The Coffin Trail

Much later, as he sat with his back against an inside wall of a Motel 6 just north of Phoenix, watching the pool of blood lap toward him, Driver would wonder whether he had made a terrible mistake. Later still, of course, there'd be no doubt. But for now Driver is, as they say, in the moment. And the moment includes this blood lapping toward him, the pressure of dawn's late light at windows and door, traffic sounds from the interstate nearby, the sound of someone weeping in the next room....&quot;<br><br>Marilyn Stasio of the New York Times posited that &quot;James Sallis ha[d] written a perfect piece of noir fiction.&quot; Entertainment Weekly commented, &quot;short and not so sweet, Drive is one lean, mean, masterful machine.&quot; It was a great success. <br><br>May 2011, &quot;The best-director winner, Denmark's Nicolas Winding Refn, won for the neo-noir &quot;Drive,&quot; set in Los Angeles and starring Ryan Gosling as an emotionless wheelman who lives to drive - movie stunts by day, robberies by night - and makes a rare stab at human connection with fetching neighbor Carey Mulligan.&quot; Y<br><br>Thus begins Drive by one of the nation's most respected and honored authors. Set mostly in Arizona and L.A., the story is, according to Sallis, &quot;about a guy who does stunt driving for movies by day and drives for criminals at night. In classic noir fashion, he is double-crossed and, though never before has he participated in the violence (I drive. That's all.) , he goes after the ones who double-crossed and tried to kill him.&quot;