Dick Adler - Dreams of Justice: Mysteries as Social Documents (2005)
Reviewed by David J. Montgomery
Dick Adler, the longtime Chicago Tribune mystery columnist, has published his first collection of reviews and essays. Dreams of Justice: Mysteries as Social Documents includes some of his favorite pieces on mystery books and authors, most focused on developing the title's theme.
The strongest examples of Adler's writing are the longer columns, especially those devoted to the careers of authors Chester Himes and Ross Macdonald, and the books of Walter Mosley and George Pelecanos.
Also particularly fine is his essay on pioneering critic Anthony Boucher ("the man who invented mystery reviewing" as Adler calls him), who once plied his trade in the pages of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Through his longevity, keen writing and near faultless taste, Adler has become the dean of American mystery reviewers, and Dreams of Justice is a fine tribute to his career.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
