Jim Thompson - A Swell-Looking Babe

Of all the Jim Thompson novels I've read so far, A Swell-Looking Babe is the one I've enjoyed the most.

Written from an omniscient point of view, the novel takes us into the world of a young man named Dusty, who seems to be wasting his life working the night shift as a bellboy in a hotel. He has a boss who despises him and a senile father he has to support, while still hoping to finish his studies and become a doctor.

Everything begins to change when he meets Marcia Hillis, a woman renting an apartment at the hotel. She appears to be flirting with him, but Dusty remains cautious because relationships between hotel employees and guests are strictly forbidden.

Then a gangster named Tug and his associates enter the picture. Together with Dusty, they come up with a plan to rob the hotel. Needless to say, things don't go quite as planned.

The novel also features Kosmeyer, the lawyer who appears in several of Thompson's books.

The plot itself is perhaps less important than the novel's dense atmosphere, which constantly evokes old film noir movies: the endless night, the sense of doom and an almost Lynchian atmosphere of unease and strangeness. It's this oppressive atmosphere, more than anything else, that makes A Swell-Looking Babe such a memorable read for me.

Vintage Crime/Black Lizard edition is nicely packed with a gorgeous photograph on front cover.

Ed McBain - Like Love

Ed McBain wrote roughly one novel a year, which might lead some readers to dismiss him as a hack writer. Yet what sets him apart from the average crime novelist is his distinctive style, carefully constructed plots, and convincing portrayal of police work.

At the beginning of each novel, McBain includes a disclaimer stating that the place, characters, and events are fictional, while the police procedures are real. This brief statement reflects one of the the defining characteristics of the 87th Precinct series: its attention to the everyday workings of a police station and the routines of detectives investigating a case.

In Like Love, a young man and a woman apparently die by suicide after inhaling gas. However, the detectives are not convinced that the case is as straightforward as it first appears. Steve Carella, Cotton Hawes, Meyer Meyer, and Bert Kling begin questioning the woman's husband, her mother, the young man's brother, and other people connected to the victims.

As the investigation unfolds, McBain demonstrates his ability to turn a seemingly ordinary case into an engaging police procedural, built around interviews, evidence, and the gradual reconstruction of events. There is nothing particularly revolutionary about the premise, but the strength of the novel lies in its execution.

Like Love is classic McBain at the height of his powers: economical, well constructed, and grounded in the convincing routines of police work. Another solid entry in the 87th Precinct series.

Scarface - Armitage Trail

Many people who adore Brian De Palma’s Scarface (1983) may not know that it is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name, which was itself based on Armitage Trail’s novel Scarface. Having now read the book, I can understand why it has largely fallen into obscurity.

As a gangster novel, Scarface fails to deliver what one might expect from the genre. There is very little tension; everything feels like a flatline. Tony Camonte slowly but steadily climbs to the top, eliminating his rivals and expanding his territory, but the narrative rarely generates much suspense along the way.

Things take a personal turn when Tony discovers his sister making out with his closest henchman. In a fit of cold-blooded violence, he kills the man, an act that eventually lands him in court. Fortunately for Tony, his lawyers get him off the hook, and he is soon back on the streets.

His downfall begins when his girlfriend betrays him and sends him on a false lead. Expecting to confront his enemies, Tony instead walks into a police ambush. The ensuing shootout wipes out his henchmen, too. Climbing out of the wrecked car, Tony finds himself facing his own brother, a police officer. Unable to pull the trigger on his brother, Tony allows him to kill him, bringing his reign of glory to an end.

Scarface is worth reading once, if only to see the literary source behind one of the most famous gangster films ever made. Unfortunately, Trail lacks the narrative skill needed to build suspense and give the story real dramatic momentum. The result is a historically interesting but rather flat and naive gangster novel — one that, for me, does not invite a second reading.

Little is known of the author itself, who died at a young age.

Jorge Luis Borges – Dreams, Labyrinths and Knives

Borges’s fiction feels like a journey through a dream world where reality and imagination constantly overlap. His stories are filled with labyrinths, infinite libraries, imaginary books and mysterious worlds that seem to contain endless possibilities. Time becomes circular, identities blur, and the boundary between dreams and reality disappears.

Yet Borges was also fascinated by a very different world: the rough streets of Buenos Aires, where men settle their differences in knife fights. These stories draw on Argentine history, gaucho traditions and the mythology of the compadrito, turning violence and duels into tales of fate, courage and inevitable death.

Whether exploring an infinite library or a deadly encounter in a Buenos Aires alley, Borges transforms seemingly simple ideas into strange, haunting and unforgettable stories.

Craig Rice - The Corpse Steps Out

Another John J. Malone mystery, The Corpse Steps Out revolves around a missing body and a group of radio personalities who investigate the murder of a radio station employee, each approaching the case in their own way. More murders follow, adding to the mystery, while Rice’s characteristic humor remains present throughout.

However, the novel’s tone feels somewhat monotonous, and the story lacks the liveliness and comic energy of The Big Midget Murders. Although there are amusing moments, the narrative never quite reaches the same level of entertainment.

Still, The Corpse Steps Out is a solid mystery and a pleasant choice for a couple of evenings of reading, even if it is not among the strongest entries in the John J. Malone series.

Cover artwork is nicely done and book have that antiquarian feeling.

Leonardo Cassuto - Hard-Boiled Sentimentality

The premise of Leonardo Cassuto’s Hard-Boiled Sentimentalism is intriguing, exploring the sentimental dimension of a genre usually associated with cynicism, violence, and emotional detachment. However, the book gradually becomes monotonous as it moves through numerous examples, from Raymond Chandler to Travis McGee. For readers already familiar with hard-boiled fiction, much of the material may feel repetitive, and the initial interest of the subject begins to wear off. The idea is worthwhile, but the discussion could have benefited from a more concise approach.

Harry Stephen Keeler - The Sharkskin Book

The Sharkskin Book is a typical Harry Stephen Keeler novel. The story opens with an attempt to extort a confession from a man accused of murdering a certain Pedelton, using torture to force him to admit his guilt. However, the narrative soon jumps to another subject, revolving around a mysterious book called The Way Out, a collection of Chinese wisdom. As expected, Keeler eventually delivers one of his characteristic twists: the accused man clears himself of the murder and ends up marrying the judge’s daughter.

Although the novel is not among Keeler’s strongest works, the Ramble House edition is beautifully produced. It is hand made by Fender Tucker and features a lovely illustration by Gavin O’Keefe. For Keeler collectors, the appeal of this edition extends beyond the novel itself.