The Damsel by Richard Stark; 1968 Hodder & Stoughton first edition

NB: A version of this post also appears on Existential Ennui.

Having showcased two never-before-seen Hodder & Stoughton British hardback first editions of Donald E. Westlake’s Alan Grofield-starring Parker spin-off novels—The Dame (1969, Grofield #2) and The Blackbird (1970, Grofield #3)—it seems only fair I should shine the spotlight on the other […]

Westlake Score: The Blackbird by Richard Stark; 1970 Hodder & Stoughton first edition

NB: A version of this post also appears on Existential Ennui.

On to the second of two exclusive, never-before-seen-online Westlake Scores; and as with yesterday’s Score—a 1969 British Hodder & Stoughton first edition of Westlake’s second Alan Grofield novel, The Dame—today’s offering is also a Grofield book, and again boasts a particular […]

The Four Days of Grofield Day Three: The Blackbird

My least favorite book in the Grofield series gets my favorite cover–how do you like that? Esteemed co-blogger Nick thought more of it than I did.

The Blackbird: A Grofield Novel

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The Grofield Files: Lemons Never Lie (1971) by Richard Stark; a review

After a slightly-longer-than-intended gap following my re-posting on The Violent World of Parker the other week of my three previous reviews of Donald “Richard Stark” Westlake’s Parker spin-off Alan Grofield novels—The Damsel (1967), The Dame (1969) and The Blackbird (also 1969)—here, finally, are my thoughts on the fourth (and final) Grofield solo outing, Lemons […]

The Grofield Files: The Blackbird (1969) by Richard Stark; a review

Let’s have the third of my reviews of Westlake’s Alan Grofield novels, which, as we’ve established, I’m re-posting from Existential Ennui ahead of a new review of the fourth and final book in the series, Lemons Never Lie. That review will be along next week (all being well), so for now, here’s what I […]

Grofield reprint covers revealed

Sort of fooled ya there. The above image is not one of the covers. It was rejected, and I can see why. I really like it, but it doesn’t fit the book at all.

You can see the actual covers for the upcoming University of Chicago Press reprints, as well as some other rejected alternates, […]

The return of Alan Grofield

Ever since I started this site back in the olden days, I’ve gotten one question over and over again: Is anyone going to reprint the Grofield books? (If you’re not familiar with Parker’s occasional partner Alan Grofield, you can find out more by going here and clicking the links.)

And the answer was […]

Chronology blues and a note on tables

I found an error (thanks to Charles Ardai’s excellent introduction to Deadly Edge, Slayground, and Plunder Squad), that’s likely been here since this site went up in rudimentary form eleven years ago.

The Blackbird was not published in 1971. It was published in 1969. It predates Deadly Edge and Slayground.

This will […]

Thoughts on The Blackbird

Right after I tell you all that posting will be light for awhile, I rack up several posts in short succession. Let me modify that to say that posting may be light for awhile.

I have finally fleshed out the page on the Alan Grofield adventure, The Blackbird. […]