Mr. Monk and the Roundtable

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Tracy Farnsworth at Roundtable Reviews has given MR. MONK IN TROUBLE a rave. She writes, in part:

Lee Goldberg always captures Monk’s nuances perfectly. He injects the mysteries with just the right amount of humor and tackles subjects I only wish I’d seen on television.[..] When I’m looking for a bit of escapism and a lot of laughs, Goldberg’s Monk books get top billing.

Thanks, Tracy! MR. MONK IN TROUBLE comes out in bookstores everywhere on Dec. 1st.

My Dark Past Reviewed

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51irJXlLsFL._SS500_  The Red Adept blog reviews the Kindle edition of my 1985 novel .357 VIGILANTE #2: MAKE THEM PAY and was far kinder to the book than I had any right to expect. Here's an excerpt from the review:

The storyline flowed fast and furious. There wasn’t a lot of thought put out regarding vigilantism and whether it is good or bad. There was no preaching or lectures, either. This was just a fast-moving, roller coaster ride of a story.[…]this is not a literary novel. You don’t read it for the great metaphors, flowery prose, or vivid descriptions. You read if for the action. With that, Mr. Goldberg really hits his stride. The action scenes are wonderful, quick reads, with plenty of tight descriptions. He knows just when to draw out the scene and when to just get on with it.

Admiring Kelton

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My friend Richard Wheeler pointed me to this terrific appreciation of Elmer Kelton, one of my favorite authors, in today’s Wall Street Journal.  Here’s an excerpt:

Kelton wrote dozens of conventional westerns, but he never shrank from bending the rules of the genre. As he commented in “My Kind of Heroes,” an essay collection, “I can’t write about heroes seven feet tall and invincible. I write about people five feet eight and nervous.” Even so, much of his work, including the two posthumous books, fits comfortably within the tradition of Zane Grey and Louis L’Amour.
The form’s aficionados always have appreciated Kelton’s books. In 1995, based largely on the accomplishment of “The Time It Never Rained,” the Western Writers of America voted him the greatest western writer of all time. Finishing a distant second: Willa Cather.

My Brother’s Bookgasm

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Bookgasm’s Bruce Grossman gave my brother Tod’s new book OTHER RESORT CITIES a rave review today. Here’s an excerpt:

The people who populate these stories could totally exist in our society and probably some do. They are just like you and me, but with some truly twisted backstories. Some of these stories could be expanded into even further lengths. While I’d love to read more about these people, I definitely would not want to hang out with most of them. OTHER RESORT CITIES is an eye-opening look at life in today’s society, never sugarcoating its harsh reality

Interceptors, Immediate Launch!

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Billington_bishop
 Variety reports that the feature film version of the TV series UFO is taking shape. Joshua Jackson has been cast as Capt. Paul Foster, the role originally played by Michael Billington in Gerry Anderson's 1970s series. No word yet on who is in line to play Commander Straker (Ed Bishop), the leader of SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization), with secret bases on the moon and underneath a movie studio. (Michael Billington and Ed Bishop are pictured above, Joshua Jackson below).

Joshua-jackson
  

Bathroom humor

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Later in the day at the Men of Mystery event, Tim Dorsey told a story about being approached by a fan in the Men's room. I wonder if the guy who approached felt stupid after that. Men of Mystery was a lot of fun again this year. Paul Levine, Barry Eisler and Michael Connelly all made good-natured jokes at my expense in their presentations but I didnt hear any of them because I was busy emailing myself notes for my new Monk book. I don't know why, but in middle of the event I suddenly figured out a new story for the book and decided to trash the one I was working on — so I took notes before I forgot my idea. When it came time for my presentation, I withstood the urge to make a joke at Sam McCarver's expense but Tod didn't. At the book signing, Tod once again saw the 60 year old woman who regales him every year with stories of her long distance romance with a 22 year old guy in Zimbabwe who only occasionally asks to be wired money. Ah, true love. Bob Levinson joked that he's been coming to Men of Mystery for 10 yrs and still hasn't sold a book. He must come for the mushroom soup.
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