I’m a big nature enthusiast. I would love to move into the middle of the woods so I can work on my manifesto. But since that is not happening any time soon, reading some books with nature- like titles will suffice. I almost took the super-easy route by re-reading Cormac McCarthy’s THE ROAD, the movie of which comes out today in theaters, but any book that wins the Pulitzer really doesn’t need me to promote it. (If you haven’t read it, do so. I personally think it’s his best work.) Onto the trio of titles I did choose.
FISH OR CUT BAIT by A.A. Fair — It’s a very welcome return of the Cool & Lam detective agency to this column. Nothing brings me more pleasure than reading one of these mysteries, since they are so well-constructed and written by a man who knew how to write. For the unfamiliar, this series is truly ahead of its time. Think a precursor to REMINGTON STEELE or MOONLIGHTING, minus all the sexual tension, and the woman is portrayed by Roseanne.
In this 1964 entry, the agency is hired to be glorified bodyguards to the client’s secretary, who has been getting disturbing phone calls and letters that are scaring her. Why has she been singled out? Our detective twosome thinks that maybe the boss is dipping into the company ink, which he denies, so Donald devises a way to figure out who the culprit is, using a tape recorder attached to the phone. Of course, this runs a lot deeper than our detectives figure, especially when a woman who runs an escort service winds up dead and has ties to the secretary they’re protecting.
Fair — aka Erle Stanley Gardner — sure knew how to keep a reader glued to a story. The plot might be a little dated, especially when it turns out to be a typical blackmail scheme gone seriously wrong, but that can all be forgiven, since it had me guessing to the very end. Again, I can’t get enough of these books and I wish they all could be reprinted. If not, I’ll make do with the various paperbacks I stumble across. For the record, I still have three more unread.
THE HAWK by Milton J. Shapiro — This 1975 novel is not part of the HAWK series that I covered a long time ago in this space. Instead, this seems to be the only book in what seems like a start of a series. Shapiro’s Hawk is a triple threat: a lawyer, pro football player and now private investigator. (Speaking of the NFL, I could use this space to rant about a certain fourth-and-two play of note, but I heard so much crap about it on sports radio, I’ll let it go.) I did not expect it to be as good as it was.
Hawker Lane — aka The Hawk — is a running back for a fictitious Miami team. In the off-season, he’s a lawyer. Yeah, that’s who I want taking my case: Jim Brown. Hawk is called to a car accident where a star player has died, but we all know it is not what it seems. Before you can say “Belichick made a stupid call,” Hawk is knee-deep into the case. Not only was it not an accident, but there are some other shenanigans going on with his team. Plus, his longtime lady friend is not who she purports to be.
Again, from the outset, I thought this was going to be mindless crap, but Shapiro has written a clever little story. He ties up way too many of the threads too early, but it still will keep the interest of any casual reader. Just don’t expect some elaborate plot. What is truly amazing throughout is that Hawk is getting beaten over the head, drugged and threatened with guns, and yet thinks himself as the second coming of Mike Hammer. I mean, it’s not like this guy plays for the Raiders!
THE DESTROYER #42: TIMBER LINE by Warren Murphy and William Joy — Closing out my tribute to nature is everyone’s favorite super spy and his mentor. You know I really enjoy the DESTROYER books. They are not only filled with great action, but also great satire. This 1980 one is no exception, with plenty of gore and satire that leans toward the right.
TIMBER LINE is more in the science-fiction bent, due to the trees that Remo is sent to protect. I repeat: Remo is protecting trees this time. But these trees are special, since they don’t produce sap or syrup, but diesel-quality oil. As wonderful as that all sounds, there is always a group of people none too happy with it: those who would like to continue their hold on the oil market. The book cover gives them away as the Arabs.
But you also have Murphy’s version of a certain nature society, which is run by a woman who might be Remo’s sexual match. For fans of the series, she makes it to the early 30s — you know what I’m talking about. Of course, the plot is there to place some truly over-the-top deaths and kills. We get people killed by a car full of snakes and a man going off a cliff and turning into a bag of Jell-O. And then there are the Remo kills.
