Donald E. Westlake’s Double Feature first appeared in 1977 under the title Enough. In Charles Ardai’s Introduction, the title change is explained which makes sense to me. Double Feature consists of two novellas. The first–the longer one–is called “A Travesty” and features a clever (perhaps too clever) movie critic, Carey Thorpe, who “accidentally” kills his girl friend, Laura Penny. Thorpe thinks he can escape Justice, but then he finds out Laura Penny was being followed by a private detective, John Edgarson. In his surveillance, Edgarson records Thorpe’s presence at Laura Penny’s place…and finds a damning clue. Edgarson blackmails Thorpe. But, things get more complicated. The police detectives investigating the murder, Staples and Bray, include Thorpe in some other murder investigations and we discover Thorpe is a gifted sleuth (maybe because of all those crime movies he watches). I particularly liked the Lock Room murder mystery. Donald Westlake takes us on a wacky ride through a tangled web of lies and deception. Marvelous!
The second novella, “Ordo,” is much more serious fare. Ordo is a sailor in the U.S. Navy who discovers one of the hottest female stars in Hollywood, Dawn Devayne, was once his wife. Estelle Anlic, after divorcing Ordo after a brief marriage, goes on to transform herself into another persona. Ordo’s quest to find the Estelle he once loved leads him to dark places. These two novellas show the versatility of Westlake’s talent to write comedy…and tragedy. Highly recommended! Are you a Westlake fan? Do you have a favorite Westlake novel? GRADE: A
I have read probably half of Westlake’s output under his own name and as Richard Stark. A favorite would be hard to pick. Probably the Dortmunder novel Drowned Hopes. The best Parker would be either The Outfit or Slayground.
Steve, I have a fondness for SLAYGROUND. It would make a great movie!
I always liked THE AX—although I’m guessing it seems a bit dated now.
Deb, I may review THE AX for a future FFB. Good choice!
Yes, big fan. THE AX was good, as Deb said. I loved the wacky New York book DANCING AZTECS when I read it. Also, the Richard Stark and Tucker Coe books. ADIOS SCHEHEREZADE. Plenty of others. Somehow I missed this one, however.
Jeff, you would really enjoy DOUBLE FEATURE (aka, ENOUGH).
The first books I read by Westlake , although I didn’t know it at the time, were the Mitch Tobin books written under the name of Tucker Coe. At the time I read those, Westlake had not yet achieved fame under his real name. Then I read a couple of the Dortmunder books but didn’t like them for some reason. Then I caught on to the Parker series, loved them, and eventually read all of them. I can’t remember at what point I became aware of the fact that Stark was Westlake. This series, collectively, would count as my favorite. “Double Feature” sounds enjoyable, and I’ll look for it.
Michael, I love the humorous novels of Donald E. Westlake. DOUBLE FEATURE falls into that category.
I’ve enjoyed all of Westlake’s books that I’ve read under his name and others, and it is hard to pick a favorite although it would probably be a Dortmunder or a Parker.
The one Westlake book I would love to re-read is COMFORT STATION as by “J. Morgan Cunningham,” a satire that takes place in a public restroom. I read it long ago and have forgotten almost everything about it except that it was funny. Someday I’ll find another copy; mine went walkabout decades ago.
Re: DOUBLE FEATURE. When I first started reading Westlake seriously, I discovered the ORDO had a separate (of sorts) book publication. It was presented as a novel in one of those old three-books-in-one-volumes from Walter Black’s The Detective Book Club. It took a while before I realized that this “novel” was actually the back half of ENOUGH
Jerry, I had a copy of COMFORT STATION that got into a famous bidding war at a BOUCHERCON. Hal Rice bought it for $100 while Otto Penzler was disappointed because the only Westlake book he didn’t own was COMFORT STATION. Later, Hal Rice sent COMFORT STATION to Otto to complete his collection. Classy move.
Nope.
Rick, Westlake wrote in a number of styles, one of them might appeal to you.
I haven’t read all of the westlakes, and none of the books under pseudonyms. I liked Dancing Aztecs and the Hot Rock.
I liked the movie Hot Rock, and think there was a movie made out of one of his novels, starring Antonio Banderas and Sarah Jessica Parker, but don’t remember that title
Maggie, THE HOT ROCK might be my favorite Westlake novel. A good movie, too!
DANCING AZTECS is my favorite; I’ve read it several times and it makes me laugh even when I know what’s coming. But I’ll read anything by him under any name. I still have some I haven’t read, which I know I’ll enjoy someday.
Jeff, I know that feeling. I still have a half dozen or so Westlake novels still to read and I’m looking forward to them. I need to reread DANCING AZTECS, too.
Too many to cite as favorites and nearly so…you might recall my review of ANARCHAOS which cites it as my greatest disappointment from Westlake.
TRUST ME ON THIS was an early favorite for me.
I reviewed ENOUGH some time back, after seeing the film version of ORDO.
https://socialistjazz.blogspot.com/2012/02/donald-westlake-week-ffboverlooked.html
Todd, I need to reread ANARCHAOS.