<<The Peter Walker who was doing the crossword puzzle?
The archives
show he was around last month, and at the start of the year.
However,
he seems to have signed off.>>
Yes, now I remember... He drove me nuts with the reference to
Carroll
John Daly's "royal character" or some such. The name Peter
Walker is not
so uncommon, so he may not be the writer in question. By the
way, where
is Bob Eversz (whose _Shooting Elvis_ was recently
mentioned)?
To add to Mark's shopping list, I would recommend the Duffy
novels of
Dan Kavanagh, a pen-name of Julian Barnes. They should be
easily
available. Very funny hardboiled PI stuff. Also, if there are
reissues
of the old mystery novels by Margo Bennett, I suggest
snapping them up.
There are also several series of hardboiled reissues that
aren't sold
"officially" in the United States. One is Simon &
Schuster's "Blue
Murder" series, with reissues by Brackett, Gil Brewer,
Charles Williams,
and other good writers from the forties and fifties. Another
is the
wonderful No Exit Press catalog, with many classics
(including books by
Paul Cain, William Campbell Gault, Arthur Lyons, Raoul
Whitfield,
Lawrence Block, and many many more). There is also a fine
Allison &
Busby series of reprints. It's often easier to find classic
American
hardboiled titles in England than it is in the US.
To end with a question, I have heard much talk of Val
McDermid and I'm
tempted to try out one of her novels. Which one would
raravians
recommend?
Regards, and (to Mark) have a wonderful trip!
MT
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