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Hugh Holton. A very good author and a very nice man passed away this week. I met him at Bouchercon
in '99. He had a presence about him that made you want to pay attention to what he was saying. He
also had a very warm smile and could make people feel at ease easily. I don't know, but I get the
feeling he could also intimidate quite well when he needed to also. Not bad qualities for a police
officer to have. Or a writer for that matter.
I know little about Mr. Holton other than these brief impressions I got from him. But I do know his
work, and that I really enjoyed. I think Larry Cole and his associates are a joy to read. The
stories give you a true feel of the city of Chicago and the people there. The first two books I read
back to back and I was totally caught up in the story. I felt like I was right there with the
characters. I still have the new book sitting here unread, and I think now I may wait till I can sit
and read it in one sitting.
So, to Mr. Holton's family and friends, my condolences. A great man is gone. But in his books a part
of him will live on for all of us. I think that is not such a bad memory to leave.
Hugh Holton wrote:
Windy City
Violent Crimes
Time Of The Assassins
Red Lightning
Presumed Dead
The Left Hand Of God
The Devil's Shadow
Chicago Blues
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Bouchercon is coming up on us faster and faster. Ruth and I are going through travel books and
picking where we want to go. We are starting to e-mail with old friends again and we are getting
very psyched up. I am really looking forward to seeing the people from Rec.Arts.Mystery in person. I
am also looking forward to seeing my favorite authors again. I'm hoping to have the scanner by the
time we go, so when we get back, I'll have pictures to go with my report.
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Television is wrapping up it's season. That means reruns and pretty much garbage on the telly for
the summer. But A&E is still running a lot of good mystery stuff. So is PBS. I'm finding myself
watching less
and less network TV. A few exceptions. Law and Order, Law and Order SVU, sometimes NYPD Blue.
Law and Order is almost without exception always worth watching. I miss Michael Moriarity, but Sam
Waterston isn't bad. His attitude gets a little pompous for me now and then but he's pretty
good. His sidekicks have all been good, and I like that ex cast members seem to like to come back
for appearances. The police aspect is what really does it for me. Jerry Orbach is great, and my
favorite. But I think all the different cops on the show have been good.
SVU is almost as good, but I find the two lead detectives a little tiresome. The writers need to
make them a little less hard assed and a little more intelligent. But I think Ice T and Richard
Belzer are great. And underused! plus it is also nice to see the Lt. back in action.
NYPD Blue is something I watch if I remember. It's getting better, but it is really becoming a soap
opera. Less and less police work and more and more posturing. I think it may be time to bring
in some new writers. And actors. And directors. And set designers.....
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Wanna talk about what I wrote? Bring it up on the Rec.Arts.Mystery
newsgroup.
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Bono
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