Rudolph Fisher’s 1932 novel The Conjure Man Dies evokes both the Harlem Renaissance and Golden Age mysteries as well as embodying in important ways the more authentic voice of the streets that Dashiell Hammett had begun to make sing. Of course Fisher’s voice remains distinct from all of these: a polymath who studied to be…
Category: crime
Review: The Get Off – Christa Faust
The thriller killer trilogy ends with The Get Off. Angel Dare’s adventures began with Money Shot and continued with Choke Hold, the latter I read on a train ride in Finland and was so captivated with its breakneck pace that I immediately read it again. It’s hard to believe that Christa Faust can get even…
Ripley & Saltburn
I’m off to the EUPop conference soon — my last formal academic conference (probably, maybe–except for pop culture…) — and because I won’t get around to other things before I depart, here’s a peek at my slides for that talk on two related topics (with a bunch of other things [surrealism!] shoehorned in because that’s…
Checking Proofs: Black Alibi & Leopard Man
In an email that looked surprisingly like a phishing attempt, I got the link to my proofs for the forthcoming collection on Cornell Woolrich. I get to jazz enthusiastically about Black Alibi, Leopard Man, Val Lewton and Ardel Wray so that’s fun. There’s not a whole lot of academic work on Woolrich (and some of…
Letty Lynton (1932)
LETTY LYNTON (1932) I am on something of a Marie Belloc-Lowndes kick somewhat unexpectedly, though I didn’t write up The Lodger (1944) which I watched recently because I thought I had seen it but I hadn’t. With Merle Oberon as the vivacious Kitty, George Sanders as the sleuthing Inspector Warwick and a swivel-eyed Laird Cregar…
Out Now: All Due Respect 2021
Out Now: the 2021 collection of stories from All Due Respect, which includes my tale ‘Squid Lord’ which — wait for it — was inspired by a song from The Fall. Of course. Links when it is available for sale. What’s the story about? A fellah who’s out of work, annoyed by his wife’s worship…
Coming Soon: All Due Respect 2021
Out February 18th: the 2021 collection of stories from All Due Respect, which includes my tale ‘Squid Lord’ which — wait for it — was inspired by a song from The Fall. Of course. Links when it is available for sale. What’s the story about? A fellah who’s out of work, annoyed by his wife’s…
Highsmith @ 100: Ripley
TOM RIPLEY: MASTER CRIMINAL? I know I have forgotten to keep up with posting the assignments for my students, but if you want to read along, here’s the intro text for this week: I’m always amazed at the back cover copy of different editions of this book. I’ve got this edition with me. It refers…
Highsmith @ 100: The Course
The fall semester begins today. My courses are still all online. I have changed the Crime Fiction course to be all Highsmith, because obviously being busy already means nothing. I’m resisting overloading them with biographical information at the start, instead planning to parcel it out as they make their own discoveries, though I gave them…
The Roots of Ripley @NoirBristol
Hop on over to Bristol Noir to read my latest musings on the mind behind Tom Ripley. I am working on a thing about Patricia Highsmith, with a little Burnt Orange Heresy in there as well. I was going to give a presentation at Captivating Criminality, but I think it will go to print instead. Possibly…