Valentine's Day, 1951 (A Nick & Carter Short Story #1)
I just had the privilege of reading Valentine’s Day, 1951 by Frank W. Butterfield and it was all those little things that coalesced into a moment out of time for me. From the shampoo to the reference to William Randolph Hearst and all the little things evocative of that time, I couldn’t stop smiling. Every word felt plucked from another era with a narrative voice that didn’t try too hard and didn’t try to be anything other than what it was.Don’t get me wrong; I kind of have a thing for emulating Mickey Spillane, especially if it’s Neil Gaiman (because M really is for magic). I’ve done my own rendition of Spillane and Louis L’Amour has not gone unscathed in my clutches, but Mr. Butterfield touched upon none of these. His narrative is just him, weaving this world with decades spilling like water through open fingers and making it feel so real.
Somewhere H.G. Wells is smiling because there really is a time . For now we’ll just call that newfangled contraption Frank W. Butterfield.
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