Fall and the onset of cooler temps usually brings out
the desire to curl up with a good book. I recently took stock of my bookshelves
and discovered more unread volumes than I realized I had. This wasn’t totally
from impulse buying on my part, although that’s been a problem in the past. My late
parents were avid readers and I fell heir to an extensive collection. I’m well
stocked with everything from Erle Stanley Gardner to Robert B. Parker, along
with classics by Hemingway, Steinbeck and Twain. There are a few Ian Flemings and
Mickey Spillanes in there, too. Who needs the public library when I have all of
these within arm’s reach? This was a good excuse for me to start reading again.
One of the volumes I chose is an omnibus containing classic
thrillers and crime stories. I’m starting with “The Moving Target” by Ross
McDonald. This award-winner from 1948 introduced his private eye character Lew
Archer, who was the protagonist in a long-running series. The book was made
into the Paul Newman film “Harper.” I wanted to see how many differences there
were between the book and screen versions, besides changing the main character’s
name for some unknown reason. So far, I haven’t been disappointed.
I don’t usually get into true crime books, but I made an exception when I bought “Death as a Living,” a first effort by Doyle Burke. Burke is a retired homicide detective with the Dayton (Ohio) Police Department who dished the dirt on some of his cases. He launched his book at a local indie store that also hosts me on occasion, so I dropped in to meet him and get a signed copy. In reading some of his reminiscences, I got an eerie feeling of nostalgia when I thought “Hey, I remember that murder!” I think I’ve been writing crime thrillers for too long.
I’m nearly done reading a neat cozy-type mystery
called “Nine Tenths of the Law,” by my friend Claudia Hagadus Long. My
connection with Claudia is that she’s my long-time editor and favorite
collaborator. Her story is an intriguing tale of a family’s discovery of a
religious artifact that was thought to have been lost or stolen during the
Holocaust, and their efforts to get it back.
I’m continuing my quest to catch up with books by
Nelson DeMille. I enjoy his style of storytelling, and next on my list is his
thriller “The Gate House.” DeMille’s work poses an interesting dilemma, because
when there’s been a movie adaptation, his books haven’t been translated well. I
remember the film “The General’s Daughter”--loved the book, didn’t like the
movie. Part of it may have been because John Travolta was miscast as an Army
investigator from the deep south, with a drawl that was more Bronx than Bayou.
Carl Hiaasen is another fave, and I discovered some of
his books that I hadn’t read. I’m changing that, starting with “Nature Girl.” Hiaasen
is kind of an acquired taste, because you can’t always tell if he’s trying to
be serious or flip. One of his contemporaries in the Florida lighthearted crime
fiction scene, the late Tim Dorsey, makes it clear that he’s pulling your leg. I’m
currently reading his book “Hurricane Punch.” I once had the pleasure of sharing
the stage with Dorsey at an author gathering in Key Largo, and he was just as
funny in person as he is in print.
Robert B. Parker and his Spenser private eye mysteries
are what I call comfort reading, and I have a number of those to choose from. The
one I’m currently reading is “Cold Service.” I recently read his completion of
Raymond Chandler’s unfinished final novel, “Poodle Springs,” featuring Phillip
Marlowe. Chandler’s estate chose Parker to complete it in Chandler’s style, then
allowed him to write another Marlowe mystery, “Perchance to Dream.” That was a
good read, too.
An old paperback I found at a yard sale has already provided some surprising
literary insights. “The Godfather Papers and Other Confessions” by Mario Puzo is
a collection of essays and stories he wrote for magazines in the ‘60s. Puzo
devoted one chapter in this collection to his most popular novel and the epic
film adaptation. I was surprised to learn that despite “The Godfather” being his
most successful book, it wasn’t his favorite, and he didn’t understand what all
the fuss was about. He revealed that he only wrote it because his previous books,
while critically acclaimed, hadn’t been commercially successful, and he was
deeply in debt. His agent suggested that since Mafia stories sold well, perhaps
he should write one of those.
I think the books currently occupying my reading table
will keep me busy for the next few months. If not, I can check out something
else from my home library.
What’s in your TBR pile?
Tim Smith is an award-winning bestselling author of
romantic mystery/thrillers and contemporary romance. His author page is Tim Smith-AllAuthor
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