Friday, February 16, 2007
Richard S. Prather, RIP
Just reported on the Rara-Avis list is the sad news that Richard S. Prather has passed away. I was a huge fan of Prather's Shell Scott books, devouring them as fast as I could get my hands on them back in the Sixties when I first discovered them, and I still reread one of them from time to time with great enjoyment. One of the most hilarious scenes in all of fiction can be found in STRIP FOR MURDER, and if you've read the book, you probably know which one I'm talking about. But in addition to the comedy, readers got some very well-written hardboiled action, tight plots, and an iconic character in Shell Scott. Prather was truly one of the greats, and I'm sad that he's gone.
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3 comments:
I'm sorry to hear of his passing. I also snatched up every Shell Scott when I found them.
I met him at a Bouchercon many years ago and was glad to tell him that he wrote the best dame-entering-a-room scenes of anyone. I also asked if he kept a file of these on hand. He said no, he made them up as they were needed. A very fun guy.
Yes, it's easily one of the funniest - maybe the funniest - scenes in the hardboiled crime fiction. Or in the hardboiled fiction. Not many of Hemingway's guys do the same.
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