Russell James may be the best British crime novelist you've never heard of. Although he is currently the Chairman of the (U.K.) Crime Writers Association, and despite a three book deal in the US with WW Norton a few years back, he remains little known and certainly undervalued on these shores. Many consider James largely responsible for the terrific resurgance of the British hard-boiled thriller. In a recent interview, James acknowledged the inherent difficulties "...for an author who is British and hard boiled to break out in the States...How many Americans believe such a creature exists?" When I asked for his thoughts on how he was marketed during his time with Norton, he replied, "Marketing -- was I marketed? I thought I was just pushed out there alone to see if I'd float."
      James's latest novel, "Painting in the Dark" (Do Not Press) and the prior "Oh No, Not My Baby" are both imported to the US by a small distributor in Pennsyvania, Dufour Editions, and according to Paul Charles, an...w/ the company, sales "are under a thousand copies each. Until an author like James develops a track record and gets reviewed, people just don't pay much attention."
      Too bad, because readers are missing out on something special. "Painting in the Dark" published in Spring of 2001, is James's strongest and most complex story to date. The plot revolves around the memories of an 85 year old British woman, Sidonie Keene, sister of the late Naomi, a respected mid-century painter whose works are rare and collectable. One of James's reccuring characters, a sleazy gangster/art dealer, Gottfleisch, wants the paintings badly enough to steal them. The paintings are especially desirable because both Sidonie and her sister spent the years during World War II cozying up to none other than Hitler himself and his inner circle. The story unfolds from two points of view, alternating between Sidonie's narrative of events (and scary rationalization of many aspects of Nazism) and the misadventures of Gottfleisch and his dwarf henchman Ticky's attempts to obtain the art. Along with plenty of nasty criminal business and violence, we are reminded of the chilling ease with which so many upper class English embraced the alleged comforts of German fascism, particularly in the late 1930s.
      James has a new novel, The Annex, due here in February from Five Star Mysteries. Check his peppy web site for more details: www.russelljames.co.uk.
      Sharing the UK tough guy podium with James is the more readily available "King of Tartan noir" Ian Rankin, published in the US for several years by St Martin's Press. Rankin's latest, (November 2001) "The Falls," is another compelling Inspector Rebus novel, set in the gritty underbelly of Edinburgh. Rankin's procedurals always delight with not only the depth of characterization among the awesomely cranky, hard drinking police force, but also his knack for juggling two - or more - disparate sets of clues and suspects, only to tie it all up brilliantly in the final pages. "The Falls" begins as straightforward missing persons case as a young woman from a prominent family goes missing and pressure is on the force for a quick resolution. Rankin keeps us engrossed from the start, as the case gets odder and odder, involving both archaic Scottish history and a cryptic puzzle game played out in email correspondence. A vivid collection of suspects ranging from the victim's surly boyfriend to her father's business partner, round out this typically rewarding effort.
      For more British crime, look to Dufour Editions, Carroll and Graf, Soho and additional - and lightly marketed - imported titles from St. Martin's.
      Notable reissues for 2002 include Vintage Black Lizard's release of several ancient but still enjoyable books from the venerable Eric Ambler, espionage novelist extraordinare, with both "Cause for Alarm" and "Epitaph for a Spy" due in January. On the other end of the spectrum, the goofy and almost glib to a fault "Fletch" novels by Gregory MacDonald get another go-round begining in March. These quintessential 70s popcorn tubs of smart-mouthed dialogue and wispy plots are good for killing time, but don't expect edification or insight, just a little fun and laughs along the way.

Missing in Action:
      Mary Willis Walker, whose series with Texas reporter Molly Cates always addressed social issues (as in the Red Scream, about the death penalty) along with criminal behavior. Irene Allen, author of the downright ethereal "Quaker" series with soul searching solver of crime, sixtysomething Elizabeth Elliot. Susan Sloan, whose two novels "Guilt by Association" and "An Isolated Incident" explored inequaties of the justice system and small town xenophobia, respectively, effortlessly delinated in engrossing pop fiction style.
      And perhaps the biggest mystery, where is the once sizzling Sandra West Prowell, creator of Phoebe Siegel, one of the more original female protagonists in contemporary detective fiction?