tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25584758291240136372024-03-16T21:42:47.104-07:00Little Big CrimesThe best mystery story I read this week...Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comBlogger708125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-89523503685395723672024-03-16T21:41:00.000-07:002024-03-16T21:41:54.023-07:00What is Your... by Mat Coward<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1705131105i/205312046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1705131105i/205312046.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><b>"What is Your..." by Mat Coward, in <i>Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine,</i> January/February 2024.</b><p></p><p>This is the <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2022/03/morbid-phenomena-of-most-varied-kind-by.html">eighth story</a></b> by Coward to appear in this blog.</p><p>Sometimes a writer faces the challenge of finding something new in a formula. But sometimes there is no formula and the writer is producing something <i>sui generis</i>, belonging to no category. Not for the first time, Coward has done the latter.</p><p>Our protagonist is an actor, not as young or successful as he would like to be, but with enough fame that he is occasional asked to fill out the type of questionnaires that show up in popular magazines. <i> What is your chief failing? Where are you at your happiest?</i></p><p>He is tired of filling them out and says he is always tempted to answer <i>What is your guilty pleasure?</i> with "Child molestation and fox hunting."</p><p>This story takes the form of such a questionnaire and his dry comments on each query and the answers he would <i>like</i> to give.</p><p>Is there a crime involved? Oh yes, and the nature will slowly reveal itself in this charming, witty, tale.</p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-28623926228086019702024-03-10T16:37:00.000-07:002024-03-11T07:45:42.291-07:00Who Wants to Kill Someone? by Michael Mallory<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS16uB6Y27LdqE8cJ-0U-q4D5Zto-gAgv2kOBd-qgBSDTXEJzlp4-sAVQTu5QuKtsWM8ydmRRbsnniA9eg_jprZDC8SIpYXNlsJ1yrcMjy01Wea9DkMDbEJEC34MOn4SweVnJpSMEsL_LWrXtYXijP47LC9zNmZrSnrHBYWiIawJ9mKjbRq2vijluGfvk/s570/AHM_JanFeb2024_400x570.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS16uB6Y27LdqE8cJ-0U-q4D5Zto-gAgv2kOBd-qgBSDTXEJzlp4-sAVQTu5QuKtsWM8ydmRRbsnniA9eg_jprZDC8SIpYXNlsJ1yrcMjy01Wea9DkMDbEJEC34MOn4SweVnJpSMEsL_LWrXtYXijP47LC9zNmZrSnrHBYWiIawJ9mKjbRq2vijluGfvk/w225-h320/AHM_JanFeb2024_400x570.png" width="225" /></a></b></div><b><br />"Who Wants to Kill Someone?" by Michael Mallory, in <i>Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine,</i> January/February 2024. </b><p></p><p>This is the <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2020/08/only-desperate-come-here-by-michael_9.html">sixth appearance</a></b> in this blog by my friend Michael Mallory. He is also an actor and, as is often the case, his show biz experience shows in this story. </p><p>Last year I wrote <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-best-justice-money-can-buy-by-cc.html">here</a></b> about "if this goes on" stories, the subgenre of science fiction which looks at a current trend and considers where it might be leading. In this case the trend is reality TV. </p><p>Bruce Locklear was a casting director until a disastrous mistake got him blackballed from the business. In desperation he signs up for a TV show called <i>Who Wants to Kill Someone? </i> The cast is flown to a Central American country and one member is assigned the role of murderer and is then actually expected to kill a fellow performer. Not surprisingly, the show has been a huge hit.</p><p>Not surprisingly, fiction being what it is, Bruce is given the role of murderer. And that's when things get complicated because not everyone is who they appear to be and the actual plot of the show is different than it seems - but no less dangerous. </p><p>A clever concept and a fun, suspenseful story.</p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-3285057879882048112024-03-03T01:00:00.000-08:002024-03-03T08:13:14.796-08:00Come On Eileen, by Joseph S. Walker<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/kingsriverlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/died-in-your-arms.jpg?ssl=1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="313" height="500" src="https://i0.wp.com/kingsriverlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/died-in-your-arms.jpg?ssl=1" width="313" /></a></div><b> "Come On Eileen," by Joseph S. Walker, in <i>(I Just) Died in Your Arms,</i> edited by J. Alan Hartman, White City Press, 2024.</b><p></p><p><i>Minor correction made. My apologies.</i> <br /></p><p>This week continues my embarrassing fanboy status with my friend Joseph S. Walker, since this is his <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2023/12/a-right-jolly-old-elf-by-joseph-s-walker.html ">twelfth</a></b> appearance here.<br /></p><p> Liam Walsh grew up in a neighborhood called Little Dublin, ruled over by Patrick Flynn. His father worked for Flynn, and he adored Flynn's daughter, Eileen.