3.0
Understudy for Death
By Charles WillefordPublisher Description
Charles Willeford's legendary lost novel, unavailable since its original publication in 1961.
AN UNFORGIVABLE CRIME.
AN UNFORGETTABLE NOVEL.
Why would a happily married Florida housewife pick up her husband's .22 caliber Colt Woodsman semi-automatic pistol and use it to kill her two young children and herself? Cynical newspaper reporter Richard Hudson is assigned to find out - and the assignment will send him down a road of self-discovery in this incisive, no-holds-barred portrait of American marriage in the Mad Men era.
On the 30th anniversary of the death of the masterful novelist the Atlantic Monthly called the "father of Miami crime fiction," Hard Case Crime is proud to present Charles Willeford's legendary lost novel, unavailable since its original publication by a disreputable paperback house in 1961. One of Willeford's rarest titles (copies of the original edition sell for hundreds of dollars), Understudy for Death still has the power to disturb, half a century after its debut.
AN UNFORGIVABLE CRIME.
AN UNFORGETTABLE NOVEL.
Why would a happily married Florida housewife pick up her husband's .22 caliber Colt Woodsman semi-automatic pistol and use it to kill her two young children and herself? Cynical newspaper reporter Richard Hudson is assigned to find out - and the assignment will send him down a road of self-discovery in this incisive, no-holds-barred portrait of American marriage in the Mad Men era.
On the 30th anniversary of the death of the masterful novelist the Atlantic Monthly called the "father of Miami crime fiction," Hard Case Crime is proud to present Charles Willeford's legendary lost novel, unavailable since its original publication by a disreputable paperback house in 1961. One of Willeford's rarest titles (copies of the original edition sell for hundreds of dollars), Understudy for Death still has the power to disturb, half a century after its debut.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communities1 Review
3.0
Andrew Pendergrass
Created about 3 years agoShare
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“Fascinating, but uneven. An unlikable young-ish reporter in a backwater Florida town in ... early 60s? Assigned to a mysterious suicide- a mother killing herself and her 2 young children- told to "get the bottom of it" and so forth. Reporter is also married to the lovely Beryl... .they have a rocky dialog- the husband is furious that she is in a play w/o telling him, reminding her, thunderingly that her life is at home keeping him happy. Hmmm... dated? yes.. but even with that - so unattractive that I found myself wanting this man to get his comeuppance. He is bored with his job, treats everyone poorly and loafs about - working on "his play" (yeah right) and just stirring the pot when he feels like- having an affair there, provoking a doctor there... basically a jerk. I came to think the book was providing us a slow subtle lead up to the narrator being punished for his rude behavior. But instead... (giving it a way bit here) here receives a mild, subtle lesson to sort of treat his wife a little better and maybe things would work out after all. Huh? why? what is the author getting at here? Possibly just honest self reflection? I did like it's realism and making the lead character so unlikeable in such selfish, but realistic ways.”
About Charles Willeford
Charles Willeford was the acclaimed author of the Hoke Moseley detective novels that began with MIAMI BLUES, as well as numerous other classic crime novels such as COCKFIGHTER and THE WOMAN CHASER, both of which were (like MIAMI BLUES) turned into movies. A fighter in WWII, he earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service. He worked as a boxer, actor and horse trainer before his success as an author.
Other books by Charles Willeford
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