THE BEAUTIFUL DARK
Mystery Scene|Summer #164, 2020
Barry Gifford and the Noir Revival
Joseph Goodrich
THE BEAUTIFUL DARK

Long before the poets of the pulps were canonized, the work of such masters as David Goodis, Cornell Woolrich, and Horace McCoy was almost impossible to find. Noir-hungry collectors haunted used bookstores and rummage sales, hoping that a coveted title might turn up. It came down to speed and the luck of the draw —get there first and buy it now, because it might not be there when you come back.

In 1977 Barry Gifford—a young novelist, poet, and noir devotee—met Don Ellis, founder of the Creative Arts Book Company in Berkeley, California. The two joined forces to form the Black Lizard imprint. Their goal was to bring obscure, neglected, or forgotten works back into circulation. The result was a flood of books by such writers as Helen Nielsen, Charles Willeford, and Jim Thompson.

Black Lizard’s advocacy for Thompson created a groundswell of interest in his roughhewn tales of lowlifes and losers, which led to several film adaptations, including The Grifters and the criminally underrated After Dark, My Sweet (both released in 1990), as well as a number of biographies and critical studies. Gifford and Black Lizard initiated the process that brought attention, respect, and academic legitimacy not only to Thompson but to classic noir fiction in general.

This story is from the Summer #164, 2020 edition of Mystery Scene.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Summer #164, 2020 edition of Mystery Scene.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM MYSTERY SCENEView All
6 New Writers to Watch
Mystery Scene

6 New Writers to Watch

Wiley Cash’s debut, A Land More Kind Than Home, about the bond between two brothers landed on the New York Times Best Sellers List and received the Crime Writers’ Association Debut of the Year.

time-read
10 mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
ANN CLEEVES
Mystery Scene

ANN CLEEVES

British author Ann Cleeves has an affinity for remote areas and how these isolated regions affect her characters.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
CARLENE O'CONNOR
Mystery Scene

CARLENE O'CONNOR

“Anyone can play Snow White. It takes real talent to play the Wicked Witch.”

time-read
8 mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
Mystery Scene MISCELLANY
Mystery Scene

Mystery Scene MISCELLANY

FIRST USE OF FINGERPRINTS

time-read
3 mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
PANIC ATTACK
Mystery Scene

PANIC ATTACK

The newest entry in my Pittsburgh set series of thrillers is called Panic Attack. It’s the sixth book featuring Daniel Rinaldi, a psychologist and trauma expert who consults with the Pittsburgh Police.

time-read
2 mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
LAIDLAW'S LEGACY
Mystery Scene

LAIDLAW'S LEGACY

During the pandemic, Ian Rankin stepped away from Rebus and into the shoes of friend and literary hero, the “Godfather of Tartan Noir” William McIlvanney.

time-read
10+ mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
HILARY DAVIDSON
Mystery Scene

HILARY DAVIDSON

Call it The Case of Life Imitating Art.

time-read
7 mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
Thomas Walsh - The Unusual Suspect
Mystery Scene

Thomas Walsh - The Unusual Suspect

Any paternity test on the sub-genre of police procedural will identify the DNA of Ed McBain and Lawrence Treat, as well as the 1948 movie The Naked City and the radio and TV series Dragnet…and of course Thomas Walsh.

time-read
6 mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
S.A. COSBY
Mystery Scene

S.A. COSBY

In Razorblade Tears, two aging men—one Black, one white, both with criminal pasts—join forces to seek revenge for the murders of their gay sons. The themes of fathers and sons and toxic masculinity will be familar to fans of Cosby’s 2020 breakout Blacktop Wasteland.

time-read
10 mins  |
Fall #169, 2021
VIPER'S NEST OF LIES
Mystery Scene

VIPER'S NEST OF LIES

A slip of the tongue is a dangerous thing. Not only does it expose indiscretions, it also can lead to murder. The latter especially applies to me.

time-read
2 mins  |
Fall #169, 2021