I finally got around to reading some Hansen. I just finished
FADEOUT, the first Dave Brandstetter book. Thanks to whoever
set up this reading list for turning me on to Hansen. I found
Dave a likable character, and Hansen is a very perceptive
writer and his descriptions, even 36 years later, seemed very
fresh and original. It was sort of a thriller that turned
into a mystery half way through. It's understandable that the
key themes, largely centered around gays staying in or coming
of the closet, were dated, but probably cutting edge for the
times. I wasn't sure why Hansen is considered on topic for
this list, however. Brandstetter is very sensitive and polite
and soft spoken, probably less hardboiled than most cozy
protagonists, although he lacks a cat. And his point of view
is actually very direct and socially positive. Not noirish at
all. Everything is set straight, no pun intended, at the end.
There wasn't much noirish irony at all, I found. In fact,
it's really just a traditional mystery in a setting steeped
in gay themes. My theory is that, in the late Sixties, when
FADEOUT was released, anything dealing with homosexuality was
considered sort of dark and noirish, hence the reputation
that this was a "noir" or "hardboiled" series. Brandstetter
is actually billed on the back cover of TROUBLEMAKER, the
third novel, as the "hardboiled gay" detective. Anyone else
have comments on FADEOUT?
Bruce
Greg Harness wrote about Dave Brandstetter:
> : He is a brooding character, who keeps digging for
the truth long after
> : everyone wishes he would stop. In that way, he
reminds me somewhat of
> : Lew Archer, both in his insistence and tenacity,
and in the darkness and
> : despair he finds in the lives of the people he
meets in the course of
> : his investigations.
> : ---
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