> I read Ross's THE DARK TUNNEL a few weeks ago. Is
that
> considered one of
> his spy novels? The main protagonist is a college
professor,
> and he
> discovers a Nazi spy operation tapping information
out of the
> college
> military board's files.
>
> I was a bit disappointed with this book. It wasn't
really
> bad, but it was
> my introduction to Ross MacDonald and seeing as how
he is one
> of the "big
> three," I expected better.
>
> I have a hard time putting my finger on exactly what
I thought
> it was
> missing. I guess, for one thing, I didn't find the
main
> protagonist
> compelling. The characters were not bad, but the
book was
> definitely
> plot-dominated. I know I'm being vague here, but
when I
> compare this book
> to JDM's DEEP BLUE GOODBYE and DRESS HER IN INDIGO,
I find JDM
> to be smooth,
> colorful, and entertaining, whereas THE DARK TUNNEL
seems
> awkward,
> contrived, and technical. My "contrived and
technical" label
> probably comes
> from his use of the old "locked room" crime made
popular by
> Poe in his
> "Murders in the Rue Morgue" story. The solution of
this type
> of mystery
> usually proves tedious for me.
>
> I'm hoping I like the Archer books
better.
>
> miker
Miker:
I posted about my reading Ross Mac's MEET ME AT THE
MORGUE
(1953) a bit back. Howard Cross, the protag, is a probation
officer. This makes him sort of a cop but not exactly one
(like PI Lew Archer). The setting is LA and RM invokes
credible, crisp descriptions of it. I always like that, being
tugged back into a time and place . . . it adds meat to any
novel. MORGUE is also pre-Archer and I haven't read THE DARK
TUNNEL yet, but the writing IMO was striking and
competent.
Ed Lynskey
=====
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