ReReading Maigret

I've been on a big Simenon kick for the last couple of years. It started out with his noirs like THE WIDOWER, DIRTY SNOW, and ACT OF PASSION, but it eventually led me back to his Maigret novels. The result of all this reading is a new series over at Criminal Element where I'm going to be rereading the best Maigret novels. You can check out the first installment of the series, Georges Simenon and the Top 6 Maigret Novels here.

NOIR AT THE BAR-CHICAGO

I'm putting on the newest in our series of Noir At The Bar-Chicago readings. Tough talk and hard drinks. And one hell of a lineup of readers. I'll be hosting, as usual, along with Robb and Liv from the Booked podcast.

Come one, come all.

The Stand Alones: Laura Lippman and I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE

I kinda worship Laura Lippman. Laura Lippman is the shit. The odd thing, however, is that I'm a far bigger fan of her stand alone novels and stories than I am of her Tess Monaghan series. The reason for this, I think, is that the Monaghan books are PI mysteries while her stand alone stuff tends to be noir. And I'm just more of a noir guy.

This preference prompted me to start a new series over at Criminal Element called The Stand Alones where I will look at the one-off novels of writers who are better known for their series characters. First up is Lippman's brilliant 2010 novel I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE. You can check out my piece here.

While you're there you might leave a suggestion for future pieces you'd like to see.

CRIMES BY WOMEN: The Comic Book

From my new piece on CRIMES BY WOMEN: 

Crimes By Women was a ten cent comic book published by the Fox Features Syndicate from June of 1948 to August of 1951. It was an anthology series that showcased a series of femme fatales, gun molls and full-tilt psychopaths engaged in all manner of sexual seduction and wanton violence. It was, in a word, trash.

Trash has its appeal, though, and—more importantly—it can tell us something about the shifting currents of a culture...

To read the rest of the piece, head on over to Criminal Element.

Noir At The Bar: Ozarks Edition

People of Arkansas (and surrounding environs): I'm going to be reading at a Noir At The Bar event for the True Lit Festival in Fayetteville on Oct. 2nd at 8pm, alongside hardhitters Scott Phillips, Jed Ayres, and John Honor Jacobs. 

Profanity will be used. Feelings will be bruised. But we'll all learn something about ourselves.

Here are the details.