The steam hissed from Inspector Marcus Thorne's left arm as he adjusted the brass pressure valve beneath his coat sleeve. Three months since Dr. Evangeline Ashworth had fitted the contraption, and the bloody thing still leaked when the London fog rolled in thick. The clockwork mechanisms whirred softly as he flexed his mechanical fingers around … Continue reading The Clockwork Detective
Noir
The Weight of Shadows
The fog rolled in thick that October night in 1947, swallowing the streets of San Francisco like a gray shroud. Detective Ray Kellerman stood in the doorway of the Fairmont Hotel's penthouse suite, his weathered face illuminated by the crime scene photographer's flash. Twenty-five years on the force had carved deep lines around his eyes, … Continue reading The Weight of Shadows
Mystery
The neon lights of the city flickered in the rain-soaked streets, casting long, shimmering reflections that danced in the puddles below. I stood under the awning of a dilapidated building, its sign barely visible through the downpour. "Maxwell's Investigations" it read, the once-bold letters now fading into obscurity. Inside my office, the air was thick … Continue reading Mystery
AFI #16 – Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard 1950 Directed by Billy Wilder Netflix says... Running from debt collectors, screenwriter Joe Gillis stumbles upon the crumbling mansion of former silent-film star Norma Desmond. As he begins penning a comeback screenplay for her, their professional relationship evolves into something more. Oh, good. More noir... I'm still not sure I'm a fan of … Continue reading AFI #16 – Sunset Boulevard
AFI #21 – Chinatown
Chinatown 1974 Directed by Roman Polanski Netflix says... With a suspicious femme fatale bankrolling his snooping, private eye J. J. Gittes uncovers intricate dirty dealings in the Los Angeles waterworks and gets his nose slashed for his trouble in director Roman Polanski's complex neo-noir classic. So... if it's filmed in color, does that make it … Continue reading AFI #21 – Chinatown
The Confusing Middle 