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Crashpad
"It was arterial spray from her roommate Becky that saved Mary Jane's life. There was so much blood he must have thought she was dead too."
So begins Crashpad, a story set in the turbulent war year of 1970.
Skirts are short, hair is long; we've invaded Southeast Asia and the British have invaded us. College campuses everywhere are erupting with protests; Goldie Hawn go-go dances in a bikini and body paint.
Walter Dalrymple is a sophomore at Cal State Long Beach, brilliant, spending his nights doing original research on lasers and his days thinking about a transfer to UC Berkeley and wishing he could get a date.
In addition to physics, Walter has grown up with adventure stories -- James Bond, Shell Scott, and Matt Helm -- so he's ready when the nearly-naked girl pounds on his apartment door and asks him to hide her from a crazy guy with a shotgun. It's got to be some kind of gag, right?
That's what he thinks until he actually meets the guy with the shotgun. Then Jane takes him to see the body. He's got to help her - after all, she's asked him to take her to the Get-Acquainted Dance.
Turn on and tune in. It's time for some sex and drugs and rock and roll. No chicken jokes.
So begins Crashpad, a story set in the turbulent war year of 1970.
Skirts are short, hair is long; we've invaded Southeast Asia and the British have invaded us. College campuses everywhere are erupting with protests; Goldie Hawn go-go dances in a bikini and body paint.
Walter Dalrymple is a sophomore at Cal State Long Beach, brilliant, spending his nights doing original research on lasers and his days thinking about a transfer to UC Berkeley and wishing he could get a date.
In addition to physics, Walter has grown up with adventure stories -- James Bond, Shell Scott, and Matt Helm -- so he's ready when the nearly-naked girl pounds on his apartment door and asks him to hide her from a crazy guy with a shotgun. It's got to be some kind of gag, right?
That's what he thinks until he actually meets the guy with the shotgun. Then Jane takes him to see the body. He's got to help her - after all, she's asked him to take her to the Get-Acquainted Dance.
Turn on and tune in. It's time for some sex and drugs and rock and roll. No chicken jokes.
106 pages, Paperback
Published October 3, 2017
About the author
James R. Preston
10 books3 followersJames R. Preston, two-time recipient of the Pacific Northwest Writers Conference Award for Fiction, spends most of his time at the keyboard writing in a style best described as “beach noir” and “Margaritaville but with guns.” His latest novels are the thrillers Crashpad and Buzzkill.
He is now working on Remains To Be Seen, the sixth Surf City Mystery. This series has been selected for inclusion in the California Detective Fiction collection of the Bancroft Library, one of the libraries at the University of California, Berkley.
Away from the keyboard, James likes reading, films (especially 1950s SF like Them and The Crawling Eye, sailing, bodyboarding and Texas Hold’Em Poker. James played in one of the 2011 World Series tournaments and sadly busted out early. Next time it will be different.
He is now working on Remains To Be Seen, the sixth Surf City Mystery. This series has been selected for inclusion in the California Detective Fiction collection of the Bancroft Library, one of the libraries at the University of California, Berkley.
Away from the keyboard, James likes reading, films (especially 1950s SF like Them and The Crawling Eye, sailing, bodyboarding and Texas Hold’Em Poker. James played in one of the 2011 World Series tournaments and sadly busted out early. Next time it will be different.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 24, 2024
This thriller novella takes place at Cal State Long Beach in 1970. The campus unrest over the Vietnam War has not spared the campus. Walter Dalrymple, a CSULB sophomore, divides his time between working on pathbreaking research on lasers and wishing he had a date. One day he is awakened by pounding on his apartment door. He opens it to discover a nearly-naked girl, clad in only white go-go boots and panties, arm wrapped strategically around her breasts. She begs him to let her in before the crazy killer with a shotgun gets her. Of course, being a young man he lets her in without question. Shortly thereafter, a crazy man with a shotgun appears at his door. Walter now sets out to solve three problems: who killed the girl's friend; how can he transfer to UC Berkeley; and how can he get a date with the girl. This is a fun and fast-paced thriller; Walter makes for a unique, appealing sleuth. A solid read.
February 5, 2018
I Didn’t See That Coming!!!
This book is incredibly captivating! I am one of those individuals who can figure a book or a movie out quite quickly. However, that was not at all the case with this book. I was constantly surprised with the many plot twist. The book is fascinating and keeps you on your toes. Very interesting. This book is also a quick read or you can read a bit at a time. I will definitely read more of James’s books and my friends have already borrowed my copy or bought their own copy.
This book is incredibly captivating! I am one of those individuals who can figure a book or a movie out quite quickly. However, that was not at all the case with this book. I was constantly surprised with the many plot twist. The book is fascinating and keeps you on your toes. Very interesting. This book is also a quick read or you can read a bit at a time. I will definitely read more of James’s books and my friends have already borrowed my copy or bought their own copy.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews