The best novel I've read so far this year could actually qualify as a motel noir. It's Galveston by Nic Pizzolatto and it got a glowing review by Dennis Lehane in the New York Times. Pizzolatto is definitely a writer to watch. He reminded me of Denis Johnson. The novel deals with a strong-arm from New Orleans who ends up hiding in a Galveston motel after his boss sets him up to get killed. I hadn't found an author this exciting since I first read Scott Wolven and Richard Lange.
-Gonzalo.
--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, Mark Sullivan <DJ-Anonyme@...> wrote:
>
>
> The first thing that popped into my head when you mentioned motel noir was a play I once saw by George F. Walker, Criminal Genius. The entire play is set in a single motel room. And let's just say the title is entirely ironic when referring to the characters holed up there. I'm not much of a theater guy, but I found the play quite entertaining. That play is actually one of a series Walker set in that same room, though this is the only one I saw. Turns out their scripts have been compiled in the book Suburban Motel.
> Although I have not read it yet, judging from the cover, Richard Wormser's Drive East on 66 would also fit in here.
> Mark
>
> > To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
> > From: clinton65@...
> > Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2010 10:41:43 -0700
> > Subject: (To Joy) RE: RARA-AVIS: John Rector's THE COLD KISS...
> >
> > Joy, I would very, very much like to know the title of that book -- thanks!
> >
> > I recently picked up two other Motel Noir (TM) books and devoured them
> > both...DEATH'S SWEET SONG by Clifton Adams (a tough book to find!), and
> > ROADSIDE NIGHT by Nistler and Broderick. I'd love to have another one to
> > add to my growing list of Motel Noir (TM) books...
> >
> > Thanks again,
> >
> > Ron C.
> >
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com [mailto:rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com] On
> > > Behalf Of Joy
> > > Sent: Friday, September 03, 2010 10:27 AM
> > > To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
> > > Subject: Re: RARA-AVIS: John Rector's THE COLD KISS...
> > >
> > > I compared it with Sean Doolittle's Cleanup, actually. The voice, the
> > > predicament, a sorta femme fatale involved---a guy who's had some
> > > problems and is trying to do all the right things in a mundane way and
> > > then, a baby-step at a time, despite all his good intentions, the
> > > situation just unravels.
> > > I liked them both a lot.
> > > Joy
> > > PS, Ron: I recently read a book situated in a deteriorating motel in
> > > Florida with a protagonist who's a San Francisco ex-cop passing through
> > > town. It's an old book, circa 1950s; if this seems to fit your
> > > specialty, remind me, and I'll look it up.
> > >
> > >
> > > On 9/3/2010 12:35 PM, Ron Clinton wrote:
> > > > Getting ready to place an Amazon order for Dave's CARETAKER OF LORNE
> > > FIELD
> > > > (since my local Borders decided not to stock it.grumble, grumble), and
> > > > thought I'd throw in a few other books.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > One I'm considering is John Rector's THE COLD KISS. It's had
> > comparisons to
> > > > John Ridley, John Crumley, Jim Thompson (THE GETAWAY), Scott Smith (A
> > > SIMPLE
> > > > PLAN), and Ed Gorman. And since it takes place in a rundown motel --
> > and I
> > > > can never get enough Motel Noir T -- I'm thinking this is a must-have.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Has anyone here read it? Thoughts?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ------------------------------------
> > >
> > > RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
> > > Yahoo! Groups Links
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ------------------------------------
> >
> > RARA-AVIS home page: http://www.miskatonic.org/rara-avis/
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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