Probably like most readers, I think of British author John Harvey in relation either to his long-running series about Nottingham police detective Charlie Resnick (Darkness, Darkness) or his trilogy of mysteries featuring retired Detective Inspector Frank Elder. However, the now 76-year-old, Dagger Award-winning Harvey penned a number of other books before he debuted those two series, four of which showcased American-style English gumshoe Scott Mitchell, touted as “the toughest private eye--and the best.”
The first of the Mitchell outings was Amphetamines and Pearls (1976), followed closely by The Geranium Kiss (1977), Junkyard Angel (1977), and Neon Madman (1977). All good titles, though I’ve never come across any of the actual books here in the States. I did, though, recently happen onto the 1977 Sphere paperback front of Junkyard Angel. It’s a photographic façade, but a rather memorable one, combining ample imagery to draw the eyes of male readers. A well-kept cover of Junkyard Angel is shown above, while a front-and-back scan of a more used copy can be enjoyed below.
READ MORE: “John Harvey Cover Gallery,” by Steve Holland
(Bear Alley).
No comments:
Post a Comment