If I were to do a standard Top 10 list of the year’s best books, five of the slots would be taken up by a certain plucky little publishing house in California. So why not just cut the standard list in half and focus directly on the venerable Stark House Press, purveyor of many fine two-in-one collections of classic crime novels.
Top 5 Twofers from Stark House Press:
1. A NIGHT FOR SCREAMING / ANY WOMAN HE WANTED by Harry Whittington – This book made me such a fan of Whittington, aka the king of the paperbacks. Now I’m always on the lookout for more of his stuff in the used stores (usually to no avail), so I hope Stark House reissues some more.
2. WILD TO POSSESS / A TASTE FOR SIN by Gil Brewer – Brewer’s lead character could drink Charles Bukowski under ther table. This is a dark world of noir to which we all should be exposed, because they sure don’t write like him anymore.
3. THE DEADLY DAMES / A DUM-DUM FOR THE PRESIDENT by Douglas Sanderson – Canadian noir, eh! I guess these were the books that Bob & Doug read while not hosting THE GREAT WHITE NORTH. Sanderson writes like a freight train – you just better hold on.
4. AN AIR THAT KILLS / DO EVIL IN RETURN by Margaret Millar – Putting this at number four was a little hard for me. It’s edged out by Sanderson by a mere hair. With this book, you’ll see why Ross Macdonald’s wife is actually a better writer then the man who gave us Lew Archer. This ain’t no chick lit!
5. SHAKE HIM TILL HE RATTLES / IT’S COLD OUT THERE by Malcolm Braly – Finishing up the list is, of course, one of the first books I got to review for this site: a great twofer from an ex-con. The only reason it’s this low? Just look at the competition. I mean, it’s like pick your five favorite Martin Scorsese films.
10 Books That Were a Waste of My Time in 2006
Covering at least three books a week with this column and doing the regular reviews, I come across some piles of utter crap. So here’s my bottom 10 of the year, counting down Letterman-style; click each title to read the original review. A dishonorable mention goes to E. Howard Hunt, worst author ever.
10. SLAVES OF SLEEP (1939) by L. Ron Hubbard / BRAK THE BARBARIAN (1968) by John Jakes – A double shot of really bad sci-fi/fantasy. It would have been more fun picking out belly lint.
9. BARON SINISTER (1965) by Joseph Milton – A really lame spy novel that could have been put to sleep a lot sooner. Next time I’m feeling sinister, I’ll listen to my Belle & Sebastian record.
8. EXILE ON MAIN ST.: A SEASON IN HELL WITH THE ROLLING STONES by Robert Greenfield – A Kitty Kelley wannabe account of the greatest rock-and-roll band ever, recording one of my favorite albums. Yet it never started me up.
7. THE MILLION DOLLAR BLOODHUNT (1973) by Joe Millard – Sergio Leone is rolling in his grave.
6. THE REAL ANIMAL HOUSE: THE AWESOMELY DEPRAVED SAGA OF THE FRATERNITY THAT INSPIRED THE MOVIE by Chris Miller – Who would’ve thought a book about what inspired such a great film would be such a bore fest? And several decades too late at that.
5. THE SPY WHO HATED LICORICE (1966) by Richard L. Hershatter – I got the sequel title right here: THE REVIEWER WHO HATED THIS SAD STATE OF SPY FICTION.
4. THE LADIES OF HOLDERNESS (1976) by Dennis Fowler – The cover ruins everything, plain and simple. Even a child could tell you what happens.
3. JOHNNY GOES WEST (1968) by Desmond Cory – To quote the great THIS IS SPINAL TAP, a two-word review: “Shit sandwich.”
2. 54 by Wu Ming – What’s the difference between a TV set and Cary Grant? The TV set was more interesting in this pile of number two.
And the number one book that was a total waste of my time:
1. 54 by Wu Ming – I hated this book so much, it deserved to be on this list twice. Yes, it’s that awful. –Bruce Grossman
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