Previews and Reviews that are Z's Views
Eddie Deezen presents The Story of Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas. If you click over you’ll learn How the Grinch Stole Christmas went from simply being a follow-up to the best selling The Cat in the Hat to become not only another best seller but a loved Christmas tradition for millions.
Oh, you’ll also learn who the Grinch was based on as well.
Source: Neatorama.
The Naked Edge by David Morrell
Hardcover: 396 pages
Publisher: Morrell Enterprises, Incorporated
First sentence…
The sniper had a partner.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Cavanaugh is a retired Special Forces vet, and Security expert. Now living the quiet life on an isolated Wyoming ranch with his wife, Jamie, their world is literally blown apart when an old friend and fellow vet shows up with a team to kill them.
Cavanaugh and his wife barely survive thanks to Cavanaugh’s training. Cavanaugh learns that other operatives across the country have been killed. When Cavanaugh and his wife are attacked again while under police protection, Cavanaugh realizes that the killers will stop at nothing to eliminate him. Before it is over Cavanaugh discovers that his old friend is leading a group set on a terrorist act that will kill thousands.
David Morrell is the king of thrillers and Naked Edge is another great example of how he earned that title.
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Robert B. Parkers Cheap Shot (A Spenser Novel) by Ace Atkins
Hardcover: 308 pages
Publisher: Putnam
First sentence…
I had dressed for Chestnut HillL a button-down tattersall shirt that Susan had bought me, a crisp dress khakis, a navy blazer with gold buttons, and a par of well-broken in loafers worn without socks.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Spenser is hired by super star New England Patriots linebacker Kinjo Heywood’s sports agent. Kinjo has had some shady characters following him and although Kinjo fells he can handle it, Spenser is given the task of looking into it. Before Spenser can make a determination, Kinjo’s son is kidnapped.
The stakes have been raised and Spenser knows that the boy’s life may rest in Spenser discovering the kidnapper(s) identity.
Another excellent Spenser tale by Ace Atkins.
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Holy Death (A Billy Lafitte novel) by Anthony Neil Smith
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Down & Out Books
First sentence…
One-thirty in the morning in a truck stop outside of Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Holy Death is the fourth yarn in Anthony Neil Smith’s Billy Lafitte series. If you’re not familiar with it and you like crime stories, then you’re in for a treat.
Billy Lafitte is an ex-cop, an ex-con and is on the run from a prison escape. Lafitte’s in bad shape from steroid abuse and the wear and tear of escaping from the joint during a prison riot. Lafitte wants to make it back to his one true love to give her the merciful death she wants and then he hopes to disappear.
As luck [at least Lafitte’s luck] would have it, he crosses paths with DeVaughn Lagrenade, a professional gambler, ex-gang banger and brother of a kid that Lafitte killed. Now in addition to all the cops looking for him, Lafitte has Lagrenade, his psycho girlfriend and members of Lagrenade’s gang hunting him down. As they close in on him, Lafitte knows it’s his last chance to make it right [or as right as he can] for the love of his life and his dead child’s mother.
Holy Death is not for the faint of heart of the sqeemish, but if you like a gritty, modern crime story, then this may be for you. Holy Death is the fourth in the Billy Lafitte series and I’m hoping there’s more.
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The Devil Doesn’t Want Me (A Lars and Shaine Novel Book 1) by Eric Beetner
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: 280 Steps
First sentence…
Seventeen years is a long damn time.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
The Devil Doesn’t Want Me is the first in Eric Beetner’s Lars and Shaine series. Lars is a semi-retired hitman living on the west coast. His boss, Nikki Senior, is one of the old guard mobsters who finds himself being pushed out by his son, Nikki Junior.
In an effort to clear the books and show his pop he can run things, Nikki sends a young hitman out to find Mitch the Snitch — a job given to Lars seventeen years prior. Although Mitch was in government protection and killing him could cause more problems than it would solve, Nikki wants it done.
Enter Trent. A cocky young hitman who immediately rubs Lars the wrong way. Although Lars and Trent are at odds, they know they have to work together to find Mitch the Snitch. And they do. Without planning, Trent guns down Mitch and when the Snitch’s sixteen year old daughter stumbles in, Mitch turns to kill her as well. Lars steps up and saves her and finds himself on the run with a sixteen year old orphan in tow.
It takes all of Lars’ skills and then some to keep himself and Shaine alive now that Nickki Junior has called out a team to kill them both. And of course Trent killing a government protected witness has the feds on their trail as well.
Eric Beetner has never disappointed me. I really liked The Devil Doesn’t Want Me and have the sequel, When the Devil Comes to Call waiting in my to be read pile.
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Best-selling author (and the creator of Rambo), David Morrell is the subject of this interview at Report from Santa Fe.
Quint at AICN caught up with Shane Black for a short but informative interview on writing!
Here’s a nice little interview with Francesco Francavilla conducted by Kieran Shiach for Comics Alliance.