</p><p>Then, at a off-to-college party for Eileen, Flynn shot Liam's parents, killing his mother and crippling his father. Obviously Liam's life is changed forever. I won't reveal the many layers of what happens next. It's a terrific and suspenseful story.<br /> <br /></p><br />Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-33240005788650977822024-02-25T16:04:00.000-08:002024-02-25T16:04:00.287-08:00Mall Cop Christmas Parade, by Joslyn Chase<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRSp30ZAkWTfz6eB5TYhSAtGBN6SXmTHoq3Z2UAx-UzbGKsHzZ3GNbayB0Odz2EfU9KZ4Jwm55zkGGlCdTcHt2bqa76hQ5aKrUTw4VleuSsP95zeMOmdTt9jCT607_6p_HrxCXfm2dmZIWeSxgYXYDyvMlJZuBdW413pu5Ob7eJ3fqQpzqaMznOHbg5Y/s570/AHM_JanFeb2024_400x570.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRSp30ZAkWTfz6eB5TYhSAtGBN6SXmTHoq3Z2UAx-UzbGKsHzZ3GNbayB0Odz2EfU9KZ4Jwm55zkGGlCdTcHt2bqa76hQ5aKrUTw4VleuSsP95zeMOmdTt9jCT607_6p_HrxCXfm2dmZIWeSxgYXYDyvMlJZuBdW413pu5Ob7eJ3fqQpzqaMznOHbg5Y/s320/AHM_JanFeb2024_400x570.png" width="225" /></a></div><br /> <b>"Mall Cop Christmas Parade," by Joslyn Chase, in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, January/February 2024.</b><p></p><p>'Tis the merry season in California and Bradford Hines has a ticket to get back to his family in Maryland. But he's in a busy mall and before he can grab that plane he wants to grab a wallet out of a man's jacket. </p><p></p><p>That part's easy, but Brad is not as smooth a pickpocket as he thinks and a female security guard catches him in the act. But is she really a security guard? </p><p>This is a wonderfully convuluted story full of wrong turns, twists, and back flips. I enjoyed it a lot.<br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-20590436690535124952024-02-18T18:46:00.000-08:002024-02-18T18:46:43.352-08:00Mexican Radio, by Pete Barnstrom<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOg5l74Qj0tuh7ZGNNias3WiqKMTt9UnAAS6daw995se0Obq-s5qhEyqhtFxB9YZDtZCOX-Tt_286pHCDxrCLItNw9cbR708eTmwA-OFcRhN3EIic2TI85-fpUe5UbRztXvi06KH8DbS4NEuvje_npwmBF-C3bf4VMWiiLA_lZka5tzEmQEmCjfEHg60/s1303/Mystery%20Magazine%202024%20feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKOg5l74Qj0tuh7ZGNNias3WiqKMTt9UnAAS6daw995se0Obq-s5qhEyqhtFxB9YZDtZCOX-Tt_286pHCDxrCLItNw9cbR708eTmwA-OFcRhN3EIic2TI85-fpUe5UbRztXvi06KH8DbS4NEuvje_npwmBF-C3bf4VMWiiLA_lZka5tzEmQEmCjfEHg60/s320/Mystery%20Magazine%202024%20feb.jpg" width="246" /></a></b></div><b><br /> "Mexican Radio," by Pete Barnstrom, in <i>Mystery Magazine,</i> February 2024.</b><p></p><p>I have to start by offering my thanks to Mystery Magazine. When they told me my story would be on the cover they offered to send me an e-copy. I didnt ask for one since I already had an e-subscription, if that's a word. But after I read the issue and was ready to write this review, through the miracle of technology and no doubt my own carelessness, the magazine had e-vanished. I wrote to the publishers and in less than two hours, on a Sunday afternoon, no less, I had the copy I needed. Fast work!</p><p>Now, onto the story.</p><p>Marteens is a Los Angeles private eye in the 1950s. He has flown to Michigan to meet a possible client, a disc jockey named Herb Campuss. Herb works for (or possibly owns) one of those stations that can be heard virtually coast to coast. It broadcasts from Mexico where stations are allowed a slightly louder signal.</p><p>Herb wants Marteens to drive to El Paso and give an envelope apparently full of cash to the love of his life, who happens to be married to another man, a man who<i> also</i> may own the radio station. Is this about love? Or money? Or are there other motives involved?</p><p>Barnstrom has weaved a very tangled web and you will enjoy getting tangled in it. </p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-18896349121408216502024-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:002024-02-10T21:27:41.695-08:00Destroyer of Worlds, by dbschlosser<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://payhip.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://pe56d.s3.amazonaws.com/o_1hlnphsqj1mgi18nesl29501ufe1k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://payhip.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://pe56d.s3.amazonaws.com/o_1hlnphsqj1mgi18nesl29501ufe1k.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><b>"Destroyer of Worlds," by dbschlosser, in <i>Black Cat Weekly,</i> 127.</b><p></p><p>Tanner is a homicide cop with an enviable record of clearing cases. Unfortunately a lot of that is due to his partner. Not his official partner, but the unofficial one who has embedded herself in his life. Her name is Vishnu or, if you prefer, Death.</p><p>Yes, Death, in the form of a beautiful woman, shows up every time Tanner starts on a case. Why? She won't explain. In fact, she says if she told him too much it would mean the end. The end as in, well, notice the title of the story.