GB wrote:
> I've never read one of their romances but I've been told they are far more sexually explicit than they used to be decades ago. It's funny how they have a double standard when it comes to violence or explicit language.
It's only funny (or a double standard) if you honestly think there's no difference between violence (harming someone against their will) and sex between consenting adults.
Personally, I don't think they should have edited the reprints (let the ignorance show for all to see), but my guess is they chose the books for their covers, anyway, and then later someone thought of gee, maybe reading them? Although, given how many books Harlequin published, James Hadley Chase seems an odd choice no matter how offensive modern readers might find him. Although he was considered pretty offensive in his day, as well.
And derivative as hell. I believe both Faulkner and Chandler sued him for plagiarism.
Harlequin printed a ton of much by much better or at least more interesting (to me, anyway) crime authors (including Wade Miller, Robert Leslie Bellem, Harry Whittington, Frank Kane, Ronald Cooke, Day Keene, Cleve Adams, David Montrose, Robert O. Saber and David Goodis). I dunno -- maybe they didn't own the rights anymore. Or the covers weren't as juicy.
Kevin Burton Smith
Editor/Founder
The Thrilling Detective Web Site
"Wasting your time on the web since 1998."
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