Mark Stevens's Blog, page 32
June 11, 2017
David Carnoy, “The Big Exit”
A twist is only a killer twist when you don’t see it coming. When you’re so seduced and comfortable and intrigued by the existing fictional landscape that you are plenty satisfied with the questions and the momentum of the story. … Continue reading →
June 6, 2017
The Greatest Writer I Ever Knew
A blog post for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers about the late, great Gary Reilly. Filed under: Books, Gary Reilly & The Asphalt Warrior
May 25, 2017
Rachel Howzell Hall, “Skies of Ash”
As previously mentioned about the pleasures of hanging out with Elouise “Lou” Norton, Rachel Howzell Hall’s compelling homicide detective, it’s all about the attitude. I dug Land of Shadows. And Skies of Ash quickly took me back to Norton’s sharply-barbed … Continue reading →
May 13, 2017
Flynn Berry, “Under the Harrow”
Under the Harrow rides on its writing—a deep, detailed close-in point of view that signals itself from the opening paragraph. Flynn Berry’s style is staccato. Six words in the first sentence, eight in the second, eleven in the third. “A … Continue reading →
May 2, 2017
Making A Case for the Irrational Elements
A blog post for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers about Mario Vargas Llosa, who makes a case for the “irrational” elements of literary creation. Filed under: Books
April 19, 2017
Tyler Dilts, “Come Twilight”
Long Beach homicide detective Danny Beckett is in touch with his own mortality. Danny’s hand was nearly severed in a previous case. He came very close to bleeding to death. In the year following that incident, “hardly a day” passed … Continue reading →
March 30, 2017
Adrian McKinty, “Rain Dogs”
It’s easy to see why Adrian McKinty’s Rain Dogs is drawing all sorts of attention, including being named as a finalist for the 2017 Edgar Award in the category of Best Paperback Original. Rain Dogs is rich. History, character, puzzle, … Continue reading →
March 18, 2017
Patricia Abbott, “Shot in Detroit”
Violet Hart lives on the fringes of Detroit. She’s prone to poking around Belle Isle Park in the pre-dawn with her camera, looking for gritty shots of gritty people doing gritty things. She lives in frugal fashion in a dreary … Continue reading →
March 7, 2017
Q & A #56 – Lyndsay Faye, “The Whole Art of Detection”
Lyndsay Faye is having a very good year. Her most recent novel, Jane Steele, is a finalist in the Best Novel category for the 2017 Edgar Awards from Mystery Writers of America. It’s Faye’s second such listing; Faye was up for the … Continue reading →
February 19, 2017
Reed Farrel Coleman, “Where It Hurts”
The character names alone set the gritty landscape—Gus Murphy (our hero), Tommy Delcamino, Kareem Shivers and Frankie Tacos. Those are character names worthy of Chandler or Leonard or Block. We’re on Long Island, the overlooked sections with dive bars like … Continue reading →
