I realise that I am clutching at straws here, but Facebook & Twitter are drawing a blank for me, so I thought I would give this place a try.
I am looking for a book I read way back in 1983 when I was at sea serving in the Royal Navy.
In a small American town people are being murdered & the bodies have a playing card left with them (not sure & almost certainly not relevant, but I think it was hearts).
Big twist at the end involving the police chief/ sheriff.
Any/all pointers/help gratefully received.
Try googling the key words. Good luck!
I tried
https://www.google.com/search?as_q=murders+playig+card+small+US+town&as_epq=novel&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=&as_occt=any&safe=images&as_filetype=&as_rights=
Art imitating life?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfredo_Gal%C3%A1n
Here’s what came with a google.
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/42049512-the-playing-card-killer
No joy with either suggestion.
I deffo read it in 83, but of course it could have been published earlier.
I hope you find what you are looking for. I hate things like this! Books and films you remember with vivid intensity… but with details too vague to throw up any google results. Very frustrating in a world where we are supposed to have all this stuff at our fingertips!
With me it’s two things in particular, neither of which have thrown up any contenders after years of occasional searching and asking people:
– One was a comic strip series from the early eighties, possibly a Starblazer or Eagle comic, with a reptilian alien visiting earth long after everyone has died out, and finding a preserved human woman in a glass casket in a museum.
– The other is a weird arty game show from the late eighties hosted by (I think) Steven Berkhoff, taking place in some kind of Bladerunner-esque dilapidated building.
My dad once had something similar, and searched for ages for a science fiction book he remembered reading as a child, but had no idea of the title. I have no idea how we eventually found it in pre-Internet days, but we did and got it for him one Christmas – Alfred Bester’s “Tiger, Tiger”.
Oh I’ve got a few too. Incredibly frustrating!
One thing I intentionally left out but am now revealing hoping that it might jog one or two memories.
The big twist/ reveal at the end is the chief of police/ sheriff is the killer.
I really am pulling out what little hair I have left in frustration trying to track this down.
ARRRRGH If I find it and read it you’ve ruined the ending.
I saw it coming.
I thought it was the one legged man with the goitre.
Googling Book + “Killer leaves a playing card” turns up at least half a dozen titles where that happens. Looks like you haven’t done yourself any favours picking such a well worn trope!
I was hoping that the year I originally read might have helped narrow it down, but so far it has been as much use as tits on a bull.
Can’t help with the book but can confirm that “Tits On A Bull” is a film title, amongst other things.
The Ultimate Game by Glendinning?
I think you have got it!
Watch out for that Sherriff bloke
I have a short Sci-fi story one too that I read in School (late ‘70’s) and can’t remember the title of.
The premise was something like, a man stranded on an alien planet and he keeps running to escape a robot? That moves slowly but consistently and never stops. Eventually the man is exhausted and the “Robot” catches up to him, lifts him up and then puts him back down. He’d lost weight during his escape and was no longer a threat?
Anybody?
Sounds like A Grand Day Out.
⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️😎
I know this one! It’s called The Ruum. Can’t remember the writer.
Arthur Porges.
Thank you Arthur. That’s been eluding me for years!
Duly ordered!