Re: RARA-AVIS: Re: half-time job for mystery novelist

From: Joy Matkowski (jmatkowski1@comcast.net)
Date: 16 Nov 2008

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    I found PILLOW OF THE COMMUNITY somewhere a while back and loved it. IIRC, the setting is Newark and it's a humane hardboiled. I regret he didn't live long enough to write more, but at least I have more titles to look for. Joy

    Mark D. Nevins wrote:
    > To the point of this thread: Rodino also co-wrote a series of novels about
    > a black PI in Newark named Ezell "Easy" Barnes: SNAKE IN THE GRASSES,
    > PILLOW OF THE COMMUNITY, PIECES OF CREAM, and BEHIND THE FACT: the first
    > was published in '87, the final one in '89, and I believe at least one was
    > nominated for a Shamus. (I am now wondering: does "Easy" Barnes predate
    > "Easy" Rawlin? Hmmmmm.) Anyway, Rodino wrote these books with his
    > college roommate, whose name was Hilary Connors, I believe--I never met
    > him. Connors had gone on from college into a career in law enforcement.
    > The pseudonym they chose was "Richard Hilary," i.e., their first names.
    > (Yes, they did use a pseudonym--not sure why, but pretty sure it was not
    > out of embarrassment.)
    >
    > Rodino was a huge influence on my life. He had done his Ph.D. at Harvard,
    > and I know he was instrumental in my being accepted there to do my Ph.D.
    > Tragically, he died suddenly of a hereditary heart condition in 1989--and
    > he has been greatly missed.



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