Hard Case Returns... With Some Westlake in its Back Pocket

If you're a Hard Case Crime fanatic like myself, the past year has felt a little like limbo, hasn't it? The last HCC release was back in August 2010, and every month since then I've been glancing at my TBR pile with a forlorn expression, missing those red-and-black-and-white spines with the yellow ribbon that represented my assurance of quality. (Sigh.)

Thankfully, we've all been sprung from purgatory. Hard Case Crime is officially back this September with out four new novels by Lawrence Block, Max Allan Collins, Mickey Spillane and Christa Faust. And February 2012 brings something I never thought I'd see again: a new Donald E. Westlake novel. Hard Case honcho Charles Ardai explains:

The book is called THE COMEDY IS FINISHED, and it's going to be our second hardcover ever.  Don wrote it between the late 1970s and early 80s, but never published it because he found himself worrying that its premise -- the kidnapping of a famous television comedian -- was too similar to the movie "The King of Comedy," which Martin Scorsese released around the same time. He shouldn't have worried -- the book and the movie aren't similar at all outside of sharing that basic premise.  It's a hell of a good book and one that very much deserves to be in print, and we're very excited to be bringing it out for the first time, with a fabulous cover by Greg Manchess.

While I hated the hiatus, I've gotta say... this news kind of made it worth the wait. And look at that gorgeous Manchess cover. Hard to say which is more risque; this one, or Manchess's cover for Lawrence Block's Getting Off.

Glad you're back, Hard Case.