The Hungry Detective

Just a short note this morning to point you to the Dennis Lehane article over on the CNN website . The two pieces of 'news' in the article are the title, The Given Day, (which I think is news to me) and...... that he has finished it! AP gets the credit for the photo.

In an attempt to maintain an earlier promise this is THD's Winter Preview 2007/08. BooYah?! The thing is I have been at a low ebb as it concerns new releases. The Preview has always been about expanding past what we at THD are interested in to books and authors that tap into the zeitgeist of what is new, fresh, and/or interesting in crime fiction. Part of this low ebb is due to the fact the 2008 release dates seem to be rather sparse, but as 2008 dates firm up I am sure that my general 2008 and Spring 2008 Preview will be a bit more expansive. Saying all of that now leads me into a few books that might be of interest to you and me..... but especially you. Red Mandarin Dress - Qiu Xiaolong Here is the fifth in the Detective Chen Cao series. I read his his first, Death of a Red Heroine, and loved it. Sadly I have never read any of the following books. I take only partial blame for this as I feel that poor distribution is also at the root of the problem. Hell for the Holidays - Chr

Back in March of this year I complained that BBC America was taking its sweet time in rebroadcasting one of 2006 more interesting television shows, Life On Mars. The series concluded a two season run in the UK earlier this year and now American audiences will see the final eight episodes beginning December 11. Long story short, Sam Tyler is a Manchester cop in the year 2006 who is struck by a car and not only sent into a coma, but back 33 years to swinging... well... 1973 Manchester. Crazy great! There was a rumor that US based television producers (Brian Grazer?) were developing an adaptation for American consumption. God Bless the WGA Strike ... perhaps this will kill this bad idea dead.

This blog has only been around for a year. In that time I have not really discussed the origins of my fascination with crime fiction. I have three inspirations to this love affair and a bastard fourth. Maybe one day I will tell you of the others, but today is a sad day. Today is the day I found out this little bit of news . I know what is all coursing through your brains; WTF! Perhaps you knew.... and for those of you who did, why didn't you tell me. Traitors. Turn in your THD badge and scepter. This is a crap way to star the weekend. I can barely write the words that Walter Mosley is quitting the Easy Rawlins business. All THD has left is Cinnamon Kiss and Blonde Faith. Hopefully the HBO produced and Mosley scripted Little Scarlet will come off. I have bought hundreds of books since I bought Devil in a Blue Dress and forgotten most of those purchases. Yet to this day my mind still remembers the shelf Devil was on at my local Walden Book store. I could walk you to that spot. So h

Well I have been reading. Let me tell you about them. When One Man Dies - Dave White Debut from this author proved to be a very good read even if I felt that I had read it before. This seems faint praise, but I assure it is not. It is just the happenstance of reading authors like Michael Koryta and Marcus Sakey . In deed Koryta's second book and Sakey's 2007 debut have plot points that bear similarities. Koryta with the friend killed by a hit and run, and Sakey with the one-time friend turned bitter enemy. Spaced out over a few years, all three books read fantastic. When One Man Dies suffers the fate of having been read third in a short succession of weeks. Still, let me say that I look forward to the next book Mr. White deigns to release on this world. Sorrow's Anthem - Michael Koryta I was a hysterical for Koryta's first book . That book struck a very dark and at times sinister mood. Sorrow is not up to that level but it is still a good book. My general issue w

Well THD is on the road this weekend. And as the subject title suggests we are headed one state south to the great city of Philadelphia. THD is very excited to visit the birthplace of American Style Democracy, circa 1776-2000. Cheese Steaks and the Liberty Bell will be in the agenda, but I will also be seeking out all things Crime novel as well. A cursory check of the internets reveals Whodunit? . Reports are that this is a store with a healthy collection of used mysteries. Looks like it is well worth a turn of the door handle. Saturday has been tentatively set aside of for the accumulation of a few well chosen books. Sunday I will glory in the aforementioned Bell, as well as Independence Hall. Essentially I will be visiting all of the locations featured in the pulse pounding film, National Treasure .

Maybe if I change the template of the blog faithful readers won't notice the lack of real content in almost three weeks! Seriously, some real content is in THD's near future.