A Hell of a Review, Film Festival News & A Quarry Review

July 15th, 2025 by Max Allan Collins

Once upon a time, Kirkus Reviews gave my work some of the worst notices I ever received anywhere; they were downright mean. It’s even rumored that the despicable murder victim, Kirk S. Rath, in my Mallory novel Nice Weekend for a Murder, was named in their “honor.” No doubt I’ll get another bad review from them, before I leave the planet. But you know what?

They love Barbara Allan. Shhhhh! Don’t ever tell them I am half of that team, though undoubtedly my wife Barb deserves the lioness’ share of the credit.

Antiques Round-Up by Barbara Allan

Here’s the lovely Kirkus review of the forthcoming Antiques Round-Up.

ANTIQUES ROUND-UP Author: Barbara Allan
Severn House Pages: 208 Price (Hardcover): $29.99 Publication Date: October 7, 2025

Mother and daughter antique dealers take a trip to Texas, where all hell breaks loose.

Vivian Borne is a bipolar woman of many talents. Her daughter, Brandy Borne, is a divorced mother who takes antidepressants and dotes on her diabetic shih tzu, Sushi. Their shop sales need a boost, and since they’ve recently done well with Western antiques, Vivian’s motivated by an ad for a citywide yard sale to head to Tranquility, Texas, where she thinks they can score some bargains. Brandy’s fiancé, Tony Cassato — the police chief in their hometown of Serenity, Iowa — has a history with the daring duo that gives him little hope they’ll stay out of trouble. From the start, the trip doesn’t go well. They get a flat tire, they get lost, they get stuck in a ditch, they get stuck sleeping in a very odd motel. Awakened by the police, they’re arrested for damaging a replica of Cherokee life in the 1800s.

Tony gets them out of jail, but their arrival in Texas is marked by even worse trouble. Vivian, looking to get ahead of the competition, rents a horse and visits several sellers she’d talked with about purchasing certain items before the sale starts. Her first two meetings go well, but her third meeting with a Mr. Tool is cut short when she turns up his body, shot in the head. Since she’s already paid for a necklace, she searches for it and finds it just as the police arrive. With a long string of solving mysteries to their credit, the pair must solve this one to stay out of jail.

A rollicking story of crime fighting includes plenty of antique-buying tips and some Texas-style recipes.

I am pleased to say we have received many good reviews over the years for our Antiques/Trash ’n’ Treasures series, and not just from Kirkus. It’s gratifying, but we are pretty sure this is the first time a reviewer has started out by observing that “all hell breaks loose.”

Right now Barb is working on her draft of the next book in the series (which she always begins by telling me this will be the last one – we’re up to 20, I think). She is diligent and painstaking about the process in a way I admire very much.

There is nothing in my writing life more pleasurable than working on my draft from Barb’s first draft. Actually, what Barb hands off to me is not really a first draft, because it’s polished as “all hell,” to invoke Kirkus. How our collaboration works is this: we agree on a basic plot, very basic, the idea always coming from Barb, who says she needs a personal connection to the material. She writes a draft shorter than what we’ve been contracted to deliver. Let’s say (although this varies) she gives me 250 pages that I need to expand to 300 pages.

What do I do? I add even more humor (there’s always plenty), write action scenes she has skipped (leaving me a note to “take it away”), expand dialogue scenes when her short story roots start to show, and suss out any plot holes, of which there are few if any. Barb is very good about letting me do as I wish, as long as I don’t trip over the plot. That’s a possibility because I do not read her draft before I begin mine, which is a revision and expansion of hers, working directly in her draft. So the in’s and out’s of the mystery are often news to me when I reach them. If she can surprise me, she’ll surprise you.

I ask her how she can work so hard on something – a minimum of six months – and then hand it over to me, saying only, “Do whatever you want. I’m sick of it.”

She’s as good as her word.

I would say she is Brandy, more than she’s Vivian; and I am more Vivian than she is Brandy.

If you’re a fan of mine, and have avoided these novels because they are sold as cozy mysteries (which they are, but subversively so, a fact an Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine reviewer once pointed out), you should try one. You can always slip the inevitable cute dog cover off and only return it when you’ve completed reading it and shelving it spine out.

