Preview: “Three from Il Cinema Ritrovato 2024” by Theresa Rodewald

FILM FESTIVAL REPORT: Theresa Rodewald reports on noir programming at Il Cinema Ritrovato 2024….

“No-Nonsense Noir: Death Comes Too Late” by Brian Greene

BOOK REVIEW: “This collection features the kind of spare, no-nonsense stuff you’d expect from a noir aficionado like Charles Ardai, the co-founder and editor of Hard Case Crime….”

“Before the Movement: Reap the Whirlwind” by Brian Greene

BOOK REVIEW: “A deeply satisfying read that is the true crime version of a courtroom thriller novel.”

Preview: “A Hint of Hitchcock: Stories Inspired by the Master of Suspense” by Brian Greene

BOOK REVIEW: “The original stories are well-written and compelling enough to stand on their own apart from their associations with the great auteur.”

“Thunder on the Stage: The Dramatic Vision of Richard Wright (2024)” by William Blick

BOOK REVIEW: “More than an exploration of Richard Wright’s dramaturgical efforts, it is a story of the development of an artist.”

“A Hybrid Noir Played Hot: The Beast Must Die” by Ken Hall

FILM REVIEW: “A finely crafted, clever combination of film noir, Gothic melodrama, and ‘classic’ detective narrative from Argentina….”

“Complex Nuances in the Underworld: Dusk for a Hitman” by Ken Hall

FILM REVIEW: “A brutal tale of a hitman that is very effectively presented without excessive resort to shock violence….”

“Dead Men Are My Business: Day Keene’s Mrs. Homicide, Naked Fury, and Murder on the Side” by William Blick

BOOK REVIEW: “While not of the caliber of Chandler or Hammett, Keene’s working-class novels show his talent for telling intriguing mysteries at a breakneck pace.”