An American Classic: James Mckimmey's squeeze play

By Jason Starr

It seems like every few years a great noir novelist from the "Gold Medal era" of crime fiction is rediscovered for a new generation. During the eighties and nineties, James M. Cain, David Goodis, Jim Thompson, and Charles Willeford all had major revivals. The Black Lizard novels of the late eighties reminded us of the greatness of such writers as Paul Cain, Dan Marlowe, and Peter Rabe. Every few years, Harry Whittington's novels get renewed attention and, thanks to a few forthcoming film adaptations, Gil Brewer is set for a comeback. It's about time for the work of James McKimmey to get this same kind of treatment.

James Earl McKimmey was born in Holdrege, Nebraska in 1923. After serving in the 102nd Infantry Division of the U.S. Army during World War II, he graduated from the University of San Francisco in 1950 and worked in various sales-related jobs. During the '50s, he wrote numerous short stories. His first crime novel, The Perfect Victim, was published by Dell in 1958, and he's written fifteen subsequent novels. He cites influences as varied as Ray Bradbury, William Saroyan, and John D. MacDonald. McKimmey himself had many admirers in the writing community, including Mr. MacDonald who once commented that, "(McKimmey) can manipulate tension ...in ways that are beginning to alarm me." Another notable fan was Philip K. Dick. In fact, Dick once invited McKimmey to move in with him in Berkeley, offering McKimmey the use of his typewriter!

For those unfamiliar with McKimmey's oeuvre, Pulp Originals is publishing one of his greatest works, Squeeze Play, as an e-offering, available for download right here for just three dollars and thirty cents. Written in the style of a modern thriller, the book begins with working drone Jake Wade awaking in a drunken stupor in a strange hotel room. Later, in his car, he hears on the radio that his wife was murdered and that he is the prime suspect. Then the plot backtracks to the previous eight days, chronicling the events which led to his wife's killing and Wade's attempt to prove his innocence. The novel has many of the elements of the classic noir thriller – the femme fatale, the lush wife, the hapless protagonist – and is told in seamless, breathtaking prose. In particular, the depiction of the Tahoe casino is dead-on. But what sets Squeeze Play apart from many pulp novels of its era is its astounding depth. Behind the classic crime plot, we discover real characters with real emotions. With apparent ease, McKimmey accomplishes what few writers can – he thrills us and writes well. While keeping us at the edge of our seats, he tugs at our emotions, describing the tragedy of a couple losing a child, depicting a man's longing for love and true happiness, and giving us a Cheveresque vision of suburban America of the early sixties. Squeeze Play is not only a great crime novel, it's a great novel, period. And, yes, despite what the ivory tower literati seem to think, great fiction is allowed to have great plotting.

It's truly a crime that all of McKimmey's novels aren't in print. It's almost as if the crime fiction community suffers from a collective amnesia, snapping out of it from time to time to remember a great novelist, only to forget the writer again while thousands of newer, lesser novels get into print each year. Now, thanks to the folks at Pulp Originals, McKimmey's work will get some long overdue attention, and many readers will finally get their first taste of this remarkable American writer.

Copyright© 2004 Jason Starr

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read the opening chapter

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read Lee Horsley's review of Squeeze Play