Confession: we love the cute dog covers.

There is further good Brandy and her mother news, by the way. Our Antiques indie film, Death by Fruitcake, has been chosen to be an official selection of another film festival – the Iowa Independent Film Festival. Keep in mind we only entered seven festivals and have been official selections of three. (Two festivals haven’t announced yet.)

What’s significant is the rule-of-thumb is…you are lucky to become an official selection of one festival out of ten that you enter. So we’re already ahead of the curve. We have limited ourselves to only Iowa fests, with the exception of the New Jersey Mystery, Crime & Horror Film Festival, which seemed right up our alley. Tough competition there (but, really, everywhere).

We are also looking seriously at three avenues of distribution, and should have an announcement soon.

Here is the official press release about the upcoming Star City Festival and my being honored there. It does not include that our film Death by Fruitcake will be screened on Saturday, August 2, at 6 pm with Q and A after.

Max Allan Collins Guest of Honor at The Star City Film Festival Waukon, Iowa July 31-August 3rd
News provided by

EIN Presswire
Jul 10, 2025, 10:05 AM ET

WAUKON, IA, UNITED STATES, July 10, 2025. The Star City Film Festival Returns to Waukon, Iowa for Its 8th Season
Celebrating Film, Creativity, and Community – July 31 to August 3, 2024. Special Guest of Honor Max Allan Collins.

The Star City Film Festival is thrilled to announce its return for the 8th season, taking place from July 31 to August 3, 2024, in the charming town of Waukon, Iowa. Founded and directed by the talented Dr. Katie O’Regan, this year’s festival promises to be an unforgettable celebration of filmmaking, featuring 40 diverse films, live performances of three new film scripts as radio plays, a glamorous red carpet premiere, and engaging talk-backs with attending filmmakers.

This year’s festival will honor Iowa’s very own Max Allan Collins, a celebrated figure in the world of film noir and a best-selling author, producer, and director. Max is renowned for his work on the Academy Award-winning film adaptation of his graphic novel, “Road to Perdition.” He has been recognized by the Mystery Writers of America as a Grand Master and has received an impressive twenty-three “Shamus” nominations from the Private Eye Writers of America, with notable wins for his Nathan Heller thrillers.

Max’s extensive body of work includes not only his acclaimed novels but also contributions to comics, film criticism, and several successful screenplays, including the Lifetime film “Mommy” and the HBO World Premiere “The Expert.” His creativity also extends to the world of documentaries, with “Mike Hammer’s Mickey Spillane” featured in the Criterion Collection.

Joining Max at this year’s festival is his wife, Barbara Collins, an esteemed short story writer and production manager for various independent film projects. Together, they have co-authored bestselling novels that showcase their unique storytelling abilities.

The Star City Film Festival aims to create a platform for filmmakers and audiences alike to connect, inspire, and celebrate the art of cinema. Attendees can look forward to a lineup of films that highlight emerging talent, as well as discussions that delve into the creative process behind the stories told on screen.

Join us in Waukon for a celebration of film, creativity, and community for all the activities including a live street dance and outdoor music with “Corn Days” happening at the same time!

For more information about the festival, ticketing, and programming details, please visit www.sacrednoisesociety.org

Dr. Katie O’Regan interviewed me, and I think it’s one of the better ones I’ve given in a while.

* * *

Here is an expanded version of my San Diego Comic-Con appearances, now including signings.

San Diego Comic-con 2025 Schedule

Thursday, July 24:
11am panel “Leave Them in Suspense” 23ABC (Mysterious Galaxy)
12:30pm signing AA09

Friday, July 25:
4pm “Spotlight on MAC” 28DE (Robert Meyer Burnett)
5:30pm signing AA23

Saturday, July 26:
10am signing booth 2001 (new Johnny Dynamite book)

Sunday, July 27:
11:00 panel (Titan with Andrew Sumner) 32AB

* * *

Apparently because Hard Case Crime has released a new trade paperback of The Last Quarry (previously only available in traditional mass-market paperback), a few reviews for that 2006 novel, which ignited a new run of Quarry novels, have begun to pop up. I’ll be starting the next soon (actually, noodled some on it this morning).

