Last year, in The Week magazine, internationally bestselling American crime writer James Ellroy shared his six favorite books. One of them was Portrait in Smoke by Bill S. Ballinger. He described it as “the ultimate evil woman novel.” We were proud to have helped bring this excellent book back into print the previous year. If you’re interested in seeing what made Ellroy holler “Ooooooooh, Daddy-O — this one will lash your libido and bite your boogaloo!!!!!” then consider getting a copy from your preferred bookseller while stocks last.
This month sees the publication of another pair of long-forgotten mysteries from Ballinger. The Tooth and the Nail and The Wife of the Red-Haired Man, two of his finest tales, are available in print for the first time in decades. As with 2018’s collection, A Portrait in Smoke / The Longest Second, the introduction is provided by the editor of Lowestoft Chronicle.
As of this week, it’s available from Stark House Press and various online booksellers, including Amazon. Get your copy: https://www.amazon.com/Tooth-Nail-Wife-Red-Haired-Man/dp/1951473027/