RE: RARA-AVIS: THE WEIRD ONES...

From: Anders Engwall (ERA) ( Anders.Engwall@era.ericsson.se)
Date: 19 Feb 2001


Tobin Fields:

> I've become interested in a particular, unnamed strand in hardboiled
> mystery where an ordinary character is drawn into a strange
> world. This
> is not sci-fi but at times reads like it. I would give
> examples like THE
> SCREAMING MIMI, (really most of Fredric Brown's mysteries,) HOUSE OF
> FLESH by Bruno Fischer, DEAD LOW TIDE by John MacDonald, and Cain's
> DOUBLE INDEMNITY.
>
> This is a particular strand of the hardboiled mystery that effects me
> like no other when it's done well, and many writers wander in this
> terrain for at least one or two books. Any suggestions along
> these lines?

YOU'LL DIE NEXT by Harry Whittington and THE CROOKED CITY by Robert Kyle are two oldie examples. Especially the Whittington is almost like a schoolbook example of what you're looking for. Also, several of Patricia Highsmith's non-Ripleys, e.g. STRANGERS ON A TRAIN, DEEP WATER and CRY OF THE OWL.

You already mentioned John D. MacDonald, and several other of his non-McGees fit in, e.g. A BULLET FOR CINDERELLA and JUDGE ME NOT.

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