tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78326690356109681822024-03-08T03:33:15.607-08:00FROM DUNDEE'S DESKwayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.comBlogger359125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-5064855322217169642020-01-09T13:04:00.000-08:002020-01-09T13:04:32.971-08:00Available Now - JOE HANNIBAL P.I.: THE COMPLETE SERIES - VOLUME 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTrZXmVa-Y14_dMS8Wq-sQ3M7GM4ZQ9ZL0cLi4gIlyFVuxwGgAmBzKV_2l9gfwjRDTMbwMDMph-V21Tdr3hqlg2H8K9IkrRY9sCjkS4Nn7_cNPKn2MJH1QWxo8EHQhyphenhyphend4c6GDKslgU0ZW/s1600/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="247" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYTrZXmVa-Y14_dMS8Wq-sQ3M7GM4ZQ9ZL0cLi4gIlyFVuxwGgAmBzKV_2l9gfwjRDTMbwMDMph-V21Tdr3hqlg2H8K9IkrRY9sCjkS4Nn7_cNPKn2MJH1QWxo8EHQhyphenhyphend4c6GDKslgU0ZW/s400/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" width="285" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">For
the past four or five years I've been writing almost exclusively in
the Western genre, much of it contract work that I can't say too much
about. Westerns have worked out very good for me. In the first place,
I love writing them (who knew that all those years of devouring
Western movies and TV shows and the endless hours spent playing
“Cowboys and Indians” as a kid would turn out to be a kind of
homework that I would tap into as an old man aiming to re-capture
some of those adventures with my writing?). Moreover, the Western
writing community has been very welcoming and gracious, I've gotten
decent reviews and managed to win a few awards, even made some nice
money in the process … </span></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">But
preceding all of that, as many of you know, what first inspired me to
try my hand at writing was the hardboiled detective/mystery genre,
particularly in the Mickey Spillane/Mike Hammer mold. What resulted,
first in a series of short stories and then several novels, was my
own PI: Joe Hannibal. At first just another Mike Hammer-wannabe, my
own blue collar Midwest background bled through into his
characterization and gave him a certain distinction that caused a
number of readers and reviewers to dub him “a blue collar private
eye”. Which was fine by me—I'm very proud of my blue collar
roots. </span></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So
eight Joe Hannibal novels and a couple dozen short stories appeared
over thirty years. Spotty output (I was working a full-time job and
raising a family throughout) and getting handed off to several
different publishers made sales far from great, even though the
critical response was quite positive (6 PWA Shamus Award nominations,
an Anthony nomination, and even an Edgar nom—no wins). </span></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">So
now, here comes Wolfpack Publishing with a re-issue of all the
Hannibal novels and one short story “case file” collection, all
revised and re-edited in Kindle “book set” editions at the great
price of only 99-cents. The first of these, JOE HANNIBAL, PI: THE
COMPLETE SERIES – VOLUME ONE, is available now. It includes four
novels: </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">Burning
Season; Skintight Shroud; Brutal Ballet</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">;
and </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">And
Flesh And Blood So Cheap. </span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
second set will follow shortly. </span></span></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">If
there's enough interest, I'd love to write some more Hannibal stories
and books. Joe and I are both definitely a little (okay, a lot)
longer in the tooth, but I think we've still got some moves left to
entertain readers and kick a few more bad guy asses … Toward that
end, I hope you give JOE HANNIBAL, PI: THE COMPLETE SERIES – VOLUME
ONE a try, and like it well enough to want more.</span></span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com42tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-50057899616689923942019-11-19T03:57:00.000-08:002019-11-20T12:07:14.187-08:00Noteworthy Reads: CARBON by Andrew Vachss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV27OiC8bBtAfqPrWTEB4EGEI2UO6eSBH6oG9pVoKYEpskVoV__WFUIJUJu6UteVAY4pj7K9Woi092IypFPBVUA4o2_XVanhKXNzx6mRzQIqFz8G-VJvnv2fZp_6iauVSQqmU1IHDAsVnm/s1600/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV27OiC8bBtAfqPrWTEB4EGEI2UO6eSBH6oG9pVoKYEpskVoV__WFUIJUJu6UteVAY4pj7K9Woi092IypFPBVUA4o2_XVanhKXNzx6mRzQIqFz8G-VJvnv2fZp_6iauVSQqmU1IHDAsVnm/s400/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
the beginning, when Andrew Vachss first jarred readers' sensibilities
by opening their eyes to the “true horror” of sharks circling in
our very own swimming pools—namely, mistreated/abused children and
the predatory scum responsible for twisting their innocence and trust
into monstrous retaliation—critics accused him of writing “urban
fantasy”. At the same time, he also turned the crime fiction genre
on its ear by presenting these revelation via his series character
Burke, who many initially saw (incorrectly) as a sort of rogue
private eye. In truth, Burke was an ex con who had seen first hand
the truths surrounding “the children of the secret”. Aided by his
“family of choice”—a band of inner city vigilantes working the
fringes of (and often beyond) the law—Burke is driven by a never
ending quest (much like Vachss's own life's work) to expose/destroy
the evil that poisons society's youngest and most vulnerable.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-weight: normal;">And
now, even as his revelations have long since been widely recognized
for their truths—and, what's more, have become one of the most
commonly used plot devices (with variations) in crime/mystery fiction
over recent decades—Vachss has come full circle by writing a
</span></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;">genuine</span></i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-weight: normal;">
urban fantasy with a strikingly memorable new protagonist. In a
dystopian future, Carbon is also an ex con and a highly skilled
private investigator prior to that. It is his investigative skills
that gets his prison sentence cut by the Government, freeing him to
track down a twisted killer whose own special skills present a high
level threat that goes beyond just murder.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once
again passing back and forth through the Membrane that separates the
City from the Sector, operating at levels and utilizing contacts that
few even have knowledge of, Carbon works to satisfy the requirements
of the contract that gained him his freedom and also to achieve a
personal goal that will net him even greater freedom. Before he is
through, he must travel into the Pure Zone—where magick and sorcery
exist but other tools of the trade that Carbon has counted on in the
past, like his gun, are useless. He must rely on his wits, raw
strength, and newly acquired powers—as well as a bond forged with
an unexpected ally in a formerly abducted/enslaved child—to
navigate this strange world (complete with its own disturbingly dark
underbelly) before returning to where he started, with the answers he
needs for himself and to satisfy his contract.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
is a bold, imaginative work—pushing the basic PI elements forward
into a dark future—told in prose as hard as the protagonist's name
and as sharp as an obsidian carving blade. Not to be missed. Strongly
recommended.</span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-5443399679506262222019-10-16T14:34:00.000-07:002019-10-16T14:34:21.046-07:00Noteworthy Reads > AVENGING ANGELS: VENGEANCE TRAIL ... and more<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijatZlgImy0f8BhHOZt0WDzsa6PhZjTMTdCa6mQJvGlEA3EhKppkUEVQ7GHElQGPNWmW_hHIuNRhRZCP273lI5lTAMIHMwk9TbnToqDV-7FbPOV1uaBJAdcNorrmAcwPoxdJqLeVJcIXK5/s1600/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="216" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijatZlgImy0f8BhHOZt0WDzsa6PhZjTMTdCa6mQJvGlEA3EhKppkUEVQ7GHElQGPNWmW_hHIuNRhRZCP273lI5lTAMIHMwk9TbnToqDV-7FbPOV1uaBJAdcNorrmAcwPoxdJqLeVJcIXK5/s400/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" width="248" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here
is the Amazon review I submitted for the kick-off volume in this
exciting new series from Wolfpack Publishing: </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>In
this opening entry to a projected series, twins Sara and Reno Bass
are orphaned when a horde of crazed ex Confederates sweep through
their quiet Kansas community and leave a wake of bloody devastation
behind. Among the victims are the twins' entire family—father,
mother, and siblings. Before he dies, their father—a deeply
religious man steeped in Old Testament beliefs—implores Reno and
Sara to go forth and not only avenge their family but to continue on
and also seek out and rid the West of others who kill and terrorize
in the name of the Devil.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Directed
to an old friend of their father's, from back in his wild days before
he found the Lord and settled down to raise a family, the twins are
trained in the ways of weaponry and other skills they will need to
first merely survive on the post-War frontier ... and then to succeed
in their mission to hunt down and deliver vengeance to the ruthless
pack who shattered their lives. Their encounters as they ride toward
this end—the colorful, often deadly people they meet, the blazing
gun battles, the quiet moments where brother and sister strengthen
their bond with each other and with the Lord as found in their
father's Bible that they carry with them—are by turns thrilling and
poignant and wonderfully told. The climax is exciting and satisfying
and the trail left open ahead for the twins to continue traveling is
bound to quicken any reader's pulse for the sake of wanting more ... </i></span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Pounding
the keyboard behind the A.W. Hart byline in this instance is none
other than series co-founder and prolific Western author Peter
Brandvold. Known for his distinctive brand of wordslinging when it
comes to fast-paced, thundering Western adventure, Mean Pete scores
another winner in this terrific debut novel in what is sure to be a
popular,long-running series. Strongly recommended.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
now, as the late, lamented Paul Harvey used to say, here is the rest
of (or, at least, more of) the story:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">The
Avenging Angels concept was co-created by Mean Pete Brandvold and
Mike Bray, President and CEO of Wolfpack Publishing. The way Pete
tells it, it went something like this—“Mike called me up one day
and asked if I was up for developing a series that would run for ten
books and beyond and would be written by a string of ghost writers
writing under a house name. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He
wanted me to write the bible as well as the first volume. He said,
'I'd like to have a God-fearing teenage brother and sister in it as
well as a dog. Sort of a coming of age story. You can't shoot the
dog!' … I said heck yeah, it will keep me out of the bars and away
from the floozies. And mean as Mean Pete is, everybody knows I'd
never shoot the dog—humans aplenty, but not the dog.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">After that, Paul Bishop
was brought aboard as managing editor and from there the rest is …
well, not exactly history, I guess; at least not yet. But it's
certainly well under way with the well-received VENGEANCE TRAIL as
Volume One and more soon to follow.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Full disclosure, I was
honored and fortunate to have been invited to participate fairly
early on and my first entry—the second in the series, titled
SINNERS' GOLD—is due to come out next week, October 22.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Going forward, a number
of additional writers—solid veterans all—are now lined up with
titles to be released monthly. The sequence presently in place is as
follows: DAY OF CALAMITY by Richard Prosch; HEAVEN'S BOUNTY by David
Foster; SOLOMON'S MINE by Chuck Dixon; BRAND OF THE DAMNED by, uh, me
again; GUNS OF LEGION by that Prosch guy; and THE WINE OF VIOLENCE by
Charles Gramlich. Additional writers on tap to provide more titles
include Ben Boulden, Jason Chirevas, and Lee Lofland.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With editor Bishop
ramrodding an outfit manned by this crew of word wranglers, I think
readers wanting exciting, fast-paced Westerns have got good cause to
look forward to what's coming down the trail.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Be sure to keep a sharp
eye peeled for the Avenging Angels. </span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You won't be
disappointed.</span></span></div>
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wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-43737067885165402912019-10-14T21:37:00.000-07:002019-10-14T21:37:18.053-07:00Noteworthy Reads: THE PATRIOTS Series by James Reasoner<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPdDJoLxwSY3jY42ERQswd0rWf1HtrU8nyQK5wY_K1UDtO_k1i1qd1TwVsFMSEoce_tqwKn0o96-BuqrXjTjxEnG7SI569Rmtz-7iay6J-KW4tICQSbORmapRGpoFIMg3dFKHyzU5wsaF/s1600/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="334" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPdDJoLxwSY3jY42ERQswd0rWf1HtrU8nyQK5wY_K1UDtO_k1i1qd1TwVsFMSEoce_tqwKn0o96-BuqrXjTjxEnG7SI569Rmtz-7iay6J-KW4tICQSbORmapRGpoFIMg3dFKHyzU5wsaF/s400/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Back
in the 1992 – 94 time period, under the pen name Adam Rutledge,
James Reasoner wrote a six-volume series of books for Bantam
entitled THE PATRIOTS. As the over-arcing title suggests, these
stories are set during the Revolutionary War years when young America
rose up and won independence from England.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Starting
in 1773 with the arrival of young Daniel Reed from Virginia to
attend law school in Boston, the series follows Daniel as its
central protagonist through the early years of unrest, into open
rebellion and battle, and ultimately victory and freedom for the
thirteen colonies. Along the way there is romance, intrigue,
betrayal, courage, tragedy, and plenty of high adventure! Historical
figures and events and even a few memorable dates are mixed in
flawlessly and it all comes alive—the sights and sounds and <i>feel</i>
of the times.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
individual titles of the six volumes are stirring in and of
themselves: <i>The</i> <i>Sons of Liberty; Rebel Guns; The Turncoat;
Life and Liberty; Cannon's Call;</i> and <i>Stars and Stripes</i>. In
the sure hands of author Reasoner, these titles become filled with
memorable characters and exciting twists and turns that will keep
readers turning pages feverishly to see what happens next. Yeah, we
all know what the final outcome is. But how it is woven around
James's wonderful cast of characters—how invested readers will have
become in them, and what impact everything has on each of them before
the wrap-up—that is what keeps one hooked.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">On
October 15, all six volumes of THE REBELS will be re-released by
Rough Edges Press. These have been revised by James (with able
assistance from his wife, Livia) and are as fine a set of
historically-themed adventures as you're likely to find. Having them
available all at once (for a “binge” read, if you will) is
exciting news. As a real sweetener to that already sweet deal,
consider this: For one day only (the 10/15 release date) the six
volumes will be available for only 99 cents each. After that, volumes
2 through 6 will be priced at $2.99 (still a heck of a deal). </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I've
seen/heard it claimed more than once that, as entertainment (movies,
TV, books, etc.), the Revolutionary War period generally does not draw a
lot of interest. I don't know how accurate that is. Thinking about
it, I guess I'd have to admit that, when I look back over my own
reading/viewing habits, I can't recall occupying my own time with
much from that era, either. Using this body of work by Jams as a
baseline, I find myself now inclined to check out more of the same ...
