This 1965 Lawrence Block novel was reprinted in 2005. It’s the story of a con: two men and the girl with the long green heart work a real estate scam on an investor. Plenty of maneuvering and double-dealing result. Lawrence Block impressed me with his knowledge of real estate transactions (the land in question was located in Canada) and banking regulations. These are little things in the totality of the confidence game, but it shows Block did his homework. I also appreciated Block’s attention to detail in using Western New York and Toronto as the setting for most of this novel. Block knows this area well. The only jarring note happened when the narrator has to hide a gun on an airplane. There wasn’t much security at airports back in 1965. If you enjoy well-written, well-plotted suspense fiction, give The Girl With the Long Green Heart a try. And I really like the Bob McGinnis cover!
I’m pitch-hitting for Patti Abbott this week (Happy Birthday, Phil!). Don’t worry, Patti will be back to host FFB next week. If I’ve missed your contribution to Friday’s Forgotten Books, please let me know and I’ll add you to the list.
Sergio Angelini, DICK BARTON: THE CASE OF THE VANISHING HOUSE (1978) by Alan Radnor
Brian Busby, Red Maple: How Canada Became the People’s Republic of Canada in 1981
Bill Crider, Emerald Flash By Charles Knief
Martin Edwards, Escape to Quebec By Milward Kennedy
Curt Evans, The Fourth Postman By Craig Rice
Ray Garraty, Big City Girl By Charles Williams
Ed Gorman
Jerry House, Shanadu Edited by Bob Briney
Randy Johnson, Coersion By Tim Tigner
Nick Jones, The Switch By Elmore Leonard
B.V. Lawson, Science and the Detective By Brian H. Kaye
Evan Lewis, Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar By Edgar Rice Burroughs
Steve Lewis. Arson and Old Lace By Patricia Harwin
Todd Mason, Halloween
J.F. Norris, To the Devil–a Daughter By Dennis Wheatley
Juri Nummelin,
James Reasoner, The Second Life of Monsieur the Devil By H. Bedford-Jones
Kelly Robinson, Tales of St. Austin’s By P. G. Wodehoouse
Richard Robinson, D-99 by H.B. Fyfe
Gerard Saylor, Jitterbug By Loren D. Estleman
Ron Scheer,The Doctor By Ralph O’Connor
Kerrie Smith, M.O. Crimes of Practice Edited by Martin Edwards
Kevin Tipple, Flank Hawk By Terry W. Ervin II
TomCat,
Prashant Trikannad, The Draw By Jerome Bixby
James Winter,
Yvette, The Man in the Tricorn Hat By Delano Ames
Hi — I have an entry this week. http://bookdirtblog.blogspot.com/2013/10/book-review-tales-of-st-austins-by-p-g.html
Thanks. I’ll be back to read and comment for real!
Kelly, thanks for joining us this week! I’ll add your link immediately.
Of course Block is from Buffalo and has set several books (or parts of books) in the area. I have the British Fawcett edition from 1966, signed by Block. It’s one of the few of his early books I haven’t read yet.
Jeff, I appreciate the fact that Block gets the local details right. And the murder at the Royal York (where a BOUCHERCON was held) is a nice touch.
1978 Hallowe’en magazines (35 years ago!) and (mostly otherwise) some books about music for my redux omnibus this week, George. If the anticompetence my brother and I (and my sister-in-law, and more importantly my parents) keep running into would just hold up for a day or so, perhaps I’d have a little more time for more than a new comment or two here or there…
Todd, I’ll have your link up in a few minutes.
Yours for the overdue induction of the Zombies into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, of course. And Fairport Convention. And so many others, certainly so many ahead of the Red Hot Chili Rapists and any number of others…
My copy of HEART is one of the earlier Brit paperbacks, with a minimalist cover that I haven’t yet dug up on the web. Pity, because it’s handsome, if missing the pulchritude of the HCC or the US original edition…
Todd, you own some great books!
Hi, George! I also have a FFB post for today, “Science and the Detective.” Cheers!
BV, I’ll put your link up immediately. Thanks for joining us!
I’m very late, George, probably because I haven’t finished reading the book. Mine should be up much later today or over the weekend. In your honor, I have picked a book published in North Tonawanda in 1953.
George, thanks very much for including my post. I’m guilty of not reading Lawrence Block’s work yet though I’ve three of his books.
Does anybody do a con game as well as Block?
I do have a not-so-old-but-I-never-heard-of-before novel from ’98. JITTERBUG by Estleman.
http://booksareforsquares.blogspot.com/2013/10/heard-jitterbug-by-loren-d-estleman.html
Jerry, I’ll post your link as soon as you’re ready.
Prashant, I’ve been reading Lawrence Block’s books for decades. Very gifted writer, good quality control.
Kelly, you’re right about Lawrence Block and con games. He’s a master of the genre.
Gerald, I’ll get your link up right away!
George, mine is up now. Sorry for the delay, and thanks for filling in for Patti.
Jerry, you’re welcome. I’ll get your link up right away. Patti deserves a day off to celebrate her husband’s Birthday. I’m always happy to help Patti with FFB.
I’m recuperating from a rib and back injury and I’m moving very slowly. Even sneezing hurts! Ugh. But I finally got up my post for the FFB:
To the Devil -a Daughter by Dennis Wheatley
John, I hope you’re feeling better. Your link is up! Keep that heating pad dialed up to HIGH!
I’ve got one posted this week, George. Thanks for doing hosting duties.
Yvette, your link is up and running. Sorry for the delay, I had a call from the nursing home where my mother is a resident in the Alzheimber’s wing. There was a medical issue that required my attention.