--- jacquesdebierue <
jacquesdebierue@yahoo.com> wrote:
> A couple of days ago I picked up a used copy
of
> Block's _Hit Parade_,
> the third collection of Keller adventures.
The
> effect of this book was
> disturbing: I could not possibly believe in
Keller
> _nor_ could I be
> sure that this series of shaggy dog stories
was
> meant to be understood
> as shaggydoggy. The style suggests the latter,
but
> not completely. In
> sum, an impeccably written book that never came
into
> focus. The
> insistence on the theme of stamp collecting ended
up
> annoying me, but
> that is a minor matter. In the end, I felt
like
> writing a Keller story
> with real people in it. I even thought of a
couple
> of things to do to
> Dot, Keller's patient and amiable partner (a
total
> cipher, like
> Keller), just to rattle her.
***************************************************** A few
weeks ago you were waxing poetic about the style of Robert
Leslie Bellem, so I ordered his novel, BLUE MURDER, from
amazon. I've gotta say this may have been the worst book I've
ever read. About half way through I started to wonder if
Robert Leslie Bellem was actually Lesley Bellem. It really
felt like a woman parodying tough it was so over-the-top. The
detective's name is Duke Pizzatello and every woman in the
book is smarter than he is like the master is smarter than
the dog. The plot is all over the block. The motivation for
any character to do anything is impossible to guess. When the
DA gave Pizzatello the opportunity to spring a trap on a
murderer that may be completely dreamed up by Pizzatello who
is the most likely suspect... I mean, why would he do that?
I'd heard of Bellem before but never read him. I doubt I will
again. What do you like about this writer?
Patrick King
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