Prolific novelist René Brabazon Raymond was one of the most famous thriller writers of all time. He adopted several pen names, but James Hadley Chase is the most well-known. His debut, No Orchids for Miss Blandish, caused a sensation upon its publication in 1939, selling so well that it became one of the biggest bestsellers of the decade.
Eighth James Hadley Chase Collection Read More »
This month, Stark House Press reissued two of Fischer’s paperback originals from the Fifties—Fools Walk In, published in 1951, and So Wicked, My Love, from 1954. The novels are essentially two variations on a theme. The first is a bizarre and twisty drama wherein a college professor gets involved with a gang of thieves, and the latter is a powerful and extremely well-written love story with darkness and villainy at its core. My essay, “Fischer’s Foolish Teacher and the Wicked Redhead,” introduces the collection.
Bruno Fischer’s Wicked Fools Read More »
The heavily populated saga, involving a shady FBI operation, lies, deceit, misplaced trust, and numerous vendettas, requires intricate plotting and careful attention to character. Many have said it before, but there’s a blunt realism to Stella’s dialogue and a compelling rationale for his underworld characters’ pitiless behavior. Richard Lipez writes in an article in The Washington Post: “It’s too bad that virtually none of Stella’s best dialogue is repeatable in this newspaper. Like “The Sopranos” writers, Stella is a kind of obscene Ring Lardner, finding a lean, rancid poetry in his characters’ vernacular, and rendering it with flawless precision and humor.” With Joey Piss Pot, the prose is spare, the conversation sharp and colorful and thick with profanity, and when the action kicks in, the slick, graphic violence leaves a mark. Fans of underworld fiction will drink this up and hungrily hold out their bowl for more.
Review of Joey Piss Pot by Charlie Stella Read More »
Recently, Stark House Press reissued a couple of Samuel W. Taylor’s (1907-1997) excellent novels The Man With My Face and The Grinning Gismo. The first, originally published in 1948, is an outlandish crime tale about a man whose identity is stolen. It’s fast, thrilling, and slickly told, and Taylor examines the crime with such thoughtful care that by the end, you’re convinced that a crime like this could really take place. The subsequent mystery, The Grinning Gismo, from 1951, is a gritty pulp yarn that employs a number of clever techniques to keep the reader deeply invested in the story. It’s very suspenseful, full of neat twists, and with an impressive denouement. These stories are well worth seeking out, and this newly released twofer includes my essay “The Doppelgänger Fiend and the Teeth Worth Dying For.” You can purchase the volume on Amazon or Barnes and Noble
Taylor’s Tales of Teeth and Two Faces Read More »
My essay, “The Further Adventures of Fearless Agent Hart Muldoon,” introduces the volume Murder in Monaco / Death’s Lovely Mask, published recently by Stark House Press. These 1950s spy thrillers mark the final time Muldoon saw the Mediterranean. His final adventure, set in the Sixties, sent him beyond Europe and into the midst of battle on one final mission. But I’ll stop there, as that’s for another day.
Yet More Espionage from John Flagg Read More »
This is the sixth collection of novels by W.R. Burnett reprinted by Stark House Press, and there will likely be more that will follow it. Burnett wrote plenty of novels. Some say he never wrote a bad one. Big publishers wanted his stories, and his work was ever popular with readers. Occasionally, his efforts won awards. They were stories that were cinematic and full of good dialogue, and there was always the promise of action. From the first manuscript to the last, he was a reliably good novelist and became a highly prized screenwriter. The most highly rewarded, in fact. Was he shot with luck, or was there something else behind his success?
W.R. Burnett Lives On Read More »
Earlier this month, Stark House Press published both novels as a twofer. The collection includes my essay, “The Solidly Considerable Talent of Harold R. Daniels,” in which I speak about the power of these two stories and the author’s relatively short but impactful writing career. There’s a lot more I can say about Daniels. His final two novels certainly ought to be reissued. But for now, I’ll hold off and simply say that these two stories are worth seizing while you still can.
The Harold R. Daniels Twofer: The Accused and The Snatch Read More »
The newest compilation released this month, 24 Hours to Kill / Blue Mascara Tears, includes a couple of varied, well-written novels from the 1960s. My essay, “Idolatry and Playing God to Cure “The Fix,” which introduces the volume, explores McKimmey’s writing career and these two works in particular. Those who enjoy hardboiled fiction from the golden era will not be disappointed.
The High-profile Prisoner and the Detective’s Obsession Read More »
Those who like their hardboiled mysteries short and slick and with hearty dollops of wit and action would do well to ferret out the tales of the tough but likable PI Timothy Dane. Though a bit rough around the edges, Dane was a decent and honorable chap who was good with his fists and, according to one critic, “catnip to women.” Better known than many gumshoes of the Fifties, Dane proved popular with readers and had influential book reviewers like Anthony Boucher regularly singing his praises.
The Tough and Compassionate PI Timothy Dane Read More »
The John Trinian (aka Zekial Marko) revival continues with this latest twofer from Stark House Press, The Big Grab / The Savage Breast. The author, a very proficient writer of crime novels, found success with numerous works, most notably Scratch a Thief and The Big Grab, each written in the early 1960s. Both of those crime tales became movies—the first filmed as Once a Thief, the latter as Any Number Can Win. Trinian wrote the screenplays.
A John Trinian Twofer: The Big Grab/The Savage Breast Read More »
