Interesting solution to the mystery. The Colorado Kid is
unique among Hard Case Crime novels in that we're never
really sure a crime has been committed. It's also the only
HCC novel that isn't "hard-boiled," by any definition of the
term. In fact, it's really a "village cozy." I kept expecting
James Qwilleran and his cats to show up any minute and solve
the mystery. :o)
I think the ambiguous ending, though, is what makes it
appropriate for HCC. HCC has already established itself as a
publisher willing to take risks. The big one that comes to
mind is The Confession, which I understand was rejected by
several other publishers. The Confession is a powerful novel,
but when it won the Edgar Award it upset a lot of people
because it "isn't really a mystery."
Witness to Myself by Seymour Shubin is another HCC novel that
is a powerful psychological thriller, and I'll be surprised
if it doesn't win awards too. And its cover is my favorite
HCC cover so far. I think it captures the
"noir" feeling of the novel as well as the whole Hard Case
Crime series.
Darrell
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