#4 - Blackmailers Don’t Shoot by Raymond Chandler

Arcade Bookshop

In Episode 4 of Arcade Bookshop, Bryce and Caleb touch on running over baby mattresses and The Book Loft at the German Village in Columbus, Ohio, and eating the "goo" which was actually a delicious Ethiopian dinner.

In the main portion of the conversation, the co-hosts discuss Raymond Chandler's first published short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot," a classic case of noir crime fiction. Within the discussion they address getting paid for writing and delve a little bit into Raymond Chandler's background and lifestyle.

These 1930s noir stories were written in such a formulaic manner to achieve a very specific style that could be duplicated quickly in order to fit perfectly into the old five cent pulp magazines like Black Mask, which "Blackmailers Don't Shoot" was published in. You'll notice common words and phrases between stories in the genre to describe the character's faces, clothes, their mannerisms, and the way they perceive their environment. At the end of the day, they talk about why these stories are important for the time and to experience modern day, but ultimately why they don't hold up well under a literary lens.

Stay tuned for the next episode of Arcade Bookshop, when Bryce and Caleb try not to go overboard with their takes on Final Fantasy 9, arriving Monday, 10/9.

Bryce and Caleb think it would be fun if you played and read along with them. See the show schedule for the next 6 episodes below and send them a letter about your experiences!

Show Schedule:

10/9: Final Fantasy 9 for Playstation

10/23: American Gods by Neil Gaiman

11/6: Super Metroid for SNES

11/20: At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft

12/4: Oxenfree (Cross-platform)

12/18: Riverdale Comics Vol. 1

Send game and book pairing suggestions or comments to [e-mail].

Find us and send us a message @arcade_bookshop on Instagram.