Pulp Fiction discussion

"Big Time" by Marcel Montecino for the third time. I have his three novels inscribed. A huge talent who led a fascinating & colorful life. A promising career cut tragically short.

On a recent visit to a used bookstore I found an old Black Lizard edition of The Damned Don't Die. It looks interesting. I haven't read anything by Jim Nisbet before. Has anyone here?

I just finished reading a pretty decent noir by Cornell Woolrich, originally published in the 1940's, it's been re-released this year.

NIGHT HAS A THOUSAND EYES is loaded with great writting typical of the genre done right. View my review on my new-ish blog and Goodreads:

http://justaguythatlikes2read.blogspo...

Woolrich also wrote FRIGHT which was published through Hardcase Crime - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

After reading these two this year I will have to hunt down some more of his novels.

Am in the very early stages of HARD REVOLUTION by George Pelecanos - it's so good to read about Derek Strange before he turned into a private detective.

Tfitoby wrote: "Dreaming of Babylon was great as an homage and a dissection of the genre but I just finshed The End of Everything and I'm not sure I want to read another book ever again, it was too good."

Hi Tfitoby, missed this comment, been a while since I posted here - wow, that's some praise but totally justified. I love pretty much everything Megan Abbott writes.

Josh wrote: "Am in the very early stages of HARD REVOLUTION by George Pelecanos - it's so good to read about Derek Strange before he turned into a private detective."

I didnt know there was à book about his police days.

Hi Mohammed, it's the fourth book he released as part of the Strange and Quinn series. It's about Derek growing up from pre-teen to finding his way on the force. I'm about 60pgs in and it feels very much like his DC Quartet. Good stuff.

Josh wrote: "Hi Mohammed, it's the fourth book he released as part of the Strange and Quinn series. It's about Derek growing up from pre-teen to finding his way on the force. I'm about 60pgs in and it feels ver..."

Im on the third book in that series. I like Strange and Quinn. I have Pelecanos books i havent read yet. Its been a while i have read him. I like the urban issues Strange and Quinn series deals with. Very The Wire like.

I recently finished October Poll loser - The Long-Legged Fly. Not a ton of action, but a nice, noirish read.

Melki wrote: "I recently finished October Poll loser - The Long-Legged Fly. Not a ton of action, but a nice, noirish read."

What did you think of Sallis style, the way he wrote the book Not easy for linear noir fans. Also about Lew Griffin?

Im a big fan of Sallis so i wonder how other see this book,series.

Mohammed wrote: "What did you think of Sallis style..."

I liked it and plan to read more of his work, especially the Griffin series. I'm not sure how readers who enjoy a more minimalist style and no backstory would perceive this book, however.

Griffin is a complicated character with a lot of baggage.

I just finished HITMAN by Lawerence Block. Its a shame its the first book of his I've read and is without plot. The writing is ok, but I wouldn't recommend it.

I remember listening to Hit Man years ago on cassettes & really liked it. As I recall, the reader's voice was perfect. That can add a lot for me. I've enjoyed other books by Lawrence Block, but can't say he's a favorite like Elmore Leonard.

Agree Alberto, I think HIT MAN was a bad place to start. Its obvious Block is a writer who can write crime fiction, but why do I have to read pages and pages about frecking dog walking? A writer has to establish a name by not only writing but by editing a work into a book where every word is essential to the plot. The bits left out make it stronger. Once they get an audience and their name alone can sell a title, well that's when the foot comes off the pedel. They can drone on and on for the sake of word count. I will give Matt Scudder a read. Thanks.

James wrote: "Agree Alberto, I think HIT MAN was a bad place to start. Its obvious Block is a writer who can write crime fiction, but why do I have to read pages and pages about frecking dog walking? A writer ha..."

Im a big Block fans thanks all-time great hardboiled PI series Scudder but not even i liked Hit Man. I guess he is so prolific, that he wanted to try something that didnt work as well as his earlier works.

I will try his Bernie comic crime series maybe he is better with hardcore stories and not the comic,witty ones.

Cheers Mohammed, I'm off to my second hand book store to exchange HIT MAN for something Scudder. Watch this space.

Alberto wrote: "I'm reading an omnibus edition of three Charles Willeford novels: Pick-Up, The Burnt Orange Heresy and Cockfighter.
Pick-up was very good, but Burnt orange and Cockfighter are exceptional. I can't ..."

Re: Pick up, what did you think of the big reveal (*spoilers*) at the end. I'm now reviewing my memories of the book and can't find any clues that Henry was a black man in an interracial relationship. It seems that, without such clues, this significant fact about him is meaningless and so the ending seems like a hail mary pass for getting some substance into the book. Just a thought.

I'm currently reading the short story anthology The Collected Mystery Stories of Lawrence Block. I am a big fan of Lawrence Block, mainly the Matthew Scudder series -- although I didn't care for All the Flowers are Dying -- and am really enjoying the book.

