Edward P. Jones, All Aunt Hagar's Children John Lutz, The Nudger Dilemmas
Also have a James R. Benn collection, but the first story I read was so overwritten as to turn me off. Will try again after the other two.
The Lutz features his antacid-popping St. Louis PI, Alo Nudger. I like these, but then I've enjoyed all of Lutz's stories that I've read over several decades. "Ride the Lightning" has Nudger being hired by a woman whose fiance is a week away from electrocution (hence the title), but she insists she has "proof" that he's innocent. But things are rarely what they seem.
Jones is a very evocative writer and really pulls you into the world of Black Washington D.C. "Old Boys, Old Girls" was a fascinating story about this violent criminal and what happens to him during and after a long prison sentence. He's never less than interesting.
I'm in! Though still putting the index to one magazine together, as opposed to poaching and combining the work of others (and sometimes earlier me).
ReplyDeletehttps://socialistjazz.blogspot.com/2023/06/joanna-russ-1965-stories-more-or-less.html
Reading two collections now:
ReplyDeleteEdward P. Jones, All Aunt Hagar's Children
John Lutz, The Nudger Dilemmas
Also have a James R. Benn collection, but the first story I read was so overwritten as to turn me off. Will try again after the other two.
The Lutz features his antacid-popping St. Louis PI, Alo Nudger. I like these, but then I've enjoyed all of Lutz's stories that I've read over several decades. "Ride the Lightning" has Nudger being hired by a woman whose fiance is a week away from electrocution (hence the title), but she insists she has "proof" that he's innocent. But things are rarely what they seem.
Jones is a very evocative writer and really pulls you into the world of Black Washington D.C. "Old Boys, Old Girls" was a fascinating story about this violent criminal and what happens to him during and after a long prison sentence. He's never less than interesting.
From James Reasoner:
ReplyDeleteLawrence Block's three Ed London novellas are reprinted in this new volume from the Men's Adventure Library, which I review here:
https://jamesreasoner.blogspot.com/2023/06/the-naked-and-deadly-lawrence-block.html
James Reasoner
I have a collection by Edward P. Jones on my wish list. I have only read one short story by Lutz and no novels, I should read more by him.
ReplyDeleteEndorse Lutz!
ReplyDelete