Status Updates From Jim Hanvey, Detective: Geni...

I like the story 'Caveat Emptor' the most, so far. Two tales left.

There’s not much to these stories - a simple set-up, some quick action and/or surveillance scenes, and twist at the end - but they have their own peculiar charm. Hanvey is likeable - not fleshed out much as character, but not a caricature. Sometimes I’ll “assign” an actor to “play” a character, in my mind’s eye, as I read, and I see a 1970s Nicol Williamson, or a 1990s Forest Whitaker, as Hanvey. Relaxing reading.

A bizarre conclusion to the first story (my own introduction to Jim Hanvey). I'm not sure what I think. We'll see what other tricks the author has up his sleeve. This might be like reading Edgar Wallace's stuff.

I blazed through all my Private Eye options by participating in Private Eye July. This collection is part of the re-stocking process…but it was unrealistic to think that some tempting books - novels or short story offerings - could sit around waiting for next July. Maybe Trace by Warren Murphy can sit for months, but I’m too curious about Jim Hanvey to put these tales off.