tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post328458864139493437..comments2024-03-18T11:01:42.459-05:00Comments on Pretty Sinister Books: IN BRIEF: Murder Masks Miami - Rufus KingJ F Norrishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-35625648460192797442015-02-12T15:57:46.950-06:002015-02-12T15:57:46.950-06:00John, I've just read the wonderful, if slightl...John, I've just read the wonderful, if slightly odd, MURDER BY LATITUDE and am thrilled to have discovered King's work. Better late than never. (I found a nice, if a bit smelly, hardcover for a couple of bucks on Abe Books.) Now to find his other other books which, far as I can tell, are pretty pricey. But maybe I can get then online somewhere. I now have a Kindle. How's that for better late than never? Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-46370232633067829542014-08-07T08:49:59.245-05:002014-08-07T08:49:59.245-05:00I've grown to love Rufus King, but so far I ha...I've grown to love Rufus King, but so far I haven't read any of his Valcour novels. And this IS an awesome cover!Bev Hankinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01127476456755776574noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-31411696716591793352014-04-10T06:01:00.986-05:002014-04-10T06:01:00.986-05:00This is my day for seeing writers I have never hea...This is my day for seeing writers I have never heard of.Love the cover and the title. pattinase (abbott)https://www.blogger.com/profile/02916037185235335846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-52122580463508181602014-04-10T00:36:05.430-05:002014-04-10T00:36:05.430-05:00Noah, this came up on my blog as well, when I had ...Noah, this came up on my blog as well, when I had kind of a King-fest a while back.<br /><br />http://thepassingtramp.blogspot.com/2012/08/maneaters-murder-by-latitude-1930-by.html<br /><br />http://thepassingtramp.blogspot.com/2012/08/tempests-murder-on-yacht-1932-by-rufus.html<br /><br />http://thepassingtramp.blogspot.com/2012/09/reefs-lesser-antilles-case-1934-rufus.html<br /><br />http://thepassingtramp.blogspot.com/2012/09/murder-rooms-museum-piece-no-13-1946-by.html<br /><br />http://thepassingtramp.blogspot.com/2012/08/john-dillinger-cole-porter-and-rufus.html<br /><br />Todd Downing's favorite mystery writer, over Ellery Queen, Agatha Christie and John Dickson Carr, was Rufus King, and I have to say I have come to believe he is one of the most sadly overlooked American crime writers.<br /><br />On the gay issue, I don't have any doubt whatever that King was gay. Todd Downing was very likely gay too, as was Milton Propper (that was established by Francis Nevins) and the two men who wrote as Patrick Quentin and other combinations. <br /><br />It's pretty evident in these men's writing and certainly in their lives, but none I believe was ever officially out (at least not during the Golden Age) and to this day their sexuality doesn't really get acknowledged about them.<br /><br />Aside from the sexuality in the King books, many of them really are good! Good writing, good plots. Glad to see John's write-up on this one. I just hope the books are reprinted. There's been an obstacle in that no one knows who King's heir was (the copyrights were renewed by King, so they fall under protection).The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8787364257168822822.post-9160818723717414942014-04-09T19:01:19.049-05:002014-04-09T19:01:19.049-05:00I'm glad to see someone taking an interest in ...I'm glad to see someone taking an interest in Rufus King, whom I've always felt was a bit overlooked; he used to sell tremendous amounts of novels and is nearly unknown today, more the pity. As far as the homoeroticism goes, well, I've always been pretty sure that King was either gay or knew gay people very, very well; there are gay characters throughout his books (lots of middle-aged bitchy queens) and, as you note, lots of descriptions of men's bodies and the like. I was sure I'd read a reference to his being known to be gay recently, but of course I can't now put my hand on it on the Internet (sigh). Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com