• Essays

    The Day Dashiell Hammett Was Dragged Into Court Over a Bail Fund for Political Prisoners and Refused to Name Names

    The godfather of noir fiction went up against a notorious Communist hunter and refused to back down. It would cost him his freedom.

    July 9, 2020  By Olivia Rutigliano
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    My First Thriller: Steve Berry

    After twelve years and eighty-six submissions, Steve Berry's persistence finally paid off with the launch of a blockbuster series.

    July 9, 2020  By Rick Pullen
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    The Massively Popular, Mostly Forgotten Craze for American Style Noir in WWII-Era Britain

    In 1939, amidst violence and wartime shortages, one hardboiled noir took the nation by storm, provoked moral outrage, and inspired legions of imitators.

    July 9, 2020  By Andrew Nette
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    Do the Best Adaptations Keep the Author At Arm's Length?

    A screenwriter and crime writer thinks back on 20 years of the collaborative process.

    July 8, 2020  By David Klass
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    Why Genre Labels Are Utterly Meaningless But Incredibly Fun to Debate, Especially While Drinking

    Is Indiana Jones an adventure story or a heist movie? Is Brody the hero of 'Jaws' or is the shark? It all depends on perspective.

    July 8, 2020  By Jay Stringer
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    Growing up Queer in Texas—and Discovering a Different World Through the Mysteries of Barbara Vine

    "How could anyone possibly be accepted as two people at once?"

    July 7, 2020  By John Fram
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    Terror and Power: Is Gothic Horror Poised for 21st Century Revival?

    Gothic fiction isn't outdated—on the contrary, it's the best method of capturing our present day anxieties.

    July 7, 2020  By Jasper DeWitt
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    Getting to Know My Aunt Through Her Cold War Cookbook

    How a comforting family relic gave birth to a new story of espionage, intrigue, and adventure.

    July 6, 2020  By Celia Rees
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    Counting Down the Greatest Crime Films of All-Time: # 9

    White Heat (1949)

    July 6, 2020  By Otto Penzler
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    My Writing Will Never Be as Good as Charles Willeford's

    But I keep on writing anyway.

    July 3, 2020  By Chip Mosher
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