Most helpful customer reviews
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1.0 out of 5 stars
they call this a classic?, April 4 2003
I enjoyed reading this novel, all right-- parts are so bad they deserved to be enshrined in one of Pronzini's Gun In Cheek books. To say that the psychology in this novel is sound is akin to saying that an abandoned shack in the woods would pass building code inspection. And I'm not even factoring in Brown's homophobia (which, even as a straight guy, I found annoying) or the fact that a chronic alcoholic-- I'm sorry, _heavy drinker_-- could function as well as this reporter does. The ending, in which the reporter keeps the killer at bay (for several hours!) is deliciously bad in the best tradition of wretched pulp fiction. I recently read a few W. R. Burnett novels (Little Ceasar and Asphalt Jungle) which were written a decade or two before this but hold up a lot better. Brown has written some good stuff, but this novel doesn't deserve its "classic" status.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Be Careful What You Wish For----, Oct 3 2002
Our guy, Sweeney, is so far over the top the only reason we believe him is because he's our narrator. Sweeney would make Hecht & McArthur's "Front Page" newspapermen look like weenies. Sweeney doesn't just occasionally drink too much; he binges out and spends weeks in the gutter, broke, filthy, and homeless. When Sweeney sobers up (just moderately), he is such a star reporter, his employer's leap to cater to his every whim. Like Wow!In this 40's era Chicago-noir, Sweeney,while in a nearly comatose binge, witnesses a strange crime site through a plate glass door. A woman (is she dead?) is sprawled on the floor with a fearsome, slavering dog guarding her. No one can get by the dog to see what is wrong. The woman slowly rises, and drops her gown in a spectacular manner. Sweeney decides then and there 1) this is the most beautiful woman in the world and 2) he, Sweeney the Magnificent, will spend a night with her. And anything he wants badly enough, he gets. Though Sweeney is a little uncertain if what he witnessed was an alcohol-induced hallucination, he finds out quickly it was the real thing. The police think The Ripper, who has terrorized Chicago with three victims, has made an abortive attack on the lady, but her dog saved her. She is an at-risk witness who might be in further danger. Sweeney intends to solve the crimes and get the girl. Frederic Brown is an edgy writer with a razor sharp sense of humor. When Sweeney theorizes, we don't know if he is putting us on or himself. Mr. Brown is concise and sardonic with a crafty throwaway style. He leaves us always slightly off-balance, and then walks away. Take it, or leave it. Most readers will take it and line up for more.
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5.0 out of 5 stars
A Terrific Book, Aug 27 2002
Fredric Brown was blessed with the ability to make the mundane and everyday activities sound like either a great event or, at the least, somewhat otherworldly. The opening chapters of The Screaming Mimi is a good example of this. Each time we are introduced to a person or a situation, it turns out to be different to the first impressions that are created. Not only does it provide entertaining reading but it helps keep you on your toes.Sweeney, a newspaper reporter, witnesses the strange aftermath of an attempted stabbing murder. The victim is a beautiful woman, a stripper who survives the attack and, while still in shock goes into her performance routine in front of astounded bystanders. As a result of the shock from the attack, she is unable to identify her attacker, but the details make it clear that she was close to being the latest victim of a killer known as The Ripper. Sweeney makes it his business to discover the identity of The Ripper for two equally important reasons. The first is because it would make a sensational story and as a reporter, he canï¿t resist a good story. The second is that by following up the story he would get to meet the stripper and as a man he canï¿t resist a beautiful dame! The pace is brisk, the dialogue is amusing and direct as Sweeney conducts his own investigation by following up hunches and suspicions. Itï¿s a very entertaining investigation with an ending worth waiting for. If you can possibly get your hands on this, or any of Fredric Brownï¿s books for that matter, itï¿s worth the effort.
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