In The Pure And The Hated the idea of split personality is a central theme. It relates to what identity is and how irrational impulses may drive a character. As I trace the roots of horror fiction in Gothic and look at how it has evolved, I want to look at some of the themes of the genre. The theme of the double occurs early on in works such as Poe’s story William Wilson, in which the protagonist encounters his negative doppelganger. It is … [Read more...]
Richard Godwin on Horror Fiction
In this series of posts I want to look at what links horror fiction and crime fiction. The posts are part of the launch of my Vermont based novel The Pure And The Hated. I have spent several years if my life in Vermont. My wife is from the state and the novel is set there. While it is a crime novel, it is also Noir, it is a revenge tragedy, and it is part horror. What do we mean when we talk about horror? What is it that horrifies us? The genre … [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’s Noir Thriller SAVAGE HIGHWAY Takes Readers On A Ride To Hell
Women are disappearing on the highway, a drifter hunts the men who raped her, and a journalist discovers law has broken down and been replaced with something far more savage. On a remote highway in Arizona women are disappearing at truck stops. Journalist Johnny Sullivan travels to the area to investigate. He encounters hitchhiker Patty, who is being hunted by violent trucker Red. Patty tells Johnny of the local myth of the maniac trucker. … [Read more...]
Hot New Thriller PITFALL Released! Get the 99 cent Launch Day Special
PITFALL On Sale For 99 Cents! After much anticipation, we are ready to share Cameron Bane's hot crime thriller PITFALL with readers who are looking for a different kind of thriller. Cameron Bane brings his razor sharp brand of humor to this dark tale of kidnapping, white collar crime and murder. PITFALL'S protagonist John Brenner is a former army ranger who must put all of his faculties to the test to bring back the daughter of a wealthy … [Read more...]
