Gil Brewer is one of those underrated noir paperback writers from the 1950s and 1960s. Gil Brewer is best known for his novels: A Taste for Sin, Satan Is a Woman, 13 French Street, and The Girl from Hateville. This recently published collection is the first to make Gil Brewer’s short stories available. Redheads Die Quickly includes 25 short stories, a bibliography of all of Brewer’s short fiction, notes on the texts, and David Rachels informative Introduction to Gil Brewer and his works. As a bonus, there’s a blurb by Bill Crider on the back cover! If you’re a Gil Brewer fan, this is a must-buy!
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
With This Gun— (Detective Tales, March 1951)
It’s Always Too Late (Detective Fiction, April 1951)
Moonshine (Manhunt, March 1955)
My Lady Is a Tramp (Pursuit, May 1955)
Red Twilight (Hunted, October 1955)
Don’t Do That (Hunted, December 1955)
Die, Darling, Die (Justice, January 1956)
The Black Suitcase (Hunted, February 1956)
Shot (Manhunt, February 1956)
The Gesture (The Saint Detective Magazine, March 1956)
Home (Accused, March 1956)
Home-Again Blues (Pursuit, March 1956)
Mow the Green Grass (Pursuit, March 1956)
Come Across (Manhunt, April 1956)
Cut Bait (Pursuit, May 1956)
Matinee (Manhunt, October 1956)
The Axe Is Ready (Trapped, December 1956)
On a Sunday Afternoon (Manhunt, January 1957)
Prowler! (Manhunt, May 1957)
Bothered (Manhunt, July 1957)
Smelling Like a Rose (Mr., July 1957)
Death of a Prowler (Trapped, April 1958)
Getaway Money (Guilty, November 1958)
Redheads Die Quickly (Mystery Tales, April 1959)
Harlot House (Mystery Tales, August 1959)
Thanks, George!
You’re welcome, David!
Thanks very much George – just picked up a couple of Brewer’s titles and am in fact just about to start the HCC reprint of THE VENGEFUL VIRGIN – great to hear about this anthology.
I’m surprised no one has collected any of Gil Brewer’s short stories before this, Sergio. I’m sure you’ll enjoy this collection!
Cool. I had no idea there was a Brewer short story collection.
REDHEADS DIE QUICKLY was just published, Jeff.
Ditto, cool.
I’m hoping this is just the first of a series of Gil Brewer short story collections, Patti. The University Press of Florida made a good start with this book!
My familiarity with Gil Brewer is limited to his novelizations of It Takes a Thief TV show episodes back in the day. I’ll have to watch for his “more legitimate” stuff.
If you like noir, you’ll like these short stories, Beth. This is very nice collection of Gil Brewer’s work.
I’m not a huge fan of noir, preferring more positive endings, but this might be worth a try. Thanks, George.
I’m hoping the sales of REDHEADS DIE QUICKLY are strong, Rick, so the University Press of Florida publishes more books of this type.
I’m an old Brewer enthusiast, so I’ll help the coffers along. But these ain’t pulp, and it’s a pity to further that confusion thus.
I bought a copy, George. Gotta keep that economy stimulated.
You made a wise purchase, Jeff. Ben Bernanke and The Fed are stimulating the economy, too, but they need all the help we can give them.
Of course to get free shipping from Amazon I had to add a DVD and a couple more books. It was the least I could do.
I salute you on your patriotic spending, Jeff!
Question: “Shot” is listed as appearing in Manhunt, February 1956. Checking through the table of contents for that issue I find “Shot” is credited to Roy Carroll. Isn’t Roy Carroll a pseudonym that was used by Robert Turner.
Interesting, Jerry! I think you’re right about Robert Turner, but I’ll have to do a little research.
I should have mentioned that Brewer did have a story in that issue of Manhunt. His story was titled “Fog”.
I was delighted that Gil Brewer’s STARK HOUSE collection showed up in my BOUCHERCON goodie bag in Cleveland, Jerry.