By now, everyone knows (or should know) that Raylan Givens, the lead character played by Timothy Olyphant in the FX series JUSTIFIED, was created by Elmore Leonard, arguably the country’s most popular and celebrated crime-fiction author. His legion of fans already knew Raylan from his appearances in the novels PRONTO and RIDING THE RAP, and as the protagonist in the short story “Fire in the Hole.”
Now, conveniently timed to the premiere of the TV series’ third season, comes RAYLAN, the first full-on novel to feature the laconic, Harlan County-based U.S. Marshal and his ever-present Stetson. The show’s popularity is far from the only reason to make note of this new Leonard work.
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Two characteristics distinguish Simon Strantzas from many contemporary horror authors. For one, he prefers the short story format rather than novels (making him, to paraphrase Ray Bradbury, “a sprinter” rather than a “long-distance runner”).
More notable, perhaps, is Strantzas’ preference for subtle, thought-provoking effects in contrast to the graphic, violent shocks that define much of modern horror. Both of these characteristics are wonderfully displayed in NIGHTINGALE SONGS, his third and latest story collection, available from Dark Regions Press.
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LAPD detective Lena Gamble is assigned to a double murder in MURDER SEASON, Robert Ellis’ third in the series. It’s a challenging enough assignment, but Gamble quickly learns exactly how tough it is when her own law enforcement allies turn against her.
She is awakened before dawn to learn that her day off has been canceled. Instead, she is called to immediately report to Club 3 AM, an A-list hangout in Hollywood, where she finds the bloody bodies of two men, both shot to death. One is Johnny Bosco, the club owner and one of the most connected men in town. The other man is Jacob Grant, a 25-year-old recently acquitted of raping and murdering a 16-year-old girl who lived next door.
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T. Jefferson Parker’s THE JAGUAR is the fifth novel to feature Charlie Hood, the stoic L.A. sheriff’s deputy who divides his time between local and federal assignments, and has recently been trying to stem the flow of drugs and guns running between the U.S. and the powerful Mexican cartels.
In this latest story, Hood actually shares the narrative with two other characters. The focus may be split, but the result is the most character-driven novel of the series, and easily among Parker’s career finest.
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Daphne du Maurier (1907-1989) is regarded as one of the early influences and shapers of popular fiction, including genres such as suspense and horror. Those who never read her are still familiar with her work, thanks to the many notable movie adaptations of her novels and short stories, including REBECCA, JAMAICA INN, DON’T LOOK NOW and THE BIRDS.
Now Cemetery Dance has located the eight du Maurier short stories previously published many years ago in the collection EARLY STORIES, along with five additional, uncollected tales published in the early 1930s, and published them in a handsome, but limited trade edition titled THE DOLL: THE LOST SHORT STORIES.
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