Wild coincidence is certainly Goodis' trademark. Dark Passage lays it on pretty thick and is far from his best novel. But if crazy coincidences irk you that much, even his best work may turn you off. Try Night Squad for a somewhat more conventional hardboiled tale. It's from his later period - which seems to be dismissed by many of his supporters, but I feel his writing improved over time ... with exception of an occasional hack job.
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http://groovetime.blogspot.com - Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye
--- On Wed, 3/4/09, Mark Sullivan <DJ-Anonyme@webtv.net> wrote:
From: Mark Sullivan <DJ-Anonyme@webtv.net>
Subject: RE: RARA-AVIS: Dark Passage (The film)
To: "rara-avis" <rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2009, 3:19 PM
Nathan, the book is just as contrived as the movie. Hell, even his book based on amnesia (Nightfall?) seems less contrived than Dark Passage. It was the first Goodis I read (before seeing the movie, which is a pretty faithful rendering). It still amazes me that I ever read another. But I'm glad I did. Most of his books contain coincidences, but I have found them far more tolerable. Street of No Return may be my favorite Goodis and it entirely depends upon the coincidence of a ex just happening to walk down the street where a homeless drunk nurses his bottle. He decides to follow her.
Mark
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