Rough Trade

More about the book

This collection features Noir Mystery, Crime, and Murder stories. The author reflects on his first piece for a crime-fiction magazine, written shortly after graduating from Columbia in June 1956. He shares a glimpse of his life during that time, living in a residential hotel on West 114th St. in Manhattan, which had transformed from a grand apartment house into one-room accommodations. The hotel was home to notable literary figures like Harlan Ellison and Randall Garrett, along with a mix of Columbia graduate students, elderly widows, and transient individuals. A vivid memory from this period involves returning home to hear furious shouts, witnessing a dramatic scene where a resident was throwing her roommate's belongings out of an upper-story window, with the sound of a radio crashing onto the pavement etched in his mind. This collection finally brings together a selection of Silverberg's criminally overlooked tales, crafted over more than sixty years. Each story is presented for your enjoyment, capturing a bygone era devoid of modern distractions like cell phones or TV remotes. These narratives transport readers back to a time filled with intrigue and excitement.