Never read a Wade Miller that wasn't at least decent.
Their books can be loosely divided into two groups.
On one hand we have the fairly serious-minded crime and mystery novels exemplified by the Max Thursday detective series.
The whole series is fine, but special props go to the first one, GUILTY BYSTANDER, which I think is one of the best PI novels of its era. The protagonist has his hands full with a tough case that involves him personally and the fact that he is a down-and-out alcoholic trying to stay sober. Wonderful conclusion that is often given away in a blatant spoiler by reviewers, so tread carefully if you want to read up on this book.
Generally most of their stuff for Signet and Bantam falls into this group.
And on the other hand we have a number of wilder, pulpy melodramas that are more concerned with distilled thrills and entertainment than serious-minded sleuthing. Hard Case's BRANDED WOMAN is a good example of this group, but there are a few that I like even better. Tops on my list is the headlong noir thriller DEVIL MAY CARE, their first book for Gold Medal. Next would be THE TIGER'S WIFE, which swings wonderfully from Hemingwayesque clarity to divinely purple pulp prose.
Generally, most of their stuff for Gold Medal falls into this group. I've heard from critics who find these to be lesser work, and that may well be true, but I find them to be really tasty, unputdownable reads. I probably like pulp too much for my own good, though.
John
--- On Tue, 4/14/09, tomarmstrongmusic <tom@tomarmstrongmusic.com> wrote:
From: tomarmstrongmusic <tom@tomarmstrongmusic.com>
Subject: RARA-AVIS: Wade Miller recommendations?
To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, April 14, 2009, 4:20 PM
I recently read the Wade Miller reprints done by Hard Case and Stark House and enjoyed all three of them. What are some of the highlight Wade Miller books I should read next?
Tom Armstrong
www.tomarmstrongmus ic.com
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