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Frank Vatel

@frankvatel312.bsky.social

1.2K followers 540 following 1.3K posts

Reader, watcher, and scribbler of noir. Also, book-cover illustrator and designer. Published @ Punk Noir Magazine, All Due Respect, Bristol Noir, and Reckon Review.

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · Mar 17

Finally got to combine my day job—illustration and design—with my love of crime fiction. That’s right, I’m officially a pulp-cover artist. DM me, writers and publishers. I work for reasonable rates!

And buy BOP CITY SWING by M.E. Proctor & Russell Thayer. It’s an amazing hardboiled novel!

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 1d

Agree—an amazing prose stylist. When I mentioned that he was a brilliant writer, this is what I meant. But the stories are essentially whodunits, unlike those of the great noir authors.

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 1d

Any male author in the 1940s naturally would have. 🙄

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 1d

(In reference to my opinion—not you, good sir.)

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 1d

Maybe not unhinged, but unpopular.

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 1d

Well, yes—that’s my point. His stories are twisty, plot-heavy mysteries involving the rich rather than dark, desperate blue-collar noirs. But people always lump him in with the darker stuff, never with Agatha and other traditional mystery writers whose appeal (I think) is closer to his own.

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 1d

Raymond Chandler, while a brilliant great writer, has more in common with Agatha Christie than Jim Thompson or James M. Cain.

Rachel Feder @rachelfeder.bsky.social · 2d

Tell me your most unhinged literary opinion, as a little treat

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 1d

Personally, I think there’s another explanation. You can be on the right side of an issue for bad reasons, and the weird thread tying together some of her good positions (Gaza, Epstein) is Jew hatred.

The Obamacare thing: I think she knows how many of her poor redneck constituents will be fucked.

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 2d

Photographed on my morning walk. 👊

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 3d

“Love is too weak a word for what I feel. I luuurve you, I loave you, I luff you—two F’s, yes.”

#RIP #DianeKeaton

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 3d

Her: We’re not having an affair. He just happens to think I’m neat.
Him: Neat? What are you, twelve? That’s one of your Chippewa Falls expressions.
Her: Who cares?
Him: Next thing you know, he’ll find you keen and peachy. And then he'll have his hand on your ass.

#RIP #DianeKeaton

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 3d

Her: Oh, look! There’s Saturn. Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun. How many of the satellites of Saturn can you name? There’s Mimas, Titan, Dione. Hyperion, of course....

Him: I can’t name any of them. And, fortunately, they never come up in conversation.

#RIP #DianeKeaton

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 3d

Her: I’m honest, whaddya want? I say what’s on my mind and if you can’t take it, well then fuck off.

Him: I like the way you express yourself. It’s pithy yet degenerate.

#RIP #DianeKeaton

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 5d

blockclubchicago.org/2025/10/08/1...

Hundreds Could Be Freed From ICE Custody After Warrantless Arrest Ruling

Immigration attorneys said they have already identified more than 200 arrests that potentially violate the consent decree. However, they said those 200 arrests are likely "just the tip of the iceberg....

blockclubchicago.org

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 5d

Calling it right now. This should be a series. Wastrel ex-journalist marooned in the Mediterranean, sipping Negronis, taking random detective work to fund his slow dissolution.
Unfortunately (spoiler alert) he’s offered a writing gig at story’s end. Hopefully he botches it and returns to sleuthing.🤞

Nick Kolakowski @nkolakowski.bsky.social · 6d

I deeply appreciated the chance to write a gnarly little mystery set on Capri, complete with a dead fashion mogul, a shipwreck, and an annoying little dog! #amwriting #mystery

DoSomeDamage @dosomedamage.bsky.social · 6d

The Man Who Hated Dogs
New fiction by @nkolakowski.bsky.social
in Cold Caller Magazine

coldcallermag.substack.com/p/the-man-wh...

Reposted by Frank Vatel

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 5d

My god.

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 7d

WATCH: Trump’s lawless Ice goons shoot an unarmed priest in the head with a pepper ball. Completely out of control.

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 5d

These ICE cucks are on such a power trip. Lots of overcompensating going on.

www.yahoo.com/news/article...

Video: ICE agents clash with cemetery workers attempting to help man in Des Plaines River

It is currently unknown whether the cemetery workers involved will face charges in connection with the incident on Tuesday.

www.yahoo.com

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 5d

My god.

The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 7d

WATCH: Trump’s lawless Ice goons shoot an unarmed priest in the head with a pepper ball. Completely out of control.

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Reposted by Frank Vatel

Dr. Tracy A Pearson, J.D. 💙 🇺🇸 🇺🇦🇪🇺🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 @tracyexplains.com · 6d

Now that the Supreme Court denied Ghislaine Maxwell’s request to appeal to SCOTUS,

there are zero procedural reasons not to release the Epstein files.

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 5d

When your personal nemesis is a child with Asperger’s, it may be time to reevaluate

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 6d

If you’re going to pay tribute to that bastard Otto Preminger, at least put ANGEL FACE in prime time. DAISY KENYON doesn’t have enough psychotic women or vehicular homicides for my taste. #TCMParty

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 6d

In my neighborhood, ICE officers have been spotted pissing in alleys because store and restaurant owners won't let them dine or use their restrooms.

"Don't help the enemy!" lives on.

IdleTalk12 @idletalk12.bsky.social · 6d

This sign caught my attention the first time I saw the film.
This is London during The Blitz and the sign says "Don't help the enemy."
#filmnoirclub

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 6d

You have physical porn lying around in 2025?

Damn. I salute your commitment to vintage, Gayer.

#TCMParty

Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 6d

Ha!!!

Seamus Hindsight @gitrithm.bsky.social · 6d

Laura’s bedroom looks like the Oval Office does now. #TCMParty

Reposted by Frank Vatel

𝖂𝖆𝖍𝖗𝖍𝖆𝖋𝖙𝖎𝖌 @wahrhaftig.bsky.social · 6d

📚✍️

Grahame Greene is one of my favorite #NoirLit writers, not only did he write the novel on which

MINISTRY OF FEAR (1944)

Is based he wrote so many more novels that were adapted into Film Noir, e.g., THIS GUN FOR HIRE & BRIGHTON ROCK!

#FilmNoirClub 🗝️ #FilmNoir 🕵️
#MinistryOfFear 😱 #BookSky 📖

📚✍️

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Frank Vatel @frankvatel312.bsky.social · 6d

#TCMParty #Laura