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WORK TITLE: Trouble No More
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: San Francisco Bay
STATE: CA
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY:
http://www.mybookishways.com/2014/04/interview-court-haslett-author-of-tenderloin.html * https://www.linkedin.com/in/court-haslett-b433291b/
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Male.
EDUCATION:Attended Hamilton College.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer.
AVOCATIONS:Gambling.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Court Haslett is a writer based in San Francisco, CA. He is the author of the “Sleeper Hayes” crime novel series.
Tenderloin
In an interview with a contributor to the My Bookish Ways website, Haslett discussed the first book in the “Sleeper Hayes” series, Tenderloin. He stated: “Tenderloin is a historical crime novel set in 1978 San Francisco, after the Reverend Jim Jones moved his Peoples Temple from the city to the jungles of Guyana. At the time, rumors spread throughout San Francisco that Jones was taking revenge on Temple critics, with one former high-ranking member already having been found murdered. The FBI would eventually take these rumors seriously enough to assign twenty-five agents to protect the most public critics of the Temple. This real life backdrop is the jumping off point for Tenderloin and its protagonist, Sleeper Hayes.” In the book, Sleeper investigates the murder of a friend of his, who was also a former member of the Temple. Sleeper’s meddling puts his own life in danger.
A reviewer on the Raven Crime Reads website commented: “With the affection, but also sharply critical eye of someone who has lived in this area, Haslett instantly draws the reader into the essential life, sights and sounds of this neighborhood.” The same reviewer described Tenderloin as a “solidly researched and presented tale … with … engaging and tense plotting.” Of Sleeper, the reviewer wrote: “He is sharp, funny and proves an unlikely knight in shining armour at the core of this book, but is eminently likeable and genuinely a character.” “Tenderloin doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it is an entertaining look at the time, featuring a who’s who of pulp and crime fiction types. If you are looking for a quick and fun read look no farther,” asserted a writer on the Do Some Damage website.
Trouble No More
Trouble No More, prequel to Tenderloin, finds Sleeper searching for the person responsible for killing his girlfriend’s brother. He discovers that the brother, Phil, was in debt to a dangerous Chinese gang, and that gang may now be after him. Meanwhile, Sleeper deals with an ex-wife and a gambling problem.
A Publishers Weekly writer described Trouble No More as “nifty.” A critic on the Unlawful Acts website suggested: “Haslett’s writing has made Sleeper, who is the narrator of the novel, exist outside the pages.” The same critic added: “Trouble No More is quite funny too, but not in a slapstick or overly comedic way. The humor effortlessly comes through the characters and situations.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Publishers Weekly, January 30, 2017, review of Trouble No More, p. 182.
ONLINE
Do Some Damage, http://www.dosomedamage.com/ (February 3, 2014), review of Tenderloin.
My Bookish Ways, http://www.mybookishways.com/ (April 7, 2014), author interview.
Raven Crime Reads, https://ravencrimereads.wordpress.com/ (February 22, 2014), review of Tenderloin.
Unlawful Acts, http://www.davidnemeth.net/ (March 15, 2017), review of Trouble No More.*
Layabout, Writer of the 'Sleeper Hayes' crime series set in 1970's San Francisco. www.theroguereader.com @courthaslett
Hamilton College
San Francisco Bay Area 26 26 connections
QUOTED: "TENDERLOIN is a historical crime novel set in 1978 San Francisco, after the Reverend Jim Jones moved his Peoples Temple from the city to the jungles of Guyana. At the time, rumors spread throughout San Francisco that Jones was taking revenge on Temple critics, with one former high-ranking member already having been found murdered. The FBI would eventually take these rumors seriously enough to assign 25 agents to protect the most public critics of the Temple. This real life backdrop is the jumping off point for TENDERLOIN and its protagonist, Sleeper Hayes."
Interview: Court Haslett, author of Tenderloin
Kristin April 7, 2014Interviews, Mystery, Noir, Suspense
Please welcome Court Haslett to the blog! He was kind enough to stop by and answer a few questions about his new crime novel, TENDERLOIN!
tenderloinSo, tell us about TENDERLOIN and Sleeper Hayes.
TENDERLOIN is a historical crime novel set in 1978 San Francisco, after the Reverend Jim Jones moved his Peoples Temple from the city to the jungles of Guyana. At the time, rumors spread throughout San Francisco that Jones was taking revenge on Temple critics, with one former high-ranking member already having been found murdered. The FBI would eventually take these rumors seriously enough to assign 25 agents to protect the most public critics of the Temple.
