Se7en

.SERIAL


There are 3 superb serial killer novels.
Jan Burke....................Bones
Donato Carrisi
                          ..........The Whisperer


And the serial killer novel that is the bar, the level on which all are now balanced.
The Anniversary Man by RJ. Ellory.


RJ has done it again, with his new novel
'Bad Timing'
A stunning work that evokes an era with startling accuracy, and for a novel with so much darkness, it has moments of deep heart wrenching compassion.
This is the big novel of the year, the epic and pure entertainment to boot.
And on entertainment and fine writing
Bill Crider is me book of choice as I start German Tour tomorrow, Bill and Len Wanner.
Call it double indemnity.

Briste

Ghosts must
do
again
What gives them 
pain
(Auden)
For me, tis
Grab the grief, and make the sucker sing.
Darkly or laden, long is it's out there and earning it's cost.

Banks to Swierczynski

Ray and Duane are turning out some of the finest noir of the decade. Their novels are consistently
superb.
lesser applauded are their short stories.
here's Ray with 
real Gone
and describing Goose
he's a guy with a pot belly and one leg, sitting in a wheelchair and talking like he's kept the best eight ball for himself. he calls himself Goose because he says he lost the leg at Goose green in '82.Anyone who 's known him longer than a minute knows he lost the leg becasue he tried to mainline an artery.


Duane with 
The Replacement
 here's one classic line from a slew of gems
'God, but for the grace of bikinis go I'


Ray's story is to be found in
The Best of British Mysteries 1V'
edited by the alchemist, Maxim Jakubowski


and Duane s black jewel in


Todd Robinson and Otto Penzlers
'hardcore hardboiled'


Coming in the random alphabet of mystery
are
Abbot to Guthrie
Coleman to Starr and Straley
The order of this randomness is Irish logic,
meaning
Pot luck an a whole lotta cheek.

Stardust.

From Woody Allen;s 'Stardust Memories.'
.......Let me tell you
You're not the missionary type
you'd never
last
and incidentally
you're not Superman
You're a comedian  ( insert As fits, ie, writer)
you want to do mankind
a favour?
Tell funnier jokes ( write better novels)

On David Corbett, Matt Mc Bride, Sean Mc Grady

Poetry isn't essential to writing but oh, drinking from a long neck without a glass isn't essential but phew-oh
it sure does add to that vibe.
The three writers above
One experienced pro
Two new writers.
All write with poetic sensibility.
How much does it matter?
As much as Galway Rain enhances that rainbow glimpsed above the recent storm on Galway Bay.
Shines like desperation ebbing. 

Blitzkreig

................In truly good writing no matter how many times you read it, you do not know how it is done. This is because there is a mystery in all great writing and that mystery does not dis-sect out.It continues and is always valid.
each time you re-read you see or learn something new.


1952; Hemingway letter to Harvey Breit.


He could have been describing,
                  Craig
                            mc
                                 Donald.
Who single handily, ended the whole debate on 
Mystery vs. Literature.
By writing.
          

The Devils Mambo

Jerry Rodriguez was a great friend and endlessly talented.
His novel The Devil's Mambo was classic noir with biting wit.
Jerry was almost ridiculously talented and in company with Jason Starr and I at that great B'con he had women rating he was even more rock n roll than Jason!
he was a gifted documentary maker, a rare and rarest photographer.
His passing tore me asunder, then and now.
I remember him today as a grace of having a buddy who lit up me life.
Codlamh sabh mo cara.

Gerard for president.

The Prince of NI.
Gerard Brennan is
one of the finest crime commentators around
Editor of the award winning collection with the wunderkind Mike Cane....Requeims For The Departed'
THE POINT
Gerard's novel, now available, is definitely on me top 5 of 2011.
This novel is The Coen brothers in NI.
NI is astounding these days in it's crime writers
from Bateman  through Brian Gilloway Eoin Mc Namee to Stuart Neville.
jesus wept, what are these guys taking and Dios Mio, may I have some and soon.
More books, music and DVD's tomorrow or.......

Dilemma

See, here's the dilemma.
Adrian Mc Kinty's, 'The Cold Cold Ground' has to go on me 5 best of the year as it's
riveting
brilliant
and just about the best book yet on NI.
But
It ain't due out until 2012.
Hmm.......
Not to mention it's teeming rain like the Heavens are seriously pissed.
Not that these random items are related.
I think.