Category: Books

“The Order” (2024) starring Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult and Tye Sheridan / Z-View

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The Order (2024)

Director:  Justin Kurzel

Screenplay: Zach Baylin; based on THE SILENT BROTHERHOOD: INSIDE AMERICA’S RACIST UNDERGROUND by Kevin Flynn, Gary Gerhardt

Stars: Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, George Tchortov, John Warkentin and Marc Maron.

Tagline: None.

The Plot…

FBI Agent Terry Husk is relocated to a small town in Idaho.  Husk is looking for a change of pace.  The long hours he put in on major cases took a toll on his marriage.  He hopes his wife and daughter will eventually join him.

When a member of the Aryan Nation goes missing, leads indicate he was murdered.  As Husk digs deeper he learns that a series of bank robberies as well as a counterfeiting scheme are being used to raise money for a major terrorist act.

Husk is joined by Deputy Jamie Bowen.  They need evidence to bring down the anarchists before their plan is launched.  The clock is ticking.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

While based on real events, the FBI Agent Terry Husk is fictional.

The Order (2024) rates 3 of 5 stars

THE BIG EMPTY by Robert Crais / Z-View

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THE BIG EMPTY: AN ELVIS COLE AND JOE PIKE NOVEL by Robert Crais

First sentence…

Sadie Given woke from a troubled sleep, the stupid phone babbling like an angry turkey, gobble-gobble, gobble-gobble.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Traci Beller has the wholesome good looks of the girl next door.  That is, if your neighbor is in her early twenties and adorable.  Traci’s looks, personality and baking ability have captured an audience. She’s a super influencer.

Now that the money is rolling in, Traci seeks out the detective best known for his ability to find missing persons.  Elvis Cole.

Traci explains to Elvis that ten years ago, when she was just 13, her dad, Tommy Beller, went to work and didn’t came home.  There was never a call or a letter.  Nothing.  Things had been good at home.  He had no enemies. Tommy Beller just vanished.  Other private eyes had looked into Tommy’s disappearance, but all had come up empty.

Elvis explains that after ten years, odds are nothing could be found.  Traci, in tears, pleads.  Elvis reluctantly agrees to see what he can discover.

Elvis begins asking questions of the last folks to have seen Tommy Beller.  Although Tommy is remembered, nothing special sticks out.  But as word gets out who Elvis is looking for, he finds himself being followed by rough looking guys in a Challenger.

Elvis decides to turn the tables.  He trails the Challenger to a house.  Elvis is more than capable, so when two guys come at him, he’s not worried.  Then a truck pulls up and more big men get out…

Sheer numbers are the deciding factor.  Left  unconscious and badly beaten, the thugs think they’ve scared Elvis off.  They figure once he gets out of the hospital, Elvis will let the ten year old disappearance go cold again.

Instead Elvis calls Joe Pike.  Once Elvis heals, they’re going to find out what happened to Tommy Beller.

+++

I’ve been a fan of Robert Crais’ Elvis Cole tales since THE MONKEY’S RAINCOAT.  The stories always are fun and entertaining.

THE BIG EMPTY has one of the most unexpected twists in years.

Rating:

“Dope Thief: Season 1” starring Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura / Z-View

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Dope Thief: Season 1 (2025)

Created by: Peter Craig; based on DOPE THIEF by Dennis Tafoya

Director:  Ridley Scott (Ep. 1), Jonathan van Tulleken (Eps. 2, 6), Tanya Hamilton (Ep. 3); Marcela Said (Eps. 4-5, 7); Peter Craig (Ep. 8)

Teleplay by:  Peter Craig

Starring:  Brian Tyree Henry, Wagner Moura, Marin Ireland, Amir Arison, Nesta Cooper, Kate Mulgrew and Ving Rhames, .

Tagline:  No one gets away clean.

The Plot… (beware of spoilers)

Ray Driscoll and Manny Carvalho have been friends since reform school.  They’re adults now and still struggling.  Then they come up with a plan for easy money.

Ray and Manny use fake badges to pose as DEA agents.  They bust into small time drug houses with guns drawn.  Wearing DEA jackets, they flash their badges and zip-tie the dealers.  Ray and Manny then scoop up the dealer’s cash and disappear.

It’s a good gig. It works every time.

Until Ray and Manny take down the wrong drug house.  A house run by a cartel.

Now Ray and Manny are on the run.  They and everyone they love are targets to tortured and murdered.

Thoughts…

I could see Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura getting nominations for their acting.  Kate Mulgrew is a hoot.  Ving Rhames is always a welcome addition.