</p><p>I feel like I may be making this sound comic. It isn't. The story is serious and the explanation of what's going on is more logical, less fantastical than you might expect. I enjoyed it a lot. </p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-12266605358850773372024-02-03T21:27:00.000-08:002024-02-03T21:27:44.040-08:00Better Than A Dating App, by V.S. Kemanis<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOVBDIsGmQ3z23HSI4tVXJKfgHM_VvPxT98GMQpf4sJ-DpGlm_sEmOpEwQxYBGx0vjd1KqH6gBvAFlfDbVSh-355LuGZGti0EhLDgespsAGr8eselSyqOcp4tTIHbV1_iXXFn53-UNma5XmNX1tou5RlqRgPAn5YifOIcjrfh8mqcS2iIvI2tsrvqSpI/s1303/Mystery%20Magazine%202024%20feb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1303" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzOVBDIsGmQ3z23HSI4tVXJKfgHM_VvPxT98GMQpf4sJ-DpGlm_sEmOpEwQxYBGx0vjd1KqH6gBvAFlfDbVSh-355LuGZGti0EhLDgespsAGr8eselSyqOcp4tTIHbV1_iXXFn53-UNma5XmNX1tou5RlqRgPAn5YifOIcjrfh8mqcS2iIvI2tsrvqSpI/s320/Mystery%20Magazine%202024%20feb.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br /> <b>"Better Than A Dating App," by V.S. Kemanis, in <i>Mystery Magazine,</i> February 2024.</b><p></p><p>Sum up a mystery story in one word: Suspenseful. Intriguing. Amusing. Outrageous. </p><p>In this case the word is: <i>charming.</i></p><p>Benny is a pickpocket, and probably has other nefarious habits as well. He has decided to move to New York and boards a plane, where he encounters a woman who, well, let's say they share certain interests. Could this be the start of a beautiful if criminous relationship?</p><p>It's not my job to suggest titles to authors but... As I read this story I had somehow decided that the title of this one was just plain "Dating App." I actually liked that more.</p><p>I enjoyed the gamesmanship very much.</p><p> </p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-63801549699150602072024-01-30T21:49:00.000-08:002024-01-30T21:49:54.885-08:00Best of 2023<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WhB7w5QsL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="286" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WhB7w5QsL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="206" /></a></div><br />Over at <b><a href="https://www.sleuthsayers.org/2024/01/bsf-best-stories-forever.html">SleuthSayers</a></b> today I review the best short mysteries of the year, all selected from the ones I reviewed here. <p></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-49928677797297043302024-01-28T00:30:00.000-08:002024-01-28T00:30:00.133-08:00The Best Justice Money Can Buy, by C.C. Finlay<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://image.firstory-cdn.me/Image/clqqekh4801y801s78epd2jfm/Xcm7xL0OZeutzsGKKXsPx.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://image.firstory-cdn.me/Image/clqqekh4801y801s78epd2jfm/Xcm7xL0OZeutzsGKKXsPx.jpg" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br />"The Best Justice Money Can Buy," by C.C. Finlay, in <i>The Reinvented Detective,</i> edited by Cat Rambo and Jennifer Brozek, Caezik SF and Fantasy, 2023. </b><p></p><p>Robert A. Heinlein wrote a short story called "If This Goes On---" That title sums up a subgenre of science fiction. <i>Here is a trend I see in present day society; what if it continues to its logical conclusion?</i></p><p>We already have for-profit prisons. Some people want to replace most public institutions with private ones. So, Finlay asks, what if the whole justice system was for-profit?</p><p>Crimes would not be investigated unless the victims, or someone else, pay for the police time. Criminals could shell out dough to get out of prison. (Well, today we call that hiring a good lawyer, don't we?) And so on.</p><p>Finlay doesn't lecture us. In the best tradition of the field he shows, not tells. Detective Chung is not a fan of the for-profit system but today it works in her favor, because she eye-witnessed the son of the wealthiest woman in the country committing a hit and run. And this gives her leverage, if she can figure out how to use it...</p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-60087609977867006062024-01-21T16:49:00.000-08:002024-01-21T16:49:07.517-08:00Hitman Walked Into A Romance, by Roberta Gibson<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://desertsleuths.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/WRONG-TURN-KINDLE-scaled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="535" height="320" src="https://desertsleuths.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/WRONG-TURN-KINDLE-scaled.jpg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><b>"Hitman Walked Into A Romance," by Roberta Gibson, in SoWest: Wrong Turn, DS Publishing, 2023</b>.<p></p><p>This is apparently one of those anthologies that came into being miraculously without an editor. At least none is credited.</p><p>Some stories from the criminal's point of view are 90% planning and 10% crime. This is one of the opposite type: 10% crime and 90% getaway. It's not enough to do the nefarious deed; you have to escape afterwards. See Jim Thompson's great novel <i>The Getaway,</i> for instance.</p><p>And that's Ronnie Maul's dilemma. He is, as the title promises, a professional assassin. He quickly disposes of his target, but the cops arrive before he can make his exit. His only option for a hiding place is a bookstore. And the only way he can stay in there is by claiming to be part of a book club discussing a romance novel.