One Night Stands and Lost Weekends

Lawrence Block

When Lawrence Block started writing, he wrote a lot of pulp fiction short detective and mystery stories. They were probably appropriate and good in the time, but can you say cheesy?

Many of those short stories have been collected together in One Night Stands and Lost Weekends. In the introduction, Block describes the reason he brought them together in a collection. He wasn't sure anyone wanted to read them. It was given a wider release when he didn't receive any complaints about the first one. Too bad he didn't.

Again, given the genre of pulp fiction at the time - 1950's or early 60's - this work probably stood up well against the competition. But the stories I read were usually viscious, mean, or vindictive. I gave up about a third of the way through.

There is an occasional redeeming story. His only "science fiction" story, "Nor Iron Bars a Cage", is clever. Nor is there any violence in it. It relies on it's twist to make the story.

Don't bother with this collection.

Notice:  Non-graphic violence, Strong indecent language, Suggestive dialogue or situations

Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block