The same is true, I think, of those writers who seem to rely
on the
violence and shock value of the action and/or crimes they
depict. Following
this method isn't really plowing new ground; it's a bit of
mulching, I
suppose (man, I think this metaphor's gone far enough), by
throwing in some
elements from the horror genre or simply camouflaging the old
with flashes
and splashes of violence, gore or some combination of the two
with some
perversity tossed in.
I think some writers can still use the old methods and devise
strong
stories and novels. But it takes special skills to use the
old methods and
open up new territory for the PI novel. The writers that
Mario mentions (
Mosley, Burke, Ellroy, Sallis, Gores) do that (although I'd
argue that
even their efforts can turn stale -- Burke last few novels
come to mind).
The trick is taking what works from the old methods and
adding something
new -- not just a gimmick, but something that's as much a
part of the
narrative as the plot and characters and motivations. When I
try out a
novel by a new writer, that's what I'm looking for. --
Duane
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