January 06, 2004
Thanks for spoiling it for me

I started to read this screed on Salon about mystery writers - the author claims that it's all been downhill since Ross McDonald - because I thought there'd be some good controversy to dive into. Instead, it was more of an old crank rant, along the lines of what you hear from aging ex-ballplayers - you know, "back in my day we played the game the right way, these kids now wouldn't have cut it on my team", etc etc etc. Fine, whatever, go read something else. I'm not going to argue about a matter of taste.

I will, however, express the desire to drive up to Delaware, where the author directs the University's journalism program, and slap him silly for including plot spoilers in Michael Connelly's "City of Bones" without any warning. Oh, he doesn't say who dunnit, but he does divulge what happens to the main character and one of the costars. Knowing Connelly's work, and knowing his main character, what is revealed can't be described as a shock, but it still would have been nice to find it out for myself. Thanks a lot, pal.

Posted by Charles Kuffner on January 06, 2004 to Books | TrackBack
Comments

I've given up reading any reviews, etc. about a mystery until I have read the book itself. Dropping spoilers unannounced into a review seems to have become all too common. Doing so builds up the reviewer at the expense of the author... even if the review is a positive one.

Posted by: Steve Bates on January 6, 2004 12:25 PM

all I can say is that if Kellerman is anywhere in descent from Chandler, it's because one of Chandler's earlier descendants lived near Love Canal.

Heresy, dammit. Kellerman is what's wrong with hardboiled mystery today in one rancid package.

Loren Estelman, now. I could see him as an heir to Chandler very easily.

Posted by: julia on January 6, 2004 12:52 PM

Well, I think Kellerman is waaaay too touchy-feely to be hardboiled. I mean, Alex Delaware is a kiddie shrink, for Pete's sake. That said, he jumped the shark about four books ago. Too bad, too.

Posted by: Charles Kuffner on January 6, 2004 1:02 PM