I found PILLOW OF THE COMMUNITY somewhere a while back and loved it. IIRC,
the setting is Newark and it's a humane hardboiled. I regret he didn't live
long enough to write more, but at least I have more titles to look for.
Joy
Mark D. Nevins wrote:
> To the point of this thread: Rodino also co-wrote a series of novels about
> a black PI in Newark named Ezell "Easy" Barnes: SNAKE IN THE GRASSES,
> PILLOW OF THE COMMUNITY, PIECES OF CREAM, and BEHIND THE FACT: the first
> was published in '87, the final one in '89, and I believe at least one was
> nominated for a Shamus. (I am now wondering: does "Easy" Barnes predate
> "Easy" Rawlin? Hmmmmm.) Anyway, Rodino wrote these books with his
> college roommate, whose name was Hilary Connors, I believe--I never met
> him. Connors had gone on from college into a career in law enforcement.
> The pseudonym they chose was "Richard Hilary," i.e., their first names.
> (Yes, they did use a pseudonym--not sure why, but pretty sure it was not
> out of embarrassment.)
>
> Rodino was a huge influence on my life. He had done his Ph.D. at Harvard,
> and I know he was instrumental in my being accepted there to do my Ph.D.
> Tragically, he died suddenly of a hereditary heart condition in 1989--and
> he has been greatly missed.
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