What was the first crime novel you ever read? AFTER Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys that is, when you were an adult!

[carole gill]

I'm thinking too. And I realize that I mainly read horror until fairly recently! When I was a young teen I used to grab hold of my parent's Alfred Hitchcock Monthly Magazine. I loved it! But as for novels--I think the first crime novels I read were by Lawrence Sanders. Come on, tell me--so it'll refresh my memory!

[carole gill]

Naomi! that's the best thing I ever heard in my life! cool! what a great idea. and who knows what phantom steals out at night (climbing out off the wall) to remove the cap from the toothpaste? hmmm! Yup, nothing like those covers. an art form unto themselves. And as for George Raft, well he was so interesting. My Mother had a huge crush on him, that's how I got into him.
Just finished two great books: Bugsy's Baby (about Virginia Hill and Bugsy Siegel) and We only Kill Each Other (about Bugsy and co). Raft was a friend (he wasn't in the mob, but he paled around with them, found them interesting). he had a long standing affair with Viriginia Hill--right under Siegel's nose practically)! THAT TOOK GUTS. if you like true crime, take a gander sometimes--or at the very least look up the bits about Raft!

[Naomi Johnson]

Thanks, Carole, I'll check that out. George was an interesting guy, for sure, if not always a sympathetic figure.

[carole gill]

He was. He just ran around with the wrong crowd. He also used to study the gangsters he knew, their mannerisms and then he used them in the roles he played!

[PJ LOZITO]

Those are paperbacks, not pulps.

[Janice Mills]

When I was under 10 years of age I read Enid Blyton mystery stories (don't know if they count!). Then at the tender age of 13 shocked many - including parents and teachers by reading The Boston Strangler. It was very graphic and probably not at all for a 13 yo and got me into trouble for sharing amongst school friends. These day with a shortage of time the books are read not as often, but I have enjoyed the murder mystery set of books placed in ancient Egypt by Christian Jacques. (I haven't read the last one yet please don't anyone give away the plot!

[carole gill]

NO PLOTS EVER GIVEN AWAY! I'll have to read that. of course Enid Blyton counts. everything counts! I don't remember reading any true crime early on as you did. my mother was more thorough than the Hay's Office is old Hollywood--would you believe she threw out my copy of The Group WHEN I WAS SIXTEEN?! She apologized years later! I like historical crime too. my preferrance is 1940's based stuff, but I love Ellis Peters as well. thanks Janice.

[Naomi Johnson]

Oh, yeah, The Boston Strangler was lying around our house and I remember dipping into that because I was so fascinated by the scary eyes on the cover. It really creeped me out. And my older brother came home from the Army and left a copy of the most vile book I've ever read (and at the time I didn't understand half of it, thank heavens!), LAST EXIT TO BROOKLYN by, I think, Hubert or Herbert Selby. ? Definitely not stuff intended for impressionable adolescents.

[carole gill]

no not a book for kids, def. actually I tried reading it recently and didn't care for the style.
I remember the cover of the Boston Strangler--with the eyes! very scary!

[helen black]

My Grandmother always had a penchant for really graphic true crime stuff - I remember her preordering an account of the Yorkshire ripper murders but it was subsequently banned. I would sneak them away and read them.
But my true Damascus moment was sitting around a pool reading The Firm and realising at least ten other people were reading it.
HB x

[carole gill]

thanks Helen. what a cool Grandmother! I would have traded my Gran anyday for yours! Mine had kitchen calendars with heroes of the bible (actually the bible has a lot of violence when you think about it)! I like that: Damascus moment! The Firm, well--you can't get better than that. I love reading Grisham because he's really an insider. I don't know what my D-moment was. I know I got into espionage in my early twenties--but I can't remember (early on) crime fiction with the exception of Lawrence Sanders and his Deadly Sins novels.
thanks so much for your reply.

[carole gill]

Oh Colman, who cares if something's popular? that doesn't mean it's not worth checking out. Grisham is a great author--he gets technical but he's a lawyer himself and he really knows what he's talking about. I liked The Client. I thought it was terrific. try it, bet you like it!

[carole gill]

It's fast moving. and it has some great scenes you can visualize. I like that truthfully. so go dent your pile and enjoy your time off and Grisham if you get the chance.