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13 French Street/The Red Scarf
"13 French Street and the Red Scarf"
paperback
Published January 1, 1988
About the author
Gil Brewer
129 books60 followersFlorida writer Gil Brewer was the author of dozens of wonderfully sleazy sex/crime adventure novels of the 1950's and 60's, including Backwoods Teaser and Nude on Thin Ice; some of them starring private eye Lee Baron (Wild) or the brothers Sam and Tate Morgan (The Bitch) . Gil Brewer, who had not previously published any novels, began to write for Gold Medal Paperbacks in 1950-51. Brewer wrote some 30 novels between 1951 and the late 60s – very often involving an ordinary man who becomes involved with, and is often corrupted and destroyed by, an evil or designing woman. His style is simple and direct, with sharp dialogue, often achieving considerable intensity.
Brewer was one of the many writers who ghost wrote under the Ellery Queen byline as well. Brewer also was known as Eric Fitzgerald, Bailey Morgan, and Elaine Evans.
http://www.gilbrewer.com/
Brewer was one of the many writers who ghost wrote under the Ellery Queen byline as well. Brewer also was known as Eric Fitzgerald, Bailey Morgan, and Elaine Evans.
http://www.gilbrewer.com/
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 28, 2014
This 1988 collection from Blue Murder (a UK imprint of Simon & Schuster) gives you two 1950s femme fatale noir novels in one package.
13 French Street (1951) is by far the superior story, a perfect example of the genre that sold one million copies in its original release. After exchanging letters with his best friend's wife for several years, Alex Bland finally accepts an invitation to come visit them at their house on 13 French Street. His best friend, Verne, is now a wreck, a withered shell of a man. His wife, Petra, is an insane sexual vampire—not the supernatural kind, though she exerts an almost inhuman power to charm men. And she wastes no time sinking her claws into Alex.
Like most Gil Brewer protagonists (and the author himself), Alex is an alcoholic. It isn't long before he's in bed with Petra and completely under her evil spell. She wants Verne dead and wants Alex to help her kill him, and his senile, elderly mother who lives with them.
This fast-paced tale is possessed of a sleazy charm that will have you turning pages to see what Petra will do to poor Alex next! The ending seems a bit rushed and sloppy, but overall, it works. Gil Brewer either wrote hot or cold, and 13 French Street is him at his hottest! 4.5 stars.
The Red Scarf (1958), on the other hand, isn't exactly cold, but it isn't hot, either. The story isn't nearly as tightly plotted or interesting, perhaps because the protagonist never sleeps with the femme fatale, nor is she a sexual psychopath—just damaged, desperate, and dumb.
The story starts strong with our hero down on his luck and hitching a ride home with a couple of strangers. They all share a bottle, get drunk, and the boyfriend crashes the car, revealing a bag full of money with a broken clasp. It was tied shut with the red scarf of the title.
The girl is intent on keeping the cash, but offers to cut the hero in if he'll help her get out of the country. This isn't just regular stolen money, it's Mob money. Her boyfriend was a bagman she'd conned into ripping the Syndicate off so they could get away. She's quick to leave him for the hero, however.
The hero rejects her advances but takes her cash. He needs the money desperately to ward off the bank loans on the motel he owns with his wife. He stashes the girl in one of the rooms while he tries to figure out a way to help her. His wife becomes suspicious, accusing him of having an affair. Things get worse when the boyfriend shows up and demands his share of the money, and worse still when a hired killer from the Mob comes around looking to collect and kill them all! Naturally, the red scarf gets used for one of the murders.
Sadly, the story gets slower and more generic as it goes. This is a mediocre 3-star novel, but far from Gil Brewer's worst. For more of his best, I recommend reading A Killer Is Loose, The Three-Way Split, A Taste For Sin, and The Vengeful Virgin. Many of his books are now out in cheap digital formats, but nothing beats the look and feel of the old 1950s Gold Medal paperbacks.
13 French Street (1951) is by far the superior story, a perfect example of the genre that sold one million copies in its original release. After exchanging letters with his best friend's wife for several years, Alex Bland finally accepts an invitation to come visit them at their house on 13 French Street. His best friend, Verne, is now a wreck, a withered shell of a man. His wife, Petra, is an insane sexual vampire—not the supernatural kind, though she exerts an almost inhuman power to charm men. And she wastes no time sinking her claws into Alex.
Like most Gil Brewer protagonists (and the author himself), Alex is an alcoholic. It isn't long before he's in bed with Petra and completely under her evil spell. She wants Verne dead and wants Alex to help her kill him, and his senile, elderly mother who lives with them.
This fast-paced tale is possessed of a sleazy charm that will have you turning pages to see what Petra will do to poor Alex next! The ending seems a bit rushed and sloppy, but overall, it works. Gil Brewer either wrote hot or cold, and 13 French Street is him at his hottest! 4.5 stars.
The Red Scarf (1958), on the other hand, isn't exactly cold, but it isn't hot, either. The story isn't nearly as tightly plotted or interesting, perhaps because the protagonist never sleeps with the femme fatale, nor is she a sexual psychopath—just damaged, desperate, and dumb.
The story starts strong with our hero down on his luck and hitching a ride home with a couple of strangers. They all share a bottle, get drunk, and the boyfriend crashes the car, revealing a bag full of money with a broken clasp. It was tied shut with the red scarf of the title.
The girl is intent on keeping the cash, but offers to cut the hero in if he'll help her get out of the country. This isn't just regular stolen money, it's Mob money. Her boyfriend was a bagman she'd conned into ripping the Syndicate off so they could get away. She's quick to leave him for the hero, however.
The hero rejects her advances but takes her cash. He needs the money desperately to ward off the bank loans on the motel he owns with his wife. He stashes the girl in one of the rooms while he tries to figure out a way to help her. His wife becomes suspicious, accusing him of having an affair. Things get worse when the boyfriend shows up and demands his share of the money, and worse still when a hired killer from the Mob comes around looking to collect and kill them all! Naturally, the red scarf gets used for one of the murders.
Sadly, the story gets slower and more generic as it goes. This is a mediocre 3-star novel, but far from Gil Brewer's worst. For more of his best, I recommend reading A Killer Is Loose, The Three-Way Split, A Taste For Sin, and The Vengeful Virgin. Many of his books are now out in cheap digital formats, but nothing beats the look and feel of the old 1950s Gold Medal paperbacks.
January 9, 2023
A great 2 book intro to Brewer's work
February 8, 2015
I've only read 13 French Street so far but it was great.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews