Dave Zeltserman is over at Beat to a Pulp with a real zinger this week called "Old Wives' Tales."
You all know the old saying, All Roads Lead to Rome?
The pulp equivalent would have to be something like, All Roads Lead to Crime. Even the most innocent gesture or innocuous activity can lead a character down the darkest paths.
"Old Wives' Tales" begins with a salmon dinner between three old pals: husband and wife Craig and Susan, and their friend Felix. Soon, insults are hurled, sides must be taken, and plans of attack must be made.
It's a terrific story with a top-notch mix of suspense and humor, as well as echoes of Fredric Brown in its melding of a seemingly ordinary scenario that subtly (and quite suddenly) turns extraordinary.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
"Test Tube Baby" by Sam Fuller (1936)
Test Tube Baby is the second novel from Samuel Fuller (here credited as “Sam Fuller”). Published in 1936 by Godwin, Publishers, it is among...
-
Test Tube Baby is the second novel from Samuel Fuller (here credited as “Sam Fuller”). Published in 1936 by Godwin, Publishers, it is among...
-
Wouldn’t it be nice to curl up with a good book, doze off, and wake up in that world? That’s a question Lawrence Block explores in his lates...
-
Carroll John Daly’s short story “Three Gun Terry” is credited as being the first hardboiled mystery. It was published in the May 15th, 1923 ...
Yeah, it's brilliant. But he's the master, really.
ReplyDeletePunchy review of a top-notch story.
ReplyDeleteOne of the finest short stories of the year. Thanks for taking the time to review it, Cullen.
ReplyDelete