Here’s one of these reviews.

* * *

Here’s where you can stream the late great Michael Cornelison in Eliot Ness: An Untouchable Life.

As I’ve been interviewed about returning to indie filmmaking late in life after a twenty year hiatus, it’s occurred to me that this loss of Mike was the reason. Mike was involved in every one of my productions – he acted in Mommy, Mommy’s Day, Real Time: Siege at Lucas Street Market, and Eliot Ness: An Untouchable Life, plus narrated both Mike Hammer’s Mickey Spillane and Caveman: V.T. Hamlin and Alley Oop.

And my impulsive move back to filmmaking was deciding to film our radio-style play, Mickey Spillane’s Encore for Murder. It was originally produced as an audio-only production starring Stacy Keach as Mike Hammer…and Michael Cornelison as Pat Chambers.

* * *

Please check back in with me next week before Barb and I leave for the San Diego con on Wednesday. The update after that will likely be photos from the con, particularly of my panels with my pals Rob Burnett and Andrew Sumner.

M.A.C.

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Mommy Has Her Day & San Diego Looms

July 8th, 2025 by Max Allan Collins

It’s nice, even rewarding, to see the two Mommy movies we made here in Muscatine, Iowa, back in 1994, get renewed attention. Mommy’s Day came out in 1996, so we’re coming up on its 25h anniversary. Mommy celebrated her 25th anniversary last year.

What prompts me to discuss this is a nice review by Tony Baranek of Mommy (and another by Henry Kujawa of Mommy’s Day that just popped up. Tony’s Facebook page is dedicated to Sci-Fi and Horror Movie Playground: 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and Beyond.

Here’s Tony’s review:

Mommy (1995) – Do you remember that 1950s movie, The Bad Seed, where Patty McCormack played the psychopathic killer kid? Man, she was nasty.

I mean, when Rhoda Penmark was electrocuted by the lightning bolt at the end, I cheered.

(NOTE FROM M.A.C.: Rhoda lives in the original William March novel and in the Maxwell Anderson play from March’s book.)

But I’ll tell you what. Rhoda Penmark is a sweetheart compared to Mrs. Sterling, a psychopathic killer mom.

Yes, indeed. Patty McCormack is all grown up – and she’s scarier than ever!

This horror thriller is about a 12-year-old girl named Jessica Ann (Rachel Lemieux), whose overbearing mom goes off the deep end when she didn’t win Student of the Year award for the third straight time.

Just for acting like a spoiled and entitled mom, Mrs. Sterling is an embarrassment to the human race. But she doubles down on her ugliness because she claims that the boy who won it only did so because he’s Mexican. Yep, she’s entitled – and racist, too.

Mrs. Sterling confronts the teacher while she’s decorating her classroom. She demands that she change her decision on the award before it gets presented. The teacher sternly says no.

Moments later, crazy Mrs. Sterling pulls the teacher off of a ladder she is standing on, and she suffers a fatal injury. She tells the police, though, that the teacher was already dead when she arrived at the classroom.

Unfortunately for Mrs. Sterling, a persistent investigator named Lt. March (Jason Miller), has his doubts. And as the walls begin to close in on Mrs. Sterling, bad things happen to those who cross her.

This is a really well-done film. Max Allan Collins, in his directing debut, added a nice touch to the story by having Jessica Ann narrate the events as they happened. Rachel Lemieux, 11 years old at the time and in her acting debut, did a fantastic job portraying Jessica Ann. As an added bonus, scream queen Brinke Stevens is ultra-likeable as Mrs. Sterling’s caring sister.

As for Patty McCormack as Mrs. Sterling…man, oh man. Being a killer made her scary enough, but she was an absolute nightmare mom. Her declarations of love for her daughter – but only if she does exactly what mommy tells her to – are incredibly unnerving.

Grade: 4.5 out of 5 stars.

* * *

A mini-review from Henry Kujawa of the sequel, Mommy’s Day, appeared almost simultaneously.

Here’s what Henry had to say.

After all these years, I still haven’t seen The Bad Seed.

