tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post4564407229956323539..comments2024-03-26T17:48:56.627+00:00Comments on 'Do You Write Under Your Own Name?': Forgotten Book - Wall of EyesMartin Edwardshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-47454147152855266582010-03-23T21:25:30.601+00:002010-03-23T21:25:30.601+00:00I greatly admire Millar too. I don't want to ...I greatly admire Millar too. I don't want to turn this into a Ross Macdonald bash session, but I read a succession of his books and often felt like I was reading the same one over and over. His 1960s are all about resolving family psychodramas, and all the characters and situations seem the same. His earlier books are tougher, more obviously influenced by Chandler, but I prefer Chandler. There was one early one, however, The Ivory Grin, that I thought was quite clever and original too.<br /><br />Millar though is a succession of varied riches: the psychohorror of Iron Gates, the bizarre humor of Fire Will Freeze, the beautifully plotted puzzles of Rose's Last Summer and The Listening Walls, the humanistic tales How Like an Angel and The Fiend, etc. I think pretty much everything she wrote up to Ask For Me Tomorrow in 1976 is great (there's a falling off in the later books). Millar is very good at "suspense" but also has this Christie-like skill with devising clues and twists. She's great.vegetableducknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-20705570042286652002010-03-21T21:45:15.588+00:002010-03-21T21:45:15.588+00:00Thanks for these comments.
Nikki, very best wishes...Thanks for these comments.<br />Nikki, very best wishes for your success!<br />Steve, A Stranger in my Grave gae me the idea for a sub-plot in my fourth book, Yesterday's Papers.Martin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-44434390197815289932010-03-21T18:53:10.905+00:002010-03-21T18:53:10.905+00:00Not to be redundant, but I concur with all the ear...Not to be redundant, but I concur with all the earlier comments. When I was a kid, my father introduced me to Ross Macdonald's "Lew Archer" books. I enjoyed them very much, but found he was often telling the same story over and over.<br /><br />With Margaret Millar, I found fresh plots and really profound writing. Some of her books (<i>Stranger in My Grave</i> comes to mind) kept me stunned all the way to the final sentence.Steve Steinbockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12760730166698947054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-72895854614874595212010-03-21T16:09:32.111+00:002010-03-21T16:09:32.111+00:00Liked your post. Someday I hope to write a book wh...Liked your post. Someday I hope to write a book where the royalties will pay for the copies I give away. <br />:-)<br />NikkiNikki Thorntonhttp://www.princetoncryo.com/control-rate-freezer.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-16183146228559756152010-03-19T21:15:15.728+00:002010-03-19T21:15:15.728+00:00Oh, I like that little scene. Well done, Ms Millar...Oh, I like that little scene. Well done, Ms Millar! <br /><br />Another writer I should try, but I try not to put too many on my list in one single day. I ordered six books yesterday so I still feel a bit extravagant.Dorte Hhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14535044092722418173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-135019472663385522010-03-19T16:52:07.154+00:002010-03-19T16:52:07.154+00:00Though I'm a big fan of Ross Macdonald, I have...Though I'm a big fan of Ross Macdonald, I have to concur that Margaret Millar was a more interesting writer in a number of ways. Macdonald settled into a pattern with his plots, while Millar never did. She was brilliant at waiting to resolve the key question of the crime novel in the very last sentence of the book. She also was eerily prescient about societal changes, as witnessed by books like <i>How Like an Angel</i>. She is one of the greatest crime writers of the 20th century, and she deserves more recognition.Dean Jameshttp://www.catinthestacks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-65020911531024692482010-03-19T13:34:02.757+00:002010-03-19T13:34:02.757+00:00Seconded - with huge enthusiasm! Discovered her wo...Seconded - with huge enthusiasm! Discovered her work for myself about 25 years ago, and was struck by her spare, elegant style; her wry, ironic humour, and all those acutely-observed characters + plots. She was a classicist, and I believe that underpins all the foregoing. But still there's something fresh about her: opening one of her novels and beginning to read, there's a sense of immediacy - you're plunged straight into her 'world'.Minniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17031126325323208656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-39638197773726960332010-03-19T12:04:00.494+00:002010-03-19T12:04:00.494+00:00Ooohh....nice beginning. Thanks for the tip on Mi...Ooohh....nice beginning. Thanks for the tip on Millar.<br /><br />Elizabeth<br /><a href="http://mysterywritingismurder.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow"> Mystery Writing is Murder</a>Elizabeth Spann Craighttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15625595247828274405noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-53227555337373197092010-03-19T08:31:58.887+00:002010-03-19T08:31:58.887+00:00I'm sure you will all enjoy Millar's work....I'm sure you will all enjoy Millar's work. She was one of the great post-war crime novelists.Martin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16082485795280777670noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-24090663569298245322010-03-19T04:33:51.915+00:002010-03-19T04:33:51.915+00:00Imagine, a Canadian who can write! I would love to...Imagine, a Canadian who can write! I would love to look into this fellow Canadian.<br /><br />annAnn Elle Altmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02192162600274764681noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-3512274809407719392010-03-19T03:03:05.084+00:002010-03-19T03:03:05.084+00:00I love Ross MacDonald's work, so you'll ha...I love Ross MacDonald's work, so you'll have a hard road convincing me that these are better. Nevertheless, I've been remiss in not trying her, especially since I've only ever heard good things.seana grahamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03774794086733027289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7291823984059320518.post-34380718522818751022010-03-19T01:57:47.922+00:002010-03-19T01:57:47.922+00:00Martin - Thanks for profiling Margaret Millar. Mos...Martin - Thanks for profiling Margaret Millar. Most people aren't aware of how talented she was. I confess that I haven't read this particular novel, so I'm glad that you mentioned it - something else to add to my TBR list - but I agree completely about Millar.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com