Bobby Underwood dedicates this superb collection of old-fashioned noir stories “For All Those Who Dream In Black and White”.
I’m certainly one of those, and all the tales herein provided a most welcome, nostalgic journey into the past. I take this collection as a tribute to the classic noir which Underwood rightly describes as “...more about atmosphere, mood and story than the vulgarity, expletives, graphic violence and brutality, and dismal hopelessness…” of modern noir. But it’s much more than a tribute. It’s topnotch classic noir in its own right. In this reader's opinion, it’s even better.

Included in this volume are five unique stories, each taking place in the 1940s. For any fan of nostalgia and the literature, films, and radio shows from that era, this is a book full of gems.

WORLD FULL OF DREAMS
This narrative plunges the reader onto a Spanish Riviera beach shortly after WWII.
Join the young lovers, Jack and Amy, as the waves caress the shoreline. Let the story lap at the edges of your consciousness, teasing you with the promise of romance but concealing a twist that's as unexpected as a bullet in the dark. Underwood's noir undertow is more than a current; it's a riptide that drags you into the depths of passion, and what that passion may be capable of.

IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE YOU WAKE
The year is 1947, and Nick Fallon, our 33 year-old protagonist, dreams of literary acclaim. With the flicker of talent illuminating his path and a devoted wife by his side, he strides confidently toward the goal of success. Yet, when the cruel hand of betrayal reveals his wife's dalliance with another, the very ground upon which he walks threatens to crumble beneath his feet, plunging him into the depths of a living nightmare.

HURRICANE
“It was too soon and we really didn’t know each other well. But it felt like we did. An Italian guy in our company had a word for what I was feeling about Ann. I couldn’t remember what it was but it was something like being struck by lightning in the heart. Ann was the warmest, softest lightning I’d ever been struck by. The kind of lightning that made me want to stand out in a storm holding a metal pole.”

Danger and romance mingle to create a tension-filled blend that keeps the pages turning long after the storm has passed.
Set against the backdrop of the tropical paradise of Indigo Cay, "Hurricane" immerses the reader in an atmosphere that’s felt to the bone. Underwood's mastery lies not only in his vivid descriptions of the physical landscape but also in his ability to evoke the psychological terrain of his characters.
As the storm approaches, danger and tension rise like floodwaters, threatening to wash away the fragile peace of this island paradise. But romance is a key ingredient in any Underwood story. He deftly weaves together the threads of suspense and romance, leading the reader on a highly entertaining journey toward the cathartic climax.

THE LEAFY GLADE
“She had a special spirit, and it radiated outward so that I felt like I was wrapped up in sunshine whenever she was near. When she wasn’t, it was like an eclipse.”

We’re taken back to a small Indiana town of the 1940s, which magically lives again through Underwood’s hypnotic prose. The writer disappears, leaving us an unobstructed view of a place, time, and people that are more real than our neighbors. Underwood, with his deft hand at storytelling, conjures a world so vivid and alive, you can practically smell the corn fields and hear the train’s whistle.

The characters are complex and utterly compelling. Their voices carry the echoes of a bygone era. From the haunted protagonist and the sweet, beautiful girl he loves, to the richest family in town, consisting of an egotistical, baseball hero, his powerful father, and his pretty, coquettish sister, Underwood populates his world with people who leap off the page and into your imagination, leaving an indelible mark long after the final page is turned.

DARK CORRIDOR
WWII vet, Neale Morrison, returns from the war without a memory of his past. When he tries to get on with his life, he soon realizes he’s being followed everywhere he goes by a mysterious stranger. If that isn’t enough to put him on edge, he also finds two women competing for his attention.

“It was a Bob Feller fastball that had caught me flat-footed.”

Even if you don’t know who Bob Feller was or are not familiar with the intrigue, romance, and patriotism of the 1940s, this is a story you shouldn’t miss. Bobby Underwood writes with such an accurate voice for the period, you’d think he was there, and better yet, that you were. ( )