Delayed Gratification [2] - Books doing 'time' on the shelf

 

This series of blog posts examines books I’ve acquired which have spent considerable time on the shelf for one reason or another (in some cases many years). In an order to rediscover what attracted me to these books in the first place, each week/fortnight I plan on revisiting a handful with the aim of pushing them up the TBR pile and rekindling my interest.

The second post delves deep into my PI/detective mystery collection showcasing a pulpier and lesser known side to my books. These books are a mix of kindle and print which I had fully intended to read asap, yet they have been overlooked time and time again.

SATAN’S LAMBS by Lynn S. Hightower (shelved 2011) is an interesting book. Namely because I knew very little about it when I purchased it except for two things: one – Ken Bruen mentioned on a long lost online post somewhere on an obscure website that it was one of his favourite novels at time of publishing the post. Second – I loved the cover. While it’s true, what’s inside the book counts, that initial reaction to the cover is a key thing in winning me over and gladly parting with my hard earned cash.

 

As it turns out that online post wasn’t lost nor from an obscure website. Read Ken Bruen’s Ten Favourite Crime Novels (as of Sept. 30 2010) here: http://www.bookaware.com/2010/09/ken-bruen-my-ten-favourite-crime-novels/

 

View more about SATAN'S LAMBS on GR

 

 

THE DANCE OF DEATH by Carter Brown (shelved 2009). THE DANCE OF DEATH will be the next Carter Brown book I read. Towards the end of last year (2012) I read a number of books featuring the hardboiled detective Al Wheeler – a lone wolf sort of character who has to contend with bullets just as much as wanton females throwing themselves at him. This edition was published in 1964 and is a good reflection of the pulp era both in cover design and writing style. With an opening blub containing She wouldn't take no from any man, so how could Wheeler refuse? Cissie St. Jerome turned a spotlight on her black-sheeted bed and gave Lt. Al Wheeler the performance of his life... you know you’re in for a treat of pulpy goodness.

 

I've reveiwed two other Carter Brown novels on  this site - select the tags (to the left) to check them out.

 

View more about THE DANCE OF DEATH on GR

 

 

Rounding out this edition of Delayed Gratification is THE COLOUR OF BLOOD by Declan Hughes. What hooked me was the opening line: “The last case I worked, I found a sixteen-year-old girl for her father; when she told me what he had done to her, I let her stay lost.” – I instantly had to have the book. The protagonist, a true to genre PI in Ed Loy ticks all the right boxes in presenting a damaged man putting the pieces of other peoples lives back together while neglecting his own. Despite my renewed enthusiasm to read THE COLOUR OF BLOOD as a result of this post, it’s likely to continue to do ‘time’ on the shelf as I need to track down a copy of the first book in the Ed Loy series THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD.

 

View more about THE COLOUR OF BLOOD on GR

 

View more about THE WRONG KIND OF BLOOD on GR

 

 

If anyone’s interested, feel free to share your delayed gratification and post a link in the comments to this post. Hopefully a gem or two will be unearthed. 

 

You can view the first edition of Delayed Gratification HERE which features Mickey Spillane, Declan Hughes, and Jonathan Nasaw titles.

 

Happy reading!