David Cranmer's Blog, page 123
July 9, 2011
Two Mini-Reviews for Cash & Miles
Jodi Macarthur:
Miles Of Cash Before I Sleep
If you took a razor blade and ran it down a wet canvas half dripping with black ink, then smeared it into the white area, you'd get a good replica of the characters Edward Grainger draws out in Cash & Miles. The backdrop is late 1800's. Times are harsh. A shot of whiskey doesn't go far. Cash is the harbinger of the law, but he bears much more than this, he bears a conscience that is often at disagreement with the law. It's this inner battle that carries the reader eagerly through the stories and wanting more. Miles holds my favorite shoot out scene in "Miles To Go." He's full of spunk, grit and is a sort of cornerstone to the series. There's a bit of everything for everyone in the book: gunfights, love, humor, horror, friendship and grit. One of my favorite reads for this year. I highly recommend, especially for those who are fans of Stephen King's Dark Tower books.
Brad Green:
Smart, fun, sharply written.
What's been said several times already is true: if you love Westerns and Noir, you'll love this book. But you won't love it simply because it is Western and Noir. No, you'll develop an appreciation for the sentences themselves, how they deftly render the rugged landscape and convey such a strong sense of place that you'll want to rub the dust out of your nose. Whereas many books settle for stock characters and situations, Mr. Grainger populates his stories with fully realized characters that constantly add surprise, depth, and resonance to the tales. It's the strength of the writing that lifts Cash Laramie and Gideon Miles above the competitors.
From reviews originally posted on Amazon
July 8, 2011
Maine Icons
Colorful. Informative. Entertaining. There's much to learn about the local flair of a state rich in history and custom. This fine book is a must read for Mainers and non-Mainers alike.
Nero Wolfe Leaves Home
Article by William I. Lengman III at the Criminal Element.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Hat tip: Thanks, Jay.
July 7, 2011
BEAT to a PULP Announcement
Scott D. Parker and I have been friends for several years now and when I realized BTAP needed to bring a new editor onboard to help with the ever-growing workload, there was no doubt I wanted to ask him. Scott is a technical writer toiling away in the Lone Star state and, thankfully, he was willing to work for slave wages. I've been editing and proofing BTAP with the help of my wife for the last year but with Round Two, a Cash Laramie novel coming, and something we are calling BTAP: Hardboiled, I needed more eyes for the weekly webzine. I know Scott will be an incredible asset and I'm looking forward to working with him.
Btw here is a classic 7 Questions with Scott D. Parker.
Mystery Scene Summer Issue
Hi everyone, Our jumbo Summer Issue #120 is in the mail and it's a corker!
First we talk to Karin Slaughter, whose gripping, graphic Georgia police procedurals take as their theme violence, particularly violence against women, and its repercussions. Then Jeff Abbott tells us about his new international thriller series featuring a young CIA agent.
Mickey Spillane would often proclaim: "I'm not an author. I'm a writer." In "The Murders in Memory Lane," Lawrence Block ponders the subtleties of that statement - with a little help from the French author Colette.
When the nine-year-old Megan Abbott first saw the classic Rita Hayworth film Gilda, she distinctly remembers thinking "This is what life is." Some years and a literary career of her own later, she reconsiders in her essay "Bar Nothing."
Decades after the Golden Age of Mystery ended, James Anderson's lighthearted puzzles both parodied and paid homage to classic tropes of yesteryear. The Affair of the Bloodstained Egg Cosy, The Affair of the Thirty-Nine Cufflinks and The Affair of the Mutilated Mink are just as delightful as their titles suggest - and they have no bigger fan than Jon L. Breen who discusses them in this issue.
Figuring out if a book is a true first edition is often surprisingly complicated - but vital. As Nate Pederson notes in his column, "Properly identifying a subtle variant in a printing of an edition can turn a $5 thrift store find into a $150 collectable book."
Also in this issue, Katherine Hall Page discusses the enduring appeal of Mary Stewart's novels of romantic suspense, and Kevin Burton Smith looks at William Ard, whose untimely death in 1960 robbed the genre of a potential hardboiled master. We also chat with Juliet Blackwell, whose Lily Ivory mysteries about a young witch in San Francisco offer spells, demons, romance...and some interesting thoughts on a gifted woman finding her place in the world.
Over the summer, we will be publishing more original articles, book reviews, and commentary at the MS Website. We'll also be active on Twitter and Facebook,
so do come join us.
Sincerely,
Kate Stine
Editor-in-Chief
July 6, 2011
Black Heart Magazine NOIR Issue
This is quite an impressive list of contributors for the latest issue edited by Jimmy Callaway. Check it out here.
