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From the Archives: Hard-Boiled Writers Mosley and Grafton.

Writer Walter Mosley His first book, "Devil In A Blue Dress," (Norton) is a hard-boiled detective story starring a black gumshoe up against white prejudice. Mosley's mysteries are loosely based on stories his father told him about black culture the 1940's. His latest book is called "A Red Death" (Thorndike). (REBROADCAST FROM 6/8/90)

Mystery writer Sue Grafton. Her heroine, Kinsey Millhone, is a new breed of hard-boiled detective: competent and self-reliant, thirty-two years old, twice married with no kids, and currently single. The Kinsey Millhone mystery series began with "A is for Alibi" , and continues through the alphabet. Grafton's latest mystery is "I is for Innocent" (Fawcett). (REBROADCAST FROM 5/4/89)

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Other segments from the episode on November 12, 1993

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, November 12, 1993: Interviews with Mickey Spillane and Lawrence Block; Interviews with Walter Mosley and Sue Grafton; Review of the film "Carlito's Way."
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23:00

From the Archives: Hard-Boiled Writers Spillane and Block.

Detective writer Mickey Spillane. One of the world's most popular writers of the hard-boiled private investigator genre. His most famous character is Mike Hammer. In 1989, Spillane wrote his first Mike Hammer story in 19 years. Spillane's latest book is called "Big Kill." Last year his book "My Gun is Quick" (Chivers North America), first published in 1950, was reprinted. (REBROADCAST FROM 11/22/89)

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10:23

Mystery Writer Walter Mosley.

Writer Walter Mosley. His first book, "Devil In A Blue Dress," is a hard boiled detective story starring a black gumshoe up against white prejudice. It's published by Norton.

Interview
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09:41

Sue Grafton's Mysteries in Alphabetical Order

Each of Grafton's detective novels begin with a letter of the alphabet. Her newest book is called "F" Is for Fugitive. She says that, in order to bring authenticity to her stories, she studied up on forensics, visited a morgue, and learned to fire a gun.

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19:53

Mosley's 'Last Days' Restores Memory, But At A Cost

Novelist Walter Mosley explains how watching his mother's experience with dementia helped him craft his latest novel, The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, which asks: Would you repair your failing memory if it meant your life span would also be significantly shortened?

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