I’ve enjoyed the Monsters vs. Aliens movies and featurettes over the years. This DVD from 2014 includes 9 new episodes (over 3 hours!) with plenty of fun and wit. Riki Lindhome voices Susan Murphy/Ginormica, with Eric Edelstein as B.O.B., Chris O’Dowd as Dr. Cockroach, Diedrich Bader as The Missing Link, James Patrick Stuart as President Hathaway, Jeff Bennett as Coverton, Gillian Jacobs as Sta’abi. The voices/characters of Susan, Link, Dr. Cockroach, and B.O.B. make up Team Monster who take on power-mad aliens who invade the Earth. Sure, this is entertainment aimed at children (smart children). But these Nickelodeon episodes have another level aimed at smart adults. Excellent production values and cast. I bought this DVD at Wal-Mart for $5–a bargain! I had a lot of fun watching Monsters vs. Aliens: Supersonic Joyride. You will, too! GRADE: A
Episodes
98 Pound Cockroach
When Nature Shrieks
Vornicarn
It Got Out of Hand
The Sound of Fear
The Sorry Syndrome
Speak Not the Q Word
Screaming Your Calls
The Time-Out That Wouldn’t End
It Came From Channel 5
It Ruled With an Iron Fist
Driven to Madness
The Beast From 20,000 Gallons!
The Sneezing Horror
Prisoner of the Dark Dimension
Number Seven!
The Friend Who Wasn’t There

Gil Brewer was a prolific writer who labored under the struggle with his alcoholism. These two novels were published in the famed Fawcett GOLD MEDAL series. David Rachels, in his informative Introduction, says Gil Brewer wrote Flight to Darkness (1952) in three days fueled by booze. Flight to Darkness centers around Leda, a treacherous and manipulative woman, who plays mind-games with the tortured narrator. Flight to Darkness a psychological thrill ride into Hell. 77 Rue Paradis (1954) is a variation in the Gil Brewer oeuvre because it’s basically a spy novel. It features the usual betrayals and double-dealing that are standard in spy fiction, but Gil Brewer adds his patented psychological stress and mental mayhem. If you’re a Gil Brewer fan, this new STARK HOUSE omnibus is a must-buy. If you’re a fan of high-octane noir, you’ll enjoy Flight to Darkness/77 Rue Paradis. My review of Gil Brewer’s Nude on Thin Ice/Memory of Passion can be found here. My review of Brewer’s Redheads Die Quickly can be found here. GRADE: B+ (for both novels)

The first thing that attracted me to Charles Gilmore’s Professor Gargoyle was the cool lenticular cover (aka, holograms). First you see a stogy Professor (left, above). Then you move the book and suddenly the professor transforms into a demon looking at you! And, of course, you know my weakness for H. P. Lovecraft pastiches. This book is aimed at teenagers, but adults can enjoy the fun of this book, too! Strange events happen at Lovecraft Middle School. I like the two-headed rat! GRADE: B
COVER: A

Just about every MARVEL superhero has at least a cameo in AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. A powerful alien called Thanos is determined to possess all of the Infinity Stones (elements of the beginning of the Universe) that would grant him unstoppable powers. Iron Man, Doctor Strange, Spiderman, Thor, Hunk, Black Panther, and a dozen other MARVEL characters try to prevent Thanos from acquiring the Infinity Stones. Many battles result. If you’re a fan of superhero movies, you’ll love AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. If you’re in the mood for an action movie, this one delivers. GRADE: A

I’m impressed with the Collected Millar series that is reprinting the works of Margaret Millar. Some of Millar’s works have been out-of-print and unavailable for years. These well-crafted, inexpensive SOHO PRESS trade paperbacks bring Margaret Millar’s work to a new audience. Volume Six includes Millar’s collected short fiction which I hadn’t read before this. Millar’s novels explore social situations disrupted by crime. If you haven’t read any Margaret Millar, you’re in for a treat! GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Banshee (1983) p. 1
The death of the daughter of wealthy Californian landowners disrupts the community.

Spider Webs (1986) p. 101
Twelve jurors–with individual motives and prejudices–judge the case of a Caribbean yacht captain accused of murdering a wealthy white client for her jewelry.

Collected Short Fiction with an Introduction by Tom Nolan (2004) p. 241
Two novellas and three short stories feature two of Millar’s favorite characters: the psychologist Dr. Paul Prye and Detective Inspector Sands.

It’s All in the Family (1948) p. 403
Out of print for decades, Margaret Millar’s bestselling novel centers around a precocious young girl named Priscilla. This semi-autobiographical story of a pre-World War II childhood captures the mood of America in the 1930s.

Okay, there were more than 10 “hits” from the 1980s (and most of these songs are NOT the “Biggest Hits” hyped on the CD cover). But this SONY complication CD from 2002 collects enough good music to merit a post for FORGOTTEN MUSIC Thursday. My favorites are Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” and Luther Vandross’s “Stop to Love.” I remember the days when Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” was playing on the radio all the time. Do you remember these “hits” from the 1980s? What are your favorites? GRADE: B+
TRACK LIST:
1. “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” – WHAM! 3:50
2. “Sexual Healing” – MARVIN GAYE 4:00
3. “All Cried Out” – LISA LISA & CULT JAM WITH FULL FORCE 4:45
4. “Stop to Love” – LUTHER VANDROSS 5:10
5. “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” – MICHAEL BOLTON 4:14
6. “Footloose” – KENNY LOGGINS 3:47
7. “Easy Lover” – PHILIP BAILEY (DUET WITH PHIL COLLINS) 5:04
8. “Heaven” – WARRANT 3:56
9. “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” – CYNDI LAUPER 3:55
10. “This Could Be the Night” – LOVERBOY 4:56

