THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER: THE 65TH ANNIVERSARY

Sixty-five years ago today, the body of Elizabeth Short, "The Black Dahlia," was found in a vacant lot in Los Angeles.

The case remains unsolved.

In 2008, I published my second Hector Lassiter novel, TOROS & TORSOS, incorporating the Black Dahlia murder as a key plot point.

The Hector Lassiter series is all about secret history — a blending of fact and fiction that aims to get at something like the hidden truth.


Toros & Torsos (aka, Hector Lassiter #2), spins on the premise that surrealist art and theory may have informed or inspired several bloody, unsolved crimes of the 20th Century — most notably the murder of Elizabeth Short, the so-called “Black Dahlia” as she was dubbed by panting L.A. journalists circa January 1947.

The correspondences between Elizabeth Short’s mutilation murder and photographs and paintings by Man Ray and Salvador Dali were first put forth by Steve Hodel in his 2003 nonfiction study Black Dahlia Avenger, a New York Times notable book and Edgar® Award finalist.

Hodel’s theories were greatly expanded upon by Mark Nelson and Sarah Hudson Bayliss in their excellent 2006 release, Exquisite Corpse: Surrealism and the Black Dahlia Murder.



Using the Nelson, Bayliss and Hodel works as a springboard, I extrapolated outward to construct a multi-decade saga that encompasses not only the Dahlia murder and the post-war Hollywood surrealist art circle (which included such diverse personalities as John Huston, Fanny Brice and Vincent Price), but also the Spanish Civil War in which the surrealists played a pivotal propaganda role.

Further research in that area uncovered jaw-dropping reports of Spanish torture chambers designed and constructed to surrealist aesthetics — a sort of crazy cross between Escher and Abu Ghraib.

It takes a strong stomach and a cold eye to confront the evidence put forward in the Hodel and Nelson/Bayliss books — particularly in Exquisite Corpse. But once key surrealist works are compared to Elizabeth Short’s autopsy photos (reproduced in graphic detail in the Nelson/Bayliss books) it’s difficult to shake the notion surrealist imagery was very much on the mind of Betty Short’s twisted, never-apprehended killer.

Life imitating art…art imitating death, and for some, it seems, it wasn’t truly art until somebody died.

EL GAVILAN NETS MORE RAVES; CONTEST ENDING THIS WEEK

In recent days, a number of reviewers have turned their attention to EL GAVILAN (officially released about a week ago yesterday):

The New York Journal of Books says, "Craig McDonald uses his skills to write a drama that demands the reader pay attention, if a character has a Latino or Anglo name, the reader can’t make assumptions about where the character’s sympathies lie. His descriptions of the town and the characters are that vivid.”

The Huntington News calls EL GAVILAN: "A nuanced crime thriller," and notes, "It's difficult to find a good book that explores the tensions in the nation's heartland fueled by both legal and illegal immigration, but I think Craig McDonald has aced it in 'El Gavilan.'"

From Shelf-Awareness: "McDonald smudges the lines between right and wrong, leaving readers with potentially conflicting feelings about the characters. It's this conflict that makes 'El Gavilan' so irresistible: love or hate the characters, you can't help but invest in them. The story draws further power from McDonald's descriptive skills, as the sights, sounds and even the smells of his fictitious Ohio town reach from the pages and pull the reader in. 'El Gavilan' proves that Craig McDonald is as capable working in the contemporary thriller as he is with historicals."

And from Technorati: "McDonald explores values, attitudes, emotion, ethics, relationships, and the nature of intolerance in a satisfying, thought-provoking novel. Well-developed characters with unsteady moral compasses populate the pages of 'El Gavilan,' giving the reader much to consider and reconsider."

ONE WEEK LEFT TO WIN THE ULTIMATE EL GAVILAN RARITY


Here’s something quite a bit different: I’m offering a chance to win a major chunk of handwritten writing—a legal pad full of the opening pages of my new standalone novel EL GAVILAN—as I originally penned them.

What you’ll get is a fragment of the idea for the novel as jotted down when inspiration first hit—call it an impulsive mission statement—then about seven chapters’ worth of first pages…first glimpses of characters Tell Lyon, Able Hawk…a first take on the opening pages of the book.

This is truly first pass stuff. I tend to write longhand, then key in the material, revising as I go along. If you, lucky winner, detect breaks in the continuity in the legal pad, that’s a result of me toggling over to write first draft on the computer—something I tend to do more with dialogue heavy scenes.

Now, as originally announced via my newsletter, to win this item, contestants were asked to answer a trivia question related to the book. Unfortunately, jiffy “Look Inside the Book” posting by Amazon made that a far too easy affair.

Also, book availability got a little crazy with some copies getting out far in advance of today’s Dec. 18 official release date.

So I’m changing the contest conditions just a bit, and the deadline for entry.