However, the other year, I got Mommy and Mommy’s Day on DVD. I think I “liked” the first one less the 2nd time I saw it (decades after I first saw it). But I was shocked as JUST HOW MUCH I loved the sequel.

I kept wondering… “HOW THE HELL is this even gonna work?” Then I started watching…STILL wondering…and then…

OH man. Maybe 15 minutes in, I was HOOKED. I think I had a huge smile on my face all the way thru to the end. It still makes me smile, even laugh, just thinking about it.

If only more “2nd” films managed to be that good.

* * *

If you haven’t seen either Mommy before, you can get it at Amazon for a good price. It comes with Mommy’s Day and lots of special features.

Incidentally, Paula Sands – who is Vivian Borne in Death by Fruitcake – appears in a major secondary role in Mommy’s Day.

Interesting, the sequel to last year’s horror hit Megan – which seemed to have some Bad Seed/Mommy echoes – looks to have followed the Mommy’s Day model with its sequel, Megan 2.0. I have not seen the sequel but eventually will. The complaint is that Megan is turned into a hero(ine) in the second film.

Doing a sequel, particularly to a horror film (and Mommy is that, at least marginally), provides two options – repeat the first movie or do something different. While audiences like the familiarity of a sequel that merely goes through the first film’s paces, doing something different (or the same-but-different) is far more appealing to a filmmaker (or author, for that matter). And smart audience members.

The current Jurassic World: Rebirth is a good example of just repeating what’s gone before and hoping audiences just go along for the ride. On opening weekend, filmmgoers seemed to – it did very well at the box office.

But it’s a fairly terrible movie. Predictable and with bone-headed characters who do dumb, dumb things. It starts with the premise that everybody is bored with dinosaurs by now – an idiotic premise, and anyway, in this movie it’s the characters we’re bored with (stock figures) and the dinosaurs that make it marginally watchable. It has about 17 minutes of terrific dinosaur footage, but even they are a disappointment, because they only devour the cannon-fodder characters and of course (SPOILER ALERT but not really) the evil corporate bad guy.

* * *

Here’s a nice advance look at the 4K Blu-ray of The Two Jakes, which features a commentary by me and my pal Heath Holland. The commentary gives me the opportunity to defend this much maligned sequel (actually coda) to Chinatown with Jack Nicholson back as Jake Gittes.

Here’s where you can see Road to Perdition free.

And, yes, yet again an article about movies you didn’t know derived from “comic books” has reared its head. I prefer “graphic novel,” when it comes to Road to Perdition. Plus, these endless write-ups on the subject of movies-from-comics is a bit wearying.

On the other hand, I’m grateful for the attention.

* * *

I am still doing a segment on Robert Meyer Burnett’s weekly YouTube show, Let’s Get Physical Media. This week I discuss, among other things, the terrific movie Sinners, which I am pleased to say seems heavily influenced by Road to Perdition (more the movie than the book). And, yes, I am aware there are no vampires in Road to Perdition. An oversight on my part.

If you go the San Diego Comic Con, Rob Burnett will be interviewing me:

FRIDAY
“Spotlight on Max Allan Collins”
4:00 – 5:00
Room 28DE

This will be a career interview (all Special Guests get those). Not sure yet when my autograph sessions will be, but I will be promoting the new Johnny Dynamite collection, with a banger of a new Terry Beatty cover. The book is expected to be on sale at the con, though the timing is tight – stay tuned. It’s one of the Collins/Beatty team’s best, I think.

There are no vampires in Johnny Dynamite, but there are plenty of zombies.

By the way, this is almost certainly my last comic convention appearance, at San Diego or anywhere. I will do some occasional appearances at film festivals, promoting Death By Fruitcake and other indie endeavors of mine.

M.A.C.

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Capitol Crime, The Dark City & San Diego Comic Con Schedule

July 1st, 2025 by Max Allan Collins

Here’s a trailer for Cap City aka Mickey Spillane’s Cap City.

This movie is something director David Wexler and I have been working on for some time. The idea was always for me to adapt the Spillane/Collins novella, A Bullet for Satisfaction, into a film. The novella shared space with The Last Stand in the Hard Case Crime-published book of that title.

