wasted words, no extraneous information, no waywardness. The characters are fresh, with individual foibles and experiences that make them frightening, foolish, tragic, and even sympathetic. The dialog sounds like real people talking as they argue and negotiate, threaten and compromise, and finally win or concede. Two Way Split is richly visual and would make a terrific film with enticing roles for the right--fortunate--actors.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Tidal Currents
July 21 2011
By A. J. Hayes
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Kindle Edition
There's a place on Highway 1 in California where you can look straight down a hundred feet on a small cove surrounded by jagged black lava rock walls and held fast at its mouth by submerged reefs. As you look down on the sea you can actually see the roiling evidence of the five or six currents that meet there. They look like several separate snakes weaving their way around, past and through each other. They come together and draw apart and sometimes weave their own way for a bit. You can track their individual trails by bits of seaweed caught in their grip or bottom sand that makes coppery gold patterns as it swirls in the passage of the water. Whatever their paths and crossings and seeming confusions of purpose, at last they join and crash on the small sandy beach and wipe it white and pristine.
Two Way Split is like that place. Its multiple, diverse characters circle and swirl over, under, around, and through each other; seeming to go in all different directions at once. In the end though, they come together and crash onto the sandy beach and wipe it clean and pure and just the way it ought to be.
All that arty bleep aside, In Two Way Split, Mr. Allen Guthrie with a maniacal laugh, knocks your derby clear off your head, sends it flying with the wind and announces that people, events and even life itself always come down to the jagged edge of a two way split. Buckle your chin strap and hang on, troops. You're in for a RIDE!
Two Way Split is like that place. Its multiple, diverse characters circle and swirl over, under, around, and through each other; seeming to go in all different directions at once. In the end though, they come together and crash onto the sandy beach and wipe it clean and pure and just the way it ought to be.
All that arty bleep aside, In Two Way Split, Mr. Allen Guthrie with a maniacal laugh, knocks your derby clear off your head, sends it flying with the wind and announces that people, events and even life itself always come down to the jagged edge of a two way split. Buckle your chin strap and hang on, troops. You're in for a RIDE!
›
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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