The Mystery of Ms. Tree

I stumbled upon a copy of "Deadly Beloved" at my local Dollar General store for $1.25 and couldn't pass it up.  I'd never read a Max Allan Collins book before, nor was I familiar with his female private eye Ms. Michael Tree.  Below is the version of my review that appears on Amazon.com's "Deadly Beloved" page.

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I am an unabashed fan of hardboiled detective novels & pulp fiction, which confuses some of my friends who read more modern novels and rave about them.  I've basically grown up on a diet of Raymond Chandler, Erle Stanley Gardner, and Donald Westlake, so you can say that when I pick up a pulp novel, I'm in familiar territory.  Taking that into account, the books from Dorchester Publishing's Hard Case Crime imprint are like a warm blanket on a raw winter's day, and I've enjoyed every single one I've read...but I haven't enjoyed a pulp novel, let alone any book, as much as I liked "Deadly Beloved" by Max Allan Collins.

The novel features Collins' female private eye Ms. Michael Tree (her father wanted a boy), who is trying to deal with her late husband's murder, which occured on their wedding night.  The action shifts to the present day, where Ms. Tree is assisting the Chicago P.D. on what should be an open-and-shut murder case, and then jumps several hours ahead, where Ms. Tree is in a psychiatrist's office, talking about her husband's murder, how they met, and her present dilemmas. 

Just when you think none of this ties together, the strands that Collins weaved throughout the novel start meeting in unexpected places, and before you know it, you've got the answer to the puzzle--and so does Collins' heroine.  The way this novel flowed just blew me away, and the prose had such style that I couldn't tell where one chapter ended and another began.  Assisting the flow of the novel is the dialogue, which never dips into hyperbole and keeps both feet in Coolsville.  Plus, there's Ms. Tree herself, a really awesome woman who is as tough as they come and always gets her man.  

In the back of the book, Collins takes the time to explain the comic book origins of Ms. Tree and how he came up with the idea.  He also goes on to describe all the various incarnations of Ms. Tree, whether it be books, comic books, television, or movies.  The latter has yet to happen, but "Deadly Beloved" would definitley make the perfect hardboiled noir film for someone like The Cohen Brothers or Frank Miller.  All we can do is hope, but for now I'll settle for the paperback novel, which I read and finished the same day I got it.  Once you start reading this book and settle into Ms. Tree's universe, you won't be able to put it down, and it'll be an afternoon well spent.

--Justin A. Swartz