RARA-AVIS: UK noir

From: Scott Owen ( scottaowen@hotmail.com)
Date: 07 Jun 2002


I would like to second the recommendation of Derek Raymond's Factory series, especially the first three titles. I found *I Was Dora Suarez* to be somewhat overwrought because of a premise too laughable even for Vaachs. I guess this makes me insensitive or something...

Another writer not commonly mentioned but worthy of attention is Patrick Hamilton. Although best known for writing plays upon which GASLIGHT and Hitchcock's ROPE were based, he also penned a few excellent, noirish novels with criminal themes. Everyone's favorite is HANGOVER SQUARE, about a guy with a sort of split personality invovled in an excruciating Of Human Bondage type affair. The catch is that his other personality is intent on killing the woman. He's also responsible for one of my favorite titles
(albiet on a non-criminous work): 20,000 STREETS UNDER THE SKY.

And for noirish atmosphere, you can't beat Thomas Burke's LIMEHOUSE NIGHTS. One of the great disappointments of my first trip to London was to discover that the old redolent Limehouse was no more. Damn urban renewal!

--Scott

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