Ed Gorman's Blog, page 268

Passport To Peril

To me the four big names in espionage fiction are John Buchan, Eric Ambler, Graham Greene and John le Carre. Each changed the form profoundly. Passport To Peril, the latest book from Hard Case Crime, was first published in 1950 and contains set-pieces borrowed not only from Buchan and Ambler but also Alfred Hitchcock. The only influence I don't see here is Greene. In some respects it's a compendium of espionage tropes that filled spy novels from the time of Buchan all the way up to the Cold War,

Mr. Paradise

I hadn't read an Elmore Leonard novel in some time but the old urge came back as I thumbed through Mr. Paradise. Everything looked to be in place. In most of Leonard's novels of the 90s and after there's a stock company of damaged people. This gives the books humanity. There's also often a set-up that goes wrong. And there is always storytelling architecture that is unparalled. All present and accounted for in Mr. Paradise

The novel is named after an eighty-four year old Detroit lawyer Anthony P

Susan Oleksiw; Bill Crider; Pulp Serenade

This week Susan Oleksiw wrote a really interesting piece for a blog called Terry's Place. It's well worth reading.

"Today I welcome author Susan Oleksiw to Terry's Place. Join her as she takes us on a journey to India.

"My First Love

"One of my favorite pastimes is wandering the aisles of independent bookstores checking out the mystery novels, looking for books by new writers and new books from old friends. Writers take me into little known corners of the world—Dana Stabenow teaches me about Alas

Stuff

[image error]


Bill Crider linked to Lynn Munroe's website that contains a long and fascinating history of the thirty-eight novels that never show up on Harry Whittington's bibliography. I sure wish Lynn would collect all the pieces he's written into book form. Above is one of the Missing 38. Go here for the complete article:
wyciwyg://0/http://list60.tripod.com/themissing38...


PULP SERENADE

Cullen Gallagher was kind enough to ask me some questions about my new novel The Midnight Room and my writing process in

An Interview With David Morrell

[image error]

THE SHIMMER

When a high-speed chase goes terribly wrong, Santa Fe police officer Dan Page watches in horror as a car and gas tanker explode into flames. Torn with guilt that he may be responsible, Page returns home to discover that his wife, Tori, has disappeared.
Frantic, Page follows her trail to Rostov, a remote town in Texas famous for a massive astronomical observatory, a long-abandoned military base, an

On The Run by Andrew Coburn

There are so many neglected crime writers it's impossible to even begin to list them. But one writer who has been neglected for decades is Andrew Coburn.

I've spent two days trying to think of a tidy way to describe On The Loose and thus far my best shot is to imagine a collaboration between John D. MacDonald and Ruth Rendell. MacDonald for the page-turning excitement of following the most unique serial killer since The Bad Seed and Rendell for some of the quirkiest characters outside several of

Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia

[image error]

I still remember the first time I saw Bring Me The Head. Hot afternoon, beer and passing around a few joints, celebrating the end of an interminable shoot on a film we shot for a bed manufacturer's Vegas convention (yes, they actually pay people to do stuff like this). A couple members of the crew were big Peckinpah fans. I was too but for some reason I wanted to see something lighter that day, mostly because the whole project had been such a hassle.

As I recall the film opens with Warren Oates

NOW ON SALE - THE MIDNIGHT ROOM

[image error]


FROM BOOKGASM THIS MORNING:

The Midnight Room
Author: Rod Lott


Ed Gorman's THE MIDNIGHT ROOM is mismarketed. Its title has next to nothing to do with its content, and the cover makes it look like a serial-killer thriller. Oh, it has one of those among its characters, but Gorman uses him almost like a MacGuffin.

Instead, he's written a super-solid crime drama that's less about a string of murders and more about the ties that bind those investigating, familial and otherwise. And it's thoroughly engros

Thanks to Elizabeth Foxwell for linking to this. You can ...

[image error]


Thanks to Elizabeth Foxwell for linking to this. You can have a refrigerator magnet just like this. Order from The Onion store.

'Kitten Thinks Of Nothing But Murder All Day' MagnetBack to Magnets & Stickers Previous | Next

Hard-Hitting News Right On Your Fridge

Classic Onion headlines and photos are now available as refrigerator magnets. Sold individually.

Size: 2.5"w x 3.5"h

12 different magnets to choose from. See them all.

Quantity
$4.99

John D. MacDonald - Judi Rohrig

[image error]


I got this letter today from my good friend (and very good writer) Judi Rohrg. The JDM link, as Judi suggests, is packed with material of all kinds. My favorites so far a letter to John D. from his father as he was about to embark on his first European trip and a very sarcastic form rejection letter that John D. wrote for the amusement of himself and (I'd guess) his writing buddies. Great stuff! Thanks, Judi.

Hi, Ed!

Happy 4th of July! I hope all is going well with you.

I just wanted you to kn