RED SKY LAMENT
Edward
Wright
Orion
ISBN: 0-75286-930-2
February, 2006
 |
Red
Sky Lament
by
Edward Wright
1950's America was, without doubt, a scary place to be. The bastion of democracy was being torn apart by lies that an allied nation only a few years previously were hell-bent on ridding the world of everything true Americans held dear. Edward Wright, in this his third novel, has captured those self same feelings of persecution, fear and uncertainty, setting Red Sky Lament against the backdrop of one of the most victimised industries, the movie business.
A former B-movie star, John Ray Horn, is engaged to find the murderer
of Owen Brucker, a brilliantly talented screenwriter accused of being
a Communist Party member by the House Un-American Activities Committee
(HUAC). Everybody wants Horn to drop the hunt, including his friends
and the FBI, which makes him all the more determined to find whoever
is responsible. John Ray's search leads him into confrontations with
some of Hollywood's most important people until, finally, his investigation
takes a final deadly turn.
Thoroughly researched and utterly compelling,
Red Sky Lament is more than a crime novel, it's a history
lesson on speed. The characterisations are so vividly portrayed that
images of the non-fiction people mentioned, become somehow less colourful.
The pace of the novel is relentless, despite the somewhat laconic attitude
of John Ray Horn (who, if this novel is made into a film, has to star
"a young" Clint Eastwood wannabe), whereas the dialogue is
crisp and snappy enough for this almost to be a play.
Having studied a little of the background
of this period in American history, Red Sky Lament is
a fitting testament to its setting, as it brings to life the very real
anxieties of a nation without ever letting them become over-played parodies
of a bygone age.
8/10
Interview with Edward Wright by Chris High
“Hello,
Chris--You strike me as a real Renaissance man (a chef too!), &;
you have a very entertaining site. Many thanks for the kind remarks
about the book. Anything that puts me in closer touch with British readers
is a bonus for me. Best wishes in all your pursuits...”
Edward
Wright 2006
Order this book online - Linghams Booksellers
break the rules as I see fit.” - Chris High 2003.