Created by George P. Pelecanos (1957--) George Pelecanos produces critically acclaimed novels that are very much in the hard-boiled tradition. His series character, Greek/American licensed private investigator NICK STEFANOS tends bar (sometimes) at The Spot in Southeast Washington, D.C., struggling to make ends meet. He's a hard-livin', hard-drinkin' kinda guy (despite the fact he often … Continue reading Nick Stefanos
Tag: Washington D.C.
Ray Martin (The Bodyguard)
Created by Richard Reinsmith Pseudonyms include Richard Rein Smith, Damon Castle, Ann Taylor, Dan Elliott Journeyman writer Richard Reinsmith caught the Men’s Adventure wave with the eight-book Bodyguard series, published by bottom feeder paperback publisher Tower (and starting with book three, Leisure Books). Its hero/narrator was gray-haired RAY MARTIN, a highly regarded bodyguard working out … Continue reading Ray Martin (The Bodyguard)
Spero Lucas
Created by George P. Pelecanos (1957--) "There are certain bars I don't hang in... I'm not gonna sit around and have drinks with people who are, you know, ironic." — Lucas in The Cut With The Cut (2011), crime writer George Pelecanos introduced Iraq war vet SPERO LUCAS, a 29-year old man adopted … Continue reading Spero Lucas
Derek Strange
Created by George P. Pelecanos (1957--) Let's just play the race card, and fucking get it over with... DEREK STRANGE is BLACK. He's a former cop, now in his fifties, who runs his own Washington, D.C. detective agency. He carries a buck knife and may get a little slick at times, but he's respected in … Continue reading Derek Strange
Bronze Goldberg
Created by Colin Kranin Wait. BRONZE GOLDBERG? "Bronze"? Well, whatever... In Blood & Mascara (2024), it's the 1990s in Washington, DC, where politics, as always, makes for strange bedfellows, but it's also making money for private peeper Bronze, who has a knack for nailing cheating spouses. There's an unapologetic retro pulp vibe here, with the … Continue reading Bronze Goldberg
Capitol Crimes
Washington D.C. Eyes & Other Hard-Boiled Fiction "Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in the country." — Mayor Marion BarryMost people probably think of espionage or legal thrillers involving politicians when they think of "mysteries" involving DC. However, in the last 15 years, DC has given rise to a … Continue reading Capitol Crimes
Brian Petersen (aka “The D.C. Man”)
Created by James P. Cody Pseudonym of Peter T. Rohrbach (1926--) Another rescue from Lee Goldberg's Brash Books resurrects James P. Cody's quartet of gritty, action-packed Men's Adventure paperbacks from the mid-seventies, originally published by Berkley Medallion. BRIAN PETERSEN, tagged as "The D.C. MAN" on the covers, was a former football player and military intelligence … Continue reading Brian Petersen (aka “The D.C. Man”)
Dickie Cornish
Created by Christopher Chambers “The streetlights are buzzing to life as the sun does somewhere over Virginia.” — opening line of Standalone Talk about a reluctant detective... Recovering addict (maybe) and unlicensed Black private eye DICKIE CORNISH, one of Washington D.C.’s homeless (a publisher’s blurb refers to him in wokespeak as a “street denizen”), picked … Continue reading Dickie Cornish
A Conversation About The Conversation
Sam Wiebe Introduces the 1974 Classic Slated to introduce The Conversation at the Vancouver Film Center before the pandemic, Canadian crime writer Sam Wiebe, the creator of private eyes Dave Wakeland and Michael Drayton, finally got to do it in April 2022. The screening was part of a free day of programming in memoriam for VIFF staff … Continue reading A Conversation About The Conversation
Harry Caul (The Conversation)
Created by Francis Ford Coppola Gene Hackman nails the character of HARRY CAUL, a twitchy, shopworn surveillance expert hired to do a little wiretapping in The Conversation, Francis Ford Coppola's explosive and darkly disturbing pre-Watergate morality tale of slimy corporate treachery and dirty secrets. You'll feel like taking a shower after this one. Harry may … Continue reading Harry Caul (The Conversation)