Synopsis/blurb……
In 2005, Johnny
Temple of Akashic Books chose me to edit an anthology of new dark stories set
in Manhattan. Manhattan Noir was duly published the following year. Besides
soliciting and selecting stories, my duties included writing both an overall
introduction to the volume and an original story of my own.
The story I wrote,
set in the same Hell's Kitchen neighbourhood that's home to my detective hero,
Matthew Scudder, was "If You Can't Stand the Heat." (And in fact the
bar where the story begins bears a definite resemblance to Grogan's Open House,
where Matt's friend Mick Ballou holds court.)
I didn't know very
much about the young woman who stars in "If You Can't Stand the
Heat," not even her name. I learned more as I found myself moved to record
further adventures for her. Her name kept changing, as did her base of
operations; her life style rather compelled her to be peripatetic, and to
change identities along the way
At one point it
became evident that I was writing a novel on the instalment plan, and Hard Case
Crime published Getting Off in the fall of 2011. I've since realized that
several of its episodes, originally written as short stories, stand up fine on
their own—and have decided to make them available in that form.
If You Can't Stand
the Heat is the first of these. If you want to read more about Kit, #2 is Rude
Awakening, set in the Riverdale section of the Bronx.
Hats off to Mr Block – short form or long he always entertains.
A bit of a surprise in places as his heroine turns this 15
page story on its head with Block showing there’s plenty of life in the old dog
yet and a few shenanigans in the bedroom. I’m unused to a lot of the author’
action taking place in between the sheets, but then again I’m sure he cut his
teeth back in the late 50s and early 60s writing soft porn.
A lot more going on here than an orgasm or two. We get our main
lady’s back story and a feel for her current activities. Kit Tolliver – not someone
I’d care to meet in a bar, but someone I’m going to enjoy reading about. A
satisfying climax at the end of our tale!
4 from 5
I got this one a year or two ago on Amazon and decided to
read it once I heard the next two episodes were going to be available for free
last week on the same site.
There’s 12 Kit Tolliver vignettes in total, but at some point
I’ll be ponying up to get the full treatment by investing in Hard Case Crime’s
Getting Off, unless of course Mr Block decides to let the give the last 9 away
for free!
Col, it's an interesting concept to hive off episodes or sections from a previously published novel into separate stories. I guess, one needs to write them as one novel or standalones, as Mr. Block has done.
ReplyDeletePrashant, I think it was the other way round. Initially at least - one story followed another, followed another and then it kind of morphed into a complete novel- which he then fragmented the later ones from. Maybe he developed the latter part of the novel with one eye on episodic releases?
DeleteFrom a marketing POV - it's clever. On AM UK - the individual episodes aren't much cheaper on their own than the actual novel.
Though as the man himself says - buy the complete thing for a fraction of the sum total of the individual parts.
I read the synopsis for GETTING OFF on Amazon and it sounds really good. I've sworn off buying books at the minute, but it might be the first thing I allow myself when I relax my embargo. I've enjoyed the 3 KIT TOLLIVER episodes I've read so far, but I think the whole will be greater than the fractions - enjoyment-wise.
Block is such a talented writer, isn't he, Col? As you say, novel, short story, it doesn't matter. He generally delivers the goods. Glad you enjoyed this.
ReplyDeleteMargot, I can't remember - have you spotlighted Lawrence Block before? I wish I had discovered him before I eventually did, then I might have been enjoying his fiction for a lot longer than I have been.
DeleteWhether I'm reading a Scudder investigation, or borderline soft-porn I'm invariably having a great time!
What a treat, Col! Thanks for this. As for the most economical way to follow Kit's adventures, let me first advise against an option Amazon offers—all 12 stories for £28.64! Far better to snap up the complete Hard Case ebook for £2.48. Or, as you suggest, there's a way to read all 12 for free, but not by waiting for me to give them all away; if you're a member of Amazon's Kindle Unlimited program, you can borrow and read one right after another at no cost. That way it does make sense to acquire them as individual episodes. Otherwise you're far better off getting the whole book.
ReplyDeleteBOOM! Lawrence Block on the blog - happy days! I'll be taking the latter option and getting on - GETTING OFF!
DeleteWell go on with your bad self. I love Lawrence Block's books, my favorite being When the Sacred Ginmill Closes.
DeleteHighlight of the week Keishon - LB dropping by! (After yourself of course..haha) I've not got to that one yet in my on/off reading of the Matt Scudder series.
DeleteWEll I'm all excited to be the next commentator after Lawrence Block, doesn't happen every day. This sounds really tempting. That cover with the naked lady and the knife is astonishing...
ReplyDeleteGive it a go Moira - £2.50 odd on Kindle! I'm sure she wears some clothes at some point.
DeleteI've actually read the Hard Case Crime edition. I ordered it through the local library and, as you might imagination, when the book arrived its cover caused a certain amount of . . . discussion among the librarians.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'll have to check you on Goodreads to see what you thought. I've read 3 of the vignettes and enjoyed them all. So I'm definitely interested in the whole shebang!
DeleteIt'll be a definite contender for cover of the month when I do read it!
I would go for the novel I think. I am pretty sure anything Lawrence Block writes is entertaining.
ReplyDeleteMe too, but it was on the kindle and I had a spare 20 minutes, so...
Delete