Jan Sincero was a struggling free-lance writer. She didn’t learn to manage her money until she was in her 40s. You Are a Badass at Making Money tells how Jan Sincero got her financial act together. Breaking bad money management habits, building a nest egg, and overcoming past mistakes (with some funny examples from her own life) are just some of the steps in Jan Sincero’s wealth generating program. If you’re looking for a breezy money-making guide (with some humor), You Are a Badass at Making Money would be my recommendation. GRADE: B
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction p. 1
Chapter 1 Allowance p. 11
Chapter 2 Why You Ain’t Rollin’ in the Cheddah. Yet. p. 27
Chapter 2A A Tiny but Mighty Chapter About Universal Intelligence p. 51
Chapter 3 Show Me the Money p. 61
Chapter 4 Best Practices for Busting Yourself p. 75
Chapter 5 The Hollering of Your Heart p. 95
Chapter 6 Your Mental Moneymaker p. 117
Chapter 7 Faith and Gratitudinal Gold p. 147
Chapter 8 Decisive Action: The Choice of Champions p. 163
Chapter 9 Movin’ on Up p. 183
Chapter 10 And Now, a Word from my Accountant… p. 203
Chapter 11 Your Inner Wealth p. 227
Chapter 12 Tenacity p. 243
Chapter 13 Change Loves Company p. 261
Acknowledgments p. 269

This 2017 box set of Bob Hope movies includes most of Bob Hope’s movies from 1938 to 1949–his most productive decade. I’ve enjoyed these movies over the years. Bob Hope and Bing Crosby “invented” the Road movie genre. There are plenty of laughs on these 10 DVDs. This set also includes the documentary, American Masters: This is Bob Hope, which includes interviews with Chevy Chase, Tom Selleck, Brooke Shields as well as clips from Bob Hope’s classic films, radio and TV shows, plus access to his personal archives. If you’re a Bob Hope fan, this is a must-buy. If you want to laugh, this set will give you 1821 minutes of humor. GRADE: A
MOVIES:
Thanks for the Memory (1938) (with Shirley Ross) as Steve Merrick
Never Say Die (1939) (with Martha Raye and Andy Devine) as John Kidley
The Cat and the Canary (1939) (with Paulette Goddard) as Wally Campbell
Road to Singapore (1940) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Ace Lannigan
The Ghost Breakers (1940) (with Paulette Goddard) as Larry Lawrence
Road to Zanzibar (1941) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Fearless
Caught in the Draft (1941) (with Eddie Bracken) as Don Bolton
Nothing But the Truth (1941) (with Paulette Goddard) as Steve Bennett
Louisiana Purchase (1941) (with Vera Zorina and Victor Moore) as Jim Taylor
Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) (with Bing Crosby and Paramount Pictures all-star cast) as Bob Hope – Master of Ceremonies
My Favorite Blonde (1942) (with Madeleine Carroll) as Larry Haines
Road to Morocco (1942) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Orville ‘Turkey’ Jackson / Aunt Lucy
Combat America (1943) (short documentary film)
Show Business at War (1943) (short documentary film)
The Story of G.I. Joe (1945) (voice on radio program; uncredited)
Road to Utopia (1946) (with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour) as Chester Hooton
Monsieur Beaucaire (1946) (with Joan Caulfield) as Monsieur Beaucaire
Variety Girl (1947) (with Bing Crosby and Paramount Pictures all-star cast) as Bob Hope
Where There’s Life (1947) (with William Bendix) as Michael Joseph Valentine
The Paleface (1948) (with Jane Russell) as ‘Painless’ Peter Potter
Sorrowful Jones (1949) (with Lucille Ball) as Humphrey ‘Sorrowful’ Jones

Just in time for Mickey Spillane’s 100th Birthday celebration, Titan Books has published the first Mike Hammer novel. No, I, the Jury was actually the second Mike Hammer novel Mickey Spillane wrote. Spillane wrote Killing Town in 1946 or 1947, a year before I, the Jury. Mike Hammer steals a ride on a train to Killington, Rhode Island. He’s framed for the rape and murder of a woman. The cops work Hammer over and are set to send him to prison when the daughter of the town’s most powerful merchant steps in and frees Mike Hammer. You can imagine the vengeance Hammer promises to visit on the corrupt Police Department! All the raw power and violence of I, the Jury are on display in Killing Town. This never before published “first draft” of Mike Hammer takes the reader on high-octane joy ride. My head is still spinning! GRADE: A-

Loren D. Estleman wrote a series of Nero Wolfe pastiches and now they’re collected in a slim book, Nearly Nero. Estleman goes the humorous route in these stories with a wealthy eccentric who calls himself “Claudius Lyon” in homage to Nero Wolfe. But Claudius Lyon is a decidedly “low rent” Wolfe. Instead of raising orchids, Lyon raises tomatoes. Instead of Archie Goodwin, Lyon hires an ex-con named Arnie Woodbine. And Lyon, for several reasons, doesn’t charge for his investigative services. If you’re a fan of Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe series, you’ll get a kick out of these clever pastiches. GRADE: B
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
“A Legacy: And How to Twist It [Almost] Beyond Recognition: A Preface” By Loren D. Estleman 9
“Who’s Afraid of Nero Wolfe?” 17
“The Boy Who Cried Wolfe” 41
“Wolfe at the Door” 61
“Wolfe on the Roof” 81
“Wolfe Trap” 85
“Wolfe in Chic Clothing” 99
“Wolfe in the Manger” 119
“Wolfe and Warp” 141
“Peter and the Wolfe” 153
“Wolfe Whistle” 165
“Snakes and the Fat Man: The Case of Nero Wolfe” 179
RECOMMENDED READING 183
COPYRIGHTS 189