Bruno Fischer (1) (1908–1992)

Bruno Fischer was one of many skilled writers during the great
paperback era of the fifties. In Lustful Ape, he gives us a fast-reading,
fun, pulpy novel filled with murder, blackmail, sexy dames, news
reporters, and hoodlums.
The heart of the novel is Narda Hart, a femme fatale who would use
her body as coinage to get whatever she wanted. Dirk Hart, An ex-cop,
private eye, is her ex-husband and as beguiling as Narda is, he's been
burned by her too many times to trust her again. The pulpiest part of
the tale is the beginning as Dirk struggles with his passion and
frustration. When Narda is struck down in the street after he's turned
her away, Dirk has s determined to shake the city loose to find her
killer with only the narrowest of clues.
I might ultimately have preferred a simpler pulpier plot, but it's a good
exciting read. It just misses being really good as some of the plotting
in the book feels a bit cheaper and contrived like a Hollywood movie,
particularly the climatic scenes in the cellar as our young hero fights
against time for his life and that of the poor scantily clad damsel who
had the bad luck to be with him.… (més)

Classic noir is all about compulsion. it's all about being overcome by
emotion and passion so strong that the characters are just about
drowning in it. Passion, that is, for money, power, sedans desire. A
classic pulp novel is often about a femme fatale and characters who
are so bedazzled by her charms they can't think straight even when
they know better, even when they've been warned that she's bad to
the bone. The Lady Kills is such a story and it's a real good one. As the
reader you see where it's all going a mile away. You know there is
pretty much no stopping it because with a femme fatale like Beth no
man can resist her.

Bruno Fischer is a great writer. This story about a young
newspaperman and his publisher's headstrong gorgeous unstoppable
daughter is a terrific read. The story is filled with pulpy passion and it's
just a terrific example of the good stuff.

There's also some themes here about civic corruption and the
newspaper being the last bastion of freedom and justice against the
political machine and the thugs employed by it. Nevertheless, the
heart and soul of this book is a tortured relationship, strange coverups
and frameups, and a slow growth of a young reporter to become
someone who maybe gets his balls back.
Beth is quite scary and there's pretty much nothing she's not capable
of and nothing she can't get a man to do for her. And if you are looking
for a classic black widow femme fatale, this is the story for you.… (més)

Leo Aikins vrouw is op geheimzinnige wijze verdwenen. Hij stelt op z'n eentje een onderzoek in dat tot een reeks verrassende ontdekkingen leidt. Zijn onderzoekingen en zijn volhardende ondervragingen brengen hem in aanraking: met enige personen van twijfelachtig gehalte, met wie zijn vrouw omgang heeft gehad vóór haar huwelijk, ... met het burleske toneel en gewetenloze producers, ... met een niet al te ethische privécietective die Judith Aikin gekend heeft ... misschien wel te goed, ... met een schaar die voor een moord gebruikt is, ... met een knappe onbekende man, die bij Aikins vrouw geweest is — op de dag van haar verdwijning! Volg de belevenissen van Leo Aikin als hij het ene raadsel na bet andere oplost en daarbij steeds meer in aanraking komt met chantage en moord, eer hij van aangezicht tot aangezicht met de moordenaar komt te staan.

Bron: Binnenkaft Prisma Detectives 30… (més)

An editor's wife comes home with a fortune in jewels she says she found in a parking lot. Should they turn them in or keep them? (And, by the way, why isn't that poet answering his phone? I really need to return this manuscript of his that I have decided not to publish.) This is one of those books with a fairly limited number of characters, and they are all there for a purpose, so the way things end up weaving together doesn't come as any great surprise or shock. This is a book without any heroes, and is the better for it. It doesn't all quite blend together, but it's a fast enjoyable read.… (més)