Realizing, of course, not every writer is as capable as James
Reasoner (applicable to any genre he writes in). So anyone reading
this who suffers the slightest reservation, for whatever reason,
about delving into material about this period—I suggest you
overcome it in a hurry, and start with THE PATRIOTS!</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
won't be sorry. Highly recommended. </span></span></span>
</div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-45173683960224358632019-04-16T00:05:00.000-07:002019-04-16T00:05:06.378-07:00Noteworthy Reads: The KILROY, PI Series by Stephen Mertz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">About
a third of the way through 2018, Steve Mertz turned his considerable
writing talents back to the private genre, where he first began with
SOME DIE HARD circa 1979. Since then, of course, his byline has
become widely recognized and acclaimed in the field of Men's Action,
notably penning what many consider some of the best entries in Don
Pendleton's hugely popular <i>Mack Bolan, Executioner</i> series.
Steve also created his own successful <i>Mark</i> <i>Stone, MIA</i>
series and has additionally done praiseworthy work in the categories
of horror, thriller, Western, and stand-alone mysteries. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
the circle was closed in 2018 with the release of two hardboiled
private eye mysteries. One was SAY IT WAS MURDER, featuring
contemporary, Southwest-based McShan (more on that at another time).
The other was COLD IN THE GRAVE, featuring Denver-based Kilroy and
set in the 1970s (covered on this blog in May of '18). Both PIs were
engaging and distinct, and both books were totally satisfying. I, for
one, was anxiously hoping we would be seeing a lot more of both.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Well,
earlier this year, at least part of that wish was fulfilled. In
January, Wolfpack Publishing released the second and third entries in
the Kilroy series – THE DEVIL'S MUSIC and SWEET BLACKMAIL. Kilroy
was (is) back! And these latest titles are just as entertaining and
satisfying as his initial appearance. “A tough private eye who
wears his heart on his sleeve and a .44 Colt in his shoulder
holster!” proclaims the cover blurbs for each. And that's a fair
enough thumbnail sketch of the single-monickered Kilroy, a bearded,
long-haired, quasi-laid back Vietnam vet who doesn't go looking for
trouble (except other people's, the kind he can try to help them out
of) yet is plenty capable of handling any that comes his way.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">THE
DEVIL'S MUSIC may be the best (or at least my favorite) Kilroy so
far. It involves an old blues singer attempting to make a comeback
after being missing (and presumed dead, by many) for several years.
When it becomes evident there are forces at work who don't <b>want</b>
this comeback to take place, even to the point of making the artist's
presumed death a fact, Kiloy steps aboard both to protect him and to
try and get to the bottom of who's out to get him. The mystery
element is solid and the suspects and other characters are colorful
and well drawn. What gives DEVIL'S MUSIC something extra, though, is
the blues music background that the author is so obviously fond of
and captures so accurately and lovingly. A musician himself, Steve
has written other acclaimed works with a music background (HANK AND
MUDDY, JIMI AFTER MIDNIGHT) and his deep appreciation for the music
and those who live it also shone through – as it does here.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SWEET
BLACKMAIL starts out with one of the niftiest, most reader-grabbing
sequences I've come across in a long time: <i>A mysterious woman
walks into a restaurant where Kilroy is eating, throws an envelope
full of</i> <i>money down in front of him, declaring that's all the
money he's going to get and she knew how to play rough, too, if she
had to. To emphasize the point, she then pulls out a .22 and fires a
few shots in the air before turning and departing. When Kilroy
attempts to give chase, he collides wih another customer just
entering the restaurant. This slows Kilroy down enough to miss
catching up with the mystery woman and when he returns to the diner,
he finds the man he bumped into lying dead with a knife wound in his</i>
<i>back</i> ... Now, is anybody going to tell me you wouldn't keep
reading after that? Naturally, you would. And what you would then
enter into is a twisty tale of blackmail (obviously, as stated by the
title), mistaken identity, betrayal, more killing, some sexy
distraction, and various other obstacles for Kilroy to overcome, not
the least of which is DA Dickensheets who longs for any chance to
yank the private eye's license. In the end, of course, Kilroy figures
it all out and keeps his license for the sake, hopefully, of showing
up in more adventures. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
final verdict on this fine series is that it ranks right up there
with some of the best in the genre. Kilroy is an engaging
protagonist, Mertz's writing is straightforward and sharp –
painting vivid action scenes, offering poignant insight, and
capturing all the right details for Denver, circa the 1970s. If
you're a fan of hardboiled PI tales with clever mystery twists told
against a somewhat different setting, don't miss these. Strongly
recommended.</span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-6524100675328082402019-04-04T20:41:00.000-07:002019-04-04T20:41:47.972-07:00Noteworthy Reads: Re-discovering Thomas B. Dewey's "MAC"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlmeJTuyfom7CWwHnrP_-MIhuYfVaolUDgR7xcsSfmDWHLDqvqxIMnOb1CP4rM-7jXEsBlbOFGY2cb-b4uCiLI8nUbaBNNJutKnl2bAGzYrLdgmf7lDwuzd67XQNUOLxPEEqNsE8EcQ79/s1600/aaaCurley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKlmeJTuyfom7CWwHnrP_-MIhuYfVaolUDgR7xcsSfmDWHLDqvqxIMnOb1CP4rM-7jXEsBlbOFGY2cb-b4uCiLI8nUbaBNNJutKnl2bAGzYrLdgmf7lDwuzd67XQNUOLxPEEqNsE8EcQ79/s320/aaaCurley.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Speaking
for myself, I guess a more accurate title for this piece might have
been: <i>Re-appreciating Thomas B. Dewey's “Mac”—</i><span style="font-style: normal;">inasmuch
as I discovered this fine book series many moons ago. For those
unfamiliar, Mac is a Chicago-based private eye who appeared in
sixteen books written by Mr. Dewey from 1947 to 1970.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Most
of the titles have been re-issued in eBook format by Wildside Press,
which is where I recently “re-discovered” them and immediately
downloaded and re-read about a half dozen of the later titles. They
held up just fine. In fact, from a more mature perspective (more
mature in years, at least, if not in all ways), I may have enjoyed
them even more.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">I
first discovered Mac and Mr. Dewey in the middle Sixties, you see,
having had my appetite whetted for all things hardboiled by Spillane/
Hammer and and most everything of that sort that came both before and
after. The thing that really caught my attention about Mac, though,
was that he operated out of Chicago. Given my Illinois roots, I found
this a refreshing change from so much of what I was reading (both
tough-guy PIs and the spy thrillers that were beginning to take root)
being set on either the east or west coast, maybe Miami (via the
enormously popular Mike Shayne).</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Yet
here was Mac, doing his PI thing practically in my back yard. Not
only that, but many of his cases took him out of the city and to
smaller towns and more rural settings throughout the state. (All of
this would would prove to be more influential than I realized at the
time when, about twenty years later, I created my own PI character,
Joe Hannibal, and made his base of operations Rockford, the state's
second largest city up to the north. Mac, some of the works of Dan J.
Marlowe that were set in the Midwest, and Max Allan Collins'
Iowa-based Quarry books, all combined to convince me that it was
perfectly fine to set my own series in an area that wasn't on either
of the coasts but was familiar to me and one I could perhaps capture
with some added accuracy.)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Getting
back to Mac, while I enjoyed all of the books back when I first read
them, I remember finding them a bit slow-paced at the time. I was
younger then and more into the rougher style of the Mike Hammer
types, with plenty of wisecracks, hot dames, fisticuffs, and gunplay.
You don't get a lot of that with Dewey and Mac. Mac owns a gun and
carries it when a case turns dangerous enough, and he can also duke
it out pretty good when necessary. But he's not quick to resort to
either if it can be avoided. He's not big on wisecracks and he works
obligingly with the cops. Donovan, his main police source in the city
and a former mentor from his own days on the force is more father
figure than pal. In DEATH AND TAXES, when Donovan is seriously
wounded and hospitalized through much of the book, Mac's concern for
his old friend is very genuine and touching. And though he plods
steadily on, trying to crack the case that the shooting is part of,
it's not as some wild-eyed gunslinger out for vengeance. </span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"> </span></span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">A
term frequently applied by others who have written about the Mac
series is: compassion. Mac is “the compassionate private eye”,
the precursor, it is often pointed out, to Ross Macdonald's Lew
Archer, who would gain much wider acclaim with that sort of approach
in the decades to follow. (In an interview with Macdonald, when asked
to name some other authors whose work in the same genre that he liked
to read, he mentioned Dewey along with William Campbell Gault.)</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Mac's
deepest empathy is often with his own clients, especially those who
are young and/or most vulnerable. This is very much in evidence in my
three favorite books from the series: The aforementioned DEATH AND
TAXES, where Mac is assisting the estranged daughter of a former
gangster; THE KING KILLERS, in which he works with another PI to help
protect a young woman who is peripherally involved with a dangerous
paramilitary group; and A SAD SONG SINGING, where he is hired by an
innocent yet feisty young woman to help find her lost love, a
wandering minstrel/ songwriter, while at the same time protecting a
suitcase with mysterious contents that the missing lad left in her
possession.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Dewey
is not a word stylist in the sense of, say, Chandler or even
Macdonald. His prose is simple and straightforward, yet perfectly
adequate for the job to be done. And Mac, for the most part, is
merely a conduit to the cases and people he gets involved with. We
never really learn much about him other than that he's a man of
somple tastes who doggedly pursues the jobs he takes on. In DRAW THE
CURTAIN CLOSE, his debut appearance, he describes himself this way:
</span><i>“I'm just a guy. I go around and get in jams and then try
to figure a way out of them. I work hard. I don't make very much
money and most people insult me one way or another. I'm thirty-eight
years old, a fairly good shot with small arms, slow-thinking but
thorough, and very dirty in a clinch." </i></span></span></span>
</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">That
sums it up pretty good. The mysteries are solid and well-plotted, the
characters Mac encounters are interesting and well drawn, the writing
is as previusly described. There's some rough stuff along the way, a
smattering of gunplay and coarse language, and some attractive,
well-described women but little in the way of sex. In the final two
books in the series, Mac relocates to Los Angeles but not much really
changes. He remains his same low-key self, establishes a solid new
cop contact via his old Chicago mentor Donovan, even searches around
until he finds a set-up that provides him an office with living
quarters in the back, just as he had in Chi-town. The characters he
encounters are af bit more colorful, the women seem notably hotter
(but still no sex), and there's the hint of a romance between Mac and
a fortune teller neighbor that might have blossomed into more if the
series had continued.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpylYUwRmRlCbCn0LsRHlLX2xkK0-oWp8_mH45L8eh9Xjuz6jCy1wrE_RoUvCkumlGk5jrJx7lEheKC_rPiKniqyYo8GcvKh0qtNsSeTSGSc4Eo64M3PGugXyankzfJa8NTDvQn7klDQKQ/s1600/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="260" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpylYUwRmRlCbCn0LsRHlLX2xkK0-oWp8_mH45L8eh9Xjuz6jCy1wrE_RoUvCkumlGk5jrJx7lEheKC_rPiKniqyYo8GcvKh0qtNsSeTSGSc4Eo64M3PGugXyankzfJa8NTDvQn7klDQKQ/s320/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
in all, some mighty good hardboiled (but not too) stuff. Worth
checking out. And anyone wanting some strong arguments for the
oft-stated case of crime fiction being one of the most accurate
mirrors held up to our changing culture over the decades, would be
hard pressed to find any better examples than in Mac titles like THE
MEAN STREETS or A SAD SONG SINGING.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No
less an authority than Bill Pronzini once called Mac one of the most
underappreciated of the fictional private eyes. I second that. If you
want to pursue the matter and develop some overdue appreciation, I
recommend you hunt down some the out-of-print paperbacks or check out
the very modestly priced eBook versions avialable from Wildside. I
think you'll be glad you did.</span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-82187868039734729312019-03-08T12:34:00.000-08:002019-03-08T12:34:53.450-08:00Noteworthy Reads: THE HONKY TONK BIG HOSS BOOGIE by Robert J. Randisi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1VoPk-_KWuHwzyyVzGWMeexBvNSUZsnZtMGIUrAp7uxLM3x9VdOlzohJgpFfVZ3E-FHtRfFyupS1gZLLnCUxLTdLsvrQb2ch_DQqqoVBfQSjFHrhpCGhn0sj5drq-eWQr-TSsNAV6jgT/s1600/aaaCurley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY1VoPk-_KWuHwzyyVzGWMeexBvNSUZsnZtMGIUrAp7uxLM3x9VdOlzohJgpFfVZ3E-FHtRfFyupS1gZLLnCUxLTdLsvrQb2ch_DQqqoVBfQSjFHrhpCGhn0sj5drq-eWQr-TSsNAV6jgT/s400/aaaCurley.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
exciting PI mystery from veteran Randisi is the first to feature
Auggie Velez, a Nashville sessions musician who is also a licensed
private investigator. Auggie is immediately engaging as a
protagonist. He is fairly well established on the Nashville music
scene as a reliable sessions man, preferring that work to going on
the road. But the real dream he continues to chase is one day writing
and performing his own music. The PI work, which he began to augment
his sometimes sporadic income, is something he has more recently
ventured into and is therefore less seasoned at; but his basic street
smarts, combined with past military training, a keen sense of the
Music City scene, and the mentorship of the aging private eye who
helped him get his ticket, are all helping to hone his skills.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
Auggie is soon needing to call on all of this and more after he accepts
a job that appears to be a simple, though somewhat mysterious package
delivery for a big time music producer. When the recipient of said
package, a common briefcase whose contents were never revealed to
Auggie, turns up murdered, Auggie becomes a very prominent “person
of interest”. As the police investigation becomes stalled as far as
any other leads and the music executive who originally hired Auggie
remains reluctant about admitting his role, Auggie is forced to start
digging deeper into the whole mess if for no other reason than to
prove his innocence.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What
ensues amounts to a fascinating tour of Nashville and its many
colorful places and characters. As usual in a Randisi novel, snappy
dialogue carries much of the load. But there also is real depth to
the characterizations of many of the individuals encountered,
including Auggie himself. Perhaps some of the best work Bob has done
in this regard. There is a particularly poignant scene about mid way
through the novel where, after some burglars have broken ito Auggie's
apartment and trashed his personal, deeply treasured collection of
old guitars – after the police have left and he is all alone
starting to clean up the mess – Auggie breaks down and weeps over
the loss that only he can understand the full impact of. Very strong
and brave, I thought, for Bob to bare that much of his protagonist's
soul.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When
finally revealed, the secret of what was contained in the briefcase
is a doozy and the overall conclusion to the case, when reached, is
satisfying. The whole thing is made even more realistic by the fact
that, due to the deaths of some players along the way, not every
minute detail can be fully explained. Nevertheless, enough is
established to clear Auggie and the key bad guys are sufficiently
punished. Even more good news is that – as announced by the
publisher at the close of this book – Auggie will soon be showing
up again in a new case titled THE LAST SWEET SONG OF HAMMER DYLAN.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm
definitely looking forward to that and, in the meantime, strongly
recommend THE HONKY TONK BIG HOSS BOOGIE. Don't miss it!</span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-48386813673269816312019-02-18T12:46:00.000-08:002019-02-18T12:46:34.510-08:00Noteworthy Reads: THE DOCTOR'S WIFE by Michael Avallone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvO_eX7Vd4jRsjKHToFFAdRQ6EVeTIDEQs0wn-FXNWkvOeVEUNhonoL_T4pqprHIP8n2-0hoabAKTuIs980ErHxfRurlpb3uyE99FWVwmI2hzK5EQFXlqhko_H-REC5Cz4nIZgTbM6_OgQ/s1600/aaaCurley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="288" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvO_eX7Vd4jRsjKHToFFAdRQ6EVeTIDEQs0wn-FXNWkvOeVEUNhonoL_T4pqprHIP8n2-0hoabAKTuIs980ErHxfRurlpb3uyE99FWVwmI2hzK5EQFXlqhko_H-REC5Cz4nIZgTbM6_OgQ/s400/aaaCurley.jpg" width="235" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
my reading lifetime, I'm sure I have read well over a thousand books.