</p><p>Not surprisingly he is the only man in the group. Not surprisingly the other members take quite an interest in the newcomer.</p><p>I guessed where this was going but I had good time getting there. Surely the most charming hitman story I have read in quite a while.</p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-70857015247650133722024-01-14T11:40:00.000-08:002024-01-14T11:41:30.196-08:00Permanent Lent, by Peter Spiegelman<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://i0.wp.com/downandoutbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cover-fusilli-brutal-strange-300x464px.jpg?w=300&ssl=1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="464" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://i0.wp.com/downandoutbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cover-fusilli-brutal-strange-300x464px.jpg?w=300&ssl=1" width="207" /></a></b></div><b><br /> "Permanent Lent," by Peter Spiegelman, in <i>Brutal and Strange: Stories Inspired by the Songs of Elvis Costello,</i> edited by Jim Fusilli, Down and Out Books, 2023.</b><p></p><p>The narrator is the driver and mechanic for a wealthy couple he refers to sardonically as His Lordship and Her Ladyship. The (new trophy) wife is a particular pain in the posterior. The teenage kids hate her, with good reason. The narrator hates her with even more reason.</p><p>His efforts to help the daughter only make things worse. Can he save the situation? </p><p>A lot of unexpected twists in this one.<br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-42647289558141172892024-01-07T21:38:00.000-08:002024-01-07T21:38:06.736-08:00Freezer Burn by April Kelly<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1703887727i/204520412.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="384" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1703887727i/204520412.jpg" width="246" /></a></div><br /> <b>"Freezer Burn," by April Kelly, in Mystery Magazine, January 2024.</b><p></p><p><b>Th</b>is is the <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2020/07/setting-pick-by-april-kelly.html">second appearance</a></b> in my reviews by April Kelly.</p><p>Kelly writes funny. In this case she writes funny about that familiar topic, the incompetent criminal. Two of them, in fact: Lyle and Pooter Floyd. These brothers are desperate for money.</p><p><i>Now you may be asking yourself why they didn’t just get jobs, but that would be a dead giveaway you aren’t from around here. Floyds didn’t get jobs; they got married. Once upon a time, their father snagged himself a homely teacher rapidly moving past her sell-by date, walked her down the aisle, and for the next twenty-five years really tested the “for poorer” part of her vows...</i></p><p>Lacking the charm to convince an employable woman to join the family, the brothers have decided to make a living robbing storage units.</p><p>"Lyle and Pooter scored enough from their bi-weekly foraging to keep beer in the fridge and porn on the cable," but their ambitions are soon raised to a higher level.</p><p>Ah, hubris will come for us all. A very funny story.</p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-90099899298160174652024-01-01T10:21:00.000-08:002024-01-01T10:21:38.084-08:00God's Way of Hiding in the Shadows, by Thomas Trang<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1740785329173323776/WmBAJ5KV?format=jpg&name=small" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="278" height="445" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/card_img/1740785329173323776/WmBAJ5KV?format=jpg&name=small" width="278" /></a></b></div><b><br />"God's Way of Hiding in the Shadows," by Thomas Trang, in <i>The One Percent: Tales of the Super Wealthy and Depraved</i>, edited by Roger Nokes, Rock and a Hard Place Press, 2023.</b><p></p><p>One of the contributing authors send me a free e-copy of this book.</p><p>Bannerman is a hit man but his assignment this time is different: figure out which of several men is the biological father of his client, Luisa Rovayo, a rising superstar in the media business. Sounds pretty simple but as soon as he establishes the DNA connection for Daddy "the security guards tried to kill him with a wire garrotte."</p><p>Turns out Rovayo doesn't want anyone knowing about her paternity and she's willing to kill a lot of people to kill her secret. </p><p>A nice action tale that made my best-of-the-week list because of its clever ending.<br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-5408055151668219852023-12-24T01:00:00.000-08:002023-12-24T08:04:22.301-08:00A Right Jolly Old Elf, by Joseph S. Walker<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://payhip.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://pe56d.s3.amazonaws.com/o_1hhrs5abvuknf2c1g686gap01a.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://payhip.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=auto/https://pe56d.s3.amazonaws.com/o_1hhrs5abvuknf2c1g686gap01a.jpg" width="240" /></a></b></div><b><br />"A Right Jolly Old Elf," by Joseph S. Walker, <i>Black Cat Weekly</i>, #120, 2023.