March 2021

The Lover / The Mistress / The Passionate by Carter Brown (Introduction by Nicholas Litchfield)

Carter Brown’s Tales of the Passionate, Mistress, Lover

The phenomenally successful mystery series by Carter Brown, the pseudonym of British-born Australian pulp writer Alan Geoffrey Yates, spawned close to 300 titles and allegedly sold more than 100 million copies. Considering the popularity of these swift-paced, tongue-in-cheek stories featuring wise-cracking detective Al Wheeler, I suppose it’s not surprising that my bookshelf contains almost two dozen of these novels. And, fortunately, my collection is growing, owing to Stark House Press continuing to reissue the early Al Wheeler adventures.

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LowestoftChronicle_issue45

Issue 45 of Lowestoft Chronicle

This Spring edition of Lowestoft Chronicle includes some very good work by returning contributors Mary Donaldson-Evans, Charles Holdefer, Jacqueline Jules, Robert Mangeot, dl mattila, and James B. Nicola. Holdefer, author of the recent micro-story collection Agitprop for Bedtime: Polemic, Story Problems, Kulturporn and Humdingers, provides a particularly memorable fictitious memoir that is truly something to savor. Notable Lowestoft Chronicle newcomers include Shannon Cuthbert, DAH, Catherine Dowling, Christian Harrington, Bruce Harris, and Robin Michel. Harris, author of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson: ABout Type, had this to say of issue #45 of the magazine: “Come for the covers, stay for the content. This issue, like its predecessors, contains a wide-ranging mix of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. You don’t have to be a detective to deduce that the March 2021 number packs a punch. Don’t take my word for it. Check out a sample, like Charles Holdefer’s, “Espèce de Cowboy.” Here’s the link: (http://lowestoftchronicle.com/issues/issue45/charlesholdefer/). Enjoy!”

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The Money by David Shawn Klein

Debut Novel by David Shawn Klein

In 2012, David Shawn Klein wrote a memorable short story (“The Final Ascent of Hal Tripp”) about a playboy adventurer attempting to conquer Everest. It was a gripping drama, set against a stunning backdrop, published in issue #12 of Lowestoft Chronicle and anthologized in INTREPID TRAVELERS the following year. Immediately, I had high hopes for Klein (forgive the weak pun). Many years have come and gone, and during that time, Klein has had some quality stories published in venues like The Hudson Review. Finally, though, he has a novel due for publication. It’s titled THE MONEY, and it’s an action-packed literary thriller with strong doses of humor and very fine plotting.

I was fortunate to have read an advanced draft of the novel, and all I can say is that the writing exceeded my expectations. Klein’s deft mix of razor-sharp wit, astute observations, and fierce action turn this riveting tale of a knavish lawyer embarking on a perilous moral crusade into a sublime literary debut. THE MONEY will shock, surprise, seduce, and, ultimately, satisfy those who appreciate dry humor and gritty drama.

Late last month, Black Rose Writing finally published the novel.

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