I bribed Tim Hallinan with a book so he would answer questions at Poisoned Pen’s Conference, but I think he would have been willing to answer them anyways. (Thanks, Tim!) The author of the Poke Rafferty novels set in Thailand, and the books featuring the burglar Junior Bender said there’s so much good stuff out there that it’s hard to pick favorites. I asked him anyways.
Favorite crime novels read this year?
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger
The Last Death of Jack Harbin by Terry Shames
Out on the Rim by Ross Thomas (with its dodgy characters)
Favorite author, as of today?
It sounds like a cliche, but it’s Raymond Chandler, always Chandler.
What’s next in the pipeline for you?
Nighttown, the latest Junior Bender (Release date Nov. 6). The darkest house in the world is a mansion that will be demolished in 48 hours. The woman who owned it hated the light and covered all the windows with paper bags. The term light is used throughout the Bible, and even the opening sentence is “Let there be light.” Darkness is what’s left over, and that term is only used 38 times. As a burglar, the light pisses Junior off, but there’s too much darkness in this house even for Junior.
You can pre-order a signed copy of Hallinan’s Nighttown, or order his other books through the Web Store. https://bit.ly/2PXW4z7
Tim Hallinan’s website is https://www.timothyhallinan.com