</b><p></p><p>This is the <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2023/08/making-bad-guys-nervous-by-joseph-s.html">eleventh story</a></b> by my friend to grace this column, making Walker the undisputed champion, for the moment. </p><p>I am a sucker for comic caper stories. I don't remember the last time I laughed out loud so many times at a story as I did at this one, from its sly first sentence to its calamitous end.</p><p>Marty is a no-talent who manages to marry into an influential family. Sounds good, right? Alas, the family happens to be the Irish mob. They get tired of him being useless and decide he has to become part of a robbery. He will attend an office party dressed as Santa while his two brothers-in-law, dressed as elves, slip off to rob another office. What could possibly go wrong?</p><p><i>Colm punched Marty
hard in the arm. “Stop saying ho ho ho,” he said. “You sound
like somebody beat you over the head with the North Pole.”</i></p><p>And then there's the cops. And the strippers. Ho ho ho.</p><p> </p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-47313176478895871382023-12-17T09:30:00.000-08:002023-12-17T09:32:46.496-08:00Eleanor Rigby, by John Copenhaver<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESspOqujwQS8CivyEuCnFS5w1uwRNKN2G2Y7SHQA5sPcYV8X1L6rlrWauOIqyMAcycm933BoCMhD6lV6o66NUFjxLFG4foE5XT12X_7kt6JujYVgAPcQ8D6hxkm8WWpIDwYDn7cCPP7BaTG6Kq9H6KWLe9DvNl3E2BJAR235aKQXIoQTfoo5zeo9lTOk/s800/Happiness.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESspOqujwQS8CivyEuCnFS5w1uwRNKN2G2Y7SHQA5sPcYV8X1L6rlrWauOIqyMAcycm933BoCMhD6lV6o66NUFjxLFG4foE5XT12X_7kt6JujYVgAPcQ8D6hxkm8WWpIDwYDn7cCPP7BaTG6Kq9H6KWLe9DvNl3E2BJAR235aKQXIoQTfoo5zeo9lTOk/w259-h400/Happiness.jpg" width="259" /></a></b></div><b><br />"Eleanor Rigby," by John Copenhaver, in <i>Happiness is A Warm Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Beatles,</i> edited by Josh Pachter, Down and Out Books, 2023.</b><p></p><p></p><p>I have a story in this book.</p><p>One of the interesting things about themed anthologies is how different authors choose wildly different approaches. If the theme is a song, do you riff on the plot (like <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2023/12/ill-be-back-by-christine-poulson.html">last week's story</a></b>) or take a completely different approach?</p><p>Jimmy is married to Clark, a successful writer. The relationship works pretty well but Jimmy feels Clark has secrets, things he can't really know. "It's like staring at a bright-flecked pet goldfish. You admire it, feed it, clean its bowl, but you can't quite reach it. After all, you breathe air, while it breathes water. That's what you sign up for when you marry a writer."</p><p>I hope my wife doesn't think of me as a goldfish, but that's neither here nor there.<br /></p><p>One day Jimmy sees Baxter, a former friend of Clark's, leaving their apartment building. And he learns about a secret those two share, not an infidelity, but something much worse. </p><p>How does that relate to the song "Eleanor Rigby?" Ah, that's the cleverest part of the story.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-9179504676103225052023-12-11T16:28:00.000-08:002023-12-11T16:28:00.198-08:00I'll Be Back, by Christine Poulson<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESspOqujwQS8CivyEuCnFS5w1uwRNKN2G2Y7SHQA5sPcYV8X1L6rlrWauOIqyMAcycm933BoCMhD6lV6o66NUFjxLFG4foE5XT12X_7kt6JujYVgAPcQ8D6hxkm8WWpIDwYDn7cCPP7BaTG6Kq9H6KWLe9DvNl3E2BJAR235aKQXIoQTfoo5zeo9lTOk/s1001/Happiness.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="648" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjESspOqujwQS8CivyEuCnFS5w1uwRNKN2G2Y7SHQA5sPcYV8X1L6rlrWauOIqyMAcycm933BoCMhD6lV6o66NUFjxLFG4foE5XT12X_7kt6JujYVgAPcQ8D6hxkm8WWpIDwYDn7cCPP7BaTG6Kq9H6KWLe9DvNl3E2BJAR235aKQXIoQTfoo5zeo9lTOk/s320/Happiness.jpg" width="207" /></a></b></div><b><br />"I'll Be Back," by Christine Poulson, in <i>Happiness is A Warm Gun: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of the Beatles,</i> edited by Josh Pachter, Down and Out Books, 2023.</b><p></p><p>I have a story in this book.</p><p>A few weeks ago I <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2023/10/white-hills-by-rebecca-roanhorse.html">wrote here </a></b>that I prefer my horror human. I will let you decide whether this story is horror, and if so whether my preference apples.</p><p>Lindsay and Julian plan a vacation in the hopes of enlivening their marriage. Unfortunately their preferred destination falls through so they are offered a larger and more expensive house to stay in. Turns out there is a reason the house is not so popular: several murders took place there.</p><p>As soon as Lindsay approaches the place she gets a bad feeling, like something doesn't want her to go in... I should mention that Lindsay had a bad accident years ago that leaves her with headaches. Is there a connection between her illness and the unwelcoming sensation?</p><p>A nicely suspenseful and spooky tale with layers of complication I haven't even mentioned.