Re: RARA-AVIS: Hiaasen Hard-Boiled?

From: a.n.smith ( ansmith@netdoor.com)
Date: 14 Nov 2001


> This is just a sidebar, I know, but I always thought of Hiassen's
> stuff as carrying on the tradition of hard-boiled screwball types
> like Jonathan Latimer, Craig Rice and Shell Scott.
>
> The humour may be a little blacker, and even more gonzo, but I
> definitely see them as an off-shoot of the hard-boiled canon.

I read yesterday that the next Hiassen book backs off of the over-the-top screwball stuff and reads more like a traditional crime novel. Still funny, but I think he knew he needed to get out of "Dave Berry" land, especially after DB wrote his own screwball thriller influenced by CH.

Personally, I never found his work that interesting. Much better for Florida writing is Willeford and John D. McDonald (and Vic Gischler's new book GUN MONKEYS). But please, please, someone put Tim Dorsey out of his misery. I can't believe this guy is the heir apparent of Florida noir. Awful stuff.

Neil Smith PWG

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