FFB: Spooks, Spies, And Private Eyes

Spooks, Spies, And Private Eyes (1995) is a volume edited by Paula L. Woods that brings together 22 short mystery and crime fiction offerings by black authors from around the world. Most of the stories included were otherwise out of print, not easily available, or not previously published, but they provide a good overview of black mystery, crime and suspense fiction of the 20th century, with novel excerpts included among the shorts.

Some people in the crime fiction community were already aware of writer Chester Himes, and President Clinton helped make Walter Mosley well known when he included the author on his reading list. But most of the other names here will be unfamiliar to many in the general reading public.

As a matter of act, there was a time when the only public black detective most people knew was Charlie Chan's stereotyped sidekick Birmingham Brown. But long before that, Pauline E. Hopkins' locked-room mystery "Talma Gordon" was published in Colored American Magazine in 1900, and in 1932, Rudolph Fisher wrote "The Conjure-Man Dies," the first detective novel to feature a black protagonist (later made into a stage play). Woods includes both of these stories and also notes that Fisher's protagonists—John Archer, a suave Harlem physician, and his detective pal Perry Dart—provided a unique twist on the Holmes/Watson pairing and foreshadowed Chester Himes's sleuthing duo, Coffin Ed Johnson and Grave Digger Jones.

Other stories included range from stories by non-genre writers Richard Wright and Ann Petry, whose stories depict the impact of racism and hard times on African Americans, to political thrillers by John A. Williams, a foreign correspondent for Newsweek, and Samuel Greenlee, writing about the first black spook to be admitted to the CIA. There are also offerings from Gar Anthony Haywood and his PI, Aaron Gunner, who works out of a central L.A. barbershop, and Penny Micklebury, who writes about interracial partners and police lieutenant Gianna Maglione in a Washington, D.C. Hate Crimes Unit as they investigate the murder of black prostitutes.

Chester Himes is also represented with the story "The Last Day," one of the works he wrote while serving time in the Ohio State Penitentiary for armed robbery. Hines later emigrated to France, where he published most of his fiction and won the prestigious Grand Prix de la Litterature Policiere in 1958. Adding to that French/international theme is the French author Njami Simon who is included here, as is CWA Silver Dagger winner Mike Phillip, whose story "Personal Woman" tackles the experiences of black immigrants to England.

Spooks, Spies, And Private Eyes was awarded the "Outstanding Contribution to Publishing" award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association and was also a nominee for the Anthony and Macavity awards. Kirkus Reviews called it "a landmark collection no library of crime fiction should be without."

Comments

[Todd Mason]

Micklebury's story one that leaps out for several reasons, including my formerly living in the DC burbs during the murderous years, and she being the only one among the recent writers, at least, I'm pretty sure I haven't heard of nor read yet. Definitely sounds interesting...thanks for the pointer.

[tracybham]

I was just thinking about this book today and here is your review of it. I will have to find a copy of it.

[BV Lawson]

I really love short story anthologies because they offer a taste of the writing of many different authors and styles. This is definitely one to seek out!