A New Year, My Third Novel and Much More Writing on the Way

Been away too long as is often the case, but back with my third novel Attack Therapy, which is also the third part of my ongoing Maize Noir crime fiction series. 

A lot of writing stuff is on the way for 2021, including at least two more novels and of course, the script book for Phil Tucker’s Space Jockey later this year.

For now, here’s the Attack Therapy cover and a little sample.  Back with more writing stuff in February …

Attack Therapy

“I’ll put my money where my mouth is,” Val whispered. He switched on a tiny flashlight and kept it focused, barely angled forward on the floor.

His lithe form traveled invisibly past Tim’s chair and one side of Marcus, extinguishing the light as soon as he reached the door.

He put one hand gently on the lever and silently turned it. Then, almost embracing the door to keep it steady, he slowly leaned it open and stepped outside.

Tim felt a cool rush of air flow inwards, knowing well the stuffiness of his own office and then relief at the change in pressure.

It only lasted a second, long enough for Marcus to see the pale light outside frame Val in the doorway as a tall shadow grabbed him and pulled him down, slamming the door shut again.

Copyright 2020 Anders Runestad

The Red Right Hand Reprinted & Recommended

Many of my latest (and future) blog posts are about novels I’ve written and am releasing.  But this post is about someone else’s novel. One I fully intend on talking up to everyone I know until I get the eye rolls that let me know I’m going on about it too much. And I need to buy a few copies and give them away. This is a 1945 novel that has drifted out of print for long stretches while, I’m overjoyed to say, it’s back in print on July 7 of this year.

Joel Townsley Rogers’ incredible novel The Red Right Hand opens with the aftermath of a crime. A young couple on a scenic trip have encountered a frightening stranger, the story beginning with the narrator trying to sort out exactly what happened.  This description is no spoiler, for it’s merely how the book opens and I will say no more about the plot or the characters. I truly want to ruin nothing about the experience of this novel for anyone who hasn’t read it.

What I will say is that The Red Right Hand is a feverish, hallucinatory nightmare, dripping with nocturnal atmosphere, recurring dread, and much more. Written by a prolific, master pulp writer, it’s much appreciated by writers and genre enthusiasts, but seems to have never crossed that far into the mainstream. Maybe now is the time for that to change. If you like mystery, crime, or the more psychological brand of horror, you need to read it, preferably on a hot summer night with open windows, a darkened screen door nearby, and all of nature’s unearthly sounds drifting in.

Don’t take my word for it, just trust Donald Westlake: “I believe Joel Townsley Rogers’ The Red Right Hand should be reissued every 5 years forever.”

And a big thanks goes to the great Otto Penzler for reissuing it as part of his American Mystery Classics series.

Whether in softcover, hardcover, or e-book, check out and enjoy the eerie dream-state of The Red Right Hand, one of the most unique and memorable novels ever written.

New Novel: Spider’s Wine

This is my second suspense novel, with the third coming soon.  Enjoy an excerpt below, and click here to get the rest:

Every inch of glass from the rear panel was obliterated into a not very fine powder coating.

He shook as he turned around, desperate for any hint of where the blast came from.

There was another squeal and the rumble of acceleration.

And Brad had no time to fear or to even think.

Restored T-MEN Streaming Free on Black Friday

When is an underrated classic movie restored in high definition available at no charge?

When ClassicFlix streams their restoration of the great film noir thriller T-MEN tomorrow night (November 24) on their YouTube channel.

Check it out:

ClassicFlix will also be selling their T-MEN Blu Ray Special Edition at an incredible price that night.

And, by the way, Happy Thanksgiving!