Maybe close to two thousand. Hell, counting comic books and magazine
novelizations and re-reads, maybe more than that.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Many
of these I recollect vividly and completely. Many others I remember
liking to various degrees but can only specifically recall certain
parts, like the title and author perhaps, or maybe some key,
memorable scenes.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Such
was the case with THE DOCTOR'S WIFE by Mike Avallone. I remembered
the title and byline and a few scenes that stuck with me—and,
mostly, I remembered liking it a lot. It was published in 1963, I'm
guessing I read it two or three years later. I would have been about
seventeen. I was just then learning to watch for the Avallone byline
(one of the first cases where the author's name started to catch my
eye as quick or quicker than the title) because I knew it would
likely be something I'd enjoy.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay,
for any of you who might be smirking and chuckling at this point
because you've been fed the Kool-aid all these years about what a
lousy writer Avallone was, how his phrasing came to be called
“Avallone-isms” because of the quirky metaphors and puns and
sometimes wacky plotting he employed ... Nuts to you. All I know is that the
guy could tell a damn good story and I liked the way he did it.
Especially during this period—the late Fifties through the Sixties.
He was at his most prolific (he didn't call himself “the fastest
typewriter in the east” for nothing) and at the peak of his craft.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmEbJz-YY0PxU5EIElMOEMcEmBBUk83JAvDfmfxu3LmNzCuJ1B2guKZJvcBuEff2JAah3JxR6v3RcWWJo3uh1kR6EPSFJqKevpNOwi3cX4YUKfTjhtuI65SvlltG3p93kHQnQmD3ePIzK/s1600/aaaDISMAL-C+mockup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1316" data-original-width="781" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhmEbJz-YY0PxU5EIElMOEMcEmBBUk83JAvDfmfxu3LmNzCuJ1B2guKZJvcBuEff2JAah3JxR6v3RcWWJo3uh1kR6EPSFJqKevpNOwi3cX4YUKfTjhtuI65SvlltG3p93kHQnQmD3ePIzK/s320/aaaDISMAL-C+mockup.jpg" width="189" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Somewhere
around the time I read THE DOCTOR'S WIFE, I was also reading Avallone
work such as STATION SIX – SAHARA (movie tie-in), MANNIX (TV
tie-in) and also the TV tie-ins for MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E and GIRL FROM
U.N.C.L.E. It was also around this time that—to my astonishment,
since I was gobbling up everything and anything private eye related—I
first discovered Ed Noon in THE FEBRUARY DOLL MURDERS. The doubly
surprising part about this was that, by then, Mike had penned fifteen
previous Noons and I hadn't come across any, except maybe a magazine
excerpt from LUST IS NO LADY. </span></span></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since
all of the above titles were published in the mid-60s, some three or
four years after DOCTOR'S WIFE, I can only assume that I picked up
DOCTOR'S either second hand or buried deep in the back of a spinner
rack slot. At any rate, once I had it in my hot little hands I tore
through it in one or two settings and came away very satisfied.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
thing was, DOCTOR'S WIFE was put out by Beacon Books, one of – if
not THE – top publishers of “adult” paperbacks (the other
biggie being Midwood) at the time. By today's standards, it should be
noted, these were pretty tame. Yet for all his success up to that
point in the mystery/crime and media tie-in fields, here was Avallone
cranking out “sex books” and signing his own name to them. By my
count, he did about ten of them through the early/mid Sixties.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
here's the kicker: In my humble opinion, some of these “adult”
titles represent some of his best writing. It was obvious that he
took them serious and treated them accordingly. Years later, I had
occasion to mention this to Mike and he was pleased to hear that
assessment. So much so that when Gary Lovisi at Gryphon Books
re-published the adult-themed MITZI later in Mike's career, he
honored me by asking me to write a Foreward for it. Which I did, and
again took the opportunity to opine on the strength of his writing in
the adult field.</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cf9fPCYXpX3d0iR-qbQQPC-YBBtKDEyGHj9AOjFfAU7D-nq5ElXt0-JSy-CBfrib_Dv4Tby13AMq2-FdhuDhyphenhyphen8KMW_Cd0MB-rkkgksYgAqc_e7QFP2-g48OPpG2bll8abmeBF4eGizZa/s1600/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="437" data-original-width="274" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0cf9fPCYXpX3d0iR-qbQQPC-YBBtKDEyGHj9AOjFfAU7D-nq5ElXt0-JSy-CBfrib_Dv4Tby13AMq2-FdhuDhyphenhyphen8KMW_Cd0MB-rkkgksYgAqc_e7QFP2-g48OPpG2bll8abmeBF4eGizZa/s320/aaaDISMAL+mock-up.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">There's
no better example of this than THE DOCTOR'S WIFE. The prose is lean
and straightforward (not much of the quirky touches that would gain
traction in Mike's later work), the dialogue snaps, and the sense of
time and place (New York City in the late 50s/early 60s) is spot on.
Written in first person, it revolves around one Vince Allen, a
struggling actor who works as the overnight manager of a greasy spoon
to make ends meet, and chases acting try-outs during the day. Each
morning after finishing his greasy spoon gig, Vince walks through
Central Park to clear his head and put the smells of the steamy
diner behind him. On one of these mornings, in a rather dramatic
fashion, he encounters the stunningly beautiful and mysterious Erika
Paul—who turns out to be the doctor's wife of the title—as she is
out walking her Irish setter, Apollo. From there Vince's life will
never be the same. Naturally, he and Erika have further meetings in
the park and quickly become passionate, star-crossed lovers.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
this involvement becomes more heated and more complex—they can
never be completely together, Erika tells him, for reasons she won't
explain in detail other than to say that her husband is a powerful,
dangerous, insanely jealous man—Vince is also torn by other aspects
of his life. He's gotten tangled up with Emily, who ditches her
current boyfriend—an innocent “kid”, another wanna-be actor
whom Vince has been mentoring—because she claims to have fallen
hopelessly for Vince. Before long, they're ensuing trysts (Emily
can't seem to get enough sex) causes her to be “late” and that
adds even more stress to Vince's life. He begins shopping around for
someone willing to perform a back alley-type abortion. In the course
of all this—while his obsession for Erika grows and Vince longs for
every possible moment they can sneak to be together—there are some
very nice “filler” scenes involving co-workers and clientele at
the greasy spoon and the world of acting try-outs. Avallone's
writing really shines here. He seems to have a deep affinity for the
whole actor/acting thing and—although I never thought to ask him
about it in any of our exchanges—it seems like he might have lived
that life for a time, or was very close to someone who did.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
book ends in tragedy. I can't say too much more without spoiling key
story elements and ruining some some very suspenseful, exciting
twists at the climax. </span></span></span>
</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
closing passages wrap it up this way:</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>In
my mind I still walk back through Central Park on my way home from
work ... my Erika waits for me there. I see her coming down the paved
walk with her long, flowing black hair.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Erika—with
Apollo loping easily before her.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Erika
Paul. The dame with the dog.”</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
mention this because it also conveys what Mike told me he wanted the
book to be titled ... <i>The Dame And The Dog. </i>He fought hard for
that but, in the end, couldn't persuade the Beacon powers to go with
it.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At
this point, I guess it doesn't really matter. Whatever it's called,
it's a damned enjoyable read. It's hard to come by these days (after
all these years I had to special order a copy, just to re-visit it
and see if it held up; which it does, as I guess this post
demonstrates)—but if you can get your hands on a copy, I urge you
to give it a try.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Above
all, never be discouraged to give Avallone a try based on the snarky
comments and ridicule you may have heard about his writing—often
from those unworthy to carry his typewriter ribbon. Yes, some
cringe-worthy “Avallone-isms” certainly exist. But far
outweighing those are the many tales he spun that were/are immensely
readable and entertaining.</span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-31761844429967321942019-02-06T22:12:00.000-08:002019-02-06T22:12:49.461-08:00Noteworthy Reads: STAGE FRIGHT by Richard Prosch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWXKmlFosYSCFmie5sK1PxJFPp7HjXMZU-tNDlMdmOIcDOR3ftCaPF7xVUovb4QBf2Y_-bjG0Yo_JLbHliJPKaW77QTgEKmuImsCzVAvT7wWrNTY_3JisLT2LTysvKCcx5R2Vxmtsqd-D/s1600/aaaCurley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWXKmlFosYSCFmie5sK1PxJFPp7HjXMZU-tNDlMdmOIcDOR3ftCaPF7xVUovb4QBf2Y_-bjG0Yo_JLbHliJPKaW77QTgEKmuImsCzVAvT7wWrNTY_3JisLT2LTysvKCcx5R2Vxmtsqd-D/s400/aaaCurley.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
latest in the Dan Spalding mystery series (number four if you're
counting – and you owe it to yourself to be keeping track because
you don't want to miss any of these) really cranks up the action and
sends Dan and his buddy Howard Thyme on a collision course against
not only the local mob but also some out-of-town baddies (West Coast)
who are looking to make some Ozark City inroads.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
the owner/proprietor of Spalding's Groove, a vintage record store,
Dan doesn't go looking for trouble or brushes with members of the
criminal element. But neither is he one to look away from wrongdoing,
especially when it involves abuse/mistreatment of the vulnerable—and
his background as a former investigator for the Missouri State Police
gives him the training and lingering contacts to take meaningful
action if required.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
time around, a reason to get involved and take action is pretty
straightforward … The young niece of his pal Howard is in trouble.
