Stark House Press Newsletter

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STARK HOUSE PRESS

Newsletter, Vol. 14, Number 6

June 2025

June leads off with a new author, Frank M. Young, and an inventive crime novel about a young director who figures out how to make a great independent film. The book is Never Odd or Even, and Publishers Weekly is already calling it “a good bet for Elmore Leonard fans.”

There are lost films and then there are LOST films. Young director Charlie Jerome, hot on the heels of his art-house smash Summer and Sandy, has a scheme to make the ultimate film noir—by staging real crimes and capturing them on film. Aided by his long-suffering cameraman and creative Sancho Panza, Artie Sellon, and young thespians Sam Mellinger and Charlotte Magill, director Jerome almost pulls off the perfect crime movie.

With its blend of early 1960s Hollywood settings, rural Oregon atmosphere and ruminations on the art (and hard work) of making a movie, Never Odd or Even is more than just a suspense novel. It's a witty, surprising and likably jaded look at the world of film-making—loaded with well-drawn characters and unguessable situations.

“This is a thoroughly entertaining book… Young has created a fascinating cast of characters who propel this short novel rapidly along… Those who enjoy “behind the scenes” looks at how a low-budget film can get made … will get a kick out of this story.”—Ted Hertel, Deadly Pleasures

“Frank M. Young, known for his expertise in comic history, digs into the strange and often puzzling world of film-making… a charming book…”—Don Crinklaw, Booklist

Never Odd or Even is a great blend of crime fiction and crime film, and will ship automatically to all Stark House Crime Club members unless we hear otherwise.

Frank M. Young

Never Odd or Even

979-8-88601-147-0

$15.95

“Young delivers a story that's vivid, full of delightful character moments and shocking plot turns as his story unfolds in unexpected directions.”—Silver Bullet Jason

For those fans of vintage murder mysteries who prefer the good old stuff, we also offer this month two very early novels by Edward S. Aarons. His first two novels, in fact: Death in a Lighthouse and Murder Money, originally published in hardback in 1938 by Phoenix Press under the name Edward Ronns.

Death in a Lighthouse begins when reporter Peter Willard wakes up with a head wound and three years missing from his memories. Gradually he comes to realize that he has been suffering from amnesia, and has been living the life of a criminal known as the Deuce. But now that memory has returned, he finds out that he has been working for a gangster named Spinelli and a shadowy character known as the Cowl—and that both the cops and his former gang members are both after him. It may be too late to make amends for his life of crime, but Peter makes it his mission to discover just who this mysterious Cowl is who has ruined his life—and kill him!

Murder Money is a straight-forward murder mystery. When Leo Storm finds a briefcase full of money stuck in a tree, he has no idea that he’s just stumbled upon a wicked plot involving jewels, gangsters, and a fiercely independent young lady. But first, the briefcase is stolen from him by a man with a gun. Then that same briefcase turns up again at the scene of a murder. As does the young lady, Valerie Feather. Someone has put a knife in a local mystic, and it looks like Valerie is involved. Ruthless gambler Wheels Burton has got his hand in there somewhere, too. In fact, it looks like there is more than one briefcase full of money. Storm chases after all of them but the closer he gets, the more bodies turn up!

As Nicholas Litchfield says in his introduction, “Murder Money offers a fascinating mystery that explores layers of deception, treachery, and lurking threats… every character has something to hide, creating a thrilling atmosphere filled with suspense and unexpected twists.” As a Crime Club member, if you would rather receive this book automatically instead of Never Odd or Even—or both—just let us know. We’re happy to oblige.

Edward S. Aarons

Death in a Lighthouse / Murder Money

979-8-88601-145-6

$17.95

“… his prose was propulsive and machine tooled and this is an absorbing quick read for devotees of the pacy thriller.”—F. J. Harvey.

Next up is our second Dorothy Cameron Disney mystery, Crimson Friday, originally published by Random House back in 1943. Disney is best noted for her excellent characterization, but she also came up with some ingenious plots.

The gossips of Merristone have been having a field day since the reclusive Mrs. Moran moved to town with her near-deaf maid, Hannah Wilson. Mrs. Moran is seen every day covered in bright flowing gowns and walking her two cats. All everyone knows is that she used to be a famous harpist but she and her maid keep strictly to themselves. So Jane and Alan—renovating the house next to hers, and soon to be neighbors—are completely taken by surprise when Mrs. Moran invites them to tea.

Later that evening, Jane, Al and a few family members drive over to their new house—still under construction—to look at the blueprints. And to everyone’s horror, they find Hannah at the foot of the cellar ladder, her head bashed in. Even more mysterious, someone has stolen their car keys so they can’t go for the police. Now everyone is scrambling around trying to find a phone, and that’s when they realize that the neighboring Mrs. Moran has completely disappeared. Could she have murdered her maid? Or is she a victim of the same killer?

