Raymond Chandler with Boobs

Neo-noir authors breathe new life into mystery fiction

Comments (0) By Clay McNear Thursday, Jul 16 2009

The perception is that mystery/crime is geezer fiction. It’s old. It’s lame. If it were a dude, it’d have ED and a bum ticker. If it were a broad, it’d have sagging support hose and a house full of mousers.

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Now meet authors Theresa Schwegel and Megan Abbott, a couple of hip, young things who’ve brought brains and a breath of fresh air to the bedridden genre with their post-millennial neo-noir. Schwegel (pictured) and Abbott write whip-smart, character-driven shit like 2005’s Officer Down (in Schwegel’s case) and 2008’s Queenpin (in Abbott’s). Chicago’s Schwegel attended film school and graduated magna cum laude from Loyola; Queens-based Abbott has a Ph.D. in English and American lit from NYU. These chicks could’ve done most anything, but against all odds, they chose mystery writing, mostly for the noir element. Exit Agatha Christie, reenter Raymond Chandler – with boobs.

In conjunction with the “Noir” segment of Poisoned Pen’s (Book)Fest in the West Conference, the two sign their latest (Schwegel’s Last Known Address, Abbott’s Bury Me Deep) at the Pen.

Thu., July 16, 7 p.m., 2009