It's been quite some time (five years) since David J. Schow's last novel, Bullets of Rain, a twisting razorwire book of violence, identity, and mad nature (human, animal, environmental). I assume Schow has been busy with screenwriting work, and we did get a new short story collection from him--Havoc Swims Jaded--just last year. But now Hard Case is releasing Gun Work, and I'm all a-tizzy with excitement. As always, Hard Case provide a retro-pulp cover and tagline for the book: "Make sure you choose the right weapon for the job."

Just the right level of double-entendre to complement the cover image and fit the 1950s-era pulp vibe the series is aiming for.

To read a bit more about the book, check out suspense novelist Tom Piccirilli's interview with David Schow over at The Big Adios, a message board frequented by Pic, Max Allan Collins, Ed Gorman, and other folks who like to talk about noir, suspense, and mystery novels and films.

You can also read a sample chapter from the novel at the Hard Case website.

My one complaint about the series is that neither my local B&N nor my local Borders carry the books regularly; they only stock select titles, and usually only a few copies of any one of them. I never did manage to score a copy of Christa Faust's Money Shot or the re-release of John Farris's Baby Moll.

That's all I've got time for now!