Hard Case Crime Update from Charles Ardai

Friends,

Burlesque performer and impresario Jonny Porkpie has written a book for Hard Case Crime called THE CORPSE WORE PASTIES, which will be arriving in bookstores on November 24. To celebrate the occasion, Mr. Porkpie and his burlesque troupe, Pinchbottom, will be mounting a brand new live stage show based on the book at the Bleecker Street Theatre in New York City (45 Bleecker Street).

The show is called "Lurid Pulp," and it tells the story of how Jonny Porkpie winds up murdered after his friends in the burlesque world discover how he's portrayed them in his new book. Fans of the book will get to see all the burlesque numbers in it performed live by a lineup of luminaries, including our two cover models, GiGi LaFemme and Nasty Canasta.

When will this happen? At 7:30PM on two nights only: November 21 and November 28, the Saturday nights on either side of the book's publication. Tickets are $20 apiece, $25 if you want a copy of the book as well. (And remember, you can get it signed by the author the night of the show. By the cover models, too!)

Obviously, none of this means a whole lot to you if you're in Alaska or Nebraska or South Dakota or South Carolina or any of several dozen other fine places that aren't New York City. But if you do plan to be in NYC on either the 21st or the 28th, this could be a terrific way to either kick off or cap off a Thanksgiving celebration.

For more information, visit www.pinchbottom.com -- or, if you'd like to be entered into a drawing to win a pair of free tickets to the November 28 show, send an e-mail containing your name and mailing address to drawing@hardcasecrime.com before 5PM on Saturday, November 21. Only one entry per person, please...and to state the obvious, entrants must be 18 or older. (Burlesque is no less risque today than it was back in our granddaddies' day.)

And if you'd like a taste of the book the show's based on, you'll find it at our Web site, www.HardCaseCrime.com, along with sample chapters of the book we have in stores now -- Max Allan Collins' very well reviewed QUARRY IN THE MIDDLE -- and our second December title, THE VALLEY OF FEAR by none other than Arthur Conan Doyle.

I'd love to see some of you at the show -- but even if that's not possible, I hope you'll still make Hard Case Crime part of your holiday plans.

Best,
Charles
----------
Charles Ardai
Editor, Hard Case Crime