In 2012, the University Press of Florida published the first edition of Redheads Die Quickly (you can read my review here), a collection of Gil Brewer’s short stories from the 1950s mostly set in Florida. Gil Brewer was a talented writer and produced wonderful novels and stories, but his many problems crippled his writing career. David Rachels’ excellent introduction provides the details of Brewer’s complicated life.
This new, expanded edition of Redheads Die Quickly and Other Stories includes five stories not included in the original volume: “Sauce for the Goose” (Pursuit, January 1956), “They’ll Find Us” (Accused, January 1956), “Whiskey” (Pursuit, November 1956), “Kill Crazy” (Posse, April 1957), and “Meet Me in the Dark” (Manhunt, February 1958). If you’re looking for suspenseful noir, psychological thrills, and chilling tales, Redheads Die Quickly and Other Stories Expanded Edition delivers 30 intense chronicles the terrors on the dark edges of life. GRADE: A
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
A Note on the Expanded Edition/Introduction to the First Edition 1
Bibliography of Gil Brewer’s Short Fiction 12
A Note on the Texts/About the Author 16
1. “With this Gun–” 17
2. “It’s Always Too Late” 25
3. “Moonshine” 33
4. “My Lady is a Tramp” 40
5. “Red Twilight” 50
6. “Don’t Do That” 53
7. “Die, Darling, Die” 59
8. “Sauce for the Goose” 75
9. “They’ll Find Us” 85
10. “The Black Suitcase” 93
11. “Shot” 104
12. “The Gesture”
13. “Home” 111
14. “Home Again Blues” 116
15. “Mow the Green Grass” 141
16. “Come Across” 136
17. “Cut Bait” 144
18. “Matinee” 150
19. “Whiskey” 157
20. “The Ax Is Ready” 169
21. “On a Sunday Afternoon” 177
22. “Kill Crazy” 188
23. “Prowler!” 195
24. “Bothered” 199
25. “Smelling Like a Rose” 204
26. “Meet Me in the Dark” 209
27. “Death of a Prowler” 227
28. “Getaway Money” 233
29. “Redheads Die Quickly” 238
30. “Harlot House” 245
I read the original edition and would definitely give it an “A” too. The first few stories just blew me away and I loved the book. I hadn’t realized they were doing an expanded edition.
Jeff, I liked the first edition of REDHEADS DIE QUICKLY. But this new STARK HOUSE expanded edition with five additional Gil Brewer stories is even better!
Another one I have always meant to read. Thanks for the reminder.
Patti, if you like noir stories, you’ll enjoy Gil Brewer’s work.
Since I have the 2012 edition, I won’t buy another for 5 stories, but you did remind me to pull the first one out and read it. One of these days.
Rick, I’ve found that Gil Brewer’s stories are best read in small doses.
I also read the earlier edition and remember really enjoying it. Hard to believe it was 7 years ago. Offhand I can’t recall another 50s pulpster who turned out short stories this good. Am I forgetting someone?
Michael, maybe Ed McBain and John D. MacDonald could match Gil Brewer’s productivity and quality.
Forget Ed McBain. he’s a lightweight. If you like Brewer’s short stories, you will probably enjoy Jonathan Craig’s short stories, too.
Tom, I have some Jonathan Craig paperback novels, but I don’t think I have a collection of Craig’s stories. I’ll have to search for them.
Strange, of course I read some titles by McBain and John D. MacDonald in German in the 60s – but I don’t remember Brewer at all.
Wolf, some of Gil Brewer’s books had international settings so I would have thought a European publisher might have reprinted them.
There was a German publisher: Lehning in Hannover which also published McDonald in the 50s but they made their money with comics – which often went on the “index of books forbidden for children”!!!
So at the end of the 60s they went bankrupt …
Brewer is really unknown in Germany – doesn’t even have an entry in the German wiki!