RARA-AVIS: Sharyn McCrumb

Frank D (bearlodge@email.msn.com)
Mon, 19 Oct 1998 20:31:15 -0700 Ted White asks what this hard-boiled bunch thinks of McCrumb. (Hi, Ted). I
can't imagine that many who are in this group read McCrumb. I have the
dubious honor of being on the Edgar committee which awarded her an Edgar for
Bimbos of the Death Sun, one of the two sf books that you mention. Murder
at an SF convention. I thought there were some pretty good people on our
committee (Nancy Pickard was the chairperson) and that they had some
critical sense. Stacked up against several other pretty good books I
couldn't believe it when it was mentioned on a short list when most of the
committee met at a Bouchercon. I voiced my opinion that it might be a lot
of fun but it was a pretty poor mystery. My jaw dropped even farther when
it was announced as the winner.

After those two books, she began her series with the titles based upon the
titles of Child Ballads. They've been pretty successful, I guess. I've not
read one. I can't imagine that they are hard-boiled. Has anyone in Rara
read any of them? I certainly wouldn't say "that she moved into novels."
What does that mean? I'm under the impression that her books are pretty
light. I'm reading Damascus Gate by Robert Stone. Now that's what I
consider a novel.

Cheers,

Frank D.

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