 

RED EMPIRE: A JOE LEDGER AND ROGUE TEAM INTERNATIONAL NOVEL by Jonathan Maberry is Coming!

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I love Jonathan Maberry’s JOE LEDGER series.  Maberry has a new entry coming in March.  Titled RED EMPIRE: A JOE LEDGER AND ROGUE TEAM INTERNATIONAL NOVEL (Rogue Team International Series, 5).  Here’s what to expect…

In the next novel in the OE LEDGER AND ROGUE TEAM INTERNATIONAL series, the team faces new and old enemies alike as a bioengineered version of The Black Death surfaces.

Hundred of years after the first waves of the bubonic plague swept through Europe, a new, more dangerous version threatens London. Joe Ledger’s old enemy the Red Empire ― reborn as a far more powerful political and military group ― has bioengineered a weaponized version of yersinia pestis ― the bacteria responsible for The Black Death that killed tens of millions in the Middle Ages.

As Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International race against the clock to put a stop to the Red Empire’s plans, they’re sucked into the strange and mysterious past of the man called Mr. Church. Secrets come to light that make even his staunchest allies wonder who – and more precisely what ― Church really is.

With whispers of an elixir vitae ― or elixir of life―circling, Joe Ledger and Rogue Team International are facing the highest possible stakes in their work together yet. As the tension builds and the balance between life and death sways precariously, it seems like tragic losses among them might be inevitable.

Pre-orders are available now!

A DANGEROUS MAN by J.L. Engel / Z-View

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A DANGEROUS MAN by J. L. Engel

First sentences…

“9-1-1. What’s your…”

The emergency operator’s standard question was cut short by the sporadic sounds of gunfire.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

A DANGEROUS MAN features one of the most compelling openings to any book you’ll ever read.  A little girl, hidden in a closet, is one the phone with 9-1-1.  In the background gunfire is heard getting closer and closer.  The child is panicked, the operator is doing her best to determine the location of the call to send help… then the operator hears this:

“Listen closely… Anna is safe.  I’m going to give you an address where to find her and get her home.”

And this…

“When the police arrive, they’ll find Anna locked in a conference room on the second tier.  It’s up the stairs and to the left.  What they’ll find below is much more disturbing.  I advise the police to enter with extreme caution.. As best I can tell I’ve killed everyone else.  Except for the other victims.”

THAT is our introduction to a vigilante the FBI has labeled Ghost.  Ghost is a former government operative whose family was killed by a Russian crime cartel led by Yuri “The Wolf” Kurikova.  Ghost is working his way up the food chain intent on killing “The Wolf” and destroying his organization.

So far, Ghost has been unstoppable.  He’s 6’5″ and 260 pounds of muscle.  Although grieving for his family, Ghost has turned the misery into an unquenchable rage.  Using his skills, Ghost has trail of bodies across the country as he gets closer to taking down The Wolf.

The F.B.I. have been a step behind. They’ve assigned Cameron Slate to lead the investigation to bringing down the Ghost.  Slate is closing in.

The Wolf has hired twin assassins, Nikolai and Natasha to find and kill Ghost.  The twins’ abilities rival those of Ghost.  And they may have the edge given Natasha’s brutality and love of violence.

It will all come to a head in Boston.

If you like all out action, characters like John Wick, Frank Castle and John Creasey, then  A DANGEROUS MAN is for you.

Rating:

“Lady in the Lake” (1946) directed and starring Robert Montgomery, also starring Audrey Totter and Lloyd Nolan / Z-View

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Lady in the Lake (1946)

Director:  Robert Montgomery

Screenplay: Steve Fisher; based THE LADY IN THE LAKE by Raymond Chandler

Stars: Robert Montgomery, Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Leon Ames, Dick Simmons, Morris Ankrum, Lila Leeds, Charles Bradstreet and Jayne Meadows.

Tagline: YOU AND ROBERT MONTGOMERY STAR IN AN EXCITING AND UNUSUAL MYSTERY-THRILLER -EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO HIM HAPPENS TO YOU!

The Plot…

Private Eye, Phillip Marlowe decides to take a shot at writing.  When Marlowe is called into the publisher’s office, he thinks they want to buy his story.  Adrienne Fromsett, is the publishing editor.  She wants to buy Marlowe’s story.  She also wants to hire Marlowe to find Chrystal Kingsby.  Chrystal is her boss’ wife.  She hasn’t been seen for two months.