She, under the name of Apple May, is currently stripping at a new,
uber-glitzy gentlemen's club that has just opened up on the edge of
town and has gotten word to Uncle Howard that she's caught up in the
flesh circuit and is being kept against her will from getting out.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Figuring
it will be “easy-peazy”—just a matter of grabbing Apple away
from a couple club bouncers—Dan and Howard take a ride out to the
joint to get the job done. The grab is accomplished, although not
without some pretty rough resistance from the bouncers who don't
exactly make it easy-peazy, and Apple is taken home to her uncle's
place, awaiting arrangements to be reunited with her mother, Howard's
sister.</span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="font-style: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But, as you might
expect, that's not the end of it … </span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Within
twenty-four hours, Apple is missing. Howard doesn't know where she
is, neither do the flesh peddlers who badly want her back. Threats,
more rough stuff, double-dealing, ulterior motives (some on the part
of none other than Apple herself, who may not be quite so innocent as
first thought), and escalating tensions ensue. Another stripper from
the club seemingly comes to Dan's aid but, despite the pleasure of
her company, he can't help but suspect her end game may be a little
murky. When local mob boss Adrian Mitchell—who has rather tenuous
ties with Dan dating back to Mitchell's past dealings with Dan's late
brother—also becomes involved, the tension and danger ratchets up
even more. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Before
it's all over, some lives will be lost, some will be ruined, and one
or two – maybe – will be salvaged.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
is always the case in any work by Prosch, the lean prose and snappy
dialogue (especially in this series) are as much a part of the
enjoyment as the colorful characters and the twists and turns of the
story itself. It all makes for a winning combination that leaves you
satisfied yet immediately craving the next Spalding adventure.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strongly
recommended.</span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-72614778917695689052019-01-10T10:16:00.000-08:002019-01-10T10:16:05.846-08:00Noteworthy Reads: BLAKE'S RULE by J.R. Lindermuth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicx64Bk9aIjEi2VIDnmN1NsV4wP5KoryEDlwyPmlmUffWrA1LlY-lVkxuizS8vnI_SOugcduB-G-Kr1IRYTgrSt5VVX1wvTJydJrFaZKB4NAnVgUZGXLpZeiBmtgrtdBQb4Uiodiz9J4B1/s1600/aaababe005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="231" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicx64Bk9aIjEi2VIDnmN1NsV4wP5KoryEDlwyPmlmUffWrA1LlY-lVkxuizS8vnI_SOugcduB-G-Kr1IRYTgrSt5VVX1wvTJydJrFaZKB4NAnVgUZGXLpZeiBmtgrtdBQb4Uiodiz9J4B1/s400/aaababe005.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
latest work from John Lindermuth is a fine Western in the traditional
mold, but with some intriguing twists and distinctions that make it a
high cut above average. Sam Blake, a range detective working for the
Thiel Agency out of Denver, is on the trail of a rustler. But when he
arrives in the small Wyoming town of Kraft, he is soon diverted from
that mission and drawn instead into another matter, namely that of
aiding the local sheriff in protecting his current prisoner from a
lynch mob.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
prisoner is a black woman who, prior to her arrest, was the cook at
the town's only cafe. Her reason for being behind bars: She killed
and castrated her former employer, the owner/proprietor of the cafe,
a man named Graham. She admits to the crime, offers no defense, is
prepared to accept her fate in a legal trial and asks only that her
two young children, a boy and a girl, are looked after in her
absence. The woman, Miriam, is a beautiful widow formerly married to
a white man; following his death, she and her children were “taken
in” by Graham and given keep in return for Miriam doing the cooking
for the cafe. That she would repay him so viciously for this
“kindness” is the impetus behind the festering mood to see her
hanged post haste. Helping this along is an undercurrent of racial
prejudice and also the well-known fact that Fremont, the local
sheriff, has long been enamored of Miriam; there are those who
believe these feelings might cause him to try and sway the outcome of
a standard trial. Adding fuel to the fire is the personal animosity
that the most powerful rancher in the territory – a man with a
small army of gun toughs at his disposal – also feels toward
Miriam. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's
hard to discuss much more about how these various interactions play
out without revealing key plot elements. Suffice it to say that the
bad guys are despicably bad while both Blake and Sheriff Fremont,
along with Fremont's deputy Keenan, are heroic in their attempts to
keep Miriam and her children safe from those who would lynch the
woman – and worse. Miriam herself is a strong, memorable,
wonderfully drawn character who more than holds her own. Before it's
all done there is a good deal of violent action, tragedy, betrayal and retribution, more
than a few surprises, and some nice touches of romance. The
characters, good and bad alike, are colorfully drawn and given
genuine depth. Lindermuth's effortlessly smooth prose moves along at
a perfect pace, rich with historically accurate details yet never at
the cost of interfering with a riveting tale.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strongly
recommended.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-63142903611785721012018-12-03T22:38:00.000-08:002018-12-03T22:38:00.006-08:00Noteworthy Reads: THE QUESTIONER by Andrew Vachss<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24lq_h4hnl8WcpPUw013wBHAl0vEfiWaJft-tM4CX1NaW38zkHhpL0s2MB-c0x3Wffsi6tQttGowA5dWZh34F-FIHYbmS-m31bMHMxilphWo-z9uWek9kVrneoP_LFM3FL8pJoTCuYgjf/s1600/aaababe005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="352" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh24lq_h4hnl8WcpPUw013wBHAl0vEfiWaJft-tM4CX1NaW38zkHhpL0s2MB-c0x3Wffsi6tQttGowA5dWZh34F-FIHYbmS-m31bMHMxilphWo-z9uWek9kVrneoP_LFM3FL8pJoTCuYgjf/s400/aaababe005.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">THE
QUESTIONER is Andrew Vachss's first work of fiction in too long.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
it turns out to be worth the wait.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">A
novelette written in the scalpel-sharp, no-word-wasted prose style
that has become one of the author's trademarks, it introduces a
nameless protagonist known only by the description of what he does.
For a price, he finds out the most deeply hidden truths and secrets –
and he does so not by means of torture or coercion, but rather merely
by talking, asking questions, listening, and responding in ways that
gradually, deftly draws out the information he is seeking. He can't
be fooled or deterred. He <i>senses</i> the truth and, more
importantly, he senses how to manipulate every precise detail of
mood, environment, and his choice of words until what he is seeking
is revealed ... What he then does with that information, who the
Questioner passes it on to, can impact decisions and actions of
global significance.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
usual in any work by Vachss, the “fiction” is only a veneer, a
device to open readers' eyes about real-world abuses and injustices
that may not be pleasant to face, yet NEED to be.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So
read THE QUESTIONER for the prose and the power of the story. Then
I'd encourage you to do a little homework about some of the things
touched upon in the narrative (ethnic medical experiments, maybe a
little history about the country of Estonia, as a couple of examples)
as added food for thought. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
a further encouragement, I would also suggest you consider a purchase
of this work via the Amazon Smile program whereby a portion of the
purchase price (at no additional cost to the purchaser) goes toward a
charity of the buyer's choosing. In view of Andrew's life's work in
the area of child protection, a good choice for this would be an
organization he co-founded and is closely associated with: The
Legislative Institute for Child Protection. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
can learn more about it at this link: <a href="http://www.ldicp.org/mission-statement"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">Legislative
Institute for Child Protection</span></a> </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To
sign up for the Amazon Smile program, use this link:
<a href="https://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-1811456"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">https://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-1811456</span></a>
</span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
strongly recommend THE QUESTIONER and all of the foregoing.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<br />
</div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com195tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-10804396246279175962018-11-08T09:29:00.000-08:002018-11-08T09:29:21.770-08:00Interview: John A. Curley (author of BONDS)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGSrFdHNq6bwvbBKAHzsu1GxkiS7wWHtiAIPPa11U5ohsr1kJaJVpFLU-2Wavma0IfnCAdlg5miEEEhBkxdUqURY5gZ0dcXgogYoOz8M9HYt4GYvR3GcgpP8-a0ibxKNvUGTd3TMwTj4m/s1600/aaaCurley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="639" data-original-width="960" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuGSrFdHNq6bwvbBKAHzsu1GxkiS7wWHtiAIPPa11U5ohsr1kJaJVpFLU-2Wavma0IfnCAdlg5miEEEhBkxdUqURY5gZ0dcXgogYoOz8M9HYt4GYvR3GcgpP8-a0ibxKNvUGTd3TMwTj4m/s400/aaaCurley.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>John
Curley, author of the acclaimed new crime mystery BONDS, has the
distinction of being a licensed private investigator with over three
decades of experience. This gives the powerful writing skills so
evident in this debut novel an added ring of authenticity often
lacking in the genre. A lifelong resident of New York City (“Staten
Island born and raised”, as he puts it), he also paints a vivid
picture of the city and its workings at various levels.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Choosing
to pursue investigative work rather than college, even though he was
a child prodigy who read at a highly advanced level barely into grade
school, John now is president of two agencies – J Curley
Investigative and Protective Services LLC and J Curley and Associates
LLC, a consulting company. John is also proficient in martial arts,
having begun studying them in 1981 and then teaching in 1985.
Married, having helped raise his niece and nephew, he is passionately
devoted to protecting the young and vulnerable. He is a strong
advocate for the Legislative Drafting Institute for Child Protection
and a friend and follower of Andrew Vachss. Like Vachss, whose
writing he openly admits to having an influence on his own work, John
seeks to use his fiction to shine a light on the horrible abuses of
children and the resulting impact on our society, and therefore the
critical need to curb that trend.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>John
was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule for a long
phone conversation and then the following interview. I thank him for
his time and hope that readers come away knowing a bit more about the
man behind the byline and from there seek out said byline and the
terrific writing it will lead them to.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
I know you grew up under some rather tough conditions when your
father disappeared via mysterious circumstances and it fell to your
mother to not only raise you and your brothers on her own but to also
take over and run the family business. Will you please provide some
further details on that period in your life?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
Sure. First off, my mother did an amazing job. Like most kids I
didn’t realize the sacrifices she made and still does for her kids.
Long story short there was a silver heist at Luftansa Air that was
portrayed inthr movie “Goodfellas”. It was never known for sure
whether my father was involved or just his partner, but he left work
to come home 3 days before Christmas in 1980 and was never seen
again. His car was found 3 days later in the basement parking lot of
the Sheraton Hotel on 1&9 North going into Newark airport. There
are different theories about what happened but I believe when you
drive on the highway into the airport you’re driving over him. My
mom took over his business and threw his partners out, the people
that are likely to have killed him. It often hits me that I am now
20 years older than he was when he disappeared—it was yesterday and
forever ago at the same time. My mom and my grandmother raised us
and, considering the hardships, we were very fortunate. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
You took up martial arts in your early teens and continue to stay
quite involved in it yet today. Was there a particular teacher, or
sensei, who influenced or instilled this long-standing devotion in
you?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
More than one but the main teachers I have that have the most impact
are George Smith and Anthony Dasaro. That is a spectacular
combination, Smitty is maybe the toughest guy on the planet, even at
80 he is a force to be reckoned with and he instilled things in us
like honor, the strong protect the weak etc. I actually worked with
him and often think of writing about the work we did, but I’m
waiting for the statutes to run. (Kidding, maybe). While Smitty
taught me how to survive and the way I move is similar (not as good)
to him, Anthony taught me appreciation for the art and is proof
incarnate of the importance of technique. Being there at that time
and place was a happy and very beneficial accident. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
I know that, in the performance of your investigations, you've run
into some physical confrontations. I expect the martial arts training
came in handy on such occasions. Are there any particular instances,
without naming names, you'd care to share with readers?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
I have lost count of the number of violent encounters there have been
because of work. I will share this, the first physical confrontation
in “Bonds” happened just about that way, although it happened for
a different reason.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
You told me an amusing tale about your very first day as an
investigative trainee, when you were sent out on your own to serve
some papers on an individual. Please share with readers how that
went.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
Well I stumbled into P.I. work. At the time I was boxing and
kickboxing and one of my sparring partners worked for a P.I. named
Charlie Kahaly and my first day was spent getting lost in Long
Island, a guy taking a swing at me when I served him with papers, and
then having a car accident on the way back. I walked into Charlie’s
office the end of the day and quit. He called me a few days later
and asked me to stick it out, I’d had a bad day and wisely
suggested that I at least keep it for the income. I’ve been doing
it ever since.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
As mentioned above, you read voraciously at a very early age,
including the complete works of Tolkein when still quite young. From
there, I know that you continue to have an interest in dark fantasy
as well as the type of contemporary crime fiction you have ventured
into as a writer yourself. Can you track that progression for us ...
from Tolkein on through to the current works of Robert B. Parker and
Andrew Vachss, two writers you openly admit to having an influence
ton your own work. What else came in between? What other writers –
past or present – made a particular impact on you?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
Our gym teacher Walter Hertman read the Hobbit to us in the first
grade and I got every book by Tolkien available. Then there was the
Shannara books by Terry Brooks. I found Stephen King and Robert B.
Parker in a used books store when I was a kid. Robert McCammon and
Dean Koontz (“Boy’s Life” is perhaps the best book I have ever
read and “Watchers” by Koontz is superb) in Walden’s Books. In
the 80’s when I taught martial arts regularly a student introduced
me to Andrew Vachss. Today readers are fortunate there are many
great authors and mentors with you Wayne, at the top of the list.
Seth Bailey, Rich Prosch, Will Graham, D Dion, so many others I could
go on for pages but the biggest influence on me has been Andrew.
Were it not for him I wouldn’t be writing or promoting child
protection as I do.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
At what point did you begin to feel the urge to one day do some
writing yourself? As stated in the intro, you've said that you want
to use your writing ot help bring attention to the abuse of the young
and vulnerable – was that always a part of wanting to write, or did
it figure in more gradually as your investigative work opened your
eyes to the problem?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
I wrote in the 90’s, and I did a horror novel “Emissary”. A
cousin that worked in a publishing house loved it and was going to
have it published but long story short she had a stroke (and
recovered, thank God) but she lost the only copy. I stopped writing
then. I started a couple of years ago after interacting with Andrew.
Work and personal experience combined with the manner in which
Andrew articulates the problems all converged at once. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
As a former “working” author myself – that is, someone who had
a full-time job in the real world and had to fit in my writing on a
catch-as-catch-can basis – I know how hard it is to find time for
writing yet meet other job/family obligations. I was pretty erratic
about it, but I have a hunch you may be more disciplined. How about
it? How do you manage your writing time against those other
obligations?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
It’s easy for me only because I have the whole story in my head and
just need time to write it. Writing is unlike any other activity for
me though. I need to be mentally awake to do it. You can work, work
out, hang out, do whatever if you’re half-awake. But not writing.
