Hard Case Crime Part XI

Just out from Hard Case Crime is the Lawrence Block double, published by Subterranean Press; graced by classic Robert McGinnes covers. The numbering follows on from the old HCC series, HCC-069. But it seems HCC-067 and -068 don't exist. No doubt thanks to the title of one of the novels.

In this post we'll look at Strange Embrace, first published in 1962 by Universal Publishing and Distributing Corporation under a pseudonym. The copyright page tells us that "this is book is published simultaneously in the Dominion of Canada." This is a classic 1960s lesbian effort but the covers promise much more than the story delivers. This is the second Lawrence Block Beacon novel in the HCC series. The first was the very first HCC book.

HCC-069 - 2012

HCC-069 - 2012

Beacon B487F - 1962

Beacon B487F back

Hard Case Crime Part X

The latest offering from Hard Case Crime is out - False Negative by Joseph Koenig. The story takes place in 1953 and is, in my opinion, one of the half-dozen best of the 75 or so books published in this series. His first book in nearly 20 years, I'll be looking for the others.

HCC 107 - 2012

HCC 107 back

Hard Case Crime Part IX

The Life magazine site here has a fun look at covers from the Hard Case Crime series. The really interesting feature is a description by the artist, Chuck Pyle, of how he created the cover to the first book in the series Grifter's Game by Lawrence Block, a reprint of Mona. I wonder if Pyle had the image from the 1925 first edition of The Great Gatsby in mind? Probably not.

Lawrence Block has had six books published in the series including the latest Getting Off which is the first hard cover and his first original for the series. Two more are coming in 2012.

HCC-001 September 2004

The Great Gatsby - 1925

Fawcett Gold Medal s1085 - 1961

HCC-101 September 2011

HCC-101 back

Hard Case Crime Part VIII

After a year long hiatus Hard Case Crime is back in September with new offerings. Unlike the mass market books published earlier the new HCC will be trade and hard cover. There is a new publisher - Titan Books of London. A pleasant surprise is new trade editions from Titan of some of the earlier HCC classics. Here is the first example that I've come across.

The old numbering is maintained and the book has been reset. A very nice package for just $10.95.

HCC-044  June 2008

HCC-044 back

HCC-044  2011

Hard Case Crime Part VII

The last Hard Case Crime volume (HCC-066) was published in mid 2010. Brett halliday's Murder Is My Business was first published in 1945 by Dodd, Mead. Soon after the first paperback edition was published by Dell Publishing Company in their famous "mapback" series.

Since HCC-066 the series has moved to a new publisher with four books coming out this fall, including the first HCC hard cover. 

Dell 184

Dell 184 back

HCC-066 - August 2010

HCC -066 back

Hard Case Crime Part VI

The November issue of Firsts The Book Collector's Magazine has a two page article plus a checklist on Hard Case Crime. The checklist gives an image of the cover, notes the artist and describes the publishing history of the book. I learned a couple of things. HCC reprints have either "First publication in _ years" or "Complete and Unabridged" on the cover. Apparently "Complete and Unabridged" means the book has been edited in some degree for the HCC edition. If few or no changes then the other description. Also learned that some of the books have been reprinted which makes sense but HCC doesn't give printing information in the book.

Here are two Hard Case Crime with McGinnis art.

HCC-035 September 2007

HCC-035 back

HCC-059 September 2009

HCC-059 back

Hard Case Crime Part V

Just heard that Hard Case Crime will return in the fall of 2011 with a new publisher - Titan. Very good news for fans of literature presented in an imaginatively updated vintage paperback look.

Below are some examples of the way in which HCC paid homage to those early mass market years. Compare the HCC "the yellow ribbon represents your assurance of quality" with Avon's "Good Books  Great Authors ... Look for the Shakespeare-Head imprint!" And, of course, "Complete and Unabridged" seen on an early Pocket Book.

HCC-011  July 2005

HCC-011 back

Avon 58 - 1944

Avon 58 back

Pocket 241 - 1943

Pocket 241 back

Hard Case Crime Part IV

Hard Case Crime published 66 books, 40 reprints and 26 paperback originals. The oldest book to be reprinted was Arthur Conan Doyle's The Valley of Fear, first published in 1915 by New York's George H. Doran. HCC had fun with the reprint, giving it an atypical Doyle cover, author name and back cover blurb. Interestingly Penguin published an edition in 2007 that also focused on the arm.

Below is an early paperback with a more traditional cover.

HCC-063 December 2009

HCC-063 back

Penguin - 2007

Bantam 733 - 1950

Hard Case Crime Part III

Another salute to the recently departed Hard Case Crime series with two more originals. Unlike the first four books in this series of posts neither the author name nor title has been changed for these HCC reprints. The Spiderweb reprint is a nice touch, mirroring the original Ace double. Shooting Star is one side of another Ace double. Robert McGinnis, one of my favourites, is the artist on The Girl with the Long Green Heart.

HCC-14  November 2005

HCC 14 back

Fawcett Gold Medal k1555 - 1965

Fawcett Gold Medal k1555 back

HCC-42  April 2008

HCC-42

Ace D-59  1954

Ace D-59

Hard Case Crime Part II

Here are two more from my favourite current mass market paperback series, Dorchester Publishing's Hard Case Crime. Two pseudonyms and one title change. In Fidel Castro Assassinated the attempt takes place while Castro is making a speech. And just yesterday Castro made his first speech in four years before the Cuban public. Fiction to real with 49 years between. Interesting to note that the much better cover for the original House Dick is the work of Robert McGinnis who has done 11 covers for Hard Case Crime. 

HCC-051 January 2009

HCC-051 back

Monarch MS1 - August 1961

Monarch MS1 back

HCC-054 April 2009

HCC-054 back

Fawcett Gold Medal s1103 - April 1961

Fawcett Gold Medal s1103 back

Hard Case Crime Part I

Departure time. My favourite current mass market paperback series is no more. The 66th and last book in the Hard Case Crime series has just been published - Murder Is My Business by Brett Halliday. The series lasted six years, publishing both reprints and PBOs. Here are a couple of the Lawrence Block HCC reprints with the PBOs. The titles for both books have been changed to the author's preferred. The second book has the pseudonym replaced.

HCC-001 September 2004

HCC-001 back

Fawcett Gold Medal s1085 - February 1961

Fawcett Gold Medal s1085 back

HCC-028 February 2007

HCC-028 back

Universal Publishing Beacon B757X - 1964

Universal Publishing Beacon B757X back