John Salter tells us that he didn't even know he was writing a mystery when "Big Ranch" won a spot in Best American Mystery Stories, 2001. That may be, but he's written not only some compelling mysteries for this collection, but compelling characters, situations, and plots. Alberta Clipper's grit echoes work by writers such as Cormac McCarthy and William Gay, and by moving the collection's locale into the Great Plains, Salter has added the chill of winter to reify that tone and theme. But just as William Gay tosses a ...
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John Salter tells us that he didn't even know he was writing a mystery when "Big Ranch" won a spot in Best American Mystery Stories, 2001. That may be, but he's written not only some compelling mysteries for this collection, but compelling characters, situations, and plots. Alberta Clipper's grit echoes work by writers such as Cormac McCarthy and William Gay, and by moving the collection's locale into the Great Plains, Salter has added the chill of winter to reify that tone and theme. But just as William Gay tosses a sardonic humor into the mix, so does Salter, to leave us shaking our heads at the ridiculous tragedy presented in, say, three characters so twisted in their own worldviews that they can't decipher and obvious plea for help ("Three Drum Theories"). These are biting stories, though, and the humor alleviates, but never masks that single fact.
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Add this copy of Alberta Clipper to cart. $5.95, very good condition, Sold by Books of Paradise rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Magalia, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Livingston Press.
Add this copy of Alberta Clipper to cart. $8.94, good condition, Sold by ThriftBooks-Atlanta rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Austell, GA, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Livingston Press (AL).
Add this copy of Alberta Clipper to cart. $14.95, very good condition, Sold by Outside of a Dog Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from BUCKSPORT, ME, UNITED STATES, published 2002 by Livingston Press (AL).
