Wed 15 Jul 2009
JAMES McKIMMEY – The Long Ride. Dell First Edition B211, paperback original; 1st printing, October 1961.
I don’t actually seek out books by James McKimmy, but when I find one I pick it up, so I was glad to happen across The Long Ride at a local spot.
The ending’s a bit weak, but the characters are well-realized (mostly… more on this later) and the plot is a neatly-built thing involving a sadistic bank robber, a one-armed chiseler and his abused wife, a vulnerable FBI agent, and the usual leggy temptress.
All of them, for sundry reasons, are sharing a wild ride to the West coast with a little old lady who drives like she has some sort of death wish and her librarian spinster friend, and they all take turns bluffing about their hands in a complicated game of who’s-got-the-loot-from-the-bank-job, sounding each other out, forming temporary alliances, and trying to side-step disaster.
There’s a lot to like here: the action is well-handled, the locations nicely-drawn, and the resolution… well, it would have been easy to wrap this up with a bit of action, but McKimmey goes for a more thoughtful approach, which I appreciated.
My only objection to the whole thing was his portrayal of the spinster Librarian as a snoopy pedant. I’ve been married to a librarian for nigh onto thutty year now, and I know them to be lively, considerate and totally captivating creatures who deserve better treatment at the hands of a writer as good as McKimmey.
July 15th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Not a big fan of McKimmey, but somehow I always pick up one of his books when I find one and usually enjoy them.
This was the first McKimmey I read and I liked it a little more than this, though I agree with all you say.
Though, Dan, simply by dint of being married to you your wife no longer qualifies as a Spinster Librarian. Still, it’s one of those tired stereotypes we all wish would go away. I’ve known some quite lively librarians myself.
July 15th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Picked-up a McKimmey a while back, but it was mostly for the McGinnis cover. Will read it one of these days…
I quite agree about how lively and captivating librarians are. In addition, at my local branch are a few who are pretty hot…
July 15th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
Al Guthrie did a long interview with James McKinney on his Noir Originals website a couple of years ago. Anyone wishing to learn more about him as well as his books ought to go read it, and now:
http://www.allanguthrie.co.uk/pages/noir_zine/profiles/james_mckinney_1.php
July 21st, 2009 at 8:36 am
This is a bit late to comment on, but the one McKimmey PointBlank reprinted (forget the title, The Big Squeeze?) is an excellent novel. Haven’t read anything else by him, though, save for some short stories which vary in quality from excellent to sloppy.
July 21st, 2009 at 9:48 am
Hi Juri
The book you’re thinking of by McKimmey is SQUEEZE PLAY (originally Dell, 1962).
But THE BIG SQUEEZE is a good title, too. In fact it’s been used three times, mostly recently by Jim Cirni (Soho, 1991). What’s remarkable is that I have a copy of the paperback edition right here on my desk, less than a foot from my left hand.
There’s been a ton of crime fiction published over the years with titles beginning with the word “Big.” Without going into them all — you’re welcome — I see five authors have used THE BIG SCORE and six have used THE BIG STEAL (one with an exclamation point).
Only one has used THE BIG SLEEP, though, and the same goes for BIG RED’S DAUGHTER.
(Date from the REVISED CRIME FICTION IV, by Allen J. Hubin.)
— Steve
July 24th, 2009 at 7:57 am
Thanks, Steve. Was Chandler’s The Big Sleep the first one? I’ve been thinking this must be the most common type of title in crime fiction, apart from The Case of and The Adventure of type of titles.
I remember Chandler complaining about “the big sleep” being used by Eugene O’Neill. He wondered whether he thought it’s real criminal slang.