This real life backdrop is the jumping off point for TENDERLOIN and its protagonist, Sleeper Hayes. Sleeper, an irascible, Bukowski-like dropout, manages an apartment in San Francisco’s iconic skid-row neighborhood, the Tenderloin. Following the suspicious death of his friend, an ex-Temple member, Sleeper gets ensnared in the murder investigation, and quickly finds himself in the center of a conspiracy involving the Peoples Temple, the Tenderloin’s corrupt police captain, a union boss, a local boxing prodigy, and possibly even Mayor George Moscone.
Have you always wanted to be a writer, will you tell us a little more about yourself and your background?
I didn’t find my creative niche for a long time. I wrote some bad songs, a couple passable scripts, and made a documentary before the idea for Sleeper Hayes and TENDERLOIN came to me. It wasn’t until then that I dedicated myself seriously to writing. It’s not the most efficient way of going about it, but I think it helped me find what I hope is an original voice.
Tenderloin is set in 1978. Why did you choose that time period? What kind of research did you do for the book?
The 70’s were kind of a lost decade for San Francisco. Post-hippie, pre-gentrification, it was a bit like the Wild West. The Zodiac killings, the Patty Hearst abduction, the Golden Dragon Massacre, the Moscone and Milk assassinations, and the Zebra murders all took place within a brief window of time. The more I researched the era, the more fascinated with it I became, and the more I realized what a fertile place it was to set a crime series.
As far as research, I wanted to make sure I was true to the era and the neighborhood. Almost every bar, restaurant, and apartment building mentioned in the book really existed. I read a lot of old Chronicles and Examiners, talked to people who lived in the Tenderloin during the time, harassed San Francisco historians like Peter Field and Mark Ellinger, and had more than a few long lunches with retired police captains John Newlin and Michael Kemmett.
Why crime? What do you love most about writing, and reading, in the genre?
What’s not to like?! The dark subject matter, the world-weary tone, the dry sense of humor, the desperate characters, the loaded dice, the ace up the sleeve, the double crosses, and, of course, the whisky. I love it all.
What is your writing process like? Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I outline, but honestly, I’m not sure why. The story always pulls me organically in unexpected directions, causing major rewrites. For instance, TENDERLOIN started out as a boxing book, but the Jonestown storyline kept nagging at me until I just gave into it. Yet, I still continue to studiously outline.
berlinnoirWhat authors have influenced you the most, in your writing, and in life?
I’m a fan of crime fiction that features a utilitarian protagonist, like Ken Bruen’s Jack Taylor and Walter Mosley’s Easy Rawlins. The Easy Rawlins books were also inspiration for the historical aspect of TENDERLOIN, as was Philip Kerr’s Berlin Trilogy.
As far as books that have affected me personally, I’d say Iris Murdoch’s UNDER THE NET and Saul Bellow’s THE ADVENTURES OF AUGGIE MARCH. AUGGIE for the enthusiasm and resiliency needed to live a full life and UNDER THE NET for knowing when to yield to the mystery of it all.
If you could experience one book again for the first time, which one would it be?
Wow. Great question. Probably LOLITA. I’d never encountered language or a sensibility like Nabokov’s before (or since).
When you’re not writing, how do you like to spend your free time?
I’m happiest when there is a sporting event on TV that I may or may not have a wager on.
What’s next for you?
There is a prequel novella to TENDERLOIN already finished, so if we can find the right outlet, we’ll release that next. As for my work in progress, I wanted a change of pace and to challenge myself as a writer, so I’ve gone the opposite direction of TENDERLOIN. Whereas TENDERLOIN is a historical, first person mystery, my WIP is a contemporary, third person thriller. Very early stages, but it’s starting to come into focus. Finally.
Keep up with Court: Twitter | Website
court-haslett-author-photo1-186x239About Court Haslett:
Court Haslett is the author of the “Sleeper Hayes” crime series set in San Francisco’s skid row Tenderloin neighborhood. A San Francisco and Bay Area resident for over 20 years, his work has been short-listed for the Faulkner-Wisdom Award.
When not writing, Court likes to gamble and grouse, usually in that order.
Follow him on Twitter @CourtHaslett and Facebook and sign up for The Rogue Reader mailing list for details about his debut TENDERLOIN.
About TENDERLOIN:
It’s 1978 and the Reverend Jim Jones has moved his Peoples Temple from San Francisco to Guyana. Rumors immediately shoot through the city that Jones is taking revenge on all of his critics. When a former Temple member and friend of Tenderloin vagabond Sleeper Hayes is murdered, and another friend is accused of the crime, Sleeper sets out to uncover the truth. But the truth and justice are hard to find as Sleeper becomes the Temple’s next target while investigating a murderous plot that stretches from skid row all the way to City Hall.
