Comments on: BULLETS, BROADS, BLACKMAIL & BOMBS >> Precious Metals

By: Glen Davis

Glen Davis — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:27:06 +0000

You’re right. I meant No Questions Asked.

By: Adriana Moore

Adriana Moore — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:16:51 +0000

I also really glad to visit bookgasm. here one can find a useful information like now. telling the truth I wasn’t aware that the series of St. Ives was written by Thomas under his pen name of Oliver Bleek.

By: John A. Karr

John A. Karr — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:47:04 +0000

Didn’t know the Charles Bronson movie was based on a novel either but am not surprised, so many films are. Liked Bronson on film. More than once he played a thinking guy as opposed to strict bad ass. Even the vigilante flicks were more from the common man point of view. Bookgasm is giving many options for the reading list these days. Hard to keep up, but more is better than less.

By: Roy

Roy — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:34:48 +0000

Actually, The Cold War Swap is a different series. This is the first book in the McCorkle and Padillo series written under his actual Ross Thomas name. The St. Ives series was originally writen by Thomas under the pen name of Oliver Bleek. There are actually five books in the series:

1. Brass Go-Between
2. Protocol for a Kidnapping
3. Procane Chronicle
4. Highbinders
5. No Questions Asked

All are great reading, including The Cold War Swap IMHO.

By: Bruce

Bruce — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:51:29 +0000

Thanks for the heads up Glen I’ve got the rest of the series wont bother looking for that one then.

By: Glen Davis

Glen Davis — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:18:54 +0000

You really can’t go wrong with Gardner.

The St. Ives series is very short (4 books) but very good, except for the Cold War Swap. It starts out good, but becomes just another cliched detente era anti-anti-communist novel.

By: Scott Parker

Scott Parker — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:25:27 +0000

That smacking sound? That’s the sound of my brain having gobbled up another tasty Wednesday morsel from the Four B’s. Thanks.

Ross Thomas. Interesting coincidence. The leader of my critique group knows I was reading the Elmore Leonard westerns a lent to me Ross Thomas’s Cinaman’s Chance. He told me Thomas was as good as, if not better, than Leonard. I added him to my list of Leonard-related material. First up on that list–that is, non-EL books–is The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins. EL himself once said that it was this book that showed him how he could make his own characters talk (especially swear words) and make it believable. Anything that helped make EL a better writer can surely help me.