The script went through various iterations. Originally, as in the novella, the lead character, a tough detective in a corrupt town, was male. For various reasons, it was decided I’d rewrite it for a female lead, a la Ms. Tree.

The projected budget was in the very low millions, and we came close to getting it financed. But it never quite came together, and finally David was ready to move on; but I suggested I rewrite it to mostly play on one set, a technique I had used on Blue Christmas. This excited the director, my envisioning a way to go from low-budget to micro-budget and still get the story told.

So I rewrote the script accordingly.

Ironically, David wound up shooting Cap City during the same two-week period that I shot Death By Fruitcake – two movies of mine shooting simultaneously! I had to turn down a trip to the east coast to be on set for Cap City because I was busy.

I’m very pleased with the finished result of Cap City (and Fruitcake of course). David is preparing to take it out to festivals, and I may be screening it in the Quad Cities in August as part of the non-competitive festival, Alternating Currents. That looks likely but not a sure thing just yet.

More to come on that front soon.

In the meantime, here is David’s biography:

David Wexler is President of Cinema 59 Productions. He is a writer/director based in New York City. Prior to his feature films (EVIL WEED, THE STAND UP, ANCHORS, TURTLE ISLAND, LAST SUPPER, VIGILANTE), David focused on television, creating and producing the critically acclaimed reality show “College Life” for MTV.

Wexler’s film, Motorcycle Drive By, about Third Eye Blind, was an official selection of the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival. Most recently, his film Disintegration Loops was an official selection of the 2021 SXSW Film Festival.

Cinema 59 often works with Creative Diversions (a Toy/Game company) to create 360 degree entertainment.

* * *

Executive Order and Fate of the Union will be promoted via Amazon’s Monthly Deals, starting 7/1/2025 and running through 7/31/2025, each will be offered at 2.99 USD during the promotion period. (This is e-book only.)

These are book two and book one of the Reeder and Rogers Trilogy. Supreme Justice is not part of this offer, but it’s available here.

The trilogy by Matt Clemens and me has proven unfortunately prescient, particularly Supreme Justice, which has gone on to be one of my bestselling titles, just behind Road to Perdition and Saving Private Ryan.

* * *

Cleveland Magazine has put out a “read local” booklist and the first of my Eliot Ness novels, The Dark City, is on it. I might have preferred Butcher’s Dozen, but a recommendation is a recommendation.

Here is where you can get The Dark City.

* * *

For those of you who asked where my movie Mommy could be streamed, the link is here.

* * *

Finally, here is the schedule for my panels at the San Diego Comic Con.

SAN DIEGO COMIC CON PANELS 2025
THURSDAY
“Leave Them in Suspense”
11:00 AM — 12:00 PM
Room 23ABC
Panel will include Ted Van Alst, Jr., Max Allan Collins, Arvind Ethan David, Shane Hawk, Holly Jackson, and Catriona Ward. This panel will be moderated by Mysterious Galaxy.

FRIDAY
“Spotlight on Max Allan Collins”
4:00 – 5:00
Room 28DE
Robert Meyer Burnett (Robservations) interviews Max Allan Collins (Road to Perdition) on a career ranging from Dick Tracy and Ms. Tree to the current all-star immersive ten-chapter audio drama, True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak, based on Collins’ Nathan Heller series.

SUNDAY
“Max Allan Collins: A Titan at Hard Case Crime: From Ms. Tree to Nolan to Heller to Spade & Hammer!”
11:00AM – 12:00PM,
Room: 32AB
Andrew Sumner interviews Max Allan Collins on the author’s work at Titan Books and sister company Hard Case Crime.

M.A.C.

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Death by Fruitcake an Official Film Festival Selection

June 24th, 2025 by Max Allan Collins

Death by Fruitcake, my latest indie movie, is going out to a limited number of film festivals, mostly in Iowa, which will better enable us to attend ourselves. (A slightly revised version of our poster is shown here.)

As you will see below, the Star City Film Festival has chosen us as an Official Selection, as well as screening the film in a prime spot on Saturday night August 2nd. Thirty-three other films are showcased in the festival, so this in itself is a nice honor.