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-75532374869020661802023-12-03T01:00:00.000-08:002023-12-03T01:00:00.429-08:00Chrysanthemums, by Asaf Schurr<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.akashicbooks.com/uploads/WestJerusalemNoir-1-191x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="191" height="300" src="https://www.akashicbooks.com/uploads/WestJerusalemNoir-1-191x300.jpg" width="191" /></a></b></div><b><br />"Chrysanthemums," by Asaf Schurr, in <i>West Jerusalem Noir,</i> edited by Maayan Eitan, Akashic Press, 2023.</b><p></p><p>The publisher sent me a free copy of this book.</p><p>One night Nahum is awakened by a banging at the door. His grown daughter Michal has arrived.</p><p>"I killed him. I killed him. I think I killed him."</p><p>It was a traffic accident, a hit-and-run. Nahum is determined to protect her from the police, whatever it takes. He has the obvious paternal reasons, but there is also an incident in his past that adds to his sense of responsibility.</p><p>A nice, suspenseful story. <br /></p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-17325210265663019132023-11-26T01:00:00.000-08:002023-11-26T08:24:59.187-08:00Kit's Pad, by David Krugler<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.elleryqueenmysterymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EQM_NovDec2023_400x570.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://www.elleryqueenmysterymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EQM_NovDec2023_400x570.png" width="225" /></a></div><br />"Kit's Pad," by David Krugler, in <i>Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine,</i> November/December 2023.</b><p></p><p> Kit's life went to hell two years ago and he has been homeless in Chicago ever since. One freezing day he figures out a way to break into a mansion which is empty and for sale. The perfect place to get a warm night's sleep!</p><p>It turns out to not be so easy. Every night someone new shows up, searching for a hard drive the absentee owner possibly hid in the building.</p><p>What's on the drive? Who are all the people who want it? And, most important, where the heck is it?</p><p>A fun story.</p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-24836681022596114662023-11-19T01:00:00.000-08:002023-11-25T21:47:23.819-08:00Spear Carriers, by Richard Helms<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://www.elleryqueenmysterymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EQM_NovDec2023_400x570.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://www.elleryqueenmysterymagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/EQM_NovDec2023_400x570.png" width="225" /></a></b></div><b><br /> "Spear Carriers," by Richard Helms, in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, November/December 2023.</b><p></p><p>As far as I can tell, this is only the <b>second time</b> an author has appeared in my best-of column twice in the same month. Even more impressive (to me, at any rate), this is Helms' <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2023/11/west-of-ashley-by-richard-helms.html">tenth story</a></b> to make it here, which puts him in a tie for first place with Mark Thielman, Joseph S. Walker, and Terence Faherty. </p><p>Dave and Sam have bit parts in a Broadway play, as policemen. They only show up at the very end which leaves them with a lot of time on their hands. One night Dave goes out for a bite and the clerk gives him his food for free. "Thank you for your service."</p><p>This happens because Dave is wearing his costume - which is to say, something that looks very much like a police uniform.</p><p>Hmm...</p><p>Dave reports this to Sam who is the imaginative type. I'll bet you can think of some of the plans he comes up with. And being brighter than Sam you can probably foresee some of the things that could go wrong.</p><p>But not all of the ones Helms dreams up. </p><p>Clever plot and very funny writing. </p><p><i>"If we're caught, we'll be fired!" I yelled.</i></p><p><i>"We're actors!" Sam yelled back. "Getting fired is part of the deal!"</i></p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-66443611510225264332023-11-12T21:30:00.000-08:002023-11-12T21:30:01.796-08:00Prisoner of Love, by James W. Ziskin<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9781643963105_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="385" height="320" src="https://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/9781643963105_p0_v1_s600x595.jpg" width="207" /></a></b></div><b><br /> "Prisoner of Love," by James W. Ziskin, in <i>Get Up Offa That Thing: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of James Brown,</i> edited by Gary Phillips, Down and Out Books, 2023.</b><p></p><p>This is the <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2018/12/pan-paniscus-by-james-w-ziskin.html">second story</a></b> by Ziskin I have reviewed here. </p><p>Dialog is character. If fiction is told in first person, narrative is also character. </p><p><i>Though I cannot claim to be a handsome man, I, Nelson Blanchard am -- as it happens -- a rich one. Quite rich, in fact. And that state of affairs has long compensated for my lack of physical allure.