I manage to find the time, fortunately, and I am usually working on
multiple things at once. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
To add realism to your work, I know that you often use true incidents
– always with permission from those involved and with names changed
– in your writing. Also, in BONDS, you take readers on a sort of
tour of several bars and restaurants. I suspect these were also based
on real places – but with the actual names altered, or kept intact
in these instances? (As a non-New Yorker, I couldn't tell – I just
know that some of the dishes you described made me damn hungry!)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
Well, the main goals are giving people what I hope is a good read and
a look into a world they may not (and they should be thankful if they
don’t) know, but is all around us. I also do not like the idea
most people have that Staten Island is comprised only of reality TV
and Jersey shore personas. It’s still a beautiful place and the
parks, stores and restaurants I write about with a few exceptions are
real. That part I hope people get a chance to see for themselves. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
Your current work-in-progress, VENOM, does not feature private eye
Jonathan Creed as introduced in BONDS. I know, however, that you are
a fan of series characters (Burke, Spenser, etc.) so is it reasonable
to expect (hope!) that Creed will be making another appearance in the
future? (Consider this a blatant plea for the answer to that to be
positive.)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en">JC:
If Creed survives he will likely be back. I know he has more to say
and I could probably make that promise/barter (prequels can happen
also) if I knew Joe Hannibal would be around again soon </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
I suppose a natural extension to the foregoing question, since you
and he are both private investigators, etc., is: How much of you is
in the character of Creed? (Coffee preferably in a ceramic cup, for
one thing, am I right?)</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
A lot of people have asked if I’m him. I’m not, but we share a
lot of things, love of food, good cigars, interest in astronomy,
respect for the military and public servants but I would likely react
a little different than he in many of the situations, there’s some
of me in there. We have a similar sense of humor.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
Your upcoming work, VENOM – care to comment on that to any extent?
Perhaps give readers a bit of a preview for what to expect?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
I consider “Bonds” to be a faithful entry into crime fiction.
“Venom” strays a bit and blends horror into the story. Almost
all the characters are broken in some way so, to me, it’s more true
to life. My temperament is much closer to Eddie’s in “Venom”
than Creed in “Bonds.”</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
As mentioned in the intro, in addition to your investigative work and
your writing, you are a strong advocate for the Legislative Drafting
Institute for Child Protection and also the Staten Island Council for
Animal Welfare. Would you care to take this opportunity to enlighten
readers a bit about these organizations as far as their purpose and
why you are so supportive?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
Sure. SICAW is a long running group of great people, that help find
dogs and cats homes on Staten Island. The LDICP is a weapon. The
idea of it comes from the natural evolution of Andrew’s work. A
team of experts that draft specific legislation to target child
predators and keep them away from children for good. It is a weapon
that will help promote widespread change, if people are smart enough
to use it. </span></span></span>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WD:
John, I want to thank you for granting this interview. You know how
impressed I am with your work – BONDS, certainly, as well as some
of the additional stories and story segments you have shared with me.
I hope you get the strong readership following that you deserve.
Before closing, if there's anything I forgot to ask that you'd like
to comment on and/or think might be of interest to readers, please do
so now. Again, thanks for your time.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">JC:
Thank you Wayne, it is my privilege. I do have “Reprisals” a
short story series with a different set of characters being published
in ACES Magazine, by Amy Augustine, a local New York magazine; and I
am speaking with a few of the detective fiction magazines about that
as well, including Garry at Conflict Manager Magazine. We have a
group of people interested in turning the short story series
“Reprisals” into a television show and perhaps “Venom” into a
movie. I am very optimistic about that. Thank you for the
interview, they were some very in-depth questions. </span></span></span>
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wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-61663000536856313502018-10-15T13:09:00.000-07:002018-10-15T13:09:58.871-07:00Noteworthy Reads: BONDS by John A. Curley<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
this debut novel from author Curley we are introduced to Jonathan
Creed, an exciting new addition to the ranks of fictional hardboiled
private eyes. Curley's raw, impassioned prose is given the added
distinction of coming from someone who is himself a licensed private
investigator. The authenticity this brings is an added treat to what
is already a complex, well crafted crime mystery. The characters you
will meet in BONDS, starting with Creed and then including friend
and foe alike, are all multi-layered and fascinating (sometimes in
decidedly unpleasant ways), as is Curley's presentation of New York
City. The tale, as already mentioned, is complex and compelling, its
thrills and twists mixed with emotion and romance and some nice
touches of wisecracking humor.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You're
going to like BONDS. A lot. And you're going to want to see more of
Creed and the John Curley byline.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.38in; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strongly
recommended.</span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com114tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-39935248683961776652018-09-07T00:34:00.000-07:002018-09-07T09:58:37.120-07:00Interview: Richrd Prosch (author of BACK MASK)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-n1_iUGmWRvgccNmLN08Z-qRTVAE37WDC1VZHn_NTb7zu5jYx51DJU6iher_I9Dke08ZsrTskJ-L9LEThPUDCBuFfpBGvHyAS7Z0MaBC8WCU0JU0YGngckD9QFZGMzUhlsJ5iGEo1tabk/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="218" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-n1_iUGmWRvgccNmLN08Z-qRTVAE37WDC1VZHn_NTb7zu5jYx51DJU6iher_I9Dke08ZsrTskJ-L9LEThPUDCBuFfpBGvHyAS7Z0MaBC8WCU0JU0YGngckD9QFZGMzUhlsJ5iGEo1tabk/s400/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
have written in these pages a number of times about the works of
Richard Prosch. Until recently he has written mostly in the Western
genre—his stories and novellas featuring the adventures of John
Coburn, the Peregrine; his Holt County series featuring deputy
marshal Whit Branham; and his delightful turn-of-the-century YA tales
featuring inquisitive Jo Harper and her pal Frog. His short story
“The Scalper” won a prestigious Spur Award from the Western
Writers of America.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Like
most writers, however—and in spite of admitting he maintains an
“itch” to do more Westerns—Richard also seeks to flex his
writing muscles and expand into other genres now and then. Toward
this end, he has done work in horror, science fiction, and
contemporary crime.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Most
recently, Richard has launched a PI-like series featuring Dan
Spalding, a former investigator for the Missouri Highway Patrol who
nowadays runs a used record store in touristy Ozark City (think
Branson, MO). Naturally, Spalding's background and his knack for
attracting trouble, keeps getting him involved in “cases” where
he needs to call on his old skills and a growing cast of colorful
secondary characters to help set things right. So far Dan has
appeared in the short story “Spalding's Groove”, the novellas
ANSWER DEATH, FLIP SIDE, and the just-released BACK MASK.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So
what about the man behind these tales of the Old West and modern-day
mayhem? In conjunction with the release of BACK MASK, I got Richard
to sit for a lengthy, enjoyable phone conversation and then agree to
answer some questions about him, his life, and his writing.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here
goes:</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
Your formative years, up until you went off to college, were spent on
a farm in northeast Nebraska. I know that, to a large extent, part of
your heart still resides in Nebraska and you have used it as the
setting for many of your stories, particularly the Westerns. Will you
please comment further on that—your growing-up years, what
impact/influence, if any, it had on your writing? Did you have
writing aspirations back then? If so, did you get any encouragement
from parents, teachers, friends?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>PROSCH:
I logged a great many hours under the wide open sky with not a lot
to think about except the stories I would make up. So the
environment, the landscape, contributed a lot to my imagination. I
can’t say my family paid much attention to my writing, but I had a
fifth grade teacher who did. I wrote a vampire story where blood
“billowed out from the victim’s neck like scarlet ribbons.”
Mrs. Neuharth wrote in the margin, “Gross! But I love it! You could
be a writer someday!” With that positive feedback, I was hooked.
I’ve often given Mrs. Neuharth credit, and I will here again. I
wouldn’t be doing this without her.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en">DUNDEE:
In college, you met your lovely wife Gina. (Congrats, by the way, on
just recently celebrating your 30</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><sup><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en">th</span></span></span></sup></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en">
year of marriage!) I believe you were studying Graphic Art, with an
English minor. Judging by the critical role Gina now plays in your
current writing and self-publishing career—cover design, print
layout, and soon to be co-author—it seems obvious that you
certainly get support there for your writing. The two of you also are
home-schooling your son Wyatt, who is gaining local and perhaps
national prominence in the world of figure skating. The three of you
have a very busy yet very close, enviable family dynamic. Can you
expand more on that, please—your family/working relationships, the
schedule balancing that must be required, etc.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>PROSCH:
Gina’s answer would be “we work our butts off,” which is more
or less true. She’s being funny, but it’s no joke. And by work,
she means we put in the time. It’s that simple, and that hard. All
the successful people—I mean truly successful--I’ve ever known
have that in common. They put in the time. Whether it’s at the
keyboard, the musical instrument or the personal relationship. Early
on, we found ways as a family to double-up on the time we spent
together. For example, we wouldn’t be able to homeschool without a
home office.</i></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
Growing up, your father was an avid reader of science fiction and so
you also read a lot in that genre. Your grandfather, you told me,
read a lot of paperback Westerns. I don't recall you saying whether
or not you read many of those. But in your writing career to date,
you've done very little in the way of science fiction yet, as
detailed in the introduction, quite a lot in the Western field. Most
writers tend to write, at least in the beginning, what they were fans
of reading. Why do you suppose that wasn't the case with you?</span></span></span><br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>PROSCH:
I think westerns offered a fresh landscape to explore. Also, I
started writing westerns with more enthusiasm after Wyatt was born. I
wanted to get him grounded in his family’s Nebraska history, and
our own Wyoming experience. As we explored the real-life west, the
stories just naturally developed. That said, I loved westerns on TV
growing up—The Rifleman in particular.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
Who were some of your favorite authors growing up? Are there current
authors you follow regularly and/or whose work you find particularly
appealing?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>PROSCH:
Harlan Ellison, Ray Bradbury, Robert Heinlein—those guys eventually
gave way to John D. MacDonald, Robert B. Parker, Steve Frazee,</i>
<i>and others. The list goes on. And there are writers I used to like
that I can’t look at now. Vonnegut is one. And some that I judged
too harshly. Even now though, I would have to put Ellison and
Bradbury at the pinnacle—for their flat out passion for the craft. </i></span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
Your Westerns tend not to fall so much into the “shoot-em-up”
variety. While there certainly are some bad hombres and a fair amount
of violence—especially in the Peregrine stories, inasmuch as Coburn
is a renowned gunman—the action is not overly graphic and it
usually happens for a reason and comes with consequences. The
characters in your stories, good and bad alike, often come across as
people just doing their jobs (even if those jobs sometimes fall on
the wrong side of the law) in order to try and get by in a hard land
during a hard time ... Simple, common folk, in other words, as
opposed to the larger-than-life, over-the-top kinds of heroes and
villains often found in the genre. How deliberate is that on your
part? Or is it merely a by-product of the stories that come to your
mind?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>PROSCH:
It’s absolutely deliberate. I like stories about everyday life and
how, without much warning, a domino falls over and things go on from
there. My heroes have always been the unassuming people who—without
fanfare or notice—stood up and started putting things back to
rights.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
Dan Spalding is an immediately engaging character in a distinct
setting surrounded by colorful secondary characters. He seems to have
appeared fully realized in your initial story “Spalding's Groove”.
Given his training and instincts, it seems perfectly logical for him
to get involved in the kind of matters does, yet you cleverly avoid
the stereotypical trappings of a straightforward PI set-up. Again,
how calculated was this? What was the genesis for Spalding?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>PROSCH:
Gina says Spalding is my alter ego. Maybe he’s somebody who I might
like to be if I had a second run at life. Every day I’m inspired by
friends in the law-enforcement community, the EMS guys, the first
responders, the firefighters—the people who make a real difference
and pave the way for the rest of us. But there’s no way I could
stand the bureaucracy, and neither can Dan. He needs to run his own
ship, his own way, and right there he’s at odds with half the
world. I’ve had some experience with that too. </i></span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
Records and the music industry—current and old—play a big part in
the Spalding books. Are you a pretty thorough records/music nut in
real life, or do you have to do a lot of research for the facts and
observations these stories are built around?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en">PROSCH:
My mom had this fantastic record collection that I cut my teeth on,
and the passion grew from there. I used to record songs from the
radio on my portable cassette player, and I was a faithful reader of
Song Hits and Creem all through school. A friend once turned me on to
jazz and heavy metal and classic country music—all in one
summer—and challenged me to write for Rolling Stone magazine when I
graduated. I’ve lost track of him now, but when I write the
Spalding stories, I think of my friend and my mom and hope I’ve
somehow done them proud.</span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
I know that you follow and support the work of Andrew Vachss, both
his writing and his life's work of protecting and fighting for the
rights of the vulnerable and abused in our society. I know how
strongly your personal feelings are in this area and now a theme of
protecting/aiding the vulnerable seems to be running through the
Spalding books. Care to comment further on this?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en">PROSCH:
Yeah, I don’t think that was planned as much as it developed
naturally from some experiences in my own childhood. Watching my son
and his friends deal with the culture we now live in really brought
home those memories and sense of responsibility we all should have. I
mean, it’s a shame that so many people spend so much time kvetching
about issues that absolutely don’t matter. Television and sports
and petty political beefs come to mind. Meanwhile they’re out to
lunch on child abuse, neglect, abandonment, trafficking—all the
vile things going on around them every day. The next Spalding book, STAGE FRIGHT, will deal with some of that in a direct way.</span></span></span></span></i></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
You, like me, seem to have fully embraced the eBook/self-publishing
movement and you have received wide acclaim for your work. What do
you see for the future of the business? And what can readers expect,
in the future, from Richard Prosch?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>PROSCH:
I think the Indie movement will continue to grow and improve. It will
change, as all things do, and some folks will drop out. For me it’s
a chance to share a story more quickly and move on to additional
ideas. </i></span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">DUNDEE:
It's always a pleasure talking with you, Rich. I really appreciate
your time and cooperation for this interview. I think readers will
enjoy it and will come away knowing a little more about Richard
Prosch and his work. In closing, if there's anything I failed to ask
about that you would like to comment on, please feel free to do so
now. And thanks again.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>PROSCH:
I’ve been posting free stories on my blog this summer, and that
will continue indefinitely with a crime story on the first Tuesday of
the month</i> <i>and a western two weeks later. It’s a fun way to
revisit some work that might’ve gotten lost and share something
with a new reader without asking them to part with any cash up front.
