Re: RARA-AVIS: Ed Lacy

From: James Reasoner ( james53@flash.net)
Date: 09 Nov 2002


----- Original Message ----- From: < abc@wt.net> To: < rara-avis@icomm.ca> Sent: Saturday, November 09, 2002 5:26 PM Subject: RARA-AVIS: Ed Lacy

> It's hard to tell about Ed Lacy. He was one of those very
> uneven writers. He was also one of the first to use black
> protagonists in mystery fiction. Check out ROOM TO SWING,
> which won the "best novel" Edgar, or GO FOR THE BODY on
> James's little list of treasures. IN BLACK AND WHITEY isn't
> quite as good but worth reading.
>
> Bill Crider

I've read only one Ed Lacy book, a collection of two novelettes titled TWO HOT TO HANDLE. One of them is set in post-war Italy and involves the hunt for some sort of loot stolen and hidden by the Nazis (I don't recall the details). The other is set in the South Pacific and concerns a movie being shot on location there, complete with a murder or something or other. Both of these stories were better than they sound, but not great. I thought Lacy's style in them was pretty interesting, not as goofy as Bellem but still sort of oddball and breezy. Most of his other books look like they were at least supposed to be taken more seriously.

James

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