Re: RARA-AVIS: I Was Dora Suarez
Mari Hall (found.dead.in.texas@airmail.net)
Sun, 29 Nov 1998 12:43:01 -0600
I know you guys have waited for my comments on DORA with bated
breath
and since there has not been much traffic since Thanksgiving on
this
site, thought this is the time to post.
I read the four (Dora is the last one I have, although I
understand
there was book after that) in order.
My main comment is that the first three follow a definite
pattern. They
each commence with Nameless coming on the scene, but Dora is
different
(it commences with the first section in the killer's head). I
thought
Dora was gratuious and I got the feeling that Cook/Raymond was
writing
to "sling" at somone (surely not his loyal readers). It was as
if he
were (is disrespect the word I am looking for?) not only not a
happy
camper, but not interested in his subject or subject matter.
HE DIED WITH HIS EYES OPEN (#1) published in 1984, THE DEVIL'S
HOME ON
LEAVE (#2) was published in 1985, HOW THE DEAD LIVE (#3) was
published
in 1986; DORA was not published until 1990. Was the space
intentional or
was Cook/Raymond under contract and had to publish or payback?
I'm sure
by this time in his life, his attitude was different also.
Also, my question is did Cook/Raymond want to do this story and
thought
it fit in this series?
I would have loved to have asked him questions as I always
liked this
series and re-reading them was great fun for me (at a time when
I need
some "fun" in my life)
I have to agree with our fearless leader who sayd that the
"style
Raymond has didn't grab me" that is the nail in a crux. The
style of
DORA was different from the other three.
Another thought, obviously the Nameless (PI) Detective (ala
Pronzini)
was alive and well by this time (1990). Could this have also
colored
Cook/Raymond's thinking.
Did anyone ever see that British series about the Chinese
Detective. It
was the same type of thing--a policeman/detective worked alone
because
he was Asian and his boss didn't like him for that reason.
Guess it
didn't translate into the politically correct eras.
from Mari Hall found.dead.in.texas@airmail.net
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