After some back and forth, Marlowe accepts the job.  What sounds like a missing person’s case turns out to be a multiple murder investigation.  And Marlowe is the main suspect.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

The film is shot from the viewpoint of Marlowe.  The only time he is seen is by reflections in mirrors and windows or when he speaks directly to the audience.  It’s odd seeing this decades before video games made it popular.

Lady in the Lake (1946) rates 3 of 5 stars

“CAUGHT STEALING” screenplay by Charlie Huston, directed by Darren Aronofsky, starring Austin King, Regina King & Zoe Kravitz – The Trailer is Here!

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The trailer for Caught Stealing is here and I am sold.

The film’s based on Charlie Huston’s novel CAUGHT STEALING.  I’ve been a fan of the book (and Charlie Huston) since I first read it nearly two decades ago.  CAUGHT STEALING is the first of a trilogy that gets my highest recommendation.  I hope the movie can match the level of excellence.

He was just supposed to watch the cat. Now he’s running for his f**king life.

Austin Butler stars in Darren Aronofsky’s #CaughtStealingMovie – only in theatres August 29.

Hank Thompson (Austin Butler) was a high-school baseball phenom who can’t play anymore, but everything else is going okay. He’s got a great girl (Zoë Kravitz), tends bar at a New York dive, and his favorite team is making an underdog run at the pennant.

When his punk-rock neighbor Russ (Matt Smith) asks him to take care of his cat for a few days, Hank suddenly finds himself caught in the middle of a motley crew of threatening gangsters. They all want a piece of him; the problem is he has no idea why. As Hank attempts to evade their ever-tightening grip, he’s got to use all his hustle to stay alive long enough to find out…

Caught Stealing is directed by Academy Award® nominee Darren Aronofsky, screenplay by Charlie Huston, based on his book of the same name.

The film stars Austin Butler, Regina King, Zoë Kravitz, Matt Smith, Liev Schreiber, Vincent D’Onofrio, Griffin Dunne, Benito A Martínez Ocasio, and Carol Kane.

Directed by: Darren Aronofsky

Screenplay by: Charlie Huston

Based on the book by: Charlie Huston

Produced by: Jeremy Dawson, Dylan Golden, Ari Handel, Darren Aronofsky

Executive Producers: Charlie Huston, Ann Ruark

Cast:
Austin Butler
Regina King
Zoë Kravitz
Matt Smith
Liev Schreiber
Vincent D’Onofrio
Griffin Dunne
Benito A Martínez Ocasio
Carol Kane

Credits not final

 

MUSCLE by John Davies / Z-View

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MUSCLE by John Davies

First sentence…

Saturday night at the Hive was quieter than usual.

The Overview:  Beware of Spoilers…

Frankie Collins is a legitimate tough guy.  Everything he’s earned in life, including his reputation, he got because of his ability to fight.  Frankie’s older now, but his reputation holds.  Although Frankie has a business, he still works as a bouncer so folks know he hasn’t gotten soft.

Because of his reputation, there’s seldom trouble when Frankie’s at the door.  So when a young wanna-be gangster gets crossways with Frankie, tension fills the air.  The kid is cocky but no fool.  Time passes.  Bad looks turn to words.  Then the kid does something that demands a response.

Frankie is surprised when the kid publicly challenges him to a street fight.  No weapons, but anything else goes.  Of course Frankie accepts.

In a few days they will fight.  Frankie knows if the kid beats him, he’ll lose more than the fight.  The kid is younger.  Maybe stronger.  Frankie starts to have doubts.  Is he too old?  Does he still have it in him?  Frankie knows he will die before he would ever quit.  And that would soon the kid just fine.

++++

MUSCLE is a lean mean novella.  If you think you know how this one ends, think again.

Rating:

“The Eternaut”: Season 1 (2025) created, co-written & directed by Bruno Stagnaro; based on “The Eternaut” by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, Francisco Solano López / Z-View

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The Eternaut: Season 1 (2025)

Created by: Bruno Stagnaro, based on The Eternaut by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, Francisco Solano López

Director:  Bruno Stagnaro

Teleplay by: Bruno Stagnaro, Ariel Staltari, and Gabriel Stagnaro (Eps. 1-2, 6), Bruno Stagnaro and Ariel Staltari (Eps. 3, 5),  Bruno Stagnaro, Ariel Staltari, and Martín Wain (Ep. 4)

Starring: Ricardo Darín, Carla Peterson, César Troncoso, Andrea Pietra.