I’ve picked up some new readers that way and come up with new story
ideas too. So be sure to stop past </i><span style="font-style: normal;">www.RichardProsch.com</span><i>
every few weeks.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I
also want to let you know how much I appreciate the interview and
your kind words of encouragement, Wayne. Writing is a terrific
endeavor and one of the best parts is the friendships you make along
the way. Thanks for a fun interview!</i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-style: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
readers already familiar with Richrd's work, be sure not to miss the
just-released BACK MASK, now available in eBook and print through
Amazon. You can catch up with all of Richard's work via his Amazon
page, his blog, or on Facebook. I urge you to do so, you'll be in for
some fine reading.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-12626923381500326822018-08-13T09:02:00.000-07:002018-08-13T09:02:30.241-07:00Noteworthy Reads: FLIP SIDE (a Dan Spalding mystery) by Richard Prosch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUSgZUtNp42CuMnsIcTYxAwdlA9FMozq6XaRkIyMZoHhLo1FhEDUi9mRM4KvN4Nh_XlPjpzWjOknxFX0UPoUyHXFlhK5dZO7rfqu1aX20HyRJ8CaW49lF2aYJqFs-7M-r5AvDsxXvbuNA/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="218" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBUSgZUtNp42CuMnsIcTYxAwdlA9FMozq6XaRkIyMZoHhLo1FhEDUi9mRM4KvN4Nh_XlPjpzWjOknxFX0UPoUyHXFlhK5dZO7rfqu1aX20HyRJ8CaW49lF2aYJqFs-7M-r5AvDsxXvbuNA/s400/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
is the second novella-length outing to feature Dan Spalding, former
Missouri Highway Patrol Investigator now turned used record store
proprietor. Old habits and instincts are hard to break, however,
which means Dan has a knack for still getting involved in matters
considerably more dangerous that those usually found in stacks of old
vinyl </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Building on this premise, author Prosch firmly establishes
that the fine kick-off to the series (ANSWER DEATH) was no fluke and
that Spalding is a character readers will want to continue seeing
more of. Not only is Spalding himself very engaging, but so is the
cast of recurring characters who also inhabit his world within
touristy Ozark City. Add in the the author's distinctly evocative
writing style and wrap it all around a clever murder mystery
featuring unrequited love, betrayal, revenge, and even a dab of Dixie
Mafia favor-trading – and you've got an entertaining, very
satisfying reading experience. </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strongly recommended. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-87076564999014811672018-08-11T16:27:00.000-07:002018-08-11T16:27:06.776-07:00My Take: THE MEG (2018, starring Jason Statham)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCV2IDj3A9rDnRHyncrgDtxfHfnejZ5TMv1CpwY-GsAggo8XwFqeOpF1UjuIdM4WgcCDdGaDuRLcEUDurApdjJeJT4yggKnhurg67HqoHh0iZFVqTsoHHhYFD5QrEkol-byezhfPrbuxZ/s1600/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1012" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYCV2IDj3A9rDnRHyncrgDtxfHfnejZ5TMv1CpwY-GsAggo8XwFqeOpF1UjuIdM4WgcCDdGaDuRLcEUDurApdjJeJT4yggKnhurg67HqoHh0iZFVqTsoHHhYFD5QrEkol-byezhfPrbuxZ/s400/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">An
increasingly popular way for reviewers to critique movies these days,
especially those aimed at being big summer blockbusters, is to
concentrate first on whether the film is going to “earn out” as
well as expected against their budgets (often outrageously high due
to more and more dependency on CGI special effects). After that comes
an examination of the movie itself -- how good it is, how close it
came to doing what it set out to do, how entertaining it is or isn't.
(And if the money-making potential isn't there, then the reviews tend
to be more negative [though such an admission/claim is never openly
made]). </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Seems
like a sort of ass-backwards approach to me. I say, review the damn
movie and let the box office do what it may – and not be adversely
affected by poor reviews (or vice versa).</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay,
that little rant aside, let me get to THE MEG – which I enjoyed the
heck out of, no matter what its budget (though I suspect it was
pretty hefty due to the special effects). The latter did not
overwhelm the film, however. They were necessary to the story and
they were well done. Period. But at the core of the story, amidst all
the undersea and on-the-sea action involved in fighting the giant
prehistoric terror from the deep, there are people relating to one
another in various and interesting ways. There is humor, lots of it
stemming from the kind of banter that happens within a group of
people who work together and face stress together, there is a bit of
romance, some guilt and blame passed back and forth, some heroics and
betrayal ... and all the while there is the menace of the megaladon
shark, risen from the depths and angry and hungry as hell.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Xmm8gp1VbRdBD1R8lMuwU1-vQghh3yHfF6vSVwMLrcfI3LBo3LoPLi30eBklmW4BMyV3O7HcK0He4ZrBrLGM1YGdxOCMv8vWAH5j1U3LSx1yunWZ-CPbpoOqlBwLR_HPdm4wWAJuLEdq/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Xmm8gp1VbRdBD1R8lMuwU1-vQghh3yHfF6vSVwMLrcfI3LBo3LoPLi30eBklmW4BMyV3O7HcK0He4ZrBrLGM1YGdxOCMv8vWAH5j1U3LSx1yunWZ-CPbpoOqlBwLR_HPdm4wWAJuLEdq/s320/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jason
Statham turns in another solid job as a slightly flawed action hero,
and even gets a chance to flex his acting chops a bit. (Calm down, I
said “a bit” - I'm not calling him the next deNiro [as if
anybody'd want to be anymore] or Olivier or anything like that.) A
Chinese actress named Li Bingbing at first comes across as merely a
pretty scientist type (like we saw dozens of back in all those 1950s
horror/sci-fi flicks) but then progresses to become a very appealing
female lead, in contrast to other more flamboyant actresses in the
cast. The rest of the cast in general is quite good, including a
little 8-yr-old charmer named Shuya Cai, as Li Bingbing's daughter,
who steals every scene she's in (and whose presence in the film's
storyline is fine and natural, as opposed to “the little girl in
peril” stupidly injected into the most recent, highly disappointing
JURASSIC WORLD entry).</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
in all, if you're looking for a well done, balls-out, high-energy
summer popcorn flick, THE MEG – in my humble opinion – delivers
the goods.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strongly
recommended.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-82668930480961358712018-07-26T07:59:00.000-07:002018-07-26T07:59:27.737-07:00Another Look: THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN (1979, starring Robert Redford)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u_4eLnFePX73CSBD7H8U2xJ48eLch7rZpF5-LYtf_cvKo4OLPtCZ3YfGVCjZmoVK2t5EJZ3oXJFHlmEj9bRYuzywwKxtAkQCuedpqVYTFS9V2SVM9ZIzr7woeLF16FnRHGE1jZKLPOvL/s1600/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="310" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2u_4eLnFePX73CSBD7H8U2xJ48eLch7rZpF5-LYtf_cvKo4OLPtCZ3YfGVCjZmoVK2t5EJZ3oXJFHlmEj9bRYuzywwKxtAkQCuedpqVYTFS9V2SVM9ZIzr7woeLF16FnRHGE1jZKLPOvL/s400/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yeah,
I know – this movie also stars Jane Fonda. So if you're among those
who hate Fonda and will never watch anything she's in, then that's
your right and so go ahead and skip this too. All I'll say is that,
in this case, you're cheating yourself of a pretty darn movie. I'll
add that I myself share few if any of Fonda's views, especially her
antics during the Vietnam War years, but am able to separate that
from enjoying some of the movies she's been in.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Okay.
That said, moving on to THE ELECTRIC HORSEMAN:</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
is, very simply, the story of a cowboy (a modern-day one) who has
lost his way via fame and booze and manages to find his way back with
the help of a twelve million dollar horse who has been drawn into a
similar situation.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Robert
Redford is the cowboy, Sonny Steele, a 5-time All-Around rodeo champ
who these days, too bent and beat up to continue competing, serves as
the “face” for a top-selling cereal product that is part of a big
bucks business conglomerate on the brink of a very important merger
to grow even bigger. The horse is Rising Star, a thoroughbred racing
champion, now owned by the same outfit and serving as the symbol for
their future expansion. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Both
Sonny and Rising Star are in Las Vegas as part of a promotional
extravaganza that will culminate in the finalizing of the merger.
Upon examining Star, however, in preparation for riding him during an
on-stage production planned as a highlight of the promotion, Sonny
discovers the horse is doped to the gills and even has an injured leg
that is not being splinted properly because it wouldn't “look
good”. When he tries to bring this to the attention of the head
honcho of the company, he is rudely blown off. And when no one else
will listen to him either, the cowboy decides to take matters into
his own hands.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At
the height of the big stage show, astride Rising Star and all decked
out in strings of electric lights fed off a battery pack, Sonny rides
off the stage, out through the casino crowd and onto the Vegas Strip,
then gallops away into the Nevada desert. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2ZS8ge5smbD0OdihZbwEvnMBkkvXBy9xTUftetXuvKU0C-LEL9rtM6vBAX0OEzqXdQDeq2Shn2r2WLN7bueLu3vilgEkUZMGjyGWsBJCyvmeJKTBb0wL_jP_jAV4wMLLQYokLNkelqU6/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="349" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy2ZS8ge5smbD0OdihZbwEvnMBkkvXBy9xTUftetXuvKU0C-LEL9rtM6vBAX0OEzqXdQDeq2Shn2r2WLN7bueLu3vilgEkUZMGjyGWsBJCyvmeJKTBb0wL_jP_jAV4wMLLQYokLNkelqU6/s320/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="223" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">From
there it's a game of cat-and-mouse. Sonny and Star on the run --
trying to keep from being discovered as they work their way toward a
remote location where Sonny plans to set the horse free after he's
purged the drugs from his system and healed his leg – and all the
forces of the law and big money influence trying to intercept and
stop them.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Only
a savvy TV newswoman named Hallie (Fonda) manages to figure out what
Sonny has in mind and manages to chase him down. Hearing his side of
things, Hallie convinces Sonny to let her record what he has to say
so she can get it played on the air and present to the public that
he's more than just a crazy, drunken horse thief. A (somewhat
illogical) romance blossoms between the two and, from there, Hallie
sticks with Sonny to help him try to free Rising Star. It helps that
her tape of what Sonny had to say starts to sway the public and the
business conglomerate that owns the horse has to go into spin mode to
try and convince everybody that they've only wanted what's best for
Rising Star all along.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
is Redford's movie pretty much all the way. He's perfect as the
sincere but rather dim (maybe from being dumped on his head too many
times) cowpoke trying to recapture “the best part of himself”.
Fonda is on hand mainly for the romance bit and to serve as a cypher
to get Sonny's words heard. There are a number of good turns from the
supporting cast, too – John Saxon, Wilford Brimley, Valerie
Perrine. But Willie Nelson, in his acting debut and providing some
key songs for the soundtrack, damn near steals the whole show with
one immortal line. After Sonny has run off and Willie (playing his
best pal) is left behind, somebody asks him what he is going to do.
To which he replies: “Me? I guess I'll find me one of those Keno
girls who knows how to suck the chrome off a trailer hitch ... and
just kick back for a while.”</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ah,
yes. My heroes have always been cowboys.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
is not a movie I'd stand in line around the block to see. But it's
pretty good. A little different, enjoyable, well done. I liked it
when I saw it at the theater almost forty years ago, I still did when
I re-watched it on cable recently. Check it out if you get the
chance, I think you might, too.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-36404905654927654282018-07-23T08:27:00.000-07:002018-07-23T08:27:21.864-07:00Another Look: WALKING TALL (1973, starring Joe Don Baker)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7Rg24PvtKDdTVWgtAdoQQus-v1zsInN9_30-2raSeJOc7M56LV4ioYTYWpNSQk9_9Fu9y7X9Z4ZGyNzCtktTIVuvZsSK3KTfbNHi5Z2IDz3ctnOL3Ysf4BSx0JR17yOzgwQagh4T9AKy/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="755" data-original-width="496" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS7Rg24PvtKDdTVWgtAdoQQus-v1zsInN9_30-2raSeJOc7M56LV4ioYTYWpNSQk9_9Fu9y7X9Z4ZGyNzCtktTIVuvZsSK3KTfbNHi5Z2IDz3ctnOL3Ysf4BSx0JR17yOzgwQagh4T9AKy/s400/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When
this modestly-budgeted, little-heralded film first came out, it
walloped the movie-going public like a smack from the “big stick”
that played a key role in its storyline. It wasn't uncommon for
theater audiences of the time to stand and cheer. Said stick –
literally an oversized, hand carved baseball bat – was wielded by
star Joe Don Baker in his portrayal of real-life Tennessee sheriff
Buford Pusser, a lawman who rose to fame (along with a certain amount
of notoriety) via his stance against the crime and corruption being
introduced into his McNairy County by the Dixie Mafia. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">WALKING
TALL was a huge hit (no pun intended), building on the success of
movies like THE BORN LOSERS and BILLY JACK that came a bit earlier
and going on to inspire a long list of other popular, often
big-budget, “vigilante” films to follow. (DEATH WISH, DIRTY
HARRY, JACKSON COUNTY JAIL, TAXI DRIVER, etc., as examples.)</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">What
gave WALKING TALL its distinction was that it was based on factual
events and, at the time of its initial release, Buford Pusser was
still alive and practicing his brand of law (though he would die [as
the result of sabotage, in the belief of many] only little more than
a year after its initial release). As usual with these “based on
true events” films, certain liberties were taken as far as the
truth vs. what ends up on the screen. Although, in this case, less so
than in many others – mainly a condensation of time between
Pusser's return to McNairy County following his retirement from a pro
wrestling career to being elected sheriff. The fame that became
attached to Pusser following the success of this film and then the
controversies that arose after his somewhat suspicious death in a car
accident produced many claims and all sorts of speculation that have
blurred and in some cases unfortunately diminished his image. At its
core, his story, I believe, is still that of a brave man who was
willing to risk everything in a stand against evil forces.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQA3FYkGPpbfZCvtjNL95eO2DiBFMBfocULfLbOrsm3Xnzt_1ORUUZIvcrG8L9eOvT24o0N227E3vQE_h86IrZ8L5F1vOOlggSdfEiXnpB2pzuNtSNmbcODgqNe6TC-UqHhStjpKpKgJJX/s1600/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQA3FYkGPpbfZCvtjNL95eO2DiBFMBfocULfLbOrsm3Xnzt_1ORUUZIvcrG8L9eOvT24o0N227E3vQE_h86IrZ8L5F1vOOlggSdfEiXnpB2pzuNtSNmbcODgqNe6TC-UqHhStjpKpKgJJX/s320/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" width="213" /></a></span></span></span></div>
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<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Taking
WALKING TALL strictly as movie entertainment – apart from any
subsequent controversies that rose around Pusser the man – it works
very well. It is an action/drama with some emotional depth, about a
stalwart, quasi-tragic hero who refuses to be swayed from doing what
he believes is right, even to the point of great cost. In the hands
of celebrated noir director Phil Karlson (99 RIVER STREET, KANSAS
CITY CONFIDENTIAL, THE PHENIX CITY STORY) and with an outstanding
performance by Joe Don Baker, this film plays like a much bigger
production than its budget. Other than veteran actor Noah Beery Jr.
in a supporting role as Pusser's father, and a couple B movie heavies
like Gene Evans and Kenneth Tobey also on hand, the rest of the cast
was made up of little known actors and actresses. Not to say that
many of them – particularly Elizabeth Hartman as Buford's wife and
Felton Perry as his black deputy – didn't give fine performances.