Want a chance to win some raw EL GAVILAN? Just drop me a note via craig @ craigmcdonaldbooks.com. (Delete the spaces on either side of that @, of course; or contact me here.) Subject line: EL GAVILAN CONTEST.

Then, briefly, say what you’d be more interested in reading next: Another standalone, or number five in the ongoing Hector Lassiter series. Also tell how you purchased your last book written by me—was it a bound copy, or an eBook?

(If you already submitted an answer to the trivia contest, no worries; I've got your entry and you're still in the running.)

That’s all it takes for a chance to win.

On New Year’s Eve, I’ll gather all the submissions in a hat, and a name will be drawn. The winner will be announced in this space New Year’s Day and contacted for mailing information.

In addition to getting the legal pad, you’ll also get a finished, signed copy of the novel containing the polished prose only you will have access to in my own block-letter scrawl.

WIN A PIECE OF EL GAVILAN IN THE AUTHOR’S HAND

Here’s something quite a bit different: I’m offering a chance to win a major chunk of handwritten writing—a legal pad full of the opening pages of my new standalone novel EL GAVILAN—as I originally penned them.

What you’ll get is a fragment of the idea for the novel as jotted down when inspiration first hit—call it an impulsive mission statement—then about seven chapters’ worth of first pages…first glimpses of characters Tell Lyon, Able Hawk…a first take on the opening pages of the book.

This is truly first pass stuff. I tend to write longhand, then key in the material, revising as I go along. If you, lucky winner, detect breaks in the continuity in the legal pad, that’s a result of me toggling over to write first draft on the computer—something I tend to do more with dialogue heavy scenes.

Now, as originally announced via my newsletter, to win this item, contestants were asked to answer a trivia question related to the book. Unfortunately, jiffy “Look Inside the Book” posting by Amazon made that a far too easy affair.

Also, book availability got a little crazy with some copies getting out far in advance of today’s Dec. 18 official release date.

So I’m changing the contest conditions just a bit, and the deadline for entry.

Want a chance to win some raw EL GAVILAN? Just drop me a note via craig @ craigmcdonaldbooks.com. (Delete the spaces on either side of that @, of course; or contact me here.) Subject line: EL GAVILAN CONTEST.

Then, briefly, say what you’d be more interested in reading next: Another standalone, or number five in the ongoing Hector Lassiter series. Also tell how you purchased your last book written by me—was it a bound copy, or an eBook?

(If you already submitted an answer to the trivia contest, no worries; I've got your entry and you're still in the running.)

That’s all it takes for a chance to win.

On New Year’s Eve, I’ll gather all the submissions in a hat, and a name will be drawn. The winner will be announced in this space New Year’s Day and contacted for mailing information.

In addition to getting the legal pad, you’ll also get a finished, signed copy of the novel containing the polished prose only you will have access to in my own block-letter scrawl.

EL GAVILAN OFFICIALLY RELEASES TODAY

My first standalone novel, EL GAVILAN, officially releases today. (That means it is also officially available for download for Kindle and Nook and other eReaders.)

It goes out into the world in a book buying market that remains uncertain and tumultuous. My sincere thanks to those who have already read and ordered the novel, or are considering doing so.

(A request, also, to any who have taken the time and effort to review EL GAVILAN to please consider cross-posting those reviews to online book selling venues. It's become increasingly clear such reviews, up or down, do have a profound influence on book buying decisions, even by those who ultimately purchase from independent, bricks-and-mortar booksellers).

A synopsis and some review clips from EL GAVILAN follow:



******
EL GAVILAN

The news is full of it: escalating tensions from illegal immigration, headless bodies hanging off bridges and bounties placed on lawmen on both sides of the border.

New Austin, Ohio is a town grappling with waves of undocumented workers exerting pressure on schools, police and city services. In the midst of the turmoil, three very different kinds of cops scramble to maintain control and impose order.

Police Chief Tell Lyon is a hurting man: a former California Border Patrol commander whose family was brutally murdered by a vengeful gang of smugglers. Tell has fled the desert and returned to the heartland to be New Austin's chief of police. He's arrived expecting a Mayberry-like experience, but soon learns "the border is now everywhere."

Conservative hard-liner Sheriff Able Hawk takes a direct approach. Hawk stages mass arrests, posts inflammatory blog entries and bills back the Federal government his costs for jailing illegal immigrants who have nicknamed him El Gavilan.

Walt Pierce is sheriff of neighboring Vale County. Walt has a storied history and long rivalry with Able Hawk. Pierce, a vindictive, closed-minded man and a dangerous enemy, takes an immediate dislike to Tell Lyon.

The rape-murder of a Mexican-American woman triggers a brutal chain of events that threatens to leave no survivors.

El Gavilan is a novel of shifting alliances and whiplash switchbacks. Families are divided and careers and lives threatened. Friendships and ideals are tested and budding love affairs challenged.

With its topical themes, shades-of-gray characters and dark canvas, El Gavilan is a novel for our charged times.

