Charles Ardai's First Two Novels

I heard a podcast interview with Charles Ardai, the co-founder of Hard Case Crime, on Behind the Black Mask. I've mentioned this podcast before and again recommend it for the excellent interviews. I have discovered a lot of good writing there.

Ardai writes under the pen name Richard Aleas. Little Girl Lost and Songs of Innocence are his first and second novels, respectively. As is my habit with library books, you will find the reviews on Revish at the links above.

Both of these books feature John Blake who doesn't seem to be able to escape being involved with women in one of the sex trades. The books fall into the hardboiled genre and are dark but not tawdry. Essentially you have people in a lot of pain.

Both are excellent reads and I recommend them if this genre appeals to your tastes.

Oh, and for the English majors, it is no coincidence that the main character is named Blake and that the book titles refer to works by William Blake.