Hard Case Crime

books are important. a dying art. please, please, let me know that there are still people out there that read more than just magazines.

Moderators: Batman, Zero, John Madden, Bob Ross, General Zod, Richard Simmons

Post Reply
User avatar
Diabolical
(includes alternate sneering hissy fit head sculpt)
Posts: 7061
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:40 pm
Location: Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc.

Hard Case Crime

Post by Diabolical »

After reading the interview with Charles Ardai, the publisher of Hard Case Crime, in the back of Criminal Vol. 2 #4, I decided to give it a shot. Or two.

Wikipedia describes the books better than I can:
Hard Case Crime is an American publisher of paperback hardboiled crime novels founded in 2004 by Charles Ardai, and Max Phillips. The series recreates, in editorial form and content, the spirit of the pulps of the 1940s and '50s. The covers feature original art done in pulp style by artists such as Robert McGinnis and Glen Orbik.

The collection includes both hard-to-find books from the pulp era (typically labeled Complete and unabridged on the cover), and new novels written specially for the collection (typically labeled First publication anywhere).
ImageImage

I played it fairly safe first and picked up The Colorado Kid by Stephen King (probably the most well-known book in the series). Since it was a short novel I also picked up another: The Murderer Vine by Shepard Rifkin (both seen above).
I breezed through The Colorado Kid pretty fast (176 pages) and I'm now almost half way through The Murderer Vine (254 pages). Both are pretty darn entertaining.

I'm also thinking of signing up for their book club - Two books a month (the newest one and an old one) for only $6.99 ($8.99 if you include shipping). Plus, you can cancel at any time.

I know this is probably a longshot, but has anyone else read any Hard case Crime?
"As they say in China, 'Arrivederci'!"
Image
*For the creation of the Golden Deuce Award.
User avatar
jjreason
(includes alternate sneering hissy fit head sculpt)
Posts: 8026
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 1:14 am
Location: Out there somewhere.

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by jjreason »

No, but I didn't know Stephen King had done one. I used to be a pretty big fan but have fallen off in the last few years. I'm quite sure I haven't seen those books around anywhere, though..... I'll have to check Chapters for them the next time I'm in there.
"Something inside me....."
User avatar
Diabolical
(includes alternate sneering hissy fit head sculpt)
Posts: 7061
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:40 pm
Location: Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc.

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by Diabolical »

The Stephen King book is where I originally noticed this series on the shelves (which I think was the big push the publisher wanted), but I didn't consider picking anything up until I read the article in Criminal.

Not long after posting this I found two more in the series at Big Lots for $2 each; "Straight Cut" by Madison Smartt Bell and "Top of the Heap" by Erle Stanley Gardner (creator of Perry Mason).

I've now finished three of the four books, the two above and "Straight Cut," which I struggled through (it wasn't bad, but just not as entertaining or well-written as the first two).

I don't want to burn myself out on these do I'm going to read a few other different books before I get to the last one I have.
"As they say in China, 'Arrivederci'!"
Image
*For the creation of the Golden Deuce Award.
User avatar
anarky
sometimes not actually existing
Posts: 17590
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 4:50 pm
Location: Fucking shit up, yo!

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by anarky »

I saw The Colorado Kid today at Big Lots for $2 and picked it up. I'll probably get to read it over the weekend. Is the other stuff good? I like good crime stories, but bad ones are about as much fun as eating a booger sandwich... made of someone else's boogers.

(Not that a sandwich made of one's own boogers is good, but I'd prefer my own over someone else's any day.)
Image
*--For behavior unbecoming anyone, perpetrated in real time over an extended--AH, FUCK IT! MORE MALIBU, BITCHES!!
User avatar
Diabolical
(includes alternate sneering hissy fit head sculpt)
Posts: 7061
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:40 pm
Location: Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc.

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by Diabolical »

I liked The Colorado Kid.
Of the other 2 I've read, one, The Murderer Vine (by Shepard Rifkin), was pretty good and the other, Straight Cut (Madison Smartt Bell), was kind of on the booger sandwich side.
I've got one more, Top of the Heap by Erle Stanley Gardner (creator of Perry Mason) that I've yet to get to.
"As they say in China, 'Arrivederci'!"
Image
*For the creation of the Golden Deuce Award.
User avatar
anarky
sometimes not actually existing
Posts: 17590
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 4:50 pm
Location: Fucking shit up, yo!

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by anarky »

Saw three more today at Big Lots for $2 each. Was about to get them, but the line was insane.
Image
*--For behavior unbecoming anyone, perpetrated in real time over an extended--AH, FUCK IT! MORE MALIBU, BITCHES!!
User avatar
Diabolical
(includes alternate sneering hissy fit head sculpt)
Posts: 7061
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:40 pm
Location: Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc.

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by Diabolical »

Yeah, I see some every now and then. I usually type a note on my phone of the titles and research them online before I buy any.
I picked up 3 a while ago but haven't gotten to them yet, as I have 2 or 3 other books waiting to be read first.
"As they say in China, 'Arrivederci'!"
Image
*For the creation of the Golden Deuce Award.
User avatar
Diabolical
(includes alternate sneering hissy fit head sculpt)
Posts: 7061
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:40 pm
Location: Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc.

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by Diabolical »

I've got 11 Hard Case Crime books now and I've read 6 of them.
They are typically fun, pulpy reads.

I recently found out that two novels, Zero Cool (1969) and Grave Descend (1970), are by Michael Crichton under the pen name "John Lange."


I also stumbled upon this following link for "The Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society." Yes, it is as awesome as it sounds.
Apparently a 1992 ruling in New York stated that women were allowed to be topless anywhere a man can.

NSFW

The Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society
"As they say in China, 'Arrivederci'!"
Image
*For the creation of the Golden Deuce Award.
User avatar
anarky
sometimes not actually existing
Posts: 17590
Joined: Tue Sep 03, 2002 4:50 pm
Location: Fucking shit up, yo!

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by anarky »

Fuck, I'm going to have to look for those two at Big Lots. I had no idea Crichton had written pulp fiction.
Image
*--For behavior unbecoming anyone, perpetrated in real time over an extended--AH, FUCK IT! MORE MALIBU, BITCHES!!
User avatar
Diabolical
(includes alternate sneering hissy fit head sculpt)
Posts: 7061
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2005 8:40 pm
Location: Doofenshmirtz Evil, Inc.

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by Diabolical »

Good luck. I haven't found any HCC books at my nearest Big Lots in a while now.
I even looked at a couple in Florida and had no luck. Lately my best spot has been used book stores.
There is another Big Lots on my way to work, so I might stop there and see if they have any.
"As they say in China, 'Arrivederci'!"
Image
*For the creation of the Golden Deuce Award.
User avatar
vynsane
master of the universe
Posts: 6193
Joined: Sat Aug 31, 2002 11:16 pm
Location: in my quiet place, punch-dancing out my rage
Contact:

Re: Hard Case Crime

Post by vynsane »

Diabolical wrote:I also stumbled upon this following link for "The Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society." Yes, it is as awesome as it sounds.
Apparently a 1992 ruling in New York stated that women were allowed to be topless anywhere a man can.

NSFW

The Outdoor Co-ed Topless Pulp Fiction Appreciation Society
this is why new york is the capitol of the world.
Life is short. STUNT IT!
Post Reply