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Die Behind the Wheel: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Music of Steely Dan
This is the book of the expanding man.
What’s the end result of a crazy scheme to match some of music history’s most evocative and memorable songs with twelve of today’s most entertaining writers?
You’re looking at it.
With this collection there’s no need to chase the dragon, tour the Southland in a traveling minstrel show, or drink Scotch whiskey all night long. You’ve already bought the dream.
Covering every game in the Grammy-winning catalog of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker—collectively celebrated as Steely Dan—these compulsively readable stories will stagger the mind of ramblers, wild gamblers, and—of course—the winners in the world.
From the suburban streets of Annandale to the mystical spheres of Lhasa…from the shine of your Japan to the sparkle of your China…from Sunset Boulevard to Camarillo and from Scarsdale to Brooklyn … put these twelve masters of crime fiction behind the wheel, and come along for a ride you won’t soon forget.
Like a Sunday in T.J., it’s cheap, but it’s not free.
Edited by Brian Thornton with a Foreword by Jeffrey Weber and stories by David Corbett, Nick Feldman, Bill Fitzhugh, Linda Joffe Hull, R.T. Lawton, Cornelia Read, Stacy Robinson, Brian Thornton, dbschlosser, Sam Wiebe, Simon Wood, and James W. Ziskin.
What’s the end result of a crazy scheme to match some of music history’s most evocative and memorable songs with twelve of today’s most entertaining writers?
You’re looking at it.
With this collection there’s no need to chase the dragon, tour the Southland in a traveling minstrel show, or drink Scotch whiskey all night long. You’ve already bought the dream.
Covering every game in the Grammy-winning catalog of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker—collectively celebrated as Steely Dan—these compulsively readable stories will stagger the mind of ramblers, wild gamblers, and—of course—the winners in the world.
From the suburban streets of Annandale to the mystical spheres of Lhasa…from the shine of your Japan to the sparkle of your China…from Sunset Boulevard to Camarillo and from Scarsdale to Brooklyn … put these twelve masters of crime fiction behind the wheel, and come along for a ride you won’t soon forget.
Like a Sunday in T.J., it’s cheap, but it’s not free.
Edited by Brian Thornton with a Foreword by Jeffrey Weber and stories by David Corbett, Nick Feldman, Bill Fitzhugh, Linda Joffe Hull, R.T. Lawton, Cornelia Read, Stacy Robinson, Brian Thornton, dbschlosser, Sam Wiebe, Simon Wood, and James W. Ziskin.
250 pages, Paperback
Published June 22, 2019
22 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Brian Thornton
15 books15 followersBrian Thornton is the author of twelve books and a whole bunch of short stories. He does all of his own stunts, loves the color blue as well as singing in the car with his wife and son, and lives with his family in Seattle, where he recently completed his third term as Northwest Chapter president for the Mystery Writers of America.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 3, 2019
My elder son, knowing I’m a big fan of Steely Dan bought this book for me, as I wasn’t even aware it was being published. It’s a collection of 12 short stories based on the songs and lyrics of Steely Dan. Most are titled on Dan songs and contain some lines of the particular song within the story. Others like Green Earrings and Do You Have a Dark Spot on Your Past go the whole hog and basically base the whole story on the lyrics of the song. The stories are all crime stories of one sort or another and gamblers or gambling seem to be a common theme among a few of them. I enjoyed all the stories but particularly liked Haitian Divorce, which puts a different spin on the meaning of the title, compared to the song.
This is a must for Steely Dan fans who are also crime fiction fans but I’m sure it would be enjoyable for non fans too, although the lyrical references would be lost on them. On reading the forward to this book it explains that there is a companion piece featuring another compilation of Steely Dan related stories due for release later this year and I’m looking forward to it when it’s released.
This is a must for Steely Dan fans who are also crime fiction fans but I’m sure it would be enjoyable for non fans too, although the lyrical references would be lost on them. On reading the forward to this book it explains that there is a companion piece featuring another compilation of Steely Dan related stories due for release later this year and I’m looking forward to it when it’s released.
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June 26, 2019I'm a contributor to this anthology. My story is based on the song "Haitian Divorce."
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March 7, 2022My story "Pretzel Logic" is included in this anthology. It also was selected to appear in Best American Mystery Stories 2020.
July 14, 2019
"Intriguing Short Stories"
This is a collection of crime fiction short stories written by several authors. Each author is truly creative. There is murder, lust, gambling, choices, and judgment. Also remedies for deception, and maybe a head will roll! I especially liked the thrilling story written by Simon Wood, "Haitian Divorce." Good job, authors!
This is a collection of crime fiction short stories written by several authors. Each author is truly creative. There is murder, lust, gambling, choices, and judgment. Also remedies for deception, and maybe a head will roll! I especially liked the thrilling story written by Simon Wood, "Haitian Divorce." Good job, authors!
August 5, 2019
Maybe Inspired But Lacks the Production Quality
Steely Dan has a reputation for quality-fanaticism that some of the stories lack. They lacked a creativity of character or storyline that made some feel like reading pulp fiction. Not sure that hard-core Dan fans feed on a steady literary diet of pulp. I will give credit to some of the authors who did not need to rely on sex as the primary premise for submitting their entry.
Not sure if it's the Kindle edition only or in the book as well, but there were various typos throughout the book. Not a lot but annoying.
I will admit I enjoyed "Show Biz Kids" since I last served at Cubi Point Naval Air Station, which was connected to Subic Bay Naval Station, two years before the story takes placed. The author nailed the environment. And BTW, I served as a drug exemption counselor during that tour.
Steely Dan has a reputation for quality-fanaticism that some of the stories lack. They lacked a creativity of character or storyline that made some feel like reading pulp fiction. Not sure that hard-core Dan fans feed on a steady literary diet of pulp. I will give credit to some of the authors who did not need to rely on sex as the primary premise for submitting their entry.
Not sure if it's the Kindle edition only or in the book as well, but there were various typos throughout the book. Not a lot but annoying.
I will admit I enjoyed "Show Biz Kids" since I last served at Cubi Point Naval Air Station, which was connected to Subic Bay Naval Station, two years before the story takes placed. The author nailed the environment. And BTW, I served as a drug exemption counselor during that tour.
March 11, 2024
I loved the catchy way snippets of lyrics and the tales played out. I read this during the Eagles Farewell tour which Steely Dan opened. And I am not a gambler, nor a murderer or criminal (that you know of), but these stories were written by pros who clearly know their Dan genre, back-story, and a unique idea of how to spin a yarn around an SD song. Well written and each one a solid read.
February 10, 2020
A good collection, even for someone like me who doesn't really know Steely Dan songs. There were a couple weak links but overall the stories were engaging and complete.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews