Pulp Fiction Hell

Today I listened to a wonderful podcast of a story by Phil Beloin, Jr., Hardboiled Hell, posted on welltoldtales.com. I'm familiar with Phil's oeuvre, so I thought I had an idea what to expect with this podcast. But nothing prepared me for his very new twist on an old pulp fiction trope: "A hard-drinking hep cat falls for a sexy gal he met in a jazz club. But things turn weird -- real weird -- after she brings him home for the night."

The only thing familiar is the setup. What happens next you'll have to discover for yourself. The podcast features a game reading by Andy Catt, with help by Sherry Wine, and is presented complete with campy sound effects and moody music which all help generate a perfect atmosphere for Phil's twisty, unexpected piece. Hearing this podcast took me back to Saturday afternoons when I was a kid listening to Mystery Theater on the radio.

Phil's short crime fiction has been published on numerous sites in the past few years. Check out an interview I did with Phil last year for this blog, from which you can access more of his work.

I highly recommend Hardboiled Hell. It's not for the squeamish. In a good way.