I think that "midboiled" is a good term for Stout's work.
Another writer
who worked in a similar hybrid style is George Harmon Coxe. I
have
already mentioned that some time ago I bought a box of books
that had
about thirty Coxe novels in it. I've read six or seven, and
they are
very good if not earth-shattering. He did some very
hardboiled stuff
early on, then developed his mature style, which sold well. I
am
impressed with Coxe's professionalism - he turned out one
book after
another, none of them less than good. There's got to be a
prize for that
kind of steady quality, even if he didn't reach the peaks of
a Chandler
or a Hammett.
Regards,
Mario Taboada
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