Sat 27 Dec 2014
A 1001 MIDNIGHTS Review: W. T. BALLARD – Murder Las Vegas Style.
Posted by Steve under 1001 Midnights , Reviews[7] Comments
by Bill Crider
W. T. BALLARD – Murder Las Vegas Style. Tower, paperback original, 1967. Belmont, paperback, 1970.
After the demise of the pulps in the early 19508, W. T. Ballard found a career as a prolific creator of paperback original novels, both mysteries and westerns. His mysteries appeared under his own name, as well as the names Neil MacNeil and P. D. Ballard, and he even wrote at least one novel in the Nick Carter series. Many of Ballard’s novels were set in Las Vegas, including three in a series featuring Detective Lieutenant Max Hunter.
Murder Las Vegas Style is a private eye novel featuring Mark Foran, who finds himself involved in what at first appears to be a murder/suicide. The question of an inheritance is involved, depending on which of the victims died first, and as Foran digs into the case, though he seems to be making little progress, there are three serious attempts on his life, along with two more murders.
The characters include hoods, beautiful women, millionaires, and cops,all of whom are convincingly sketched. The plotting is as convoluted as one could wish, although matters appear simple on the surface. Surprisingly, Ballard avoids the casinos for the most part and instead does an admirable job of giving a fine picture of the “other side” of Las Vegas, the desert.
For more of Ballard’s LasVegas, see his “straight” novel, Chance Elson (1958), and the books in the Hunter series, including Pretty Miss Murder (1961).
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Reprinted with permission from 1001 Midnights, edited by Bill Pronzini & Marcia Muller and published by The Battered Silicon Dispatch Box, 2007. Copyright © 1986, 2007 by the Pronzini-Muller Family Trust.
NOTE: Previously reviewed on this blog was Ballard’s Say Yes to Murder.
December 27th, 2014 at 9:19 pm
I liked the Hunter titles though not as much as the Tony Costaine and Bert McCall titles he did as Neil McNeil. I always thought of those as his Rat Pack series since Costaine and McCall had a Sinatra/Dean Martin vibe to their byplay.
MURDER LAS VEGAS STYLE is a sleeper that needs to be reprinted. It is an exceptionally pi novel that probably didn’t get the distribution it deserved. Frankly a lousy cover didn’t help matters. It’s actually one of the best pi novels of its period for my money.
CHANCE ELSON is well worth a read, about a young man who makes his fortune in the early days of Vegas and the mob. It compares favorably to Clark Howard’s QUICKSILVER, another good novel about the early days of Vegas.
I can’t say enough about Ballard whether as a mystery novelist or western writer. He was a consummate pro, but one whose work always had something more to it. He managed to change with the field and the times without ever losing the qualities that made him good in the first place. And like Nebel and a few others he even stretched a bit and worked outside the field in mainstream country.
Even that Nick Carter was one of the better ones.
December 27th, 2014 at 9:30 pm
The cover I recall was no where near as good as this one, one of those photo covers with unattractive people badly shot that was popular in that era.
December 27th, 2014 at 9:57 pm
You’re quite right about the Belmont cover, David. Can’t think of many covers as unattractive as this one. What were they thinking of?
December 27th, 2014 at 10:03 pm
I found that Belmont cover online. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen it in person myself, and I’ve seen a lot of paperback covers over the years.
I have had the Tower book for a long time but thinking that how good can a Tower book possibly be, I’ve never read it. Looks like I messed up, big time.
December 27th, 2014 at 10:04 pm
I’m a big fan of the Neil McNeil novels. Lots of fun. I hadn’t seen the Belmont cover for MURDER LAS VEGAS STYLE. That’s really awful.
December 27th, 2014 at 11:24 pm
Here is the link to my 1979 interview with Ballard:
http://www.blackmaskmagazine.com/ballard.html
December 27th, 2014 at 11:30 pm
Thanks for the link, Steve. What a great interview! What I liked most is that you not only got to ask Mr Ballard a lot of good questions, but he knew and had good stories to tell about a lot of other authors — and editors — from throughout his writing career.
LATER: Steve, I thought I’d add your comment on MURDER LAS VEGAS STYLE. Hope you don’t mind!
“Murder Las Vegas Style is neo-Black Mask; a beautifully written private eye novel that Raymond Chandler would have enjoyed. This one is highly recommended.”