https://strandmag.com/the-magazine/short-stories/possibilities/
This is a somewhat familiar setup-a man seems to be disposing of his wife's body and his neighbors are more than a little interested. They are at his elbow from start to finish. What makes it work so well is how great and natural the dialogue is-and it's almost all dialog. The ending is somewhat of a twist but it really hangs together on the development of the characters and that Pronizini makes them so realistic. A real master.
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Not many authors are equally good at short stories and novels, but he is. I've not read enough of his work.
Pronzini makes it all seem so easy.
I agree. I've read dozens (over 100?) of Pronzini's short stories and he is never less than good, and mostly a lot better than that. I even remember this one.
Otto Penzler's anthology GOLDEN AGE BIBLIOMYSTERIES tells you what it is in the title - mystery short stories from the '30s and '40s mostly, set in libraries and bookstores, or otherwise regarding books. A couple of really long stories, but there are one or two short ones too. I believe I'd read Lawrence G. Blochman's "Death Walks in Marble Halls" before, but really didn't remember it. This is the longest story, over 60 pages, and it is set almost entirely in the New York Public Library's main branch on 42nd Street. Not too hard to figure out the killer, but nice period setting. Vincent Starrett (like Blochman) has two stories here, including one of the most famous Holmes pastiches, "The Unique Hamlet." Speaking of atmosphere, you can't do much better than Frank Gruber's "State Fair Murder," featuring his know-it-all encyclopedia salesman, Oliver Quade. But I was particularly glad to see a Cornell Woolrich tale I hadn't read before, "The Book That Squealed," with it's librarian heroine.
Currently reading a Tod Goldberg collection.
The Pronzini story sounded good so I went to the link and read it. I did like the twist and all the characters. I need to read more of Pronzini's short stories. I have plenty here because Glen is a big fan of his unnamed detective novels.
I spent a lot of time in the 42nd st nypl. Phil was working on a book on V.F. Calverton and all of his papers were there. We would go upstairs to this room with just pencils in hand and copy what we needed. He wrote his wife (who lived with him) many letters a day and that's what I copied.
Yeah, Pronzini's writing is so easy to read. A gift.
https://www.amazon.com/Leftward-Calverton-Radicalism-Reference-Constitutions/dp/0313285683
Interesting! Looking at Calverton link now...
For whatever reason EQMM tends not to advertise Pronzini's name on their covers, as with the current issue...
Jerry's blog's "Sign in with Google" seems to be not working for me on this computer--was that your stumbling block the other day, Patti?
Yes. I can only get in occasionally.
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