John Greco loves movies.

Uh-huh. Lot’s of us do.

He writes about movies.

Yeah? Good for him. There are hundreds…no…thousands of movie blogs out there.

John Greco is a cinephile.

Oh no. Not another film snob going on and on about camera angles and 35 millimeter film…

Okay. Stop it. John’s not that guy.

Yes he’s an encyclopedia of cinema and of film techniques, all of which he presents in a very friendly, accessible way on his superb blog twentyfourframes.

But this post isn’t about his blog. This post is about John Greco the author because, first and foremost, John is a writer of fiction. And what a fine writer he is.

In his third published compilation, The Late Show, John has mined his passion for film in a taunt, page turning collection of eight short stories inspired by classic cinema and reminiscent of the golden age of television (e.g., Alfred Hitchcock Presents) and the gritty carousel of 40s and 50s crime comics.

The Late Show is replete with a motley crew of characters: a bored, neglected housewife and her pot bellied, movie bug husband; a gut shot button man seeking refuge in The Roaring Twenties; a mean guy brother-in-law who channels “the shower scene”; a psychopathic, rich-kid with film director aspirations; a grind-house impresario, his antique pistol and bucking buckaroo protege and more.

All the tales are infused with suspense, tempered with notes of malice and refined with a pinch of humor and hints of irony.

Pop a top. Uncork a bottle. Put your feet up. Enjoy.

I sure did.

The Late Show is available for purchase on Amazon.