The Aereal (Old Site): October 2008

Another Day, Another Stiff (by Michael Brett)

I just finish reading this Crime Pulp, thanks to the book reviews and Interviews from Criminal (Ed Brubaker's Crime Noir comics series) I have been looking for the little pulps in used books stores. This, I was pleased to find out, is one in a series of books starring private detective Pete McGrath. It was pretty refreshing to get to the last chapter of this book having no idea of the way it was going to resolve itself out, sans an "out of the hat" plot twist. On top of the great story and characters, this books offer a nice style of covers of which information is less than scarce. In this case it seems to be a heavy filtered photograph (illustrations or paintings are more common place) very softly illuminated and composed with a lovely selection of colors, type is very basic and not too carefully chosen, placing however respects the art and serves it purpose. The inside of the book jumps right into the middle of the action with the first page, a sample of a tense moment in the story accompanied by the title gives way to the usual intro pages and then to the yellowed filled and red edged pages of this very recommendable story.

Labels: another day another stiff, book, crime, micrael brett, noir, pocket books, pulp