Mystery Review: Black Wings Has My Angel is more crime novel than mystery, with more than enough hard-boiled suspense. Elliott Chaze (1915-1990) follows the James Cain and Jim Thompson anti-hero school of writing, and if you enjoyed books such as Double Indemnity or The Grifters you'll enjoy this one as well. Our leads are Virginia and Tim, both tough as calculus and as unpredictable as Colorado weather (much of the story takes place in the Centennial State). An early pulp cover of Black Wings Has My Angel warns: "She had the face of a madonna and a heart made of dollar bills!" Although Virginia is described as your typical ravishing noir dame, moll, femme fatale, don't let the heavy-breathing descriptions of her startling legs blind you to what's really going on behind those lavender eyes to die for. She's more than a match for her untrustworthy lover in every way. The two main characters are equal in their unholy character, with Tim consistently underestimating his capricious partner (although he describes her as "a tough, elegant adventuress with plenty of guts and imagination"). The dueling love between the two paired with a clockwork plot makes it a noir classic. Although Black Wings Has My Angel includes some graphic violence ("Alive he was nothing but trouble") that may approach torture porn for some readers, most should be able to make it through unscathed. Well written, quick reading, the whole package. [4½★]
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