Here’s a nice little interview with Chuck Dixon conducted by Rich Johnston for Bleeding Cool.
Steph Post has an interview worth a read in We’re All Outlaws an Interview with Rumrunner’s Eric Beetner.
I’ve never read anything by Beetner that I didn’t enjoy. If you’re just starting out with him why not give Rumrunners; A Bouquet of Bullets or Dig Two Graves a go.
Sean@OddNMacabre asked, “What’s your favorite Stephen King movie?”
My three favorites are:
Anthony Neil Smith is the subject of an interview by Dave Wahlman at CrimeSpree Magazine. Before you click over know that adult language is used. If that doesn’t offend you, then check out ANS’ Billy Lafitte novels. Surely there’s something in them that will.
As for me, I can’t wait for the next one.
The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson is a classic. Written 62 years ago, The Killer Inside Me has been the subject of two film adaptations, has been a major influence on countless novelists, screenwriters, lyricists and yet has never had a comic adaptation until now.
IDW is publishing the comic adaptation of The Killer Inside Me as a comic mini-series written by Devin Faraci and illustrated by Vic Malhotra. Faraci recently spoke with Zack Smith at Newsarama about how Jim Thompson’s The Killer Inside Me Gets New Life with IDW.
If you’re at all interested in The Killer Inside Me‘s importance to the genre, influence on generations or what goes into creating a worthy adaptation, then this interview is for you!
Rough Trade by Todd Robinson
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Polis Books
First sentence…
We were bored as ****.
The Overview: Beware of Spoilers…
Rough Trade is the sequel to Robinson’s The Hard Bounce (which I loved) featuring Boo and Junior. Boo and Junior have been best buds since their childhood days in a group home. Although grown, neither has really matured. By night they are bouncers at The Cellar (a local tavern / music venue ) and by day (and nights they’re not bouncing), they hire out as security for other bars, finding runaways, or whatever will pay some bills.
When Boo is asked by a waitress at the Cellar to scare off ex-boyfriend, Byron, you know that Junior is going to tag along. One thing leads to another and Byron is left beaten, bloody but in no danger of taking the big sleep. So when Byron is found dead all evidence points to our boys.
The police bring Junior in for questioning and Boo knows it won’t be long before the cops will pick him up. The clock is ticking and it is up to Boo to figure out not only why Byron was killed but who did it. Along the way there will be beatings, shootings, mysteries and secrets revealed and a lot of fun.
Fun for the reader that is. Robinson has a unique voice and turns the tough guy cliches into humorous situations without writing down to the genre. I loved The Hard Bounce and think Rough Trade is an even better book.
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Kristin Hunt and Mental_Floss present 12 Thrilling Fact About Rear Window. Here are three of my favorites…
3. GRACE KELLY TURNED DOWN THE LEAD IN ON THE WATERFRONT TO STAR IN REAR WINDOW.
In the fall of 1953, Grace Kelly was offered the female lead in two films: one was Rear Window, the other was Elia Kazan’s On the Waterfront. Although she was dying to work with Hitchcock again, On the Waterfront would’ve allowed Kelly to stay in New York, which she preferred to Los Angeles. Still, she ultimately chose to play socialite Lisa Fremont over blue-collar Edie Doyle. Instead, the part went to Eva Marie Saint, who would become a Hitchcock blonde herself with North by Northwest.
4. HITCHCOCK MODELED THE VILLAIN ON A PRODUCER HE HATED.
Hitchcock had a long-standing grudge with his former producer, David O. Selznick. The director believed Selznick had meddled too much with his movies, so much so that Hitchcock effectively disowned his first film with the producer, Rebecca. His ties to Selznick ended with the 1947 movie The Paradine Case, though, so Hitch decided to enact a sly bit of revenge onscreen. It involved Raymond Burr, the actor playing Rear Window villain Lars Thorwald. Hitchcock gave Burr glasses just like Selznick’s and curly gray hair to match. He also instructed Burr to adopt many of the producer’s mannerisms, such as the way he cradled a telephone in his neck. When all was said and done, Burr’s murderous character looked a lot like Selznick, no doubt to the producer’s supreme annoyance.
11. HITCHCOCK DELIBERATELY MISDIRECTED HIS ACTORS FOR LAUGHS.
Each neighbor has a hook: Miss Torso is a dancer, Miss Lonelyhearts is severely single, the Songwriter is, well, a songwriter. Then there’s that random couple sleeping on the fire escape. Actors Sara Berner and Frank Cady played the unnamed pair, who spend most of the movie fidgeting on a mattress outdoors without incident. Until it rains. For this scene, Hitchcock intentionally messed with his actors. He told Berner to pull the mattress one way and Cady to pull it the other. Neither one knew the other had received conflicting directions. So when Hitchcock called “action,” the pair struggled with the mattress until Cady accidentally flew into the window. Hitchcock thought it was so funny, he kept it in the movie.
