Greetings, everyone. I've been an anonymous lurker for a
couple of
weeks to get the lay of the land, and I thought it was time
to
introduce myself.
My name is Jim Doherty. I'm a federal cop in one of the more
obscure
government law enforcement agencies in Chicago. Also a
newly
published mystery writer (my first short story, "Unmatched
Set,"
appears in the April 1998 issue of *Mystery Buff Magazine*;
don't
worry, I won't post any fiction on the list). I've also
writen
articles and reviews for fanzines and convention books,
particularly
*Mystery Readers Journal.
My favorite PI charcter is the Continental Op.
My favorite American tough-cop series is the 87th
Precinct.
My favorite non-American tough-cop series is the
inter-related mosaic
of novels about the Lessford Metropolitan Police (Lessford
being a
fictionalized Leeds and the surrounding county area being
a
fictionalized West Riding of Yorkshire) by retired British
cop John
Wainwright, who would be a good non-American HB writer to
try on the
list.
I'll list other favorites as subjects come up for discussion
that make
them relevant.
RE: the difference between noir and hard-boiled. They're not
exactly
the same thing, but neither are they mutually exclusive.
Hard-boiled
is about attitude. Noir is about style and atmosphere. Two
films
might illustrate what I mean. 1945's *Murder, My Sweet*
practically
*defines* film noir, with its atmospheric use of shadows,
angles, etc.
By contract, 1969's *Marlowe*, set in a bright, colorfully
lit LA, is
not noir. Both films, featuring the same main charcter, PI
Phil
Marlowe, are hard-boiled.
Pleased to meet y'all. Looking forward to interesting
discussions. --
Jim Doherty
--UNS_gsauns2_2922164717--
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