Thursday 30 October 2014

JAMES REASONER - THE MAN IN THE MOON


Synopsis/blurb….

Markham is a private detective, but instead of a client he has a personal stake in this case. He's the one who finds the two kids wandering along a desert highway in the middle of the night. Their father is missing, and Markham's efforts to discover the man's fate draw him into a dark web of crime, hate . . . and murder.

THE MAN IN THE MOON is a 10,000 word novella from legendary author James Reasoner. It originally appeared in the April 1980 issue of MIKE SHAYNE MYSTERY MAGAZINE and is one of several stories about Markham, a classic Southern California private eye.

I read and enjoyed a couple of James Reasoner’s short novels last year – Tractor Girl (review link here) and Dust Devils (here), with one other – Texas Wind sitting neglected on the pile. I had kind of forgotten about Reasoner until my good blog-friend, Prashant read and excellently reviewed this short PI story a few weeks ago (here).   

I’m a big fan of the PI in crime fiction, preferring this form of investigator over more formal police procedurals. I think the one man thing has more potential for interesting conflicts with authority when the two cross paths. Slightly less believable sometimes and the stories can be a stretch sometimes, but hey - I like what I like.

On this occasion, Markham after finding two abandoned children out on the highway and having performed his duties as a concerned citizen; stays around and without any opposition from the local law follows his nose and gets to the bottom of the mystery.

Reasoner crams a lot into this piece and whilst I’m not exactly reaching for my wallet right now – I’d be interested in looking at the other couple of Markham stories available on Amazon for less than a pound sometime in the future.

Short and satisfying and another 4 from 5

Reasoner has written about 150 novels and many short stories. His website is here and his blog is here.


Bought recently on Amazon.

14 comments:

  1. Col, many thanks for the generous credit. "Short and satisfying" is how I'd describe this story and the kind I enjoy reading. I'm planning to read the other two Markham stories soon as well as some of Mr. Reasoner's long work.

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    1. Prashant thanks for tipping me off about this one. I'll bear the other two in mind for the future.

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  2. I saw Prashant's piece on this too. Obviously an impressive author - 150 novels??!!

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    1. Moira, I think Mr. Reasoner has written more than 200 books including historical novels under his own name as well as pen names.

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    2. Moira, 150 is an under-estimate by a considerable margin apparently. Despite my enjoyment of the 3 books-pieces I have read so far, that would be a leap too far for the Library both time-wise and in regards to the purse strings!

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    3. Prashant thanks for the update. I think I could well read my way through all his mysteries, as they appear to be considerably fewer in number than his historical and western fiction.

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    4. Col, you are welcome. I'm more keen to read his western and historical fiction.

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    5. I'll see what other treasures you uncover then.

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    6. Prashant, have you read much of his stuff? That's an incredible figure, thanks for the info.
      Col, I'm surprised you haven't got at least 100 of them tucked away in tubs...

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    7. Moira, I'm the very model of restraint when not cursing Halloween!

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    8. Moira, it is an incredible figure. I have read about Mr. Reasoner's books as well as those by his wife and award-winning author, Livia J. Washburn. They have also authored book together, I think. However, I'm afraid I haven't read anything. I'm planning to read some of his western and historical fiction in the very near future.

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    9. Prashant, I hope they are good and you enjoy them - just not too good, otherwise I'll feel I have to read them!

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  3. Col - Thanks for this review - glad you enjoyed. And to both you and Prashant, thanks for the fascinating background on Reasoner. What a hard-working, prolific author!

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    1. Margot you're welcome. I wonder if he ever suffers from writer's block?

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