</i></p><p>I think that piece tells you a lot more about Nelson than just his financial state and appearance. His personality rings through, doesn't it?</p><p>Nelson has been summoned to a hotel where a wife-swapping event has been going on. While annoyed that he was left out (does his personality have something to do with it?) he is being asked to solve the murder by strangulation of one of the participants. </p><p>Why him and not the police? Well, he is a doctor. And if they can solve the case before the cops arrive things will be a lot less messy.</p><p>And so Nelson interrogates the suspects, and falls in love and/or lust with at least one of them. A funny and clever story. </p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-14781466546760395582023-11-05T19:15:00.002-08:002023-11-05T19:15:59.975-08:00West of the Ashley, by Richard Helms<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lPq-cSdkL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71lPq-cSdkL._AC_UF1000,1000_QL80_.jpg" width="207" /></a><b></b></div><b><br />"West of the Ashley," by Richard Helms, in <i>Prohibition Peepers: Private Eyes During the Noble Experiment,</i> edited by Michael Bracken, Down and Out Books 2023.</b><p></p><p>This is the <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2021/08/sweeps-week-by-richard-helms.html">ninth appearance</a></b> in my column by Richard Helms. A perusal of those tales shows that he is one of my favorite current authors of private eye stories. One reason for that is that he finds unusual things for his P.I.s to do.</p><p>Take, for instance, Cletus Nobile, a World War I veteran, now doing the gumshoe gig in Charleston. His current assignment? Figure out who is selling unauthorized booze in the segregated section of town. "You can sell all you want west of the Ashley River. Nobody cares what you do out there. Try to sell your hooch south of the Citadel and between the rivers, you'll dance with the devil, and he always leads."</p><p>Good writing, good plot.<br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-70966046421827096402023-10-29T00:30:00.045-07:002023-10-29T00:30:00.146-07:00Scariest. Story. Ever, by Richard Van Camp<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WhB7w5QsL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="286" height="400" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WhB7w5QsL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="257" /></a></div><br /> <b>"Scariest. Story. Ever," by Richard Van Camp, in <i>Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology,</i> edited by Shane Hawk, and Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr., Random House, 2023.</b><p></p><p>The first four paragraphs of <b><a href="https://lbcrimes.blogspot.com/2023/10/white-hills-by-rebecca-roanhorse.html">what I wrote last week</a></b> apply again to this one.</p><p>So: What's a mystery? Most of the world goes by Otto Penzler's definition: A mystery is a story in which crime or the threat of crime is a major element. It's useful, although a little broad. (It includes <i>Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, </i>and<i> The Brothers Karamazov,</i> for example.) <br /></p><p>When I first read Van Camp's piece I thought: <i>This is a really fine tale. Too bad it isn't a crime story, because if it was, it would be my choice for the week.</i></p><p>But then I thought about it some more (and this is definitely a story you are likely to think about) and concluded, heck yes, it <i>is</i> a crime story. Just not one that fits into any of the familiar subgenres. So here we are.</p><p>The narrator has just made it to the finals of the Scariest. Story. Ever contest using a story he learned from a village elder. Tomorrow he will be flown to Yellowknife for the finals. But he needs to find an even better story to tell, so he goes to another elder, his Uncle Mike. and tries to convince him to tell him a properly horrifying tale.</p><p>And Mike obliges. Sort of. </p><p>How does crime get involved? And why is there so much to think about? You'll probably want to read the story twice to sort it all out. It's worth it.</p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-71471462984422472312023-10-22T00:30:00.087-07:002023-10-22T00:30:00.134-07:00White Hills, by Rebecca Roanhorse<p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WhB7w5QsL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="286" height="400" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51WhB7w5QsL._SY445_SX342_.jpg" width="257" /></a></b></div><b><br />"White Hills," by Rebecca Roanhorse, in <i>Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology,</i> edited by Shane Hawk, and Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr., Random House, 2023.</b><p></p><p>Bear with me. I have a lot to say before I get to the story today.</p><p>Let's start with the subtitle of the book. Since reading Adam Smyer's <b><a href="https://www.sleuthsayers.org/2020/11/you-cant-say-that.html">book</a></b> I have tried to avoid using the word "dark" except to mean a level of light or color. Not my place to tell people of color what words to use, but it was the first thing I noticed.