Jeff Noon

Unusual motives for murder

Jeff Noon enjoys crime novels from Georges Simenon, Donald E. Westlake, William Boyle and Simone Bucholz

issue 17 March 2018

Donald E. Westlake wrote crime books that were funny, light and intricate. Help I Am Being Held Prisoner (Hard Case Crime, £7.99) was first published in 1974. The protagonist is Harold Künt. (That umlaut, as you can imagine, is very, very important.) In reaction against his name, he’s become a serial prankster.

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