We have already done nicely at the Iowa Motion Picture Awards and hope to do well at Star City. As I said, we are mostly going out to Iowa festivals and limiting the number of fests we’re entering to half a dozen. They say getting one acceptance out of a ten entries is a good result, and we have two out of six (so far).

Work continues to get Death by Fruitcake onto a streaming service. It’s unlikely we’ll have a DVD and/or Blu-Ray until the 2026 holiday season.

Here’s the press release about the Star City Festival:

The Star City Film Festival Returns to Waukon, Iowa for Its 8th Season – Celebrating Film, Creativity, and Community – July 31 to August 3, 2024

Special Guest of Honor: Max Allan Collins

Waukon, Iowa – The Star City Film Festival is excited to announce its return for the 8th season, taking place from July 31 to August 3, 2024, in the charming town of Waukon, Iowa. Founded and directed by filmmaker, musician, and writer, Dr. Katie O’Regan, this year’s festival promises to be an unforgettable celebration of filmmaking, featuring 40 diverse films, live performances of three new film scripts as radio plays, a glamorous red carpet premiere, and engaging talk-backs with attending filmmakers.

This year’s festival will honor Iowa’s very own Max Allan Collins, a celebrated figure in the world of film noir and a best-selling author, producer, and director. Max will premiere his new film Death by Fruitcake, which he wrote and directed, on Saturday evening of the festival. Following the screening, he will participate in a live talk-back session, providing the audience with insights into his creative process and the making of the film.

Max is renowned for his work on the Academy Award-winning film adaptation of his graphic novel, *Road to Perdition*. He has been recognized by the Mystery Writers of America as a Grand Master and has received an impressive twenty-three “Shamus” nominations, with notable wins for his Nathan Heller thrillers. His extensive body of work includes acclaimed novels, contributions to comics, film criticism, and several successful screenplays, including the Lifetime film Mommy and the HBO World Premiere The Expert. His creativity also extends to documentaries, with Mike Hammer’s Mickey Spillane featured in the Criterion Collection.

Joining Max at this year’s festival is his wife, Barbara Collins, an esteemed short story writer and production manager for various independent film projects. Together, they have co-authored bestselling novels that showcase their unique storytelling abilities.

The Star City Film Festival aims to create a platform for filmmakers and audiences alike to connect, inspire, and celebrate the art of cinema. Attendees can look forward to a lineup of films that highlight emerging talent, as well as discussions that delve into the creative process behind the stories told on screen.

Join us in Waukon for a celebration of film, creativity, and community, with activities including a live street dance and outdoor music during “Corn Days,” happening simultaneously!

For more information about the festival, ticketing, and programming details, please visit [](http://www.sacrednoisesociety.org).

By the way…our previous indie movie, Blue Christmas, is available on DVD and Blu-ray at Amazon and other cyber retailers. It’s also streaming, and this link will give you a rundown on where you can see it free (often but not always with commercials) and can rent it.

I do beg you to understand these are micro-budget films (micro-budgets defined as “a movie made with very limited financial resources, typically under $250,000, and sometimes even under $100,000 or $50,000.”

* * *

I seem to be a more or less regular segment on Robert Burnett’s Let’s Get Physical show on You Tube (usually airing at 2 pm on Sunday afternoons, Central.) I talk about recent releases on Blu-ray and 4K discs having to do with crime/mystery movies.

This week Rob’s co-host Dieter Bastian had a work conflict and I was asked, at the last minute, to sub. Nobody can adequately fill in for the unique presence of Deets (as Dieter is called), but I did my best.

Director Rob and I shamelessly plugged our ten-episode audio drama, True Noir: The Assassination of Anton Cermak, every change we got, pretty much making a running joke out of it. (Nonetheless, we encourage you to go to truenoir.co and order it, if you haven’t already.)

The show often runs very long, and this week – as Rob and I went down numerous rabbit holes – lasted over three hours. Here it is, but be warned: I’m not kidding about that how long it went.

Here’s a great write-up on the forthcoming Blu-ray of The Two Jakes, which includes a commentary by my pal Heath Holland and me. Thrilled to be part of this release as Two Jakes is one of my favorite films.

Heath and I also did a commentary for Rustler’s Rhapsody, well written up here.

M.A.C.

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