Court Haslett is the author of the "Sleeper Hayes" crime series set in San Francisco's skid row Tenderloin neighborhood. A San Francisco and Bay Area resident for over 20 years, his work has been short-listed for the Faulkner-Wisdom Award. TENDERLOIN was named a Nook First Pick: Compelling Reads by Emerging Authors by Barnes and Noble.
When not writing, Court likes to gamble and grouse, usually in that order.
Follow him on Twitter @courthaslett
Praise for TENDERLOIN:
"Haslett's raffish T.L., the native's name for the Tenderloin, will make the novel a hit with crime fans who like a mix of edginess and noir style."
—Booklist
"A startling debut."
—Ken Bruen, two-time Shamus Award-winning author of THE GUARDS and LONDON BOULEVARD
"A book that sits perfectly alongside Pelecanos and Lehane. A real find." Raven Crime Reads
"Court Haslett has taken the true, disturbing events of 1978 San Francisco and woven them, together with threads of popular culture, music, sports, politics, and urban sociology, into a compelling crime fiction tapestry. Tenderloin is a stellar first novel that demands the attention of mystery fans everywhere." Chuck Greaves, award-winning author of Hush Money and Green-Eyed Lady.
"With the skill of a man juggling chainsaws, Court Haslett has put together a wonder of a book with Tenderloin. And it's with this same sick wonder that I was drawn in, skipping through the pages like a maniac, reading and waiting to see which deadly saw would drop first," Urban Waite, best-selling author of The Terror of Living.
QUOTED: "nifty."
Trouble No More: A Sleeper Hayes Novel
Publishers Weekly. 264.5 (Jan. 30, 2017): p182.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
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Full Text:
Trouble No More: A Sleeper Hayes Novel
Court Haslett. 280 Steps, $15.95 trade paper
(208p) ISBN 978-82-93326-78-6
Set in 1977 San Francisco, Haslett's nifty prequel to Tenderloin finds Skid Row fixer Sleeper Hayes helping his quasigirl-friend Anna, a sculptor, by looking for her missing stockbroker brother, Phil Matthews. When Phil turns up dead, apparently a suicide, further trouble ensues as the deceased's debts to a Chinese gang are transferred to Sleeper, then Anna. But Sleeper thinks Phil was murdered, and as he investigates, with the aid of cop Lento Gonzalez, he's repeatedly offered money to stop poking his nose in other people's business. He's also routinely beaten in case he doesn't take the hint. Still, the stubborn and cunning Sleeper is able to navigate his way through the case, which may involve money laundering. Visits to a strip club and Chinatown stakeouts help evoke the grittier side of San Francisco. Haslett adds depth to Sleeper's character by detailing his gambling habits and his uneasy relationship with his ex-wife, Maggie, who figures prominently in the story. (Mar.)
QUOTED: "With the affection, but also sharply critical eye of someone who has lived in this area, Haslett instantly draws the reader into the essential life, sights and sounds of this neighborhood."
"solidly researched and presented tale ... with ... engaging and tense plotting."
"He is sharp, funny and proves an unlikely knight in shining armour at the core of this book, but is eminently likeable and genuinely a character."
Court Haslett- Tenderloin
It’s 1977 and the Reverend Jim Jones has moved his Peoples Temple from San Francisco to Guyana. Rumors immediately shoot through the city that Jones is taking revenge on all of his critics. When a former Temple member and friend of Tenderloin vagabond Sleeper Hayes is murdered, and another friend is accused of the crime, Sleeper sets out to uncover the truth. But the truth and justice are hard to find as Sleeper becomes the Temple’s next target while investigating a murderous plot that stretches from skid row all the way to City Hall.
Thanks again to the world of social networking , my attention was drawn to Court Haslett and the very positive vibe surrounding Tenderloin. As a reader who is instantly drawn to novels depicting the more real and less salubrious aspects of American life. and with a fervent interest in American political and social history, I found this too tempting an opportunity to miss and had to read.