This time out, Murphy is writing with a new partner, but it’s very obvious it’s Murphy’s voice throughout. Still, it’s a DESTROYER book, so it’s pretty set how these plots move along. It’s like a science. I make no excuses for my love for these books. They are pure and simple enjoyable fun.
Next time: I’m so glad I skipped watching the new PRISONER. —Bruce Grossman
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF THE DESTROYER SERIES:
• THE BEST OF THE DESTROYER by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir
• THE DESTROYER #5: DR. QUAKE by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #6: DEATH THERAPY by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #9: MURDER’S SHIELD by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #10: TERROR SQUAD by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #11: KILL OR CURE by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #13: ACID ROCK by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #14: JUDGMENT DAY by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #15: MURDER WARD by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #17: LAST WAR DANCE by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #18: FUNNY MONEY by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #19: HOLY TERROR by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #22: BRAIN DRAIN by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #23: CHILD’S PLAY by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #24: KING’S CURSE by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #26: IN ENEMY HANDS by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #30: MUGGER BLOOD by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #32: KILLER CHROMOSOMES by Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #33: VOODOO DIE by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #38: BAY CITY BLAST by Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #39: MISSING LINK by Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #41: FIRING LINE by Warren Murphy and Richard Sapir
• THE DESTROYER #45: SPOILS OF WAR by Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #46: NEXT OF KIN by Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #48: PROFIT MOTIVE by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #49: SKIN DEEP by Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #52: FOOL’S GOLD by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #55: MASTER’S CHALLENGE by Will Murray
• THE DESTROYER #56: ENCOUNTER GROUP by Warren Murphy and Will Murray
• THE DESTROYER #67: LOOK INTO MY EYES by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy
• THE DESTROYER #78: BLUE SMOKE AND MIRRORS by Will Murray
• THE DESTROYER #89: DARK HORSE by Will Murray
• THE DESTROYER #104: ANGRY WHITE MAILMEN by Will Murray
• THE DESTROYER #145: DRAGON BONES by Tim Somheil
• THE NEW DESTROYER: CHOKE HOLD by Warren Murphy and James Mullaney
• THE NEW DESTROYER: DEAD RECKONING by Warren Murphy and James Mullaney
• THE NEW DESTROYER: GUARDIAN ANGEL by Warren Murphy and James Mullaney
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF ERLE STANLEY GARDNER:
• BATS FLY AT DUSK by Erle Stanley Gardner
• THE BIGGER THEY COME by Erle Stanley Gardner
• THE CASE OF THE HESITANT HOSTESS by Erle Stanley Gardner
• THE CASE OF THE WAYLAID WOLF by Erle Stanley Gardner
• THE CASEBOOK OF SIDNEY ZOOM by Erle Stanley Gardner
• CROWS CAN’T COUNT by Erle Stanley Gardner
• THE DANGER ZONE AND OTHER STORIES by Erle Stanley Gardner
• FOOLS DIE ON FRIDAY by Erle Stanley Gardner
• GOLD COMES IN BRICKS by Erle Stanley Gardner
• PERRY MASON SOLVES THE CASE OF THE PHANTOM FORTUNE by Erle Stanley Gardner
• SOME SLIPS DON’T SHOW by Erle Stanley Gardner
• SOME WOMEN WON’T WAIT by Erle Stanley Gardner
• TRY ANYTHING ONCE by Erle Stanley Gardner
OTHER BOOKGASM REVIEWS OF WARREN MURPHY:
• GRANDMASTER by Warren Murphy
• TRACE: GETTING UP WITH FLEAS by Warren Murphy
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Cool and Lam is a great series. The series suffered during the war years, but was able to recover.
I wouldn’t mind seeing another Hawk book. I thought it was odd, that he went into a gunfight with a .22, though.