The Black Stiletto [Kindle Edition]

Raymond Benson (Author)

Book Description

Could Martin Talbots elderly, Alzheimer-stricken mother, Judy, really have been the Black Stiletto? When Martin discovers several volumes of her diaries hidden by his mother, he is stunned beyond all imagination. His mother, the underground heroine of yesteryear? The famed ,still unidentified woman who battled Communist spies, took on the Mafia, and preyed on common crooks? The woman who exacted punishment on evildoers without mercy? But it is all described, in great detail, in the diaries. What caused her to begin her quest for justice. Her decision to act outside the law. Her feats as the famed and feared vigilante. How her reputation exploded. In short, how it all played out. Could it be true? Talbot is filled with doubt and disbelief. But the reappearance of one of the Stilettos old enemies with a thirst for merciless revenge makes the story more than real and could imperil the life of not only the Stiletto, but her son and granddaughter as well.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Irresistible: Suppose you found out--just too late--that your mother had been a superhero crime fighter. What would you do? Sit back, take a deep breath, and let Raymond Benson tell you." -- --LEE CHILD, New York Times best selling author of the Jack Reacher thrillers

"Judy is a complex character. She reminded me a bit of a female version of The Shadow. Most crime authors who write period pieces set in the 50s or 60s struggle at times for authenticity--The Black Stiletto does not have that problem."



-- ??HENRY PEREZ, author of Killing Red and Mourn the Living

"Judy is a fantastic character, and Benson absolutely nails the way women write in their diaries. I think this sort of strong woman (particularly one in a time period where we don't think of women having much independence) will be enormously appealing to female readers. The action is great, and Benson writes in a voice that's accessible and engaging."



--TASHA ALEXANDER, author of Dangerous to Know

"It's action! It's adventure! It appeals to women--and to men! It's faster than a speeding bullet, and a truly terrific read. Don't miss it!"



-- --HEATHER GRAHAM, New York Times best-selling author of Phantom Evil

"A thriller that brilliantly succeeds at that most difficult of authorial endeavors: blending the past and the present into a single compelling story. Filled with cutting-edge suspense, wry humor and heart-wrenching warmth, not to mention great period detail, Black Stiletto will grab you instantly and simply not let go until the final page--no, make that the final sentence." -- JEFFERY DEAVER, New York Times best-selling author of Edge

About the Author

Raymond Benson is the highly acclaimed author of six original James Bond 007 novels, three film novelizations, three short stories, and two anthologies on Bond. Writing as David Michaels, Benson is a New York Times best-selling author, an Edger Alan Poe Award nominee, and a Readers' Choice Award winner for Best Thriller.

Product Details

• File Size: 425 KB
• Print Length: 288 pages
• Publisher: Oceanview Publishing; 1 edition (September 5, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B005LDVHRG
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #40,433 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

81 of 85 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Origins of the Black Stiletto September 1, 2011

By Susan Tunis TOP 100 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover

"My mother was the masked vigilante known as the Black Stiletto. I just found this out today, and I've been her son for forty-eight years. All my life I knew she had some secrets, but needless to say, this is a bit of a shock." And with those opening sentences, I was absolutely hooked on Raymond Benson's latest novel, The Black Stiletto.

In Benson's world, everyone knows the name of "the Black Stiletto," but her identity has been a mystery for decades. From the late 50's through the early 60's, this woman donned a mask and leather costume and took to the streets to fight crime. After a few years of activity, she dropped out of site, never to be heard from again--except for the comic book series, the feature film, and other pop culture references--until the day that suburban Chicago accountant, Martin Talbot, got a call from his mother's attorney. She'd left a letter and a locked box in his care, to be given to Martin "in the event she died or became incapacitated." At the age of 72, Judy Talbot is in pretty good shape physically, but Alzheimer's has hit her hard. Most days she doesn't even recognize her son.

So that's the set-up. The story unfolds in three narrative voices, two in the present day and one in the past. The first is Martin's account and reaction as he unravels his mother's true history. His mother has left behind a number of items, safely stashed away, including several diaries. Martin begins reading the first, for the year 1958. The second voice is his mother's own account, writing in her diary as a young woman. It's the Black Stiletto's origin story. Every hero has one. Within her diary she summarizes her life story and what led her to becoming a masked vigilante, until she reaches the present day in 1958, and then carries her story forward. The third voice is that of Roberto Ranelli, who appears in both timelines. Back in the 50's, he was a mob enforcer. In the present day, he's a 78-year-old man, just paroled from Sing-Sing after 52 years. And he has revenge on his mind.

