Friday, April 22, 2011

What is Russel D. McLean reading?

The current featured contributor at Writers Read: Russel D. McLean, author of The Good Son and The Lost Sister.

His entry begins:
In preparation for a Reader's Day at a Scottish Library later this year, I've been asked to select two books to discuss with readers. One of them has to be mine. The other is a book of my choosing. This has meant a lot of searching on my part. Here in the UK, so many authors I love (such as Lawrence Block) seem to be hard to find at the moment, while certain other titles have been rejected on strict terms I've set for myself. But it's been fun immersing myself in the books I love.

In the last week, I've read George Pelecanos's Drama City, which reminded me just why I love this man's work so much - the style, the attitude, the sheer power of his writing. Even on a second or third reading, you're suckered into his world. Drama City is especially good as the story of someone...[read on]
Among the early praise for The Lost Sister:
"[The Lost Sister] excels in establishing J. McNee as a character worth following, someone motivated by a desire to make up for previous failures, a P.I. capable of establishing distinction from so many of his wisecracking, philosophizing brethren."
--J. Kingston Pierce for Kirkus Reviews

"There’s a violent undercurrent always ready to surface in McLean’s gritty take-no-prisoners prose and storytelling. Once he begins, you are roped in to the end, regardless of how many excuses you make to yourself to put the book down. The noir trinities are keenly and astutely observed: Dirty. Bloody. Menacing. They are all here, delivered expertly by a telling hand."
--Sam Millar for New York Journal of Books

"...begins to open up McNee’s psychological baggage, making him more human and understandable...for readers who like Brian McGilloway and Michael Koryta, two authors who introduced fresh voices and individual takes on crime."
--Library Journal (starred review)
Learn more about The Lost Sister at Russel McLean's website and blog.

The Page 69 Test: The Good Son.

Writers Read: Russel D. McLean.

--Marshal Zeringue