----- Original Message ----- From: "Robison Michael R CNIN"
<
Robison_M@crane.navy.mil>
> I'm looking for some more stuff to read for the
1940's.
> Can anybody tell me anything about the following
titles?
> Are they good or bad? Are some of them not
hardboiled?
>
> The Man with the Golden Arm, Algren 1949
> The Neon Wilderness, Algren 1947
> Deadlier Than the Male, Gunn 1942
> Deadly Weapon, Wade Miller 1946
> Stranger in Town, Howard Hunt 1947
> Maelstrom, Hunt 1948
> Bimini Run, Hunt 1949
DEADLY WEAPON was Wade Miller's first book. You can tell.
Published in 1946 when the authors, Bill Miller and Bob Wade,
were 26 (they were born a month apart), it introduces Atlanta
PI Walter James, in his only role. James claims he's
"resting" for a while in San Diego, but it transpires, after
a murder in a local theatre where he's a member of the
audience, that he's following a lead in the shooting of his
erstwhile partner, Hal Lantz. It soon becomes apparent that a
drugs cartel is to blame, and James embarks on the daunting
task of discovering the identity of the mysterious Dr
Boone.
This isn't one of Wade Miller's best. Not by some distance.
However, there are glimpses of what the authors were capable
of. For example, the main love interest is between James and
Laura Gilbert. Subtly, Wade Miller gives James feminine
characterstics ("Walter James put his hand next to Laura
Gilbert's on the desk. It was just as white and almost as
small") and just as unsubtly does the reverse with Laura by
giving her the male nickname, Kevin (we're told it's her
middle name, although it's never explained why). It spices up
their relationship, as does the fact that her father might be
a crook - he might even be Dr Boone.
However, DEADLY WEAPON is perhaps most interesting for it's
similarity in style to THE MALTESE FALCON. Wade Miller uses
the same minimalist technique: few emotions or thoughts are
supplied by Walter James, the main viewpoint character. Also,
I have to confess, I found the final revelation genuinely
surprising.
The writing isn't that good. I've mentioned before that Wade
Miller has a fondness for juicy verbs. Not so here. And when
they do go for it, they often clumsily supply intransitive
verbs with objects. Which I found a bit annoying. The ending
is confusing and I felt I'd need to re-read the book to get
exactly who was who and why they did what they did. But it
doesn't deserve a second reading. Not when there are so many
books I haven't read.
I'd recommend Miller's next novel, GUILTY BYSTANDER, 1947,
which introduces series character, Max Thursday, PI. It is a
better example of what Wade Miller can do. It's a better
story, too.
Al
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