Ride the Pink Horse (1946) by Dorothy B Hughes

Book Review by Jane V: I fetched a deep sigh on contemplating November’s ‘hard-boiled fiction’ assignment. I didn’t look forward to reading about testosterone fuelled guys gunning up freeways, slugging each other and knocking back immoderate amounts of whiskey. So I decided to find out if any female writers had attempted the genre, thinking that … Continue reading →

Herland (1915) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Book Review by Jane V: I knew about Charlotte Perkins Gilman from her short autobiographical novel The Yellow Wallpaper but it was not until I searched for a(n?) utopia authored by a woman that I was reminded of Herland and the fact that, felicitously, I had a copy somewhere. The blurb on the back of … Continue reading →

The Iron Heel (1908) by Jack London

Book review by Alice C: Jack London wrote The Iron Heel, a dystopian novel, in 1908. It sold over 50,000 copies in hardback and according to Wikipedia, London was, for a time, the bestselling and highest earning writer in the USA. It’s the story of the rise of a totalitarian Oligarchy in the United States … Continue reading →

The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934) by James M. Cain

Book Review by Sylvia D: The Postman Always Rings Twice (1934) was James M. Cain’s first published novel. Cain (1882-1977) was initially a journalist and an editor but he came to be seen as one of the creators of the roman noir. He also spent many years in Hollywood working on screenplays.

Sally’s in the Alley by Norbert Davis (1943)

Book Review by George S: Norbert Davis was an American author of detective fiction. I first heard of him when I was reading about Ludwig Wittgenstein’s taste in popular fiction. The great reclusive philosopher was (perhaps surprisingly) fond of P.G. Wodehouse, and also enjoyed a monthly subscription to Street and Smith’s Detective Magazine, which gave … Continue reading →