Tagline:  None

The Plot… (beware of spoilers)

One summer evening snow begins to fall.  Juan Salvo and some friends move to the window to check it out.  They’re shocked to see anyone outside suddenly drop dead as the snow touches them.  The snow falls though the night.  Juan rigs together a suit with gas mask so that he can venture out to search for his daughter.

As the days go on, it becomes clear that few have survived.  Many of those who did are just as dangerous as the snow.  Then they learn about the arriving aliens.   Juan and his friends will need to band together in order to live.

Thoughts 

The Eternaut is an Argentine television series created by Bruno Stagnaro.  It is based on the comic strip The Eternaut created by Héctor Germán Oesterheld and Francisco Solano López.  The strip ran from 1957 through 1959.  In 1977, Héctor Germán Oesterheld, along with his four daughters were taken into custody by Argentina’s last military dictatorship. Oesterheld’s writings against the military junta made him a target.  He and his daughters were never seen in public again.

I liked the pacing of season one.

Bring on season 2!

 

THE KNIVES: A CRIMINAL BOOK by Ed Brubaker & Sean Phillips is Coming!

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A new CRIMINAL book from Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips has been a long time coming.  Thankfully, the wait is coming to an end in September when THE KNIVES is released.  Here’s the lowdown…

THE FIRST NEW CRIMINAL BOOK IN FIVE YEARS!

With the Prime Video adaptation premiering soon, crime comic grandmasters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips return to their most acclaimed series with a new standalone graphic novel: THE KNIVES.

A sprawling CRIMINAL epic, THE KNIVES is the most ambitious tale Brubaker and Phillips have ever tackled. Three dark journeys wind around each other over a decade, like sharks hunting for a kill.

Cartoonist Jacob Kurtz goes to Hollywood in the era of peak TV to work on an adaptation of his comic strip, only to find himself caught up in the life of his aging aunt and the vultures circling her estate. Angie was raised at the Undertow, but now everything she loves has been taken from her. She’s on the streets with vengeance on her mind, her eyes set on the city’s kingpin. And finally, Tracy Lawless is home from the Special Forces, finally a civilian again, but he’s in bad shape and this city has always brought out the worst in him.

These three tales collide in THE KNIVES a breathtaking noir story about greed, ambition, heartbreak, and blood ties. A must-have for all Brubaker and Phillips fans!

Click on the preview art below for a biggie-sized version.

Pre-orders available now.

“Raging Bull” (1980) directed by Martin Scorsese, starring Robert DeNiro, Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci / Z-View

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Raging Bull (1980)

Director:  Martin Scorsese

Screenplay: Paul Schrader, Mardik Martin; based on RAGING BULL: MY STORY by Jake LaMotta, Joseph Carter, Peter Savage

Stars: Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci, Frank Vincent, Nicholas Colasanto, Theresa Saldana, Mario Gallo, Frank Adonis, Bernie Allen  and Charles Scorsese.

Tagline:  None.

The Plot…

The rise and fall of former middleweight boxing champion Jake LaMotta.  LaMotta was known as the Raging Bull because of his quick temper and violence in the ring.  Sadly out of the ring, he was just as fast to fly into a rage and get physical with his family and friends. Life is hard on everyone when you’re your own worst enemy.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Raging Bull was nominated for eight 1981 Academy Awards and won two…

  • Nominee for Best Picture – Irwin Winkler, Robert Chartoff
  • Nominee for Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Joe Pesci
  • Nominee for Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Cathy Moriarty
  • Nominee for Best Director – Martin Scorsese
  • Nominee for Best Cinematography – Michael Chapman
  • Nominee for Best Sound – Donald O. Mitchell, Bill Nicholson, David J. Kimball, Les Lazarowitz
  • Winner for Best Film Editing – Thelma Schoonmaker
  • Winner for Best Actor in a Leading Role – Robert De Niro

Robert DeNiro worked for over four years to convince Martin Scorsese to make Raging Bull.  Scorsese was coming off New York, New York, which had failed to live up to expectations, and a cocaine overdose.  Although he didn’t like sports movies, Scorsese gave in.  The movie revitalized Scorsese’s career and shot DeNiro to superstardom.

DeNiro gained sixty pounds to play LaMotta in later life.  They shot the early scenes and then shut down production for a four months to give DeNiro time to add the weight.

Jake LaMotta gave his autobiography to Robert DeNiro with an inscription saying DeNiro was the only actor to play him.  When the film was made LaMotta was often on the set.

Raging Bull features Cathy Moriarty’s film debut.