From the very outset, Haslett has created a slice of evocative fiction, perfectly depicting the seedy underbelly of San Francisco life in the 1970‘s. With much the same depth of social study afforded to the run down New York neighbourhood of Gabriel Cohen’s Red Hook, or the Washington DC of George Pelecanos, Haslett focuses on the eponymous San Francisco neighbourhood of Tenderloin. With the affection, but also sharply critical eye of someone who has lived in this area, Haslett instantly draws the reader into the essential life, sights and sounds of this neighbourhood, but underscoring the very real social deprivations that inner city living produces. Setting his book against the backdrop of the real life events of 1978, the book is suffused with references to the political and social mores of this period, but also cut through with well placed references to the effervescent cultural life in the period through music (an integral part of the book) and sport. Setting his book in this particular period, makes the inclusion of the illegal and murderous activities of Jim Jones and his People’s Temple, tailor-made as a main plot device in the book. The less than honourable affiliation of Jones with the echelons of political power in the city, is a great hook for this solidly researched and presented tale, that kept my interest throughout, with its engaging and tense plotting.
In terms of characterisation, Sleeper Hayes, Haslett’s central protagonist, is a real find. Yes, there are comparisons to be drawn with the hardboiled tradition of American crime writing, in the presentation and spare prose with which Haslett realises his characters, but this perfectly taps into the spirit of the 1970‘s and the more relaxed attitude both to life, and making a living, of Hayes and his cohorts. Hayes is a gambler with a gambler’s instincts, and despite his probable protestations to the contrary he has a very defined moral centre, that cannot be denied by the overall loucheness and positively horizontal relaxedness of his outward character. Hayes exists in a world populated by criminals, bums, boxers, hookers and bent politicians- think a 70‘s set version of The Wire- but ingratiates himself into all these worlds through the vitality and doggedness of his character, which some take to more than others! He is sharp, funny and proves an unlikely knight in shining armour at the core of this book, but is eminently likeable and genuinely a character I would love to read about again.
I was very impressed this book, and between you, me and the gatepost this is a book I could have easily missed out on in the overcrowded crime genre. This book sits perfectly alongside Pelecanos and Lehane in my opinion, with its no-holds-barred depiction of urban American life and crime, so well worth a look.
Court Haslett is the author of the “Sleeper Hayes” crime series set in San Francisco’s skid row Tenderloin neighborhood. A San Francisco and Bay Area resident for over 20 years, his work has been short-listed for the Faulkner-Wisdom Award. TENDERLOIN was named a Nook First Pick: Compelling Reads by Emerging Authors by Barnes and Noble. When not writing, Court likes to gamble and grouse, usually in that order. Follow him on Twitter @courthaslett and at www.theroguereader.com
QUOTED: "Tenderloin doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it is an entertaining look at the time, featuring a who's who of pulp and crime fiction types. If you are looking for a quick and fun read look no farther."
Monday, February 3, 2014
Tenderloin by Court Haslett - review
Everything I know about San Francisco politics in the late 70's I learned from Jello Biafra's spoken word piece "Running for Mayor".
Tenderloin takes place in San Francisco in 1978 using key political figures and other folks from that time in a fictional setting.
Jim Jones and The Peoples Temple figure prominently throughout the story. This works in some ways and doesn't quite work in others. It works because Jones and the Temple were a bad an omnipresent force in San Francisco at the time. They were feared by some people and some of these people felt directly the hand of Jones' retribution. You can't write a story that takes place in late 70's San Francisco and NOT include Jim Jones. It doesn't click in a couple of ways though. Each chapter features a date and time stamp. It's pretty easy, given the role of the Temple in the plot, what these time stamps are leading to. And since we know how that particular bit of history wraps up we know Jones (or his proxy's) probably isn't going to wind up being the big baddy who killed the hooker with a heart of gold. [There is also the usual problem of a series character being targeted, we know he is going to be injured but not killed. But I've long since learned to ignore this if I like what I'm reading and I did here]. I'm not sure the timestamps were necessary.
The Jim Jones presence is directly felt by the head of The Temples special security force. A scary ass woman that is a strait killer and a True Believer. Information at the end of the book tells us that this person actually existed. I would gather that not much specific information exists about her but Haslett does a great job of making sure she is feared by all, including the reader.
I did have a couple of nits to pick. There were a couple of spots that I would have enjoyed discussing with the author if I had been the editor. I'll give two examples. 1) Sleeper is a guy who doesn't watch a lot of TV, if hardly at all. He spends time at the track, at the boxing gym, at the bar, walking, talking with friends and associates. So it really felt out of place when he and another character were trading pop culture quips based on Three's Company. 2) A running subplot involves Sleeper and a neighbor friend building up a savings of gambling winnings to buy back the neighbors record collection. Sleeper makes a side comment about laying down some small bets here and there that has increased the amount they have saved. Except the reader has spent a lot of that time with Sleeper so when exactly did he get to the bookie. Hasn't he been too busy doing other A-plot related things? Again, like I said, small things but there were a few of them. Your mileage may vary.
