We've had some discussion on John D. MacDonald's books. I dug
out two Gold Medal paperbacks from my TBR pile. They're
titled CRY HARD, CRY FAST (1955) and THE DECEIVERS (1958).
Both paperbacks must be reprints because they also advertise
entries in the Travis McGee series. Both reads have strong
points and perhaps less interesting aspects that have been
noted here.
The main plot in CRY is a multi-vehicle smash-up on a small
town highway and how it impacts the lives of various victims.
The mini- story of the two bank robber-desperados on the lam
is the most plausible while, the other accident victims'
tales sound dated. Midway, several chapters detail the
smash-up as it unfolds (on the fly) for each of the vehicles.
These chapters seem to serve as filler and I found myself
skimming them. This title I read in several sittings.
THE DECEIVERS is a bit more involved. Here, an executive
holes up with his attractive next-door neighbor in a motel
for four days while his wife recuperates from surgery at a
hospital. (Remember, this was in the days before HMOs.)
Granted, it was hard to work up much sympathy for these
characters. Tell you what, though. I stayed up late to finish
this one. It's noir, I guess. One scene involving a golf club
beating is particularly hard-boiled, though.
All in all, JDM tells a rousing story with great settings and
dialogue.
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