THE SECOND BLACK LIZARD ANTHOLOGY OF CRIME FICTION

by Ed--Ed. Gorman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 1988

There can be no complaints about quantity with this second collection from Black Lizard, the reprint house specializing in hard-boiled and noir mystery/crime fiction. Over 650 pages long, the anthology contains 38 stories plus one full-length novel, Murder Me for Nickels (1960), by the briefly prolific paperback-suspense writer Peter Rabe. As for quality, however, the evidence is iffier. Rabe, a tough and understated hard-boiler, is (as Donald E. Westlake argues in a special introduction) worthy of revival. Modestly welcome, too, are a few other entries from the Fifties and Sixties: a solid short-short by Michael Avallone; a slice of nastiness by Robert Bloch; a very early (1953), very plain police-procedural by Ed McBain, set in NYC rather than ""Isola""; Joe Gores' grim blend of irony and sentiment, ""Goodbye, Pops"" (1969). And some of the recent stories are more or less above-average: a reliably amusing Dortmunder caper (horse-theft) from Westlake; a neat, cruel anecdote from the late Charles Willeford; sturdy, familiar items by John Lutz and Joe E. Hensley; fair horror (creeping fungus) from John Coyne; and--the only surprise--a very funny private-eye episode (part parody, part black-comedy) by Richard Laymen. But the remainder ranges from under-par work by big talents (Lawrence Block, Loren D. Estleman, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison) to typically routine performances (Marcia Muller, Bill Pronzini, Jon Breen) to such strained efforts as Will Wyckoff's ""A Christmas Story."" a dreary/lurid stew of spouse abuse, teen-age sex, etc. Gorman's editorial commentary--gushingly hyperbolic, stickily sentimental--highlights the lack of high standards here. Still, even if no cause for celebration, this mammoth assemblace is serviceable enough for fans--and an undeniable bargain.

Pub Date: Jan. 1, 1988

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Black Lizard--dist. by Creative Arts

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1988

Categories: FICTION