Category Archives: Hard Case Crime

ZERO COOL (1968) by Michael Crichton

Posted on 22 December 2017 by

This is one of the ‘John Lange’ adventures written by Michael Crichton during his apprenticeship as a purveyor of paperback thrills. Reprinted in paper by Hard Case Crime, it is also available as an e-book from Open Road in what … Continue reading →

Posted in 2017 Silver Age Vintage Mystery Scavenger Hunt, Barcelona, France, Friday's Forgotten Book, Hard Case Crime, John Lange, Michael Crichton, Paris, Spain | 42 Comments

JOYLAND by Stephen King

Posted on 15 May 2015 by

This review is by way of a small tribute to Glen Orbik, who died on Monday after a long battle with cancer. He was the cover illustrator for many of the books published by Hard Case Crime, including this whodunit … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles Ardai, Donald Westlake, Film Noir, Hard Case Crime, Stephen King | 38 Comments

THE VENGEFUL VIRGIN (1958) by Gil Brewer

Posted on 28 March 2014 by

This is a ripe piece of pulp noir, from its alliterative, catchpenny title to the de rigeur cover art featuring piles of cash, a disrobed woman and a gun. One of the many  paperback originals written by Gil Brewer in … Continue reading →

Posted in 2014 Vintage Mystery Challenge Bingo, Florida, Friday's Forgotten Book, Gil Brewer, Hard Case Crime, James M. Cain, Noir | 34 Comments

BLACKMAILER (1952) by George Axelrod

Posted on 11 October 2013 by

One of my favorite Hard Case Crime reprints is their cheeky edition of The Valley of Fear, presented with a lurid 1950s style cover as by ‘A.C. Doyle’. This approach, taking a classic and spicing it up for the masses, was … Continue reading →

Posted in 2013 Vintage Mystery Challenge, Dashiell Hammett, George Axelrod, Hard Case Crime, New York | 33 Comments

NIGHT WALKER (1954) by Donald Hamilton

Posted on 28 December 2012 by

Donald Hamilton (1916-2006) produced many different types of adventure books including Westerns such as The Big Country (filmed in 1958 with Gregory Peck). He is best known for his series of 27 Matt Helm novels, four of which were adapted … Continue reading →

Posted in 2012 Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge, Amnesia, Donald Hamilton, Friday's Forgotten Book, Hard Case Crime, Scene of the crime, Virginia | 51 Comments

BLOOD ON THE MINK (1962) by Robert Silverberg

Posted on 25 May 2012 by

Counterfeiting is the name of the game in this hardboiled thriller by the legendary Robert Silverberg, one of the busiest writers of the 50 and 60s. Having made his short story debut while still in his teens and getting his … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles Ardai, Dashiell Hammett, Film Noir, Friday's Forgotten Book, Hard Case Crime, Philadelphia, Private Eye, Richard Stark, Scene of the crime | 21 Comments

SONGS OF INNOCENCE by Richard Aleas

Posted on 15 September 2011 by

Songs of Innocence is published by Hard Case Crime, the imprint founded by Charles Ardai specialising in pulp fiction in the style of the 50s and 60s – the era of the paperback original as delivered by the likes of … Continue reading →

Posted in Charles Ardai, Ed McBain, Film Noir, Hard Case Crime, New York, Private Eye, Richard Stark, Scene of the crime | 5 Comments