John Turturro makes his film debut as the man at table at Webster Hall.

When Jake LaMotta saw the finished film, he asked his former wife, Vickie LaMotta, if he was really that bad.  ‘Worse” she replied.  And he really was.  The movie just touches on some of the worst aspects of his life.

Raging Bull (1980) rates 5 of 5 stars

The RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON by Max Allan Collins is Coming!

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Dashiell Hammet’s THE MALTESE FALCON is not only a classic noir novel, but also the same could be said for the 1941 John Huston (writer/director) movie adaptation.  On January 6, 2026, Max Allan Collins and Hard Case Crime present RETURN OF THE MALTESE FALCON.  Here’s the lowdown…

Hardboiled noir that picks up where legendary author Dashiell Hammett left off, telling the story of iconic private eye Sam Spade and the quest for the priceless Maltese Falcon.

THE GREATEST PRIVATE EYE OF ALL TIME RETURNS TO FINISH THE JOB

Legendary mystery writer Dashiell Hammett only wrote one novel about detective Sam Spade: THE MALTESE FALCON, the most famous private eye story ever told. But the case was never really solved – the priceless golden, bejeweled bird that men and women had been dying to possess turned out to be a fake.

Now, Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Max Allan Collins (author of ROAD TO PERDITION) brings closure to this crime classic, reuniting all the surviving members of the original cast alongside femme fatales, crooked collectors, and greedy gangsters for one more thrilling, deadly chase through the streets, wharves, morgues, bars, and back alleys of 1920s San Francisco – and finally answers the question, Whatever became of the Maltese falcon…?

Pre-orders are available now.

“My Gun is Quick” (1957) starring Robert Bray / Z-View

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My Gun is Quick (1957)

Director:  George White, Victor Saville (as Phil Victor)

Screenplay: Richard Collins, Richard Powell, screen story by Richard Powell, based on My GUN IS QUICK by Mickey Spillane

Stars: Robert Bray, Whitney Blake, Donald Randolph, Richard Garland, Fred Essler, Booth Colman, Pamela Duncan, Patricia Donahue, Peter Mamakos, Claire Carleton, Phil Arnold, George Cisar  and Jan Chaney.

Tagline: The High Society Dame Who Played It Lowdown And Dirty! – The Secretary Who “Worked” After Hours! – The Stripper Who Knew How To Tease! – The Blonde Who Left Her Bedroom Door Open!

The Plot…

Late one evening in a diner, Mike Hammer (Bray) strikes up a conversation with a young prostitute called Red.  When Red’s pimp comes in and begins to berate her, Hammer roughs the punk up and sends him on his way.  Feeling sorry for Red, Hammer gives her money for a bus ticket home.

The next day Hammer learns Red was killed in a hit and run.  A ring she was wearing was stolen.  Hammer begins to dig into the case and learns the ring was part of a cache of Nazi jewels stolen after the war.  Hammer makes it his business to discover Red’s killer and finds himself up against an American Colonel and other thugs looking for the jewels.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

My Gun is Quick is a low budget adaptation of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer.  Several actors have played Hammer in films/television including Mickey Spillane himself.  My favorite is Armand Assante in I, the Jury.

My Gun is Quick (1957) rates 2 of 5 stars

THE ESSENTIAL HORROR by Joe R. Lansdale is Coming!

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Any time Joe R. Lansdale has a new book out, it is cause to celebrate.  Get the streamers ready!  On October 7, 2025, THE ESSENTIAL HORROR drops.  Here’s the lowdown…

Joe R. Lansdale is known for his gritty mysteries (the Hap and Leonard series) and his eccentric horror (Bubba Ho-tep), for which he has won ten Bram Stoker Awards. He is also cited by many of horror’s most acclaimed writers as a huge influence upon them: Stephen Graham Jones, Josh Malerman, Gabino Iglesias, Brian Keene, and Joe Hill, who contributes an original introduction to this collection.

Lansdale’s horror stories mash up crime, Southern Gothic, fantasy, and science fiction, filtered through a raw, violent world of dark humor and unique characters. He was one of the first horror writers to portray American racism not as abstract or impersonal, but as realistic, intimate, in-your-face, and impossible to ignore.

In Lansdale’s nightmarish visions, discover psychotic demon nuns, a god fueled by hatred, a psychopathic preacher, a weed-eater wielding blind man, cannibals, 80-year-old Elvis, undead strippers, flying ghost fish, elder gods, possessed cars, and the worst evil of all: man.

Preorders are available now.