</p><p>Second, I figured "dark fiction" probably meant crime here, but in this book it generally means horror. Horror is not my thing and writing about it is not my mandate here. But I have been working my way through the book, looking for relevant material that rang my chimes.</p><p>Third, I did not technically read this book at all. I have an audiobook version so, for the first time in my memory, I am reviewing stories I listened to. That just means I am less likely to quote passages.</p><p>Now, onto the story, which is terrific. Here is how it starts:</p><p><i>White Hills is everything Marissa ever wanted, right down to the welcome sign by the community mail drop reminding everyone of the HOA rules. Some people don't like HOAs, but Marissa loves them. </i></p><p>Let's hear some more about our protagonist.</p><p><i>Marissa has many accomplishments. Her body, for one. Tucked and toned and filled to perfection by the best professional surgeons, trainers, and estheticians Houston has to offer. </i></p><p>So Marissa is perhaps a bit shallow and self-satisfied with her wealthy new husband. As the story goes on we watch her rattling off current cliches and mantras with her life. But does she really fit in in White Hills?</p><p>One night she springs two surprises on her husband. The one she is excited about: she's pregnant. The one she didn't give a thought to before mentioning: she's part Native American. And suddenly things change.</p><p>You may assume that this is a story about a husband turning violent. It's not. It isn't supernatural either. If there is horror here it is strictly human, and that's the way I like it.</p><p> </p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-14319195616225648782023-10-15T19:11:00.000-07:002023-10-15T19:11:06.699-07:00Shamu, World's Greatest Detective, by Richie Narvaez<p><b> </b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71xfGH0wZQL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71xfGH0wZQL._SL1500_.jpg" width="207" /></a></b></div><b><br />"Shamu, World's Greatest Detective," by Richie Narvaez, in <i>Killin' Time in San Diego,</i> edited by Holly West, Down and Out Books, 2023.</b> <p></p><p>Well, you can't argue about truth in advertising. The title tells you exactly what this story is about. Shamu is an orca at SeaWorld (the eighteenth to bear that name) and thanks to new technology she is able to communicate with people. Turns out she is, as the title says, a brilliant detective. The story is narrated by her assistant, Angie Gomez.<br /></p><p>A billionaire who owns a baseball team wants to hire Shamu to find a missing ballplayer. Shamu turns him down because, she says, his moustache "reminded me of a sea lion with whom I once shared billing. An unapologetic ham." But when the ballplayer is murdered and his sister comes looking for help, Shamu takes on the case.</p><p>One of the pleasures of this story is Shamu's dialog. Here she is talking to her police nemesis: "I can solve the case in time for you to get home and rest your minuscule human brain." </p><p>I can't help wondering whether this story was an entry for the Black Orchid Novella Award. It has several winks to Rex Stout fans. (Shamu's use of the word "flummery, for example.) And it cleverly forces the protagonist to be an "armchair" detective. Shamu ain't going to the scene of the crime.</p><p>Clever and fun.<br /></p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2558475829124013637.post-12262858152676915232023-10-08T00:30:00.003-07:002023-10-08T00:30:00.153-07:00Dead Even, by J.R. Sanders<p> <b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71xfGH0wZQL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="518" height="320" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71xfGH0wZQL._SL1500_.jpg" width="207" /></a></b></div><b><br />"Dead Even," by J.R. Sanders, in <i>Killin' Time in San Diego,</i> edited by Holly West, Down and Out Books, 2023.</b><p></p><p>A nice private eye story. I can't quite figure out when it takes place, except that Hollywood is swarming with B-movie cowboys. One of them is a friend of our narrator, P.I. Nate Ross, and that friend has a friend and business partner named (all right, nicknamed) Pooter. Pooter has two things of great interest: a ton of money and a girlfriend named Cassie Plumm.</p><p>Nate, "being both by profession and disposition [a] suspicious guy" thought she might be more interested in Pooter's bankroll than his charming personality. Then Cassie comes to him for his professional help. A former boyfriend is threatening her and she wants Nate to eliminate him. Nate doesn't specialize in the kind of elimination she is hoping for but he is willing to look into the matter.</p><p>I won't go into detail about what happens but it hits a lot of the classic hardboiled dick motifs. And it's a fun read.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Robert Loprestihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.com0