Josh wrote: "Tfitoby wrote: "Dreaming of Babylon was great as an homage and a dissection of the genre but I just finshed The End of Everything and I'm not sure I want to read another book ever again, it was too..."

Yeah I know. i decided i would keep reading but nothing has even remotely come close despite having read some very good books in the past month.

Alberto wrote: "James wrote: "I just finished HITMAN by Lawerence Block. Its a shame its the first book of his I've read and is without plot. The writing is ok, but I wouldn't recommend it."

Hello, James. Welcome..."

I've recently picked up some of the Burglar and Keller books but haven't started yet, they seem to be more readily available secondhand than the early Matt Scudders. I hope I'm not too disappointed by them after the high standard already set by Block in his other work that I've read.

Just finished 'The Devil knows your dead' by Block.Matt Scudder... Much better, though not earth shatteringly brilliant.

James wrote: "Just finished 'The Devil knows your dead' by Block.Matt Scudder... Much better, though not earth shatteringly brilliant."

I'm a fan of Lawrence Block and love the Matthew Scudder series, but the pace of the books can be a little relaxed (for lack of a better term) at times. I always recommend someone who is new to the series start with one of the first three -- The Sins of the Fathers, In the Midst of Death, Time to Murder and Create.

Even though all the books are stand alone stories Scudder can be something of an acquired taste and the more familiar with him you become the more you start to enjoy his adventures.

I dont see why people start past the first 5 Matt Scudder books, you miss the whole point of the series which is the character growth of Matt.

The pace of the books being relaxed is why i rate the series highly. If it was just another high paced PI series with alot twist,sick killers it wouldnt be about Matt himself.

Just finished 'American Skin' by Irish noir writer Ken Bruen. Really good read. I like the style. Short concise sentences. He starts sentences on the verb. Writing short sharp powerful sentences. Great stuff.

I've started The Cold Spot , it feels like it belongs here, with a hard-boiled 16 y.o. car thief who has "fallen off the map". It starts with a bang, and reads fast, I'll see which way it goes soon.

If it's Tom Piccirilli it belongs here I'm sure. I wonder if its a play on The Hot Spot the classic Charles Williams that was turned into a very good film soleil?

The Cold Spot was one of the better Getaway driver type noir stories i have read in recent times. The young theif grandfather was Parker type hardcore.

Piccirilli i saw have brain cancer at the moment and i was really sad and hope to see him get through. He is one of my fav noir authors. He lists his fav noir influences Richard Stark,Ken Bruen interview i read with him. Thats just awesome good taste.

Speaking of Pic, proceeds from his e-books bought here http://www.macabreink.com/cpmain/blog...
go directly to Tom and his family.
I copped THRUST which is pretty wild, though it's def more horror than crime. Looking forward to copping FUCKIN LIE DOWN ALREADY and helping a brother out, in addition to getting what is sure to be another killer from Pic.

Alberto wrote: "I'm reading The Blonde by Duane Swierczynski. This author rocks. I previously read The Wheelman which was 5 stars to me, a rollercoaster in which you didn't know what would happen next, and Fun and..."

I hope you enjoy The Blonde as much as I did Alberto, it sure was a fun ride at a frenetic pace.

Just finished The Sins of the Fathers. I have read one or two other Lawrence Block titles but this was my first Scudder book. Man, what took me so long? Such a fast, great read! Can't wait to continue the series.

Finished the Piccirilli book, liked it a lot, slick and intense, but it felt at times too well plotted, if that's a valid complaint, like reading a Hollywood script for an action movie. It reminded me a lot of Ryan Gosling in Drive.

I put Swierczinsky on my wishlist, thanks.

Ctgt wrote: "Just finished The Sins of the Fathers. I have read one or two other Lawrence Block titles but this was my first Scudder book. Man, what took me so long? Such a fast, great read! Can't wait to conti..."

I still haven't found book 2 of the series. I don't think Mohammed would let me show my face around here if i just skipped forward!

Tfitoby wrote: "I still haven't found book 2 of the series. I don't think Mohammed would let me show my face around here if i just skipped forward! "

I hear you. I have a difficult time reading books out of sequence.

I'm trying to limit the number of physical books around the house, so I'm picking up these titles from the library. Although, I just noticed they are inexpensive ebooks, so I may go that direction later.

Tfitoby wrote: "Ctgt wrote: "Just finished The Sins of the Fathers. I have read one or two other Lawrence Block titles but this was my first Scudder book. Man, what took me so long? Such a fast, great read! Can't ..."

Good to see you know better than skipping forward :)

The reason i didnt recommend against reading Parker out of sequence is most of the books in that series is stand alone heist story while Scudder is much more about the characters life,struggles. You dont want to miss the depressing life of Scudder early on.

Tfitoby wrote: "I still haven't found book 2 of the series..."

Keep in mind that there are some references that list In The Midst of Death as the third book in the series and Time to Murder and Create as the second -- this is because that is supposed to be the order they were written in but NOT the order in which they were published -- so if you have to read those two in reverse order it likely won't hurt the overall experience.

