Final(?) Donald Westlake novel to be published: Call Me a Cab

Big news from Hard Case Crime (via Facebook):

Now it can be told: Donald E. Westlake’s final unpublished novel — a real gem, sweet and sharp and touching and funny — is coming in February.

This is exciting news. As it happens, the unpublished Call Me a Cab was briefly touched upon […]

Hard Case Crime review: Castle in the Air by Donald E. Westlake (HCC-148)

A DIRTY DOZEN WITH A FRENCH CONNECTION

When four groups of international heist artists team up to pull off the theft of the century – stealing an entire castle, and the treasure hidden in its walls – what could possibly go wrong? Well, consider this: none of the master thieves speak each […]

Review: Double Feature/Enough, part two – “Ordo”

Note: This is the third of four posts on Donald Westlake’s 1977 collection of two novellas, Enough, reprinted by Hard Case Crime as Double Feature. The series covers the novellas and the movies based on them. Links to the other entries in the series are at the bottom of this post.

“Ordo,” the second […]

New (old) Donald Westlake coming from Hard Case Crime

Some exciting news from our friends at Hard Case Crime. Two short novels have been repackaged as Double Feature. The title is appropriate, as both were adapted into films, and both involve film.I haven’t read either, nor seen the film adaptations, so I’m looking forward to this.First in the volume is Ordo, which was […]

Book review: Help I Am Being Held Prisoner by Donald E. Westlake (HCC-132)

Jailed for a Joke

It isn’t easy going to jail for a practical joke. Of course, this particular joke left 20 cars wrecked on the highway and two politicians’ careers in tatters—so jail is where Harold Künt landed. Now he’s just trying to keep a low profile in the Big House. He […]

Help I am Being Held Prisoner to be re-released 2/18

It isn’t easy going to jail for a practical joke. Of course, this particular joke left 20 cars wrecked on the highway and two politicians’ careers in tatters – so jail is where Harold Künt landed. Now he’s just trying to keep a low profile in the Big House. He wants no part of […]

Hard Case Crime Review: Bust by Ken Bruen & Jason Starr (HCC-020)

5 IMPORTANT LESSONS YOU CAN LEARN BY READING BUST:

When you hire a hit man to kill your wife, don’t pick a psychopath. Drano is not the best tool for getting rid of a dead body. Those locks on hotel room doors? Not very secure. A curly blond wig isn’t much of a disguise. […]

Hard Case Crime review: Forever and a Death by Donald E. Westlake (HCC-129)

The Bond That Never Was.

Two decades ago, the producers of the James Bond movies hired legendary crime novelist Donald E. Westlake to come up with a story for the next Bond film. The plot Westlake dreamed up – about a Western businessman seeking revenge after being kicked out of Hong Kong […]

Movie review: The Nice Guys

I knew I should have written this up right after I saw the movie, or at the very least, the next day.

But I didn’t, and now it’s been almost a week since I’ve seen it, and I really wish it were completely fresh in my head because I don’t think I’m going to […]

Hard Case Crime review: Grave Descend by John Lange (AKA Michael Crichton) (#26/MC7)

DIVER JAMES McGREGOR IS USED TO EXPLORING SUNKEN SHIPS

But there’s something strange about the wreck of the luxury yacht GRAVE DESCEND. No one who was aboard tells quite the same story about what happened. And then there’s the matter of the mysterious cargo they wre carrying…

In one of the most […]