Monday, August 06, 2007
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I was at the used bookstore this weekend, and just by luck stumbled upon a Stanley Hastings mystery by Parnell Hall. If you've never read the series, Hastings is a failed actor and failed writer who makes ends meet by photographing cracks in the sidewalk for an ambulance chasing attorney. As Kevin Burton Smith puts it, "...a PI as tough as his name!"
Although he turned out fifteen Hastings books in as many years, Hall is perhaps better known for his more recent "Puzzle Lady" series (unread by me). With the success of that series and the fact that the last Hastings book saw print five years ago, I thought that Stanley had run his course.
I was wrong, and for once I'm happy about it. Hall's newest book, Hitman, arrives in stores next month, and finds Stanley working for- wait, I'll let Hall explain:
Stanley's back! And he's working for a Hitman. Yes, you read it right. Only a private eye with Stanley's tortured logic could come up with a reason to justify working for a man who kills people. Of course, the pay is good.
An early Christmas present! If you'd like an introduction to Stanley, you can read the first chapter of Hitman at his web site, where you can also check out the Stanley Hasting short story "Clicker Training" (reviewed by me at Nasty, Brutish, Short).
posted by Graham Powell at 5:26 PM
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