RARA-AVIS: Recent finds and quick question about Willeford's THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY

From: Harry Joseph Lerner (harry.joseph.lerner@mail.mcgill.ca)
Date: 18 Oct 2010

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    Hi Everyone,

    I made a run out to a great used book shop in the very small town of Sylvan, Ontario. Among other things they are known for their extensive collection of crime and detective fiction. I managed to find the following:

    Several of Prather's Shell Scott stories including DARLING, ITS DEATH; FIND THIS WOMAN; and the short story collection THREE'S A SHROUD A 1950 Dell edition of Richard Powell's SHELL GAME A 1950 Dell edition of Margaret Millar's DO EVIL IN RETURN JDM's PLEASE WRITE FOR DETAILS Westlake's ENOUGH, and his collaboration with Brian Garfield, GANGWAY! Greenleaf's FATAL OBSESSION and FALSE CONCEPTION Crumley's THE MEXICAN TREE DUCK

    Not bad for a few minutes of poking around some dusty shelves!

    My quick question is this...I recently read Charles Willeford's THE BURNT ORANGE HERESY and was very intrigued by the story being the lead-up to the crime. That is, how the story was all about the events and motiviation that ultimately lead to the commision of the crime in question. The crime itself was, at best, tangential to the story. It was a very refreshing approach to story telling (in my admittedly limited experience.) Any suggestions for other hard-boiled or noir stories that follow a similar pattern?

    Thanks!

    Harry

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