Reeling from the sudden news that his wife wants a divorce, Steven Blitz is thrown out of his house and told to stay with his brother. On his drive over, with deteriorating road conditions, Steven narrowly avoids a head-on collision. Rattled, Steven pulls over to gather himself and calm his nerves when he notices an…
It’s 1961 and Fidel Castro, having recently gained power, is a polarizing figure to say the least. A handful of Americans has been hired to sneak into the island nation and assassinate Castro in exchange for a small fortune. Published by Hard Case Crime in 2008, Killing Castro had originally been written under a pseudonym…
Aging comedian Koo Davis is taken captive by a collective known as People’s Revolutionary Army. Their demands? Have the US Government release ten inmates and provide them with safe passage to Algeria. The alternative? Koo dies. I have a pile of Hard Case Crime novels sitting on my bookcase that I’ve yet to work my…
James Kestrel, author of the upcoming novel Five Decembers, stops by to chat his new book, his extensive research and working with Hard Case Crime. I’m a big fan of the folks at Hard Case Crime and the work they do – how was your experience working with them as publisher of FIVE DECEMBERS? I’m…
When noted junkie Billy-Billy Cantell arrives at the door of career criminal Clay alleging he’s being framed for murder, Clay begrudgingly agrees to take him in. After the police arrive and interview Clay on Billy-Billy’s whereabouts, Clay discovers Billy-Billy is nowhere to be found. Clay reaches out to his employer for direction and is told…
Kit Toliver spends her days picking up men and promptly murdering them afterwards. While her behavior could likely be traced back to a traumatic event in her childhood, she certainly doesn’t hide the fact that she enjoys what she’s doing. One day, when thinking back to all of the men she’s disposed of, she’s reminded…
In Double Feature, we’re presented with back-to-back stories related to the movie industry. The first, “A Travesty”, follows film reviewer Calvin Thorpe, as he tries to cover up a murder by staying out of the path of a pair of detectives as well as a blackmailer. The second, “Ordo”, focuses on a man who discovers…
Opening to glitz and glamour in the early 20th century, the Charlesgate Hotel was a crown jewel in the city of Boston. By 1946 however, it was home to some less than savory characters. When a card game featuring some of Boston’s most notorious criminals gets upended and looted, those responsible find themselves in the…
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