Alberto wrote: "Thanks. I'm doing it. The Wheelman was even more frenetic if that's possible."

Swierczynski's books might be the fastest-paced I've ever read. Any time I read one of his books it's in one or two sessions.
I'm into his fantastic elements because he seems like he's having a blast trying to incorporate these absurd, off the wall parts into his books while still making them convincing

Mike wrote: "Tfitoby wrote: "I still haven't found book 2 of the series..."

Keep in mind that there are some references that list In The Midst of Death as the third book in the series and Time to Murder and Cr..."

Good call Mike, I'll keep an eye out for both of them so that I can keep discovering Scudder. I just read my first Bernie Rhodenbarr from Block which was jolly good fun if nothing special.

Mike wrote: "Keep in mind that there are some references that list In The Midst of Death as the third book in the series and Time to Murder and Create as the second"

Yeah, I put what I thought was the second book on hold at the library, only to find out Time to Murder was actually the second.

JD wrote: "Swierczynski's books might be the fastest-paced I've ever read. Any time I read one of his books it's in one or two sessions."

I agree. I read the first two Charlie Hardie books and just blew through both of them. Still haven't read The Wheelman, but it's on my list.

About two thirds through The Guards and am really enjoying the pacing in that book, but for different reasons. The pace isn't driven by action or suspense(although there is some of both),but by writing style. His use of short, clipped phrasing and even the layout on the page, keeps my eyes moving at a very quick rate. This is my first Ken Bruen so I don't know if this is how he writes all the time, but it's working for me.


P.S. Thanks for the Ken Bruen recommendations, I never would have found this author without you guys.

I'm reading Broken Harbor by tana French, which is great but I feel like I'm heading to the top of the roller coaster - her stories and characters always go so horribly wrong that it wrings me out. Worth it, though. Also reading One Across, Two Down by Ruth Rendell on a recommend for a friend. Kinda meh on that one but I'll finish it. Also reading The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson, which is technically crime, but with more of a non-fiction, historical bent.

Bobbi wrote: "I'm reading Broken Harbor by tana French, which is great but I feel like I'm heading to the top of the roller coaster - her stories and characters always go so horribly wrong that it wrings me out...."

I've never read any Tana French, who would you compare them to?

Interesting question. I guess in terms of characterization and tone I would compare them to Dennis Lehane. They take place in Scotland, they're police procedurals, but they are pretty dark in terms of personal turmoil and criminal motivation. Each one has a different member of the Dublin murder squad as the main character - they're not a single detective series and there's only a passing connection between the books. They're very good, in my opinion.

Bobbi wrote: "Interesting question. I guess in terms of characterization and tone I would compare them to Dennis Lehane. They take place in Scotland, they're police procedurals, but they are pretty dark in terms..."

Interesting. Sounds similar to the Rebus books but with different protagonists instead of the same copper. Although how do Irish murder detectives end up in Scotland?

Whoops! My bad. Ireland. Haha. The tone is very different from the Rebus books, although I'd be hard-pressed to tell you how. Each book has this sinister foreshadowing where you know that nothing will come out as it should. Rebus books usually end with a collar, from what I remember. Been a little while since I read Rankin, admittedly.

I'm not reading it yet, but I thought I'd let everyone know that the Matt Helm novels are being reissued. You can pre-order the first two on Amazon now. They'll be released 5Feb2013. Death of a Citizen & The Wrecking Crew are the books.

The great news is they're planning on re-printing the entire series, so in a few years they should get to the final novel that Hamilton wrote before he died. The last Matt Helm novel that was finished, but never published. I can't wait!

As it is, it will be great to have new books to read. My originals are just that - original paperbacks, many almost 50 years old. It's a great series.

Jim wrote: "I'm not reading it yet, but I thought I'd let everyone know that the Matt Helm novels are being reissued. You can pre-order the first two on Amazon now. They'll be released 5Feb2013. Death of a ..."

This is awesome news, I just read my first Matt Helm and was very impressed. I also found out today that there was a Matt Helm TV series in the 70s. Did you happen to see any of it?

I never saw the Matt Helm TV series. I read about it on one of the sites, but all this one:
http://www.matthelmbooks.com/
said was that it wouldn't be mentioned again. Apparently it was pretty bad.

Jim wrote: "I never saw the Matt Helm TV series. I read about it on one of the sites, but all this one:
http://www.matthelmbooks.com/
said was that it wouldn't be mentioned again. Apparently it was pretty ba..."

Now that's a shame, all of these great pulp/noir characters seemed to end up on tv back in the 70s and hardly ever were they done right.

I agree. Remember "Logan's Run"? Ugh.

The movies had even less of a chance. The producers decided they couldn't go head to head with the Bond films, so they tried to make them funny. They failed.

Okay. I did my required reading for this group and read The Hunter. I'll probably continue with the series, but not right away.