Very Cold for May

by William P. McGivern

1st edition paperback, fine (as new)

Genres: Mystery, Crime

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1951

About the author

William P. McGivern was a novelist and screenwriter. In his early years he worked as a police reporter for the Philadelphia Bulletin and a reviewer and reporter for the Evening Bulletin in Philadelphia. Prior to his career in the newspaper business he served in the United States Army from 1943-1946.He moved to Los Angeles in 1960. His works include over twenty thrillers and mysteries as well as Soldiers of 44 , a novel based on his experiences in World War II. His novels turned into movies include The Big Heat, Rouge Cop, Shield For Murder, Odds Against Tomorrow and the bestselling Night of the Juggler .In 1952 McGivern received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America and served as president of that organization in 1980. He was the master of the hard-boiled detective novel.

Reviews

[John Frankham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Run-of-the-mill whodunnit from 1951. The protagonist, Jake, works in Chicago in public relations, here 'defending' a manufacturer afraid of the war-time diary revelations of a woman Jake, and the manufacturer, knows well (see below). Jake's moral dilemma and his relationship with his ex-wife provide an interest. But, nothing outstanding.

The GR blurb:

'May Laval was as brilliant as a ten carat diamond---and just as cold. As the calculating ruler of a social set, she influenced generals, politicians, and big businessmen. Slowly and shrewdly, she learned the intimate details of everyone's life---and recorded the seamy facts in a diary. One day, May Laval threatened to publish her diary.....'

[Jure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good and interesting. It deals with a government corruption, moral hypocrisy of officials, war profiteering and media spin-offs that cover up all this shit. Murder mystery and our hero's personal dilemmas (also related to his marital problems) are elegantly placed in this background of post-war America.

It has to be said though that it is a bit weak on the plot. Jake - as likeable and interesting as he is - is not very good detective at all and is simply lucky to break the case because he gets his main clue from a slip of the tongue of one of the villains.

More here (review includes spoilers!):
http://a60books.blogspot.ie/2015/03/v...

[Malcolm · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 1950 police procedural is told in a very straight-forward manner like books that ended up in noir movies. The protagonist is former newspaper reporter Jake Harrison who works for a PR firm that's representing a man currently being investigated by the government. Add to this, the fact that former WWII-era socialite May Laval is planning to write a tell-all memoir that might include the details of her potentially sordid relationship with the man Jake represents. In fact, it might contain details about a lot of past relationships. She kept everything about her day-to-day intrigues in a diary.

Nobody can, including Jake, can talk her out of writing the memoir, much less divulging who (if anyone) might suffer the slings and arrows of earlier escapades.

When she is murdered, there are plenty of suspects. The diary seems to be missing from the bedroom murder scene. Who has it? Everyone wants it and everyone seems to have an alibi.

This slim volume is well-done until we get to the ending. The ending might have worked in 1950, but most readers have--by now--seen movies or read detective stories where all the suspects are called together in a room while the main character tells them what happened to May, what happened to the diary, and why people did what they did.

On the plus side, who killed who is a surprise. On the minus side, the ending--by 2019 standards--is a bit hackneyed. Detective story aficionados may nonetheless enjoy this old novel.

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fine little mystery/Crime tale. Author of, The Big Heat, one of the all-time greats in the hard-boiled crime genre. And a damn fine movie.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0045555/...

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice quick brain candy mystery, classic crime of lust, blackmail and revenge. Chicago setting a plus

[Woody Chandler · Rating 3 out of 5]

My, what big words you used, Mr. McGivern. And repeatedly. And the ending was rather bland. Still, the CHI setting had me reminiscing of pleasant visits.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Marti]

Passed on to me by Mom.