Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Crime Fiction 4

To get on with crime and mystery fiction, first up is The Chelsea Murders by Lionel Davidson. It’s not a bad read this book, set as it is in a literary part of London, and having a fiendishly clever plot. It was serialised for television in 1981.

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Who now remembers the quirky detective novels of Delacorta? Delacorta was the pseudonym of French writer Paul Odier.  He wrote a series of novels featuring adolescent heroine Alba, who with her protector Gorodish, solve unusual crime cases. Diva, the first of the Alba & Gorodish novels was made into a very popular film in 1981.  I have three of the novels, two published by Ballantine and one by Penguin. Dig the blurbs!

delacorta_diva delacorta_nana

delacorta_luna

Colin Dexter, creator of Inspector Morse, needs no introduction as his novels have all been dramatised in a popular television series. I read the novels long before they were televised, and have a small collection of them.

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dexter_waythroughwoods dexter_wench

To wind up this post – two novels by James EllroyThe Black Dahlia  and Blood on the Moon.  Ellroy’s neo noir style didn’t really appeal to me, but I know other people who regard his novels as really first rate. Perhaps I should give them another go.

ellroy_blackdahlia ellroy_bloodonthemoon

Coming next, the crazy detective fiction of Kinky Friedman.

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