And although some of the casino sets look a little cheap, production
values overall are very solid.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Re-visiting
favorite old movies and books and such from one's younger years can
be risky. Too often you find your tastes have matured or changed in
some other way, and you're left wishing you would have not bothered
and just left the good memory alone. Such was not the case when I sat
down for a couple of re-viewings of WALKING TALL after a forty year
gap. It held up great. I found it every bit as exciting and emotional
as the very first time I saw it. If anything, I came away with an
even greater appreciation due mainly to the acting chops of Joe Don
Baker, whose size and graceful power satisfied all the action hero
requirements but with an intensity that took it to a whole 'nother
level.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Buford
Pusser's life and career, along with the success of this film,
inspired several additional movies, made-for-TV movies, and even a
brief TV series. In 2004, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (who tends to
make movies I usually like) starred in a big-budget effort that was
supposed to be a remake – but aside from using the same title, it
changed the locale, the premise, even the Pusser name, to the point
of bearing little or no resemblance to the real deal and ending up a
dud. As far as the other aforementioned productions (even though one
of them starred Brian Dennehy, a good actor who physically should
have made a perfect Pusser) I wouldn't recommend wasting your time.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 0.14in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
as for the original, it's exacly the opposite. If you've never seen
it for a while – or have never seen it – I definitely urge you to
check it out. It's playing now on various cable movie channels and is
available on DVD. If you crave a hero and like movies that literally
kick ass, WALKING TALL gets the job done.</span></span></span></div>
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wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-69595937882186071162018-05-18T19:01:00.000-07:002018-05-18T19:01:39.858-07:00Noteworthy Reads: COLD IN THE GRAVE by Stephen Mertz<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rn_Jq0DMsYSoWmG06hLZjrLshh8a4ZyjNaD4_GkH24HZhNSnt77DLjQS5qanyRMQmHujokaOmT9w9S9OppKjrIlsboOqM7MDFS4dqpDBk7FsAc-ZCDLs8gsUlVo4N1qHiEOFZvGgozLD/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="218" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2rn_Jq0DMsYSoWmG06hLZjrLshh8a4ZyjNaD4_GkH24HZhNSnt77DLjQS5qanyRMQmHujokaOmT9w9S9OppKjrIlsboOqM7MDFS4dqpDBk7FsAc-ZCDLs8gsUlVo4N1qHiEOFZvGgozLD/s400/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Steve
Mertz has returned to the private eye genre with an engaging new
protagonist, a fresh setting, and a solid murder-mystery that will
grab and hold readers from first page to last. The time is the
mid-1970s, the place is Denver, Colorado, and the man on the job is
Kilroy, a bearded, quasi-laid back Vietnam vet who takes no guff and
locks onto a case like a pit bull on a throat.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mertz
is well known for his acclaimed contributions to the <i>Mack
Bolan</i>-<i>Executioner</i> series; he has also written Westerns,
thrillers, horror, and created his own highly popular <i>MIA Hunter</i>
series. But his first book was SOME DIE HARD a hard-hitting private
eye tale with a surprisingly clever mystery at its core ... and now
he's back and most assuredly has not lost a step. Even better, is
that the news that COLD IN THE GRAVE is the first of at least three
Kilroy thrillers.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
time around, Kilroy is hired to follow a young woman whom her jilted
lover thinks is in trouble, possibly being blackmailed. Sounds simple
enough. But matters quickly turn more complicated ... and dangerous.
Few things turn out to be as they first seem. Yes, there is blackmail
involved – but who's trying to extort who becomes questionable.
There's little doubt, however, that something plenty serious is on
the line when murder rears its ugly head, followed quickly by
betrayal, political corruption, escalating threats, and flying
bullets.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
writing is smooth and assured, the dialogue crackles, and there is
real depth to the characters. Mertz's descriptions of Denver capture
the time and place very vividly, and a winter storm at the climax
becomes a threatening character in and of itself. Kilroy is tough but
human, equally sharp with a wisecrack or a deduction, and definitely
the kind of guy you'd want in your corner. Readers will be happy to
see more of him.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strongly
recommended.</span></span></span></div>
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</div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-43685298991471041792018-05-10T21:59:00.000-07:002018-05-10T21:59:44.817-07:00Noteworthy Reads: I ONLY HAVE LIES FOR YOU (a Rat Pack mystery) by Robert J. Randisi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52ue0UiKQDMsBuEemsOI-56ryATrUYrG8JEzMRv6NzAPlvId1w9L_RAd8YU9Cs-529om9nWkgOcoidKkownwd58CmbGKvcjJM-lbpJEHn4c46GCy6JzZOAFU_6CJmkVnnFJAqfDenrZdG/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="230" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj52ue0UiKQDMsBuEemsOI-56ryATrUYrG8JEzMRv6NzAPlvId1w9L_RAd8YU9Cs-529om9nWkgOcoidKkownwd58CmbGKvcjJM-lbpJEHn4c46GCy6JzZOAFU_6CJmkVnnFJAqfDenrZdG/s400/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
eleventh entry in Bob Randisi's highly entertaining “Rat Pack”
mystery series is another solid job. It will hook you right from the
get-go, swirl you into the high-living, fast-paced world of mid-1960s
Las Vegas (as well as, this time around, Miami Beach) and propel you
along as fast as you can turn the pages or thumb the tab of your
e-reader. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once
again you'll be making the rounds with Eddie “Eddie G” Gianelli,
former pit boss but now unofficial fixer/troubleshooter for the Sands
Casino. Moreover, Eddie has become pals with the Rat Pack crew—in
particular, Chairman of the Board Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin—due
to past problems he has helped discreetly “handle” for them and
some of their showbiz friends.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Such
is the case once more when Sinatra invites Eddie to join him on a
trip to Miami Beach where he'll be playing a brief engagement at the
Fontanebleu. Dino will be in town too, making an appearance on Jackie
Gleason's TV show that does its taping in Miami Beach. Because it is
Sinatra making the request, Eddie's boss at the Sands has no qualms
about grating him some time off for a little “vacation” that
Eddie is certainly eager for himself.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Once
in Miami Beach, however, Frank takes Eddie to meet “the Great One”
himself, Jackie Gleason. This introduction, it turns out, is really a
chance for Gleason to size up Eddie and then, liking what he sees,
solicit his special services—discreetly looking into a problem the
Great One is having. After all, Frank and Dino have lauded Eddie as
“the guy” ... the guy who can be counted on to handle such
things.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So,
wanting to neither disappoint or possibly anger Frank, who obviously
set up the whole thing under the guise of a “vacation, Eddie agrees
to see what he can do. It starts out simply enough: Some creep seems
to be stalking Jackie's girlfriend, Marilyn Taylor (sister of the
famous June Taylor, who choreographs the intricate dance performances
on Gleason's show); Eddie is tasked with finding out who he is, what
he's up to, and stopping him from continuing. From there, things
quickly start to turn <i>un</i>-simple. The action shifts back and
forth between Vegas and Miami and along the way Eddie will run up
against murder, betrayal, police corruption, mysticism, and threats
to his life including becoming the apparent target of a
knife-wielding “ghost” hit man no one can find a trace of except
for the stabbing victims he leaves behind.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
of this is told in Randisi's lean, dialogue-driven narrative style
that does a fine job of capturing the era and the settings without
layering on too many details just to show he's done his research.
Which, make no mistake, he has done; if he says, for example, that
Sinatra was playing a gig in Miami on a certain date – he was
there. The nasty deeds and shady characters and plot twists woven in
and around the realities, that of course is Bob's craft and
imagination at work.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eddie
G makes a fine protagonist. Likable, engaging, tough when he has to
be, smart enough to know his limitations. When he calls on a couple
of pals to assist him—mob strongarm Jerry Epstein and Vegas PI
Danny Bardini—the banter and friendship between them seems real and
well balanced. This is especially true with Jerry, and some of their
exchanges, in particular, made me laugh out loud. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
you want a slick, fast-moving murder mystery with colorful settings
and characters, plot twists galore, all told in a lean, clear
narrative, you don't need to look any further than right here.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strongly
recommended.</span></span></span></div>
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wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-25677137255404893292018-04-30T21:29:00.000-07:002018-04-30T21:29:53.711-07:00Impactful Reads: THE GIRL HUNTERS (1963) by Mickey Spillane<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDQVm3uaU1D71iLBbrMMTTkm46f2-cZ5ZzfQHNgCF8YHxczvZd3jUmYO2Udvyx3_XUp9UYTkHQtDBCqUF_ga-njU_v3_w-0EzqTqKJfyvmd1PTsRYSDgWzooyTmYTD5bFbKiN8zmTqpsu/s1600/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="308" data-original-width="180" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFDQVm3uaU1D71iLBbrMMTTkm46f2-cZ5ZzfQHNgCF8YHxczvZd3jUmYO2Udvyx3_XUp9UYTkHQtDBCqUF_ga-njU_v3_w-0EzqTqKJfyvmd1PTsRYSDgWzooyTmYTD5bFbKiN8zmTqpsu/s400/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" width="233" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
me, this is where it all started. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
book, more than anything else, is what set me firmly on the path to
not only one day becoming a writer myself but also falling in love
with the hardboiled framework within which I would do my writing.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Oh,
I had “tinkered” with thoughts of writing and storytelling all
through grade school—initially blocking out pages of paper, comic
book-style, and filling the blocks with drawings and conversation
balloons to tell a story; until eventually deciding I was more
interested in (and better at) the writing than the drawing. And as
far back as I can remember I was an avid reader—comic books, youth
adventures and mysteries, young adult, Whitman editions of classics
and TV show tie-ins, etc.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Then
along came Spillane.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
bought my copy of THE GIRL HUNTERS off the spinner rack of a drug
store in Antioch, Illinois. I recognized the names of Spillane and
Hammer because of the old Darren McGavin TV series. I remembered
liking that show when it was on, but I was soon to find out it did
little to prepare me for the real thing. “The first Mike Hammer in
10 years!” read the back cover blurb of the book; and then, “Only
Mickey Spillane can write them as rough, raw, and violent!” I
couldn't plunk down my 50 cents down fast enough, and it was possibly the
best investment I ever made.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
fairness, I should mention that, in this same time period, Ace
paperbacks had begun re-releasing the Tarzan novels (and other works
by Edgar Rice Burroughs) with those wonderful Frank Frazetta covers.
These, too, factored strongly into inspiring the writer in me. The
thrill and enjoyment I got from reading these works by Spillane and
Burroughs (and other writers they subsequently led me to) was
something I not only wanted more of but it became a goal to one day
produce work of my own that would hopefully provide that same kind of
enjoyment for others. And if you're thinking what a strange
combination Spillane and Burroughs make, well, I can't help it—that's
the way it was.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Spillane
ultimately won out as far as the direction my own writing would take
(though there's still a part of me that hankers to one day do
something in the fantasy/high adventure mold). I think this was
largely due to my blue collar background and a peripheral family
influence. My folks were pretty basic, hard working, middle class
types (as I consider myself, and proudly so) who didn't exactly
<i>dis</i>-courage my writing aspirations, but neither were they
enthused about it as I grew toward manhood. Telling them I was going
to be writing detective mysteries or maybe Westerns was one thing;
had it been forgotten realms and tales of derring do, hard to tell
what their reaction might have been.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AvJE9tuhtRMB42o37u8ZUxnAC6oYkHs18UVpnZc90_ZCkUZPUcrdXuVoJLCNF5dXhdqDMi1OZn8JV4Af40sWgiD0rMT7BHJbMYqw_YbbeX3x2rOPvJTaSkUcCXTrKNw7GiO6RcH-u3Fe/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1201" data-original-width="859" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4AvJE9tuhtRMB42o37u8ZUxnAC6oYkHs18UVpnZc90_ZCkUZPUcrdXuVoJLCNF5dXhdqDMi1OZn8JV4Af40sWgiD0rMT7BHJbMYqw_YbbeX3x2rOPvJTaSkUcCXTrKNw7GiO6RcH-u3Fe/s200/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Getting
back to THE GIRL HUNTERS. This remains my favorite Spillane book
(though I tend often to think of it in conjunction with THE SNAKE,
which makes a very powerful second act if for no other reason than
the terrific ending). When it comes to a series of books or movies,
it is sometimes hard, for me anyway, to make a distinction between
favorite and best. No less a Spillane expert (not to mention
colleague and collaborator in continuing the Hammer series) than Max
Allan Collins considers the seven earlier Hammer books to be
Spillane/Hammer at their best. Me, I consider three of the titles
that came after Mickey's ten-year hiatus – from1952 to 1962 – to
be his best. THE GIRL HUNTERS, THE SNAKE, and THE BODY LOVERS. But,
like I said, that's where I came in and where I was first bowled over
by the world of Hammer and his creator. My favorites? For sure. The
best? Each can judge for him- or herself.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
premise for THE GIRL HUNTERS recognizes Hammer's absence from the
scene. In this case, it's only for seven years. Velda, Hammer's
beautiful and beloved secretary/partner has been missing for all that
time. He sent her out on a case by herself, to guard some jewels
being worn by a high society dame at a large function. Velda, the
jewels, the high society dame and her husband, all come up missing
and presumed dead. Hammer blames himself and goes on the skid,
becoming a drunk and a has-been. Until the day a man named Richie
Cole, wounded and dying, hanging on just long enough to beg for
Hammer to be summoned to his bedside, whispers some startling news to
Mike before he checks out. <i>Velda is alive though in great danger –
having urged Cole to contact Hammer because he is the only one
“terrible enough” to do what is necessary to save her! </i><span style="font-style: normal;">This
is a terrific set-up for everything that follows. Hammer must not
only race against the forces looking to kill Velda (a team of high
level Soviet assassins, it turns out, seeking to silence her for the
secrets she learned after being shanghaied and then spending all this
time on the run inside the Soviet bloc), but he must also dodge the
cops and feds who want to know what Cole told him, while all the time
fighting his own diminished capacities after being shocked out of a
seven-year drunk. Along the way he meets a Spillane-special female
who he almost falls in love with; he dodges bullets and those seeking
to “test” him in order to find out if he's got the old moves; and
engages in a brutal fight to the death with one half of The Dragon
assassination team before he finally puts the last of the pieces
together that will ultimately lead him to Velda.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Damn!
