RARA-AVIS: HAND and KISS

From: Mark D. Nevins (nevins_mark@yahoo.com)
Date: 07 Mar 2009

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    Back to the "best noir" thread--

    I read THE LAST GOOD KISS last year, and I thought it was absolutely fantastic. Had not really thought if it as a "noir" book, but I can re-consider that. I fully intend to read more Crumley, although I appreciate that most people think KISS was his high-point.

    I read THE RED RIGHT HAND late last year, after reading about it a few times here on RARA-AVIS. The book's style is so strange and mannered I almost put it down after about 30 pages. But I kept at it, and while the bizarre voice of the narrator ("unreliable narrator"? "un-unreliable narrator"?) never did work for me, the book in the end is strange and unique little entry into the library of crime fiction. I did not think it was "creepy" or "terrifying," but I did think it was clever and a lot of fun. However, in the final telling I'm still not sure what to make of it, and I would love to hear some thoughts and interpretations from this group.

    Mark Nevins



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