There is much that is delightful about this story. As I mentioned, the premise grabbed me right away. All I could think of was how it would feel to learn something that stunning about your mom! And while there have been variations on this story, with movies like Kick-Ass and other pop culture treatments, this one's a little different. The period setting is exceptionally well-handled. It was an interesting time historically and socially, and Benson uses the period to great effect. He's also having a lot fun with his audience. There are occasional nods and winks such as:

"As I drank another glass of whiskey, my eyes fell on a stack of Fiorello's comic books. The latest Batman was on top. I picked it up and thumbed through it. In my foggy state of mind, I read a bit and couldn't help but laugh a little. The premise was silly--some millionaire dressed up in a costume, had a secret identity, and went out to fight crime. Who would really do such a thing? I suppose that was the germ of the idea that would change my life."

Judy is awesome! She's a feminist ("I've learned a lot in my short life about how the world treats women.") and a lady with an interesting system of ethics. Still, I have to admit that I loved Martin's briefer appearances in the novel. I am captivated by his journey. There isn't much to Ranelli. He has a role to fill, and he does his job. The book moves fast, and can be read in a matter of hours. It truly is pure entertainment.

The novel's greatest weakness is the actual writing. I don't think most readers attracted to this title are looking for gorgeous prose and exciting use of language. I wasn't. The prose is very casual and idiomatic, with a lot of direct address to the reader, but it was clunky and awkward at times. It got weird with tenses occasionally, and the dropped g's and all the "gonna"s and "gotta"s and other written dialect got on my nerves a bit. Possibly this is just my peeve.

Nonetheless, Raymond Benson has done a terrific job of setting the hook. This is just the first of a proposed five-book series. The Black Stiletto comes to a very satisfying conclusion with a full story arc in both time periods. Still, there are many unanswered questions that are a part of the larger Black Stiletto mythology. Martin says, "I'm just going to have to read more of Mom's diaries to learn more. There's also the mystery of the other items I found. What's with the JFK campaign button? The heart-shaped locket? The roll of film?" And so forth. These are questions I want the answer to! I want the whole story, and I want to know how it all turns out for Martin and his family. Yes, I am hooked.

43 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Experience March 2, 2012

By S. J. Ziegler

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

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Kurt Vonnegut Jr., in lectures to writers, said above all an author must be a fun date. He said authors are asking readers out for a length of time and promising a good time. I had a great time on this date.

A sense of caution prevents me from writing too much about the changing time periods, and the variation in Point of View the author had to contend with in crafting this, except to say he did it all exceptionally smoothly. Each time I dug in for a good session of reading, I found there was no lull in energy and I kept going from chapter to chapter until I was too tired to continue holding the book.

One feature of the story I will risk mentioning is the setting. It took me to Manhattan in the late fifties. I just adore this time period in the US, and because I lived in New York from the late 70s until 2003, I really enjoyed going back there--before my time.

So... fun book. I'm satisfied with the introduction, build up, climax and conclusion, but sorry it's over--and glad there's a sequel coming.

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The Beginning of a Legend September 2, 2011

By Michael L. VanBlaricum

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This is the story of the beginnings of the Black Stiletto, a masked crusader a la The Shadow and Batman, but this masked crusader is female and her era is the late fifties and early sixties. Judy Cooper is the Black Stiletto - a women liberated by her own cunning, desire, and physical capabilities. Benson, the author of six James Bond novels, does a marvelous job of telling Judy's story by moving from the past to the present and painting fascinating stories in both time periods. A true page turner - I never set this book down from the beginning until the end. But this is not just a fast action thriller; this is also the story of compelling personal relationships and of women's struggles to live their lives on their terms. Most of the story takes place in New York City but northern Illinois and Odessa, Texas, also play significant roles. This is the first book in a planned series telling the Black Stiletto's story.

More About the Author

As of Spring 2013, Raymond Benson is the author of twenty-eight published books. These include the new BLACK STILETTO series (www.theblackstiletto.net) featuring a 1950s costumed female vigilante: THE BLACK STILETTO (2011); THE BLACK STILETTO: BLACK & WHITE (2012); and the new chapter, THE BLACK STILETTO: STARS & STRIPES (2013). He also wrote six original JAMES BOND novels (now collected in the recent anthologies THE UNION TRILOGY and CHOICE OF WEAPONS and available separately as Kindle books). His backlist of original thrillers are available as Kindle books: EVIL HOURS, FACE BLIND, TORMENT, ARTIFACT OF EVIL, and others. His classic reference book from 1984, THE JAMES BOND BEDSIDE COMPANION, is now a revised Kindle book. Raymond is also a prolific tie-in writer: he penned three James Bond film novelizations, the first two best-selling TOM CLANCY'S SPLINTER CELL novels (for the latter he used the pseudonym of "David Michaels"), and with John Milius he wrote HOMEFRONT: THE VOICE OF FREEDO. He also produced novelizations of other popular videogames--METAL GEAR SOLID and METAL GEAR SOLID 2: SONS OF LIBERTY, and HITMAN (HITMAN: DAMNATION). There's a lot more, so if you want the full story visit the author at his website... www.raymondbenson.com!