Thu 7 Nov 2019
Stories I’m Reading: CLARK HOWARD “Blues in the Kabul Night.”
Posted by Steve under Stories I'm Reading[7] Comments
CLARK HOWARD “Blues in the Kabul Night.” Novelette. First published in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine September/October 2007. Not known to have been reprinted or collected anywhere.
Over the course of his writing career, Clark Howard may have written over 200 short stories, not all of them criminous in nature, plus a couple dozen crime novels and collections. This does not include an unspecified number of works of true crime the editor of EQMM mentions in her introduction to this tale.
Howard hardly ever used a character more than once, and “Blues in the Kabul Night†is no exception. When mercenary for hire Morgan Tenny smuggles himself into war-ravaged Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, it is for a specific reason. His twin brother is in a high security prison there and scheduled for execution soon, unless Morgan can do something about it.
Which he thinks he can. Not only does he have a plan, but he also has a local contact. And even more, he has a million dollars in cash to help pave the way. Complicating matters, though, since of course plans like this never run smoothly, is a news reporter, a local Afghani girl who has ambitions of her own: to be the next Christiane Amanpour, and when she gets wind of Morgan’s plans, she doesn’t let go.
Not only does Clark Howard notch up the suspense extremely well — this is essentially a heist novel in miniature — but the sights of sounds (and smells) of Kabul today (or to be precise, twelve years ago, but have things changed all that much?) are vividly brought to life. A polished gem of a story, and very very well done.
November 7th, 2019 at 8:22 pm
I have just discovered Clark Howard’s website. He’s now 87 years old and has apparently been retired from writing since 2011.
http://www.clarkhoward-author.com/
Not only can you find a brief biography for him there, but what’s in all likelihood a complete list of all his books and short fiction..
November 8th, 2019 at 7:35 am
Howard is one of my favorite mystery short story writers. Crippen & Landru did a very good collection of his stories (CHALLENGE THE WIDOW-MAKER) some years ago. I saw him speak (and get an Award) at a Bouchercon several years ago – maybe St. Louis?
November 8th, 2019 at 7:37 am
No, just checked his website. It was 2009 in Indianapolis. And the book was published in 2000.
November 8th, 2019 at 4:40 pm
Besides the collection from C&L, Howard had another one entitled Crowded Lives and other stories of desperation and danger (Five Star, 2000), but I’ve not seen a copy myself.
November 8th, 2019 at 10:53 am
Howard passed away on October 1, 2016.
In addition to his novels and short stories, I highly recommend his true crime books (SIX AGAINST THE ROCK, AMERICAN SATURDAY, BROTHERS IN BLOOD, and ZEBRA); these are all well-researched, well-written, and display Howard’s sense of humanity.
Some online sources conflate him with Clark Howard, the consumer adviser and radio and television personality. A shame; Howard was a major talent in his own right and does not deserve to be confused with anyone else.
November 8th, 2019 at 4:43 pm
Thanks for the update about Howard’s passing. I hadn’t known about that before. In terms making a living writing short stories, Ed Hoch was in a class by himself, but Howard had to be one in a bunch of other authors who were almost as prolific.
November 9th, 2019 at 4:46 pm
Sorry to hear about Howard’s passing. He was a staple of the best digests and always reliable, frequently something more.
Of his non mystery novels both DIRT RICH (Texas and bib oil)and QUICKSILVER (early Vegas) are excellent and associational, if not strictly mystery/suspense.
While most of his novellas were about domestic crime he had a real gift for international adventure in a short form most writers avoided. I recall “The Dakar Run” about an international rally quite vividly.