With an introduction by Curtis Evans, we are pleased to bring this one back into print. As reader Mike Gowan has pointed out, “evidence accumulates little by little, and the picture keeps changing… the author is quite clever in misleading the audience without cheating by providing false information.”

Dorothy Cameron Disney

Crimson Friday

979-8-88601-146-3

$15.95

“Dorothy Cameron Disney's plot is twisty, exciting and never drags. Her work reminds me a bit of Mary Roberts Rinehart.”—GoodReads.

This month we also continue in our reprinting some of the works of E. Phillips Oppenheim with a collection of his stories first published as For the Queen paired with the novelette, Blackman’s Wood.

In For the Queen you will find stories of dangerous diplomacy… old crimes that reach into present lives… the righting of old wrongs… wars threatened and averted… a jewelry theft with an unusual solution… love requited—and unrequited… treachery and repentance… fifteen tales from the Prince of Storytellers!

As Blackback’s Wood begins, Cartnell is getting ready for the pheasant hunt, but is informed that the birds need to be kept away from Blackman’s Wood. The beaters won’t go in there. A body has been seen hanging from one of the trees, and there is a nasty rumor of murder about the place. Cartnell reluctantly agrees. But of course, this is exactly where the birds end up. And now the situation must be faced.

Curtis Evans has written an informative introduction to this book, too. Though Oppenheim isn’t read quite as strenuously today, as Evans points out, during “the first half of the twentieth century E. Phillips Oppenheim had been arguably the most popular thriller writer in the entire world, surpassing even the scarifying likes of Edgar Wallace, Sapper and Sax Rohmer”; and this volume should appeal to fans of both classic thrillers and drawing room dramas like Downton Abbey.

E. Phillips Oppenheim

For the Queen/Blackman’s Wood

979-8-88601-139-5

$15.95

“Written in 1912 these late Victorian or Edwardian tales feature members of the English upper class engaged in crime solving, espionage good deeds and mysteries.”—Dharma.

Our last book of the month is Black Gat #71, Make With the Brains, Pierre by Dana Wilson. The title alone cues you that this one isn’t an ordinary mystery. Wilson was an actress and writer who came to Los Angeles in the 1940s, married Lewis Wilson, the first Batman, then after they divorced, married Cubby Broccoli, producer of the James Bond franchise. Make With the Brains, Pierre is one of two novels she wrote.

What happens when you set an enterprising young Frenchman in 1940s Hollywood?

Pierre Bernet is clearly adrift. He’s in love with Eleanor, a would-be starlet who’s in love with Joe. Unfortunately, Joe’s wife has no intention of giving him a divorce. So Pierre acts as Eleanor and Joe’s go-between. Reluctantly, of course, but anything to stay close to Eleanor. Then Fred Marshall enters the scene. He’s a bigwig in charge of the career of Marjorie Dean, and uses Pierre to engineer her divorce from her aging-star husband. Pierre is in the thick of it, and no doubt about it. All he really wants is the love of his elusive Eleanor. But now Marjorie Dean is taking an interest in him … and two thugs are threatening his life. Wherever Pierre is headed, this surely will not end well—for any of them.

Randal Brandt, librarian at The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, brought this one to our attention, and provides an intriguing introduction. Ben Boulden recently reviewed the book at his “Gravetapping” blog, calling it “a sharp commentary of both Hollywood and post-WW2 America. The suspense is ratcheted slowly from chapter to chapter until, in the last pages, there is no doubt where it is going and the full horror of Pierre’s situation is starkly written into nightmare. Make with the Brains, Pierre—bad title and all—is a damn good book.”

For something just a little different in the realm of crime fiction, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Dana Wilson

Make With the Brains, Pierre

Black Gat #71

979-8-88601-149-4

$12.99

“… a grim tale of psychological suspense, reminiscent of the work of Cornell Woolrich…”—Bill Pronzini, 1001 Midnights

While we’re on the subject of books with a film slant, we want to take a moment to recommend you check out Becoming Nosferatu: Stories Inspired by Silent German Horror edited by Matthew Sorrento and Gary D. Rhodes. Mark Redfield, writer, director and star of The Death of Poe, called this “an entertainingly eclectic, and often electric, collection of short fiction and poems that reflect the German film industry, its makers and celluloid fantasy characters.” Published by Bear Manor Media in trade paperback, it even includes stories and poems from the folks at Stark House. Redfield recommends it, and oh so humbly, do we.

And finally, for fans of noir stories, we have to mention a new cd that came our way from a Portland, Oregon, band named The Delines called Mr. Luck and Ms. Doom. The songs are written by band guitarist Willy Vlautin, with lyrics that capture the high times of low lives to a T, all sung by the sultry Amy Boone. Our current favorite tune is “Maureen’s Gone Missing.” Check out the video on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7f0ZYK4TTcs. Very noir.

Before we leave off from the month of June, we want to announce that we will be having another 25% Sale for all print books in August. Something to look forward to if you want to stock up, and our way of saying thanks for all your support.

Til next month...

Cheers,

Greg Shepard, publisher

Stark House Press

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