I never get to spend as much time as I'd like at the FoB. It does get exhausting, but one of these years I'm hoping to spend both Saturday and Sunday there.
Here is a video of the always charming Kelli Stanley discussing her Miranda Corbie series. (I reviewed City of Dragons and City of Secrets on Stuff and Nonsense; just click on the title to go to the review.)
Also, I did a short interview with Kelli about her love of noir and her research process last year.
Showing posts with label noir. Show all posts
Showing posts with label noir. Show all posts
25 April 2012
26 March 2012
Countdown to Left Coast Crime -- 3 days...
City of Secrets by Kelli Stanley.
The second of Kelli Stanley's noir series featuring private investigator Miranda Corbie begins on May 25, 1940, the opening day of the second season of the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco.
Miranda is called to the discovery of a murdered performer, a young model by the name of Pandora Blake, who was stabbed and then had an anti-Semitic insult written on her chest with her own blood. Even though Miranda is an employee of Sally Rand Enterprises, fair management tell her she's a "security risk" (because of the incidents in City of Dragons) and ask her not to return to the site.
Out of work, Miranda calls the paper to run her usual ads, but when her own lawyer, Meyer Bialik, asks her to investigate on behalf of his new client who has been arrested for Pandora Blakes's murder, she agrees.
Pleased that she can officially continue to delve into the case, Miranda begins immediately. In her usual style, Miranda approaches her investigation obliquely, and digs up a lot more corruption than she expected.
Kelli Stanley is such a master of noir one could swear that she's Raymond Chandler reincarnated, and Miranda Corbie is the epitome of hardboiled. Unusual for a female character perhaps, but completely believable nonetheless.
And Ms. Stanley makes of San Francisco during the early years of World War II come alive as though the she had actually been there. The amount of research this would have required is mind-boggling, and it's no surprise that she has a scholarly background.
Kelli Stanley is an award-winning author of crime fiction (novels and
short stories). She makes her home in Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco,
a city she loves to write about. Kelli earned a Master’s Degree in
Classics, loves jazz, old movies, battered fedoras, Art Deco and
speakeasies.
City of Secrets is nominated for the Golden Nugget award, a special Left Coast Crime 2012 award for
best mystery novel set in California.
The second of Kelli Stanley's noir series featuring private investigator Miranda Corbie begins on May 25, 1940, the opening day of the second season of the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco.
Miranda is called to the discovery of a murdered performer, a young model by the name of Pandora Blake, who was stabbed and then had an anti-Semitic insult written on her chest with her own blood. Even though Miranda is an employee of Sally Rand Enterprises, fair management tell her she's a "security risk" (because of the incidents in City of Dragons) and ask her not to return to the site.
Out of work, Miranda calls the paper to run her usual ads, but when her own lawyer, Meyer Bialik, asks her to investigate on behalf of his new client who has been arrested for Pandora Blakes's murder, she agrees.
Pleased that she can officially continue to delve into the case, Miranda begins immediately. In her usual style, Miranda approaches her investigation obliquely, and digs up a lot more corruption than she expected.
Kelli Stanley is such a master of noir one could swear that she's Raymond Chandler reincarnated, and Miranda Corbie is the epitome of hardboiled. Unusual for a female character perhaps, but completely believable nonetheless.
And Ms. Stanley makes of San Francisco during the early years of World War II come alive as though the she had actually been there. The amount of research this would have required is mind-boggling, and it's no surprise that she has a scholarly background.
Kelli Stanley is an award-winning author of crime fiction (novels and
short stories). She makes her home in Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco,
a city she loves to write about. Kelli earned a Master’s Degree in
Classics, loves jazz, old movies, battered fedoras, Art Deco and
speakeasies.
City of Secrets is nominated for the Golden Nugget award, a special Left Coast Crime 2012 award for
best mystery novel set in California.
21 September 2011
Just finished reading...
City of Secrets by Kelli Stanley.
The second of Kelli Stanley's noir series featuring private investigator Miranda Corbie begins on May 25, 1940, the opening day of the second season of the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco.
Miranda is called to the discovery of a murdered performer, a young model by the name of Pandora Blake, who was stabbed and then had an anti-Semitic insult written on her chest with her own blood. Even though Miranda is an employee of Sally Rand Enterprises, fair management tell her she's a "security risk" (because of the incidents in City of Dragons) and ask her not to return to the site.
Out of work, Miranda calls the paper to run her usual ads, but when her own lawyer, Meyer Bialik, asks her to investigate on behalf of his new client who has been arrested for Pandora Blakes's murder, she agrees.
Pleased that she can officially continue to delve into the case, Miranda begins immediately. In her usual style, Miranda approaches her investigation obliquely, and digs up a lot more corruption than she expected.
Kelli Stanley is such a master of noir one could swear that she's Raymond Chandler reincarnated, and Miranda Corbie is the epitome of hardboiled. Unusual for a female character perhaps, but completely believable nonetheless.
And Ms. Stanley makes of San Francisco during the early years of World War II come alive as though the she had actually been there. The amount of research this would have required is mind-boggling, and it's no surprise that she has a scholarly background.
FTC Full Disclosure: Kelli Stanley was kind enough to send me an ARC of City of Secrets. I've done my best to write an impartial review.
The second of Kelli Stanley's noir series featuring private investigator Miranda Corbie begins on May 25, 1940, the opening day of the second season of the Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco.
Miranda is called to the discovery of a murdered performer, a young model by the name of Pandora Blake, who was stabbed and then had an anti-Semitic insult written on her chest with her own blood. Even though Miranda is an employee of Sally Rand Enterprises, fair management tell her she's a "security risk" (because of the incidents in City of Dragons) and ask her not to return to the site.
