Wednesday, December 15, 2010

The Walker Brothers - Deadlier Than The Male

Before we continue the series, I just wanted to plug an interesting contest over at John Kenyon’s blog. The challenge is to write a crime short story based on a fairy tale, and there will be prizes from Tyrus Books. The deadline is coming up soon, so get writing!

And now, for the tour-de-force that is none other than PDB...

The Top Five Crime Short Stories Of 2010:
Deadlier Than The Male
By
Paul D Brazill

It was raining. But then it always seemed to be raining when they came to town.

The bar was stiflingly hot and cluttered with Monday morning booze-hounds. I sat at a rickety table by the Wurlitzer jukebox and sipped my glass of golden delight down to the dregs. The ice shimmered in the wan light .

And then I heard the motorcycles. A purr turned into a roar. Then laughter. Female laughter. A chill split me like an ice pick.

The door bust open and in they came. Five Valkyries bringing the storm in behind them. The jukebox stopped mid song.

They walked over to the bar, picked up a bottle of whisky and stood in front of me.

I couldn’t have escaped if I’d wanted to.

‘Read em and weep, ‘ one of them said , handing me a wad of paper along with the bottle of booze.

I did as I was told.

***

What’s In The Cellar by Jeanette Cheezum at Thrillers, Killers N Chillers

This is how it starts: ‘1940: Deep in the woods of Georgia.
If it rained or snowed no one would come down to check on Lucy.’

This is a scary and sad, Southern Gothic tale of family secrets which unravels at a perfect pace and grips like a noose.

Pillow Talk by Jodi MacArthur at Beat To A Pulp

This is how it starts: ‘Henrietta wrapped her arms about her pillow. "I'm still awake, Charlie. I can never sleep anymore."

A mundane domestic start to a brilliantly written story full of fantastic images, great twists and turns and creepy, nasty moments.

In Gods Own Time by Sandra Seamans at A Twist Of Noir

This is how it starts: ‘“You know, I was seventeen and pregnant the afternoon my daddy died. Somebody put a shotgun to his head and blew his brains all over the Lazy Boy.’

It starts with a kick and keeps on kicking. A short, sharp shot of noir. A perfectly crafted hardboiled tale of revenge.

Moose Get’s His Money’s Worth by Julie Morgan at Radgepacket Online

This is how it starts: ‘The man was bent forward, jeans pooled round his ankles, hands braced on the back of the battered old settee. Moose stood behind him, fingers on the buttons of his 501s, wondering how in hell it had come to this.’
.
A Brit Grit Damon Runyon. A dark comedy of errors with cracking dialogue.

She Got Hers by Pamila Payne at The Journal

This is how it starts.: ‘Sidney knew it was a mistake to let her drive, but after what happened in the city, he just didn’t have it in him to fight anymore.’.

A freewheeling noir road trip where David Lynch crashes into They Drive By Night somewhere close to The Twilight Zone.

***

I dropped the sheets of papers, drained the bottle of booze and collapsed against jukebox, bringing it back to life. And this is what played



16 comments:

  1. A great compendium of top notch writes. If they rock PDB, they'll BAMBOOZLE the rest of us.

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  2. well paul, you sure can write an intro a middle and an end. what you've done here is fantastic (and that's without the picks). shouldn't be surprised, of course.

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  3. I am not worthy. Cheers, Paul, you're a gent. And I've only read one of the others (Jodi's - which is fantastic!) so I have some treats in store, too. Cheers, m'dear! :)

    Oh - and the intro is mint, by the way. You're a class act!

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  4. I love the intro, Paul! And thanks for the hat tip! Now, I'm off to read.

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  5. That Sandra Seamans story just slayed me. Fantastic stuff.

    And what a creative, badass intro!

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  6. Tremendous post all around, Paul. Based on the teasers you posted, every one begs for futher reading. Just read "Moose Gets his Money's Worth". Nasty stuff, in a good way, that is. now of to read the others.

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  8. I am so honored to be included in,
    The Top Five Crime Short Stories Of 2010:
    Deadlier Than The Male
    By
    Paul D Brazill

    Thanks, Paul.

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  9. Glad to see Jodi's dark tale made your list.

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  10. MY gasted is flabbered. Jaw dropping tales all. PDB knows dark and nasty and funny. Every one of them features a jaw dropping (and in one case, jeans dropping)first line and a slap upside the head closer. Way cool.

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  11. Paul, you're a darling for including my story. Thank you very much. I look forward to reading the other stories, this is a hot girl gang you've thrown together.

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  12. Move on over at the rickety table Mr Brazill. I've brought another quarter for the Wurlitzer and I know how to use it.

    Ain't those dames to fames just worth a fine fright in the night? "Y'know in Sicily, women are more dangerous than shotguns." Sorry, that one just popped out. Rat-a-tats and *congrats*.

    ~ Absolutely*Kate wannabe a Corleone

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  13. Jodi's story really made me nostalgic.

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  14. I just found this via Pamila Payne. This list is a dark delicious delicacy, and I am honored to be numbered with those lovely, deadly ladies. Henrietta is an entity in and of herself and I take no responsibility for her nocturnal ... activities. Just the recounting of them. Thanks, Paul B and DBK.

    ps. Cracking up at the music. Awesome. ;-)

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