******

"Searing. Sobering and as urgent as tomorrow's headlines. McDonald deftly...dissects one of America's most tormenting social problems."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"An addictive read."
—Library Journal

"Everything you'd hope to get from a modern day master stretching his impressive-as-all-hell wings."
—Spinetingler Magazine

"A fascinating thriller...highly recommended."
—The Drowning Machine

"A thoroughly gripping crime story."
—Mystery Scene

"Stunning."
—Suspense Magazine

"A major step forward for [McDonald's] already formidable breadth and range."
—Barnes & Noble Book Club

LINKS FOR ORDERING:
(EL GAVILAN IS PUBLISHED IN SIMULTANEOUS HARDCOVER AND TRADE PAPERBACK)
IndieBound (Hardcover)
IndieBound (Paperback)
Amazon (Hardcover)
Amazon (Paperback)
Barnes & Noble (Hardcover)
Barnes & Noble (Paperback)
Books-A-Million (Hardcover)
Books-A-Million (Paperback)



******
MORE:
• El Gavilan at My Book, the Movie.

• El Gavilan: The Page 69 Test.

• Writer's Read: Craig shares thoughts about recent reads.

• J. Kingston Pierce interviews Craig at Kirkus Reviews & The Rap Sheet.

• Guest blog at Spinetingler regarding El Gavilan/Hector Lassiter secret connections.

• A free short story drawn featuring a character from the novel here.

ONE TRUE SENTENCE FIRST ROUND WINNER

We've wrapped up our first round of playing ONE TRUE SENTENCE and the winner is Marty McCabe.

The game, being played evenings on Twitter (@HectorLassiter or at #1TS) to celebrate the release of my new novel, EL GAVILAN, requires players to finish a sentence I start, as short and truly as they can. At the end of each week's round of play, a winner is picked to receive a signed first edition of one of my novels.

Marty's winning One True Sentence:

"With one jug of water and 30 miles of desert to reach the border, Miguel eyed Juan bleeding out in the sand; now, it was just a long walk."—Marty McCabe

We'll start a fresh round of play Wednesday night on Twitter at 8 p.m. eastern.

In other book news, Joe T. at Austin's BookPeople has declared ONE TRUE SENTENCE one of his favorite five works of fiction of 2011. Also making the cut were SNUFF by Sir Terry Pratchett, OF BLOOD AND HONEY by Stina Leicht, HEARTSTONE by C.J. Sansom and THE WISE MAN'S FEAR by Patrick Rothfuss.

EL GAVILAN A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY PICK OF THE WEEK

Publishers Weekly has declared EL GAVILAN a Pick of the Week.

Fellow Tyrus Books authors D.C. Brod and Reed Farrel Coleman were also singled out as December top picks:

"Picks this week include a big new Norwegian thriller from master-of-the-form Jo Nesbø, a fresh adventure from Tom Clancy, a girl's guide to hunting and cooking, the story of a Marine and his dog, (another) science-of-time-travel book, and three—three!—star-worthy releases from Tyrus books, your independent publisher of fine crime fiction since 2010. Plus tigers, ducks, and sprouts—you know, for kids."

December 18

El Gavilan by Craig McDonald (Tyrus, F+W Media dist., $24.95; ISBN 978-1-4405-3191-0)

To read Publishers Weekly earlier, starred review of EL GAVILAN, click HERE.

THE EL GAVILAN/HECTOR LASSITER CONNECTION

After four entries in the Hector Lassiter series, why the EL GAVILAN standalone, and what's its connection to that aforementioned series?

I provide some answers in a special guest blog over at Spinetingler. You can read it here.

Suspense Magazine has a longish review of EL GAVILAN. In part it goes: “This is a truly in-depth tale regarding murder, mayhem, and a very ‘real’ look into the tension and stress that’s currently affecting the nation regarding the subject of immigration. This author does a stunning job of presenting the delicate balance that is in effect in our world right now. From the subject of immigration, to gangs taking over and threatening communities, to the delicate and long-term subject of racism, this author delves deeply into subjects that are slowly turning citizens of the United States against one another.”

Barnes & Noble Bookclub has also weighed in: "With his latest, El Gavilan, Craig McDonald takes the border into New Austin, Ohio where a recent flood of immigration has rocked the status quo and three very different lawmen set about policing the population three very different ways. On a good day they’re uneasy allies, but municipal chiefs Tell Lyon and Walt Pierce and county sheriff Able Hawk will subvert, out-maneuver and finally come into mortal combat with each other over the investigation of a brutal crime. When the body of a Mexican-American woman is discovered raped, murdered and dumped at the nexus of municipal lines, the race is on to claim jurisdiction over the potential landmine of a case. McDonald manipulates the plot—forward action balanced with flashback histories of the major players—to maximize the impact of every event… A major step forward for his already formidable breadth and range.” Reviewer Jedidiah Ayres has more to say about El Gavilan here. (Kudos to Mr. Ayres for correctly identifying much of the music this novel was written to.)