Yes, the Archer novels by Macdonald are strikingly similar in
terns of theme and plot. Like David Goodis, he essentially
wrote one book over and over again, but, as others have
pointed out, it was a good book. Aside from the titles
themselves, which suggest a Chandleresque world, I don't
think of Macdonald as being hardboiled or noir. More often
than not the setting is miles away from the street, and
Archer rarely seems to be in any kind of danger. Action fans
will be disappointed, too, as not much "happens" in these
books (with the exception of The Blue Hammer, a later effort
which involves a woman in distress and some gunplay, if I
remember correctly). In the end, you read Macdonald because
of the beauty and care put forth in the writing itself, and
his insights into human nature. I agree that the The Galton
Case is the exemplary Macdonald novel, but you would be
hard-pressed to find a bad one in the bunch.
Pelecanos
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