#7: Shameless shilling ahead ...
Where we mark a month since the release of BECAUSE THE NIGHT, and we talk up good books we've been reading
It's been a month since BECAUSE THE NIGHT dropped, and I want to thank y'all for the encouragement, kind words, and support offered for the book and for Henry in general.
Every book is its own beast. Each time you put words to paper has its own challenges. BECAUSE THE NIGHT had no shortage of these as I struggled to find the next chapter in Henry's story. By my best guess, sometime between 2020 and 2023 I trashed about 250,000 words trying to write a new Malone book. That includes a 91,000 completed first draft of a novel that I got midway through on the second draft and realized there was no saving it. I took the first 10,000 words from it, however, and wrote something entirely new. That book ended up being BECAUSE THE NIGHT.
There was a four-year gap between Malone books, and the goal is that there won’t be another space nearly that long before a new Malone book appears. I’m finishing up a standalone set outside of the Parker County universe, and seeing what happens. My writing life has been a series of fortunate accidents, and I’m wondering what I’ll stumble onto next.
As always, if you enjoyed the book, feel free to leave a review over at Amazon or Goodreads.
WHERE I’VE BEEN
Had the opportunity to go down to Boca Raton for Sleuthfest, a conference for writers and fans of mystery and crime fiction. I was supposed to go last year but had to cancel at almost literally the last minute when I tested positive for Covid.
I wasn’t confident I was going to make it this year, either, but for different reasons. My flight got delayed, then the plane couldn’t land and we circled the airport so long they flew up to Punta Gorda to refuel. I was scheduled to read at the Noir at the Bar and all but rolled in on two wheels.
The rest of the time, however, was awesome, as is nearly any chance you get to spend with writers and fans.
WHAT I’M READING
Just finished up the new Megan Abbott, BEWARE THE WOMAN. What I love about Megan’s books is how she is always testing new ground, trying new things. She started her career with a series of period novels influenced by classic film noir before turning out book after book of stunning studies into the female psyche, exploring worlds ranging from cheerleading to dance to the bonds between sisters. As different as the books are, they are always unmistakably Megan’s, and they each one cement her as one of the most valuable voices in crime fiction.
BEWARE THE WOMAN is yet another leap, this one edging closer toward Gothic fiction. Newly married and pregnant, Jacy travels with her husband Jed to visit Jed’s father, Dr. Ash, in rural Michigan. A health scare for Jacy turns terrifying, however, and she finds herself struggling to escape. Megan uses layers of secrets—Jed’s, Dr. Ash’s, even Jacy’s—to keep you constantly guessing. She also peels away at the concepts of female body autonomy as Jacy finds herself constantly underneath a male-oriented looking glass. The writing is thick and luxurious and the storytelling treacherous. It’s a slow-burn in the best Gothic tradition, before it catches fire in the last third and you’re racing to its end.
I also recently finished LOWDOWN ROAD by Scott Von Doviak—a book as far from BEWARE THE WOMAN as the east is from the west. Scott’s a long-time journalist and author of the great CHARLESGATE CONFIDENTIAL, and here he’s crafted a nearly perfect summer read—particularly for anyone with a fondness for all things 70s.
Set in 1974, LOWDOWN centers on two cousins who steal a million dollars in marijuana, planning to sell it during Evel Knievel’s Snake River Canyon jump in Idaho. They end up with a powerful drug dealer and a revenge-crazed sheriff on their trail, while stumbling along a series of dangerous escapades along the way.
LOWDOWN ROAD is an absolute blast. In a better world, Roger Corman or AIP would already be producing a movie version of it. The plot zips along, the dialogue is laugh-out-loud funny, and Von Doviak keeps the increasingly insane proceedings under control with a light touch that isn’t afraid to go dark when needed.
A GRIFTER’S SONG—the long-running crime novella series edited by Frank Zafiro—is going to be wrapping up soon.
(As I’m sure y’all remember, I wrote one. Just saying.)
The penultimate entry, STEALING PARADISE, is from the wonderful San Diego writer Curtis Ippolito, and let me tell you, this dog runs. You’re gonna dig it.
Vacationing in San Diego, Sam and Rachel set their sights on an area businessman who’s made a fortune through forgiven pandemic loans. They set about to separate the fool from his money, but they don’t count on the man’s disgruntled ex-employee upsetting their plan.
STEALING PARADISE is a fun and sexy slice of southern California action that turns on a dime and keeps you on your toes, even if they’re buried in the sand. It’s out August 15, and it’s a damn good time.
That’s all we’ve got for now. Thanks for coming. See you next time, and hey, let’s be careful out there.
I'm going to backtrack and go spend some time with Malone on his previous outings. Because the Night is terrific! Thanks, James.