I just finished 2 more from the Hard Case Crime series;



Shooting Star by Robert Bloch is a good natured and witty tale of Hardboiled Hollywood. A great read.



I love the Hard Case Crime series. I feel like I'm on an archaeological dig every time I pick one up, discovering rare gems and new authors. Like, Christa Faust and her novel Money Shot. Faust takes Hardboiled Hollywood and knocks it on its ass! Porn and pistols are a deadly combo.



Also reread The High… Continue

The Hackman Blues by Ken Bruen-Bruen rocks! This early novel just hints at the great things to come from Ken Bruen. Not afraid of any subject matter. His dialogue rings in my heads long after I've put the book down. I need more!

Songs of Innocence by Richard Aleas. A Hard Case Crime novel. This new York P.I. has a week that goes from bad to dead. Don't look for a sequel.

Just finished Robbie's Wife by Russell Hill, a Hard Case Crime book. Quick review. A man's obsession turns to murder. The first half of the book nothing happens. The reader soon realizes that the American man in the story is actually English, but this has nothing to do with the book. Then, BAM! His slow descent into hell. Just the way I like it. 3 out of 5 bullets!



I just got a copy of The Hackman's Blues by Ken Bruen. Purchased on eBay from a seller in the U.K. called Fairandfast… Continue

Short day. Came home from work and canceled my subscription to the Yahoo/rara-avis list. I didn't find the chatter very interesting or useful and for the most part, the participants come across as a bunch of f'in blowhards. They have a lot of people on the list but I think the majority are afraid of commenting for fear of getting the verbal equivalent to a forearm smash to the head if they say the wrong thing. There are the exceptions and occasional gems that come your way like Allan Guthrie's… Continue

Made some changes to my Librarything page. Found a vintage paperback copy of Anatomy of a Murder at a yard sale. TVO'd Nightmare Alley which is playing on the Retro Channel. Off to work.

Working in retail is periods of busy-ness surrounded by longer periods of boredom. Plenty of time for reading. Finished, A Touch of Death. Excellent noir story of a man's spiral into hell. No wonder I'm always depressed. Some how uplifting books just don't appeal to me. Started Robbie's Wife by Russell Hill.

Not Shave. Clean the rug...THANKS Rocky! Squeeze in a few chapters of Charles Williams, Touch of Death from the Hard Case Crime series. Got a back issue of Firsts Magazine in the mail! Nice article on some early noirs, such as Detour and an article on Horace McCoy. Joined CRIMESPACE!