Frank Leland walks the hardboiled streets of noir fiction — but his vice isn’t whiskey. It’s food. And that changes everything.

Discover how the Working Stiff cover evolved from a bold graphic design to a scene that deepens the story’s mystery — featuring Frank Leland in a creaky old elevator alongside a stranger who changes everything. A behind-the-scenes look at the art and the inspiration behind it.

How do you recreate 1977 New York — a city teetering on the edge of collapse — for a modern noir mystery? Author Bill Krieger takes you behind the scenes of Frank Leland’s gritty, broken world.

A mystery fiction blog diving into true crime, classic detectives, murder methods, and storytelling secrets. Plus recommendations for mystery novels, films, and unforgettable characters.