SHADOW OF GUILT (1959) by Patrick Quentin is a part of the Noir detective series centering on Lieutenant Trant. I randomly picked this book out at the used book section on the first floor of Strand bookstore near Union Sq. This is the only one of the series I have read so far, and even though Trant's role is rather small in the book, he's a pretty cool character. The story is narrated by this guy, George, who is kinda a pathetic chap who blames all the bad things in his life on his marriage, so naturally he's having an affair with his assistant. I won't get too deep into the plot because it's a short read, so I’d rather not spoil it. Review time: I liked the book a lot; it's a short, easily digestible story, even if the plot is a little contrived, and it has some really nice descriptions, particularly of other characters. I enjoyed the little slice of New York near a hundred years ago it offers and the nice little twist at the end, which I adubily reacted to. Overall, a nice book but not life-changing 7/10

Finished Oct 7 2026