Dear Reader,

Because I'm working on a book that takes place in the 1930s, Martin and I have been on a noir movie kick. We've watched films from that decade for the era's details and dialogue patter. These include The Libeled Lady (Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy, and Spencer Tracy), and To Be or Not to Be (Jack Benny and Carole Lombard).  Woman of the Year (Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy), from the 1940s, also made this list.

 

We're screening other movies from the ’40s and ’50s for their noir elements, including The Maltese Falcon (Mary Astor and Humphrey Bogart). For thrillers with a comedic touch, most of Hitchcock's movies have also been on our must-see list for pacing, plot twists, and "McGuffins," a term used by film's premier master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, in his interview with Francois Truffaut:

 

"The main thing I’ve learned over the years is that the MacGuffin is nothing. I’m convinced of this, but I find it very difficult to prove it to others. My best MacGuffin, and by that I mean the emptiest, the most nonexistent, and the most absurd, is the one we used in North by Northwest. The picture is about espionage, and the only question that’s raised in the story is to find out what the spies are after. Well, during the scene at the Chicago airport, the Central Intelligence man explains the whole situation to Cary Grant, and Grant, referring to the James Mason character, asks, “What does he do?”  The counterintelligence man replies, “Let’s just say that he’s an importer and exporter.” “But what does he sell?” “Oh, just government secrets!” is the answer. Here, you see, the MacGuffin has been boiled down to its purest expression: nothing at all!"

 

My favorite Hitchcock is North by Northwest. It never gets stale.

We've also watched but also the ’40s and ’50s for the noir elements, including The Maltese Falcon (Mary Astor and Humphrey Bogart) .

 

If you love noir too, and may be interested in this book when it finds a publisher, let me know here.

 

In the meantime, I'm always writing something fun

with YOU in mind.

THRU MIDNIGHT PT, SUN, 02/16/25!

NOW BUY THE BOOK! $2.49/$14.99/$24.99

Also in Josie's Bookshop: $2.49/$14.99/$24.99

“I swear I live in constant anticipation of the next Housewife Assassin book. I was hooked from the first two I read on some random freebie from Amazon and have now spent years following the Stone-Craig family and their adventures (perhaps misadventures at times)

Despite this being book 25 I still had no idea what to expect from the latest threat. I once again enjoyed the humor, suspense and the dynamic between characters. The Thanksgiving dinner them was really enjoyable because it brought together all the characters I’ve grown to love throughout the series and gave updates to all of their individual stories as well."
 

 Josie