it's easy enough to start with the three currently in print ("Branded Woman" from Hard Case, and "The Killer"/"Devil On Two Sticks" from Stark House). All three are great reads. After that I read two of the Gold Medals including "Devil May Care" and one of the Signets ("Guilty Bystander"). I haven't hit a dud yet.
they had a formula they used a lot, where the main character will be in search of someone known only by a code of some kind. the protagonist will have to figure out the person's true identity. they use this gimmick in a lot of books, but so far it hasn't gotten old with me. they are skillful enough to make it work a little different each time.
Tom Armstrong
--- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, sonny <sforstater@...> wrote:
>
> which miller and bellem would you recommend most? i've read nothing of theirs. or of whittington for that matter. so either the best to start with or just the best/faves of yours.
>
> --- On Wed, 12/2/09, jacquesdebierue <jacquesdebierue@...> wrote:
>
> From: jacquesdebierue <jacquesdebierue@...>
> Subject: RARA-AVIS: Re: Harlequin
> To: rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2009, 1:39 AM
>
>
>
> --- In rara-avis-l@yahoogroups.com, Kevin Burton Smith <kvnsmith@> wrote:
>
> >
> > Harlequin printed a ton of much by much better or at least more interesting (to me, anyway) crime authors (including Wade Miller, Robert Leslie Bellem, Harry Whittington, Frank Kane, Ronald Cooke, Day Keene, Cleve Adams, David Montrose, Robert O. Saber and David Goodis). I dunno -- maybe they didn't own the rights anymore. Or the covers weren't as juicy.
> >
>
> You can never have enough Wade Miller in print... those guys were great. I am rereading a bunch of their novels and besides the quality of writing, what astonishes me is how modern they seem. Their treatment of sexuality is quite explicit and well done, and does not correspond to any clichés one might have about censorship and such. Maybe the censors didn't pay much attention to Gold Medals, Signets and other paperback publications.
>
> Of your list, I am also very fond of Bellem. I think he was an original, and he makes me laugh hard. He must have done something right... Some of his plots seem written by a madman.
>
> Best,
>
> mrt
>
>
>
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