Tenderloin doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it is an entertaining look at the time, featuring a who's who of pulp and crime fiction types. If you are looking for a quick and fun read look no farther.
Recommended.
QUOTED: "Haslett’s writing has made Sleeper, who is the narrator of the novel, exist outside the pages."
"Trouble No More is quite funny too, but not in a slapstick or overly comedic way, the humor effortlessly comes through the characters and situations."
Trouble No More by Court Haslett
March 15, 2017 / Leave a Comment
Small crime fiction presses like prequels, at least two of the publishers I enjoy do. 280 Steps published Eric Beetner’s Rumrunners (review) back in May 2015. They followed with Beetner’s prequel Leadfoot (review) in November 2016. There’s also Chris Rhatigan’s A Pack of Lies published by All Due Respect Books in November 2014 which was followed by Rhatigan’s prequel Squeeze published in April 2016, both reviewed here. And now we have Court Haslett’s Trouble No More (280 Steps) which is a prequel to his book Tenderloin (280 Steps) (review) which was published earlier this year. I’m not saying this is a trend of any sort, but I find it an interesting coincidence probably only because I have reviewed all six books.
The book at hand is Haslett’s Trouble No More which takes place in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district the year before Haslett’s Tenderloin. The narrator in both books is Sleeper Hayes, a man who thinks all problems can be better solved with alcohol and if that doesn’t work then you haven’t drunk enough alcohol to attack that particular issue.
Trouble No More gets started as one of Sleeper’s tenants gets beaten up by some Chinese mobsters because her brother has skipped out of town owing a bookie money. Sleeper is the manager of a small apartment building and since it’s the Tenderloin upkeep on the building is not much, so Sleeper has free time. He’s sort of a neighborhood PI who subsists on gambling, alcohol, music and pot, the order of which depends on the moment.
Haslett’s novels are set in ’77 and ’78, and pop culture references are scattered subtlety throughout. Whether it is Jim Jones, the demise of the hippie movement, or Elvis, their existence within the novel come naturally from the characters rather than forced by the writer.
It wouldn’t have bolstered my tough-guy bona fides to tell him I’d spent hours pinpointing the exact dividing line between soft rock and soul music. That song is “Loving You” by Minnie Ripperton. I think it belongs on the soul side of the line. Maggie disagreed. Any song with birds chirping, she argued, deserves to be played in an elevator. I reconsidered briefly until Nelson weighed in on my side, definitively settling the issue. “Why, who do you listen to, tough guy?” I asked.
Sleeper might be an unofficial PI, but the mystery of the book is a backdrop character development. Haslett’s writing has made Sleeper, who is the narrator of the novel, exist outside the pages. Sleeper is a loner not by choice, he does yearn for human connection, he realizes that he probably is not the best companion for anyone other than Johnnie Walker.
Enlisting their help was the least I owed Maggie after neglecting to tell her about Ryan with the strippers. I rationalized my silence a number of ways— that it wasn’t my business, that men will be men, that Ryan might have been telling the truth, that Maggie had ordered me out of her life. Any of them worked at the time because they all contained an element of truth. None of them worked now.
The real reason I didn’t tell her was that I didn’t want to bring any more pain into her life. I’d done enough of that when we were married. No example is more excruciating than our final break-up. It was August 8th, 1974. I wish I remembered the date because I was the romantic type. The truth is I remember it because it’s the day Nixon resigned from office. She had noticed a lump in her chest the week before and I was supposed to meet her at the doctor’s office.
The good news: it was only a cyst.
The bad news: I didn’t show.
I told her I got caught up in the Nixon thing, that I knew the lump was no big deal, and look I was right! I didn’t expect that to fly and it didn’t. Instead of acting like a man and ending the marriage when I knew it was broken, I forced her to be the bad guy. Like always, she complied.
I needed a strong jolt to clear my head of this memory. I went back to the Nite Cap, the place where I last saw Ryan, and ordered a Johnny Red on the rocks with chaser of Johnny Red on the rocks.
Trouble No More is quite funny too, but not in a slapstick or overly comedic way, the humor effortlessly comes through the characters and situations.
“Meet me over here at Central Station in an hour and I’ll take a walk around the block with you. I’m pretty sure I’m not the guy you want to talk to, though.”
“Better than nothing.”
“Don’t be so sure, hombre,” he said and hung up.
I immediately committed myself to start calling people hombre.
Like writers who often believe that the last thing they wrote is their best work, readers have a similar problem — at least I do. Trouble No More is better than Tenderloin which I enjoyed the hell out of. I now know that Court Haslett is a damn fine writer and that I will read anything by him in the future.