Re: RARA-AVIS: Booth, Spade, etc.

Reed Andrus (randrus@home.com)
Sun, 24 May 1998 14:39:38 -0700 > >This may have been discussed before but since I'm a newbie, I'll risk the
> >wrath of those who have spoken before. Gordon Van Gelder, editor over at St
> >Martin's, was kind enough to send over review copies of two novels by J. S.
> >Russell, an author, I gather, who has written primarily in the horror field
> >before these two novels, "Celestial Dogs" and "Burning Bright". The jackets
> >have raves comparing Russell to (as memory serves) Philip Marlowe and
> Dashiell
> >Hammett. Two-thirds of the way through the Celestial Dogs though, I'd compare
> >him to Dan Simmons or Michael Slade, a lot of horror elements with a
> >smattering of crime and mystery. Very good mix at that, so far. Anyone out
> >there given this guy a try?
> >
> I thought the first book in this series was a mess, but it might be of
> interest to horror/fantasy readers. I have the second book to review for
> MYSTERY NEWS, but if I can't be kind I may not bother sending in the
> review. Best, GWN.
>
> P.I.E.S. (Private Investigator Entertainment Service)
> Catalogs of new and used private eye fiction
> Gary Warren Niebuhr, Owner

I fall into the middle ground re CELESTIAL DOGS. Thought the first half
was pretty good, but it segued into straight horror at the end, and lost
the noir punch. However, I've ordered BURNING BRIGHT from Amazon, and if
Gary doesn't like it well enough to send in a review for MN, I might.

... Reed
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