When a prominent land developer is brutally murdered on the U.S.-Mexico border, it’s not just another cartel killing to journalist Kyle Dawson. The dead man is his father. Dawson, a veteran war correspondent, vows to uncover the truth. To do that, he must confront the ghosts of his past: including his cousin and confidant, DEA special agent Raoul Garcia; his former high school sweetheart, Anita Alvarez; his mystical Mexican-Indian mother; and … [Read more...]
Order Richard Godwin’s Thriller Noir Novel THE PURE AND THE HATED For FREE!
A man takes a stranger into his house only to unleash a savage lesson from the past… For a limited time, get internationally acclaimed author Richard Godwin's thriller noir novel, THE PURE AND THE HATED, for free! But hurry, this offer only lasts from August 14th through August 18th. This chilling crime novel is sure to leave you guessing as Godwin explores family relationships and the mind of a dangerous psychopath. 5 Star Rating on … [Read more...]
Noir Author Richard Godwin Discusses The Connection Between Crime and Horror
I have said that The Pure And The Hated is a cross between crime fiction and horror fiction. That is because the events in it involve an intersection of styles. While it is more crime than horror, the reason there is an overlap is what I am exploring in these articles. I believe crime fiction, especially Noir fiction lends itself to hybrid genres. In these articles I have explored the themes of horror fiction and how it has evolved. I now … [Read more...]
Mystery Author Debbi Mack Meets Famous Writers At The ‘Books Alive’ Conference
One of the best things I've done for myself recently is attend the Books Alive conference in Bethesda, Maryland. It was not only a wonderful opportunity to attend various panels and learn new things, but I met some of the greatest writers. At lunch, two speakers were featured. The first was Kitty Kelley (known for her unvarnished and unauthorized biographies) who received an award. She was followed by Bob Woodward of The Washington Post and … [Read more...]
Richard Godwin on the Gothic Roots of Horror
There is much that is Gothic in The Pure And The Hated, my novel about the past, about revenge and lawlessness. In many ways revenge may be seen as lawless justice. As I examine what horror fiction means to us and how it relates to crime fiction, I want to trace its roots. I want to show that the two genres are not that distinct. In the latter part of the eighteenth century there was flowering of Gothic literature in England that ran … [Read more...]
Richard Godwin: The Bad Guy in Crime Fiction
Savage Highway is about bad guys and the breakdown of law and why justice fails. In a lawless world revenge is justice. I want to discuss other authors here before I focus on the novel itself. Savage Highway is about the frontier. Both of the authors I will be discussing today portray bad guys in a variety of ways. In Burke we have the pairing of two lawless cops, Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell. And Purcell is an extreme example of the bad … [Read more...]
Richard Godwin on the Trends in Crime Fiction
TRENDS IN CRIME FICTION, Richard Godwin. Savage Highway is about lawlessness and revenge, the breakdown of justice and disorder within the human psyche. Where does it sit in the crime fiction canon? Somewhere between James Lee Burke and Elmore Leonard. It is also about the frontier and its endurance within the American psyche. In a series of posts about the novel and writing generally I will look at what Savage Highway is about, and the … [Read more...]
Richard Godwin’s SAVAGE HIGHWAY Cover Contest
Help Us Finalize A New Cover For Richard Godwin's New Thriller SAVAGE HIGHWAY Please vote on the cover for Richard Godwin's SAVAGE HIGHWAY, that you think works best for the synopsis below. The synopsis: Women are disappearing on the highway, a drifter hunts the men who raped her, and a journalist discovers law has broken down in the area. On a remote highway in Arizona women are disappearing at truck stops. Journalist Johnny Sullivan … [Read more...]
Richard Godwin Reviews Burl Barer’s HEADLOCK
Richard Godwin, international bestselling author of crime fiction, horror and noir, reviewed Edgar Award winning author Burl Barer's new crime fiction novel, HEADLOCK, which is being published by WildBlue Press on December 22. HEADLOCK follows private eye author Jeff Reynolds as he attempts to solve a thrilling murder mystery set in Walla Walla, Washington. Find out more about Burl Barer … [Read more...]