Writing about it after all these years and even after re-reading it
once again before sitting down to do this piece, the power of it
still hits as hard as ever. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Two
final notes about THE GIRL HUNTERS:</span></span></span></span></div>
<ol>
<li><div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">A
film version came out in connection with the paperback release of
the book. It starred none other than Mickey himself as Mike Hammer.
Inasmuch as he was also executive producer and screenwriter, it was,
as you might guess, pretty faithful to the book. What's more,
Spillane made a damn good Hammer and it was a solid crime mystery
overall. With good direction and co-stars like the veteran Lloyd
Nolan and the voluptuous Shirley Eaton, it deserved to get better
distribution and reception than it did. The fact it had to be shot
in black-and-white for budgetary reasons and the timing was such
that it was going up against the just-building James Bond craze
combined to make it a little-seen gem. But if you ever get the
chance to catch it on cable or DVD, it's definitely worth checking
out.</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The
copy of THE GIRL HUNTERS that I bought way back in 1963 (same as the
cover scan at the start of this piece) is still in my possession.
That's 55 years, folks. Think it might be kinda important to me?
That book has endured countless moves, adding up to several hundred
miles. In those 55 years, I've lost loved ones and friends, lost my
youth and my hair, lost my patience with the world and most of the
people in it. Yes, I've been blessed by many things along the way,
too – no complaints. But the point is: My copy of this book has
been with me all the way. What's more, in the summer of 1996, on the
set of Max Collins' movie </span><i>Mommy 2: Mommy's Day</i><span style="font-style: normal;">,
I got it signed by the very gracious Mr. Spillane.</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">By
this point, I trust I have impressed upon you that THE GIRL HUNTERS
was/is a very important book to me.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: normal;">If,
for some ungodly reason, you have never read Spillane or never read
this particular title, I urge you to seek it out and do so. You won't
be sorry.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
</div>
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<br />
</div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-9712577679440888042018-04-17T16:56:00.001-07:002018-04-17T16:56:21.330-07:00Noteworthy Reads: THE BARTERED BODY by J.R. Lindermuth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfAANxYpHZ6ychtBdF8EYtpaI5atFwVXA3N-As8o_pCxdN0QZJai9LOQoMBV9AVyWNCwuCGhyphenhyphenapFye16g06cOfKy5-f19OGUUIoTzR4V7kJEop_Xmb6g8aeMgYctObTIX_axd4hP5vUdd/s1600/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="331" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIfAANxYpHZ6ychtBdF8EYtpaI5atFwVXA3N-As8o_pCxdN0QZJai9LOQoMBV9AVyWNCwuCGhyphenhyphenapFye16g06cOfKy5-f19OGUUIoTzR4V7kJEop_Xmb6g8aeMgYctObTIX_axd4hP5vUdd/s400/aaa+mata+bull.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
latest by J.R. Lindermuth is rich in atmosphere, filled with colorful
characters (some quite engaging, others on the decidedly nasty side),
and presents as nifty a set of mystery elements as any I've read in a
good long while. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
is the third entry in Lindermuth's Sylvester Tilghman
series—Sylvester being the sheriff of the small town of Arahpot in
Jordan County, Pennsylvania, at the the turn of the twentieth
century. Lindermuth paints the era and setting effectively, without
slowing the pace of the story with too many period-piece details.
Sylvester himself is a likable character, dogged at his job in spite
of the various obstacles and distractions placed before him. Among
the distractions in this particular case is an old girl friend who
shows up and seems bent on re-kindling past feelings, regardless of
her being married and Sylvester being thoroughly devoted to his
somewhat elusive love, Lydia.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">At
the center of everything is the body of a prominent, recently
deceased townswoman, stolen from the local funeral parlor just ahead
of scheduled services. Add to that a crippling blizzard, a sudden
string of strongarm robberies, a murder that may or may not be
connected to the escalating tension of a looming strike at the local
mine, and Sylvester's patience and crime-solving skills will be
sorely tested before he manages to unravel everything. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
is all adeptly handled by Lindermuth's clean, uncluttered writing
style, a sharp eye for characterization, his smooth way with plot
twists. As a result, readers will be kept entertained and guessing
right up to the end.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Highly Recommended. </span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-26077915954599365132018-03-10T09:12:00.000-08:002018-03-10T09:12:11.962-08:00HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MR. SPILLANE
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yesterday
marked what would have been the 100<sup>th</sup> birthday of Mickey
Spillane. Spillane was one of – if not THE -- most influential
mystery writers of the twentieth century, certainly the last half.
And surely the top seller. At one point seven of the top ten best
selling mysteries carried the Spilane byline. When one of his many
critics lamented that fact, Spillane famously quipped: “They're
lucky I didn't write three more.”</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOfZ1MHSS-jzH99c4AyReZ6cMwyhrU4WQ6NmbPGf_27ppE09AnTOOLEkGoSnwIRuH-YMLBHGXqteUGprlerejsHz5JKJolFaLm3nYVOJsKE9_8w2P2WADIoW9qp6swrGCebJtmmz7HIs0/s1600/Wayne+group+photo+7200+dpi+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1600" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMOfZ1MHSS-jzH99c4AyReZ6cMwyhrU4WQ6NmbPGf_27ppE09AnTOOLEkGoSnwIRuH-YMLBHGXqteUGprlerejsHz5JKJolFaLm3nYVOJsKE9_8w2P2WADIoW9qp6swrGCebJtmmz7HIs0/s320/Wayne+group+photo+7200+dpi+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
had the distinct honor and privilege of meeting and spending a couple
of days around Mr. Spillane back in the summer of 1996, on the set of
Max Allan Collins' film, <i>Mommy 2: Mommy's Day</i>. In the
accompanying picture, left to right, you see Mr. Spillane, Lynn F.
Myers (a mutual friend), myself, and Max. Spillane had a starring
role as Mommy's lawyer, I had a non-speaking bit part as a prison
guard who wheels Mommy to the lethal injection chamber. (SPOILER
ALERT: Mommy turns the tables so that doesn't quite work out.) </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When
Collins first invited me to come be a part of the filming, I
naturally agreed. Then wisecracked: “Do I get to be a prison guard
for the women's shower scene?” To which Max sternly replied there
<i>was</i> no women's shower scene. Still trying to be a smart ass, I
asked why do a women's prison movie without a shower scene? But Max
remained unamused. He took his planned movie very seriously and
rightfully so – it turned out to be an entertaining, much-acclaimed
film. It's available on DVD, if you're interested – and I'm not
encouraging that because of my meager part, but rather because it's a
nifty little thriller that I think you will enjoy. In addition to
Spillane, it stars Patty McCormick, Gary Sandy (from <i>WKRP In
Cincinatti</i>), and Paul Peterson (from <i>The Donna Reed Show</i>).</span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyK3ysTd7U0adnVg_Nt2P2ugtBSQE2Ia773B7EevrPSSKvybLPBhDnOZaMnqh8SECnWl20r15W2qEgDWTyknya0KQUEnaqpQCfKU_jET4DbGoDet3rMp7qL9Wp27ZWPAv5xb716Cai4Xx/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlyK3ysTd7U0adnVg_Nt2P2ugtBSQE2Ia773B7EevrPSSKvybLPBhDnOZaMnqh8SECnWl20r15W2qEgDWTyknya0KQUEnaqpQCfKU_jET4DbGoDet3rMp7qL9Wp27ZWPAv5xb716Cai4Xx/s200/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="142" /></a></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
the main gist of this post is to recognize, on what would have been
his 100<sup>th</sup> birthday, the power and importance of Mickey
Spillane and his work. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanks
to the strength of his writing and to the continuing efforts of Max
Allan Collins (at the urging of Mickey before he died) to complete
many of Spillane's partial manuscripts, his work continues to be
enjoyed by millions yet today.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
for me, I'll always not only have the satisfaction of enjoying said
work, I also will have the memory of meeting Mr. Spillane in person
and finding him to be every bit as cordial and engaging as you would
hope for one of your heroes (and influences) to be.</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Happy
birthday, Mickey!</span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-76602030512395743542018-03-03T22:31:00.002-08:002018-03-03T22:31:59.352-08:00Noteworthy Reads: IN SILENCE SEALED by J.R. Lindermuth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7rOYqByarTXTSM1Qmzdid5eZknfORE-0fCabbtibbtG3XKx71lbqixTnOtizwBhP7g-lDVZOOAIgX9TTaKeTpRwoCpHt_lx-jw_fXeD5xI9qyvYSQax4CX42nsjLmaegWYTb-2NIWq4X/s1600/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_7rOYqByarTXTSM1Qmzdid5eZknfORE-0fCabbtibbtG3XKx71lbqixTnOtizwBhP7g-lDVZOOAIgX9TTaKeTpRwoCpHt_lx-jw_fXeD5xI9qyvYSQax4CX42nsjLmaegWYTb-2NIWq4X/s400/511s-PtNfEL._SY346_.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
<br />
John Lindermuth's latest entry in his Sticks Hetrick mystery series is now available in both print and eBook formats, and it is a fine addition to the series.<br />
<br />
If you're not already familiar with Sticks and the other folks from Swatara Creek -- and their encounters both in the line of duty and their personal lives -- then you need to be. Otherwise you're missing some sure-fire reading entertainment.<br />
<br />
"Here's what I wrote in my Amazon review for this book:<br />
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">IN
SILENCE SEALED is a deeply satisfying murder mystery, rich with
characterization and atmosphere, wonderfully complex in its plot
twists. Bullet-fast scene shifts set a lively pace that utilizes a
large cast of characters, anchored by the always-reliable Sticks
Hetrick, and orchestrated by the sure hand of author Lindermuth.
Don't miss this latest entry in the Hetrick series!"</span></span></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" class="western" lang="en" style="background: #ffffff; font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not a lot more I can add, other than -- what are you waiting for? Get your copy ordered and get set for a great read. You won't be sorry. </span></span></span></div>
wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7832669035610968182.post-2618702818495217832018-02-12T22:32:00.000-08:002018-02-12T22:32:15.143-08:00R.I.P. BILL CRIDER<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I heard the sad news a little while
ago about the passing of Bill Crider. We've all known it was coming,
of course, but that doesn't make it much easier. It never does in
such cases; and certainly not in this one. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I didn't know Bill extremely well. We met a couple of times at Bouchercons a number of years back and corresponded on and off afterwards. He was gracious enough to supply some blurbs and reviews for a few of my books. I also reviewed some of his -- which was no stretch since he was so talented and wrote such entertaining work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The closest we probably got was in the months following the passing of his beloved wife Judy. As someone who had also endured that kind of loss, I offered my condolences and we traded a number of e-mails, sharing the feelings one goes through. I'd like to think I helped him at least a little bit to endure the emptiness he was left with.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some time last year, on
the occasion of Judy's birthday (I can't determine the
exact date) Bill posted on his blog what I will be sharing a little bit further on. It really
struck a chord in me at the time. He stated it so beautifully. It
broke my heart and I knew I would always remember it. When I heard
today's news, I immediately thought of it. I think it is a fitting way to remember Bill (and his love for Judy). Here is what he wrote: </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Judy would have been 74 today. I still think about her
constantly, and one of the things I remember best is our dates at the
Fort Parker State Park lake. There was a clubhouse with an outside
dance floor, which you can see in the picture on the right, and we
spent many nights there all year 'round. I wasn't much of a dancer,
but I could dance with her to the slow numbers. We both agreed that
the song that reminded us the most of those days was 'Twilight
Time' by the Platters. I hope that someday Judy and I will meet
again on that dance floor where we do another slow dance and I'll
fall in love again, as I did then, when we're <b>together at last at
twilight time</b>." </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I hope you will share with me in finding solace in the the thought that Bill now has his wish of be
with Judy again, dancing, doing whatever -- once more by each other's
side for eternity. </span></div>
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wayne d. dundeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12468818760811792020noreply@blogger.com0