RARA-AVIS: Death of the PI Novel

From: Bludis Jack ( buildsnburns@yahoo.com)
Date: 20 Feb 2006


I think the thing about the PI, is that most of us grew up loving them and their world, hardboiled though it was.

I think Rick Helms has hit on something. The PI has to update. The difficulty is that 95 percent of modern PI work has to do with checking the internet, credit reports, spending habits and travel patterns without doing the leg work.

Not much fun reading about a guy sitting at a computer. Less fun writing about a guy (or gal) sitting at a computer. The new PI will have to address the realities while maintainign the hands on chop to chop and brain to brain battle of the hero with the villain.

I just started to read Rick's new book "Cordite Wine." He certainly puts his books where his mouth is. In the first chapter or so, we learn that a guy is being blackmailed. Instead of a lonely country road for a drop spot, the blackmailer wants to be paid by Paypal.

I saw somebody's search for the new post-modern pulp right here, using modern comic book type heros and antiheros a la "Pulp Fiction."

Usually when the announcement is made that somelthing is dead, it merely means its ready for a resurection of some kind.

The announcement, sometimes in the 70s I think, that "God is Dead" on the cover of Time Magazine, merely announced the resurgence of church going.

The death of Russia as a rival, brought on another and in some ways more sinister rival for the Western Democracies.

This has been a great thread. I am only sorry that I have not had the time to bring more to it.

Jack Bludis

http://www.jackbludis.com Shamus nominee for "Shadow of the Dahlia" Amazon.com / BN.com / MysteryLovesCompany.com

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