Out of work, Miranda calls the paper to run her usual ads, but when her own lawyer, Meyer Bialik, asks her to investigate on behalf of his new client who has been arrested for Pandora Blakes's murder, she agrees.
Pleased that she can officially continue to delve into the case, Miranda begins immediately. In her usual style, Miranda approaches her investigation obliquely, and digs up a lot more corruption than she expected.
Kelli Stanley is such a master of noir one could swear that she's Raymond Chandler reincarnated, and Miranda Corbie is the epitome of hardboiled. Unusual for a female character perhaps, but completely believable nonetheless.
And Ms. Stanley makes of San Francisco during the early years of World War II come alive as though the she had actually been there. The amount of research this would have required is mind-boggling, and it's no surprise that she has a scholarly background.
FTC Full Disclosure: Kelli Stanley was kind enough to send me an ARC of City of Secrets. I've done my best to write an impartial review.
16 January 2011
Just finished reading...
The Curse-Maker (Roman Noir Mystery #2) by Kelli Stanley.*
Arcturus returns home to find his wife Gwyna depressed. His employer, Agricola the governor of Britannia suggests they go to Aquae Sulis (Bath) for a vacation. But before they even arrive at their villa, they find a corpse in the Sacred Spring. The local administration ask him to investigate the murder while he is there.
Although Arcturus is reluctant at first, Gwyna expresses an interest in helping him, so he agrees.
The victim is Rufus Bibax, a curse-maker, who inscribes curses on stone tablets for as a profession. One of his own curses is found tucked into the corpse's mouth. The curse-maker's craft is well-researched and -described, as are the details of life in Roman Britain.
The narrative is written from Arcturus' point of view, and Stanley does it skilfully. The operative word here is "noir" and though at first it's a little disconcerting to hear a Roman physician expressing himself in the manner of Sam Spade, that doesn't last long.
An intriguing and absorbing story, this will certainly appear on 2011 Best lists!
*Sincere thanks to the author for the Advance Review Copy!
Arcturus returns home to find his wife Gwyna depressed. His employer, Agricola the governor of Britannia suggests they go to Aquae Sulis (Bath) for a vacation. But before they even arrive at their villa, they find a corpse in the Sacred Spring. The local administration ask him to investigate the murder while he is there.
Although Arcturus is reluctant at first, Gwyna expresses an interest in helping him, so he agrees.
The victim is Rufus Bibax, a curse-maker, who inscribes curses on stone tablets for as a profession. One of his own curses is found tucked into the corpse's mouth. The curse-maker's craft is well-researched and -described, as are the details of life in Roman Britain.
The narrative is written from Arcturus' point of view, and Stanley does it skilfully. The operative word here is "noir" and though at first it's a little disconcerting to hear a Roman physician expressing himself in the manner of Sam Spade, that doesn't last long.
An intriguing and absorbing story, this will certainly appear on 2011 Best lists!
*Sincere thanks to the author for the Advance Review Copy!
19 May 2010
Just finished reading...
City of Dragons by Kelli Stanley.*
Miranda Corbie is a private investigator in San Francisco, 1940.
It's Chinese New Year, and in celebration, the city is having a three-night-long "Rice Bowl Party" to raise money for war relief in China.
In the midst of the festivities, Miranda watches as a young Japanese numbers runner named Eddie Takahashi is killed in front of her. Certain that it's a murder rather than accidental, she informs the police, who don't believe her.
She decides to find Eddie's killer on her own, since she is qualified after all! The next day, she's offered a real, paying case: find a missing young woman for her stepmother.
These two cases intersect, and Miranda soon finds herself being followed by sinister men and dark automobiles, one of which runs her down. Stubbornly, and despite being thwarted by the police, the Italian AND Japanese syndicates, and many of those she thought were her friends, she persists in the quest that leads her through much of San Francisco and its Chinatown.
Stanley's novel is a love letter to San Francisco, with rich and well-researched historical descriptions. The book is also an ode to classic noir mysteries, and is a pleasure to read. I was almost happy that it was a busy week and I was forced to read in short bursts, so that the book took longer than usual to finish.
Miranda will be back in another San Francisco mystery, which I await eagerly.
*Kelli Stanley was kind enough to send me a copy of CITY OF DRAGONS. When the first one I received was unsigned, she sent me ANOTHER ONE, for which I am extremely grateful.
Miranda Corbie is a private investigator in San Francisco, 1940.
It's Chinese New Year, and in celebration, the city is having a three-night-long "Rice Bowl Party" to raise money for war relief in China.
In the midst of the festivities, Miranda watches as a young Japanese numbers runner named Eddie Takahashi is killed in front of her. Certain that it's a murder rather than accidental, she informs the police, who don't believe her.
She decides to find Eddie's killer on her own, since she is qualified after all! The next day, she's offered a real, paying case: find a missing young woman for her stepmother.
These two cases intersect, and Miranda soon finds herself being followed by sinister men and dark automobiles, one of which runs her down. Stubbornly, and despite being thwarted by the police, the Italian AND Japanese syndicates, and many of those she thought were her friends, she persists in the quest that leads her through much of San Francisco and its Chinatown.
Stanley's novel is a love letter to San Francisco, with rich and well-researched historical descriptions. The book is also an ode to classic noir mysteries, and is a pleasure to read. I was almost happy that it was a busy week and I was forced to read in short bursts, so that the book took longer than usual to finish.
Miranda will be back in another San Francisco mystery, which I await eagerly.
*Kelli Stanley was kind enough to send me a copy of CITY OF DRAGONS. When the first one I received was unsigned, she sent me ANOTHER ONE, for which I am extremely grateful.
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