Title: Murder Is Served
Author: Frances & Richard Lockridge
Cover artist: Eddie Chan
Yours for: $7 (cover is gorgeous, but separated from book, which is complete, but all kinds of falling apart)
Best things about this cover:
- OK, remember that's "thirty million dollars" in late '40s dollars, so I believe the answer to the question is "hell yes."
- Love his expression—I believe he is telling that lady, "You got served!"
- In turn, I believe the lady is either mimicking masturbation or trying (unsuccessfully, by the look of it) to make cutlery disappear.
- "You call those boobs!?"—sorry, just thinking of more things that guy might be saying.
- Her: "I made you a canoe out of a napkin and this is how you thank me!?" I could go on all day. This one painting is like an endless one-act play.
Best things about this back cover:
- I don't think "People say" that. I've never heard that. I will say that this is a very accurate opening of a student paper.
- There must be a tale of gender or sexual confusion in here somewhere, which I deduced by noting that the stabbed man-body is pink, while the stabbed woman-body is blue.
Inside cover claims the cover artist, Eddie Chan, is a "well known Avon artist," but I've never seen his name. I think it's the only Asian surname I've ever seen on a vintage paperback cover artist. Cool.
Page 123~
"Well," Carey repeated, but less truculently. With a cat on his shoulders, he seemed to have lost the conviction that events would be clarified by the direct approach. Martini, turning to investigate the source of this new sound, breathed into Carey's left ear."Are you coming on to me?" asked Carey vituperatively.
Since it's 2011, I resolve (again) not to fall off the paperback wagon anymore. 3 write-ups a week, coming your way. Tell a friend (seriously). Now if you'll excuse me, this book has created a strong urge to walk around with a cat on my shoulders, so I'm off to practice.
xoxo
~RP
[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]
6 comments:
That Page 123 passage borders on surreal.
And whoever decided on the kitchy dripping font for the title should be shot.
Dyckman University?
Vituperatively = awesome. When was the last time you saw that in a sentence?
Love this cover. Early 50s are my favorites - they're always so dramatic yet campy.
Menswear Review: Everything about the guy's outfit is killer -- the hat, the shirt collar, the tie, the pocket square, the French cuffs, the drape of the suit, the patterned socks, the lace-up shoes. Wow.
I couldn't make up my mind whether he was saying, "Pull my finger!" or, "Smell my finger!" but she was clearly thinking, "I daresn't lend him my handkerchief in case it isn't snot on the end of it!"
p.s.
Nice to have you back, Rexie, baby!
I think by "shot" Tulse must mean "promoted."
And you know, hey, I'm all about the sanctity of human life and all that -- but really, kill a man you hate for thirty million dollars? Really, how could you say no to that? I just wish I really hated somebody!
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