--- product_id: 45710930 title: "Fifty-to-One (Hard Case Crime)" price: "KD 4.50" currency: KWD in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.com.kw/products/45710930-fifty-to-one-hard-case-crime store_origin: KW region: Kuwait --- # Fifty-to-One (Hard Case Crime) **Price:** KD 4.50 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Fifty-to-One (Hard Case Crime) - **How much does it cost?** KD 4.50 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.kw](https://www.desertcart.com.kw/products/45710930-fifty-to-one-hard-case-crime) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description desertcart.com: Fifty-to-One (Hard Case Crime): 9780857683243: Ardai, Charles: Books Review: Ardai Strikes Again - The premise suggests a gimmick. Charles Ardai, renowned crime novelist and publisher of the Hard Case Crime series, wants to celebrate the fiftieth publication in the series. He toys with the idea of a collection of short stories by the series' authors but instead decides to write a novel with fifty chapters, each using the title of one of the fifty novels (in sequence) in the series. This results in certain challenges, particularly with regard to plot and tone. The bottom line, however, is that the chapter titles are cute and fun, but do not really shape the book. The book stands on its own merits and it's a veritable gem. Paricia Heverstadt, aka Trixie, aka Tricia, has come to New York from South Dakota, following her sister Coral. Coral has found work as a dancer and so does Tricia. Discovering that she works for a Gotham criminal she also encounters Charles Borden, erstwhile publisher of `Hard Case Crime' books as well as some cash cow pornography. He's looking for material and Tricia supplies a heist novel, the mark being her crime-family boss. Then, lo and behold, it happens that the heist has actually been pulled off and Tricia's being threatened by `Uncle Nick', the crime boss as well as a host of subsidiary characters she encounters in her attempts to elude Nick, find the stolen swag, free her captured sister and her potential partner, Charles Borden and . . . well, you get the point. This is a breakneck romp, a tour of Gotham with lots of blood and lots of smiles. One of the high points occurs at Aqueduct, where Tricia--good girl of the northern plains that she is--escapes the bad guys on a race horse which she promptly rides through the not so mean streets of Queens. Maintaining the balance between suspense, violence and lighthearted humor is the real challenge here, not the chapter titles, and Ardai succeeds beautifully. One of the jacket blurbs suggests that the best writer in Ardai's (aka Richard Aleas) stable is Ardai himself. That may just be true, but he's also enough of a pro here to feature a cameo appearance by Block and Westlake, two of his star authors. Their appearance comes at just the right moment and in just the right, unanticipated fashion. Fifty-To-One is longer than the vast majority of Hard Case Crime novels and every page is a delight. This is a don't miss. And Charles--thanks for the series; how about a sequel for Tricia? Review: A good gamble at the price. - While the story gets a bit convoluted chapter by chapter, it's still a pretty good story. It is what it is, and that's "pulp fiction" by definition. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #3,362,676 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #5,998 in Hard-Boiled Mystery #11,615 in Murder Thrillers #14,969 in Science Fiction Crime & Mystery | | Customer Reviews | 3.9 3.9 out of 5 stars (76) | | Dimensions | 4.4 x 1.2 x 6.8 inches | | Edition | Illustrated | | ISBN-10 | 0857683241 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0857683243 | | Item Weight | 5.6 ounces | | Language | English | | Print length | 320 pages | | Publication date | May 10, 2011 | | Publisher | Hard Case Crime | ## Images ![Fifty-to-One (Hard Case Crime) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81dj2NKE67L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ardai Strikes Again *by R***Z on November 11, 2011* The premise suggests a gimmick. Charles Ardai, renowned crime novelist and publisher of the Hard Case Crime series, wants to celebrate the fiftieth publication in the series. He toys with the idea of a collection of short stories by the series' authors but instead decides to write a novel with fifty chapters, each using the title of one of the fifty novels (in sequence) in the series. This results in certain challenges, particularly with regard to plot and tone. The bottom line, however, is that the chapter titles are cute and fun, but do not really shape the book. The book stands on its own merits and it's a veritable gem. Paricia Heverstadt, aka Trixie, aka Tricia, has come to New York from South Dakota, following her sister Coral. Coral has found work as a dancer and so does Tricia. Discovering that she works for a Gotham criminal she also encounters Charles Borden, erstwhile publisher of `Hard Case Crime' books as well as some cash cow pornography. He's looking for material and Tricia supplies a heist novel, the mark being her crime-family boss. Then, lo and behold, it happens that the heist has actually been pulled off and Tricia's being threatened by `Uncle Nick', the crime boss as well as a host of subsidiary characters she encounters in her attempts to elude Nick, find the stolen swag, free her captured sister and her potential partner, Charles Borden and . . . well, you get the point. This is a breakneck romp, a tour of Gotham with lots of blood and lots of smiles. One of the high points occurs at Aqueduct, where Tricia--good girl of the northern plains that she is--escapes the bad guys on a race horse which she promptly rides through the not so mean streets of Queens. Maintaining the balance between suspense, violence and lighthearted humor is the real challenge here, not the chapter titles, and Ardai succeeds beautifully. One of the jacket blurbs suggests that the best writer in Ardai's (aka Richard Aleas) stable is Ardai himself. That may just be true, but he's also enough of a pro here to feature a cameo appearance by Block and Westlake, two of his star authors. Their appearance comes at just the right moment and in just the right, unanticipated fashion. Fifty-To-One is longer than the vast majority of Hard Case Crime novels and every page is a delight. This is a don't miss. And Charles--thanks for the series; how about a sequel for Tricia? ### ⭐⭐⭐ A good gamble at the price. *by G***T on October 13, 2014* While the story gets a bit convoluted chapter by chapter, it's still a pretty good story. It is what it is, and that's "pulp fiction" by definition. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ decent with some novel twists *by J***. on August 12, 2023* This is what a story could be. Maybe not on par with some of the big writers but very readable and enjoyable. I like how the plot was woven to include things from other novels to make this a milestone work. 4 stars as it was good but not outstanding. want more from this series. --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.kw/products/45710930-fifty-to-one-hard-case-crime](https://www.desertcart.com.kw/products/45710930-fifty-to-one-hard-case-crime) --- *Product available on Desertcart Kuwait* *Store origin: KW* *Last updated: 2026-05-16*