I bet there are some on IORR

I've read a dozen or so of J L Burke's work, and enjoy their slow, description-rich pace. It has been a while since I've read one though, so might be time to pick up another.

I only discovered Crumley with 'Last Good Kiss' which I read in the summer and enjoyed very much. I'll actively look for some more of his.

Broadly in that genre I really love John D MacDonald, particularly his Travis McGee series. Intelligent mysteries with some prescient philosophical meanderings (concerning the environment and big business) from boat bum McGee.

From one McDonald to another : I discovered Ross Macdonald this summer with The Moving Target. Loved it.

Do some of you read Don Westlake ?

I've read a few by Burke but until today never heard of Crumley. Amazed that someone brought up Travis McGee. I've been around long enough to have started reading the McGee series when it first came about, looking forward to a new book every year. I've reread the series over the years - Travis' observations about some things seem more relevant than ever - and now am into listening to the audio book versions. Not crazy about the late Darren McGavin as the narrator for the audio McGee - McGavin seems to read a bit too fast for my taste. I got into Ross MacDonald's Lew Archer stuff also for awhile after seeing the Paul Newman flick "Harper". Somewhere on my agenda is listening to Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer audio series. Spillane and Mike Hammer is one of those guilty pleasures. Next time I go, I will check out Crumley at the local library, along with Burke.

Started with "the Mexican Tree Duck" and was hooked on Crumley. This led me into Jon Lansdale as well - good tv series based on his characters is floating out there too. JLB has always been a good read and the Louisiana settings just add to the storyline. Second that on Westlake: witty, funny capers that make sense - they even translate well on film.

Back again regarding Westlake. He wrote a great series under the pseudonym Richard Stark about the professional thief named Parker. "Point Blank" with Lee Marvin was one of the movies based on the Parker character. Well recommended series if you like what they call hard-boiled crime stories.

i really enjoy james lee burke. not familiar with james crumley, will have to check him out. really like john sandford, too.

Joe R.Lansdale. That boy can write.

"I'll be in my basement room with a needle and a spoon."

'Last Good Kiss' is great, "The Mexican Tree Duck" is stuck in booze, guns, get you lost but is great too.
Burke has a thing to mix characters and decaying whereabouts, with some creepy figures, for instance the Crustacean Man (a body of a bum rotting in the swamp).
I started The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles, but found it too depressing. Nothing to do with the writer, he may be just too good in his depictions.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2018-09-13 23:20 by The Joker.

I discovered James Lee Burke after my friend, who is a crime writer, recommended him. I've read more or less all of his novels. His main character is ex- NOPD Detective Dave Robicheaux who ends up as a Deputy Sheriff in New Iberia. His sidekick is his ex-Detective partner now Private Investigator Clete Purcel.

He also writes about Billy Bob Holland and Hackberry Holland in different series'.

Best reads are:-

A Stained White Radiance
Purple Cane Road
Jolie Blon's Bounce
The Tin Roof Blowdown (My personal favourite)

I believe he is the best in the business and to my mind his beautiful writing makes the scenes and characters come to life.

Not yet read James Crumley but am going to.

Enjoy!

I have no idea how this question arose on this board, but yes, very much so, to both authors. Crumley is a lesser known with an almost cult following: hard edged and drug fueled.

I love the Robicheux (sp) novels, such a richly drawn character. JLB's descriptions of place are also wonderfully evocative.

I enjoyed Crumley's 'Last Good Kiss' (the only one of his I've read), but it's certainly a nihilistic read.

Anyone else out there down with Travis McGee?

Talking about connexions...
Just found this in James Lee Burke's Creole Belle, page 97

« So far the only person who had shown any knowledge about Caruso was Count Carbona, aka Baron Belladonna, who had freeze-dried his head with Owsley purple at the Stones concert in Altamont, where the decade of the flower children ended and the music flew away in a helicopter, leaving a dead man on the stage and outlaw bikers beating concertgoers with pool cues. »

Don Winslow is very good too. kind of old school hard edge but with modern twists. gritty is the word i was looking for....