Pranks

Dennis J. Higman is a relatively unknown author from Idaho. After a deep dive online, the only information I could gather is that he wrote the horror novel Pranks in 1983 and a romance novel titled Laura Jordan in 1987. I love Halloween and vintage horror novels, so I was excited to borrow my friend's paperback copy of Pranks. It was published by Leisure, and not surprisingly, it's a horror novel that takes place on Halloween night. 

When the novel begins, residents of the small, cozy island town of Horsehead Point prepare for the night's Halloween festivities. There is a sense of isolation on the island, which is in Puget Sound off the foggy shore of Washington. It's here that young Bucky, Harry and Jeff are middle-schoolers running rampant on testosterone, boredom and a desire for reckless abandonment. While most of their misbehavior consists of a few Valium pills and nudie books, it is Bucky that proves to be psycho.

Despite Jeff and Harry's hesitation, Bucky ends up killing two elderly people on Halloween night. Higman's narrative showcases a police procedural that mistakenly rules the murders as accidents. But, Bucky's school teacher Jan feels that the child exhibits unusual behavior by drawing disturbing images of people being tortured. Once she talks with Bucky's mother, she learns that he has a history of psychotic behavior. Jan's father is also suspicious of the two deaths and feels that there may have been foul play involved

At a robust 431 pages, it's clear that Pranks could have been much shorter. I was hoping that this novel would possess some of the "killer kids" genre tropes of vintage horror paperbacks. While I was entertained, the idea of a child killing two elderly people and attempting to cover it up was not exactly a terrifying story. In some respects, Pranks may be more of a juvenile delinquent novel from the 1960s. 

If you manage your expectations, Pranks is an enjoyable crime-fiction novel. The fact that the book's cover is themed for Halloween has no impact on the actual story. While I wish the book was trimmed considerably, I have no regrets reading it. 

Buy a copy of the book HERE

Hold Back the Sun

Robert Carse (1904-1971) was a New Yorker who worked as a merchant seaman before becoming a writer and novelist. In the 1920s, he used his experiences at sea to write a number of adventure tales for the pulps. Under his own name he wrote historical and nautical fiction. He also contributed to the romance genre with books like  The Flesh and the Flame (1960), Cage of Love (1960) and End to Innocence (1964) for Monarch. Perhaps his best-known literary work was written under the pen name of John Vail. It is this name that is featured on his Fawcett Gold Medal paperbacks The Sword in His Hand (1953), The Dark Throne (1954), Blond Savage (1955) and Sow the Wild Wind (1954). My first experience with the author is his Fawcett Gold Medal novel, Hold Back the Sun, originally published in 1956 with a cover by poster artist Frank McCarthy.

Hank Gatch and his team are smugglers. Using Gatch's 83-foot ship The Soledad, his illegal operation ships goods between the coast of France and North Africa. His reputation as an experienced smuggler is what appeals to a young Israeli named Yevna. Her horrifying experiences at the Auschwitz concentration camp motivated her to defend Israel from the Muslim Brotherhood. Along with her brother, she's aiding resistance and freedom fighters with firepower. She hires Gatch to help her negotiate with an arms dealer to acquire a stash of weapons.

Carse's narrative is constructed around Gatch's team running and gunning around North Africa in an attempt to avoid port authorities and the Brotherhood. Beyond the initial job, Gatch is employed by Yevna's brother to secure another large shipment of firearms on a coastal reef. Along the way, Gatch and Yevna fall in love. 

Hold Back the Sun is just an average read. There's nothing terribly exciting about the story, but it is written well enough to please most readers. I found that the narrative was really just connecting map dots as the team traveled to each destination performing tasks. The romantic chemistry between the two main characters was Carse's main interest, evident from Fawcett's front cover: "By day they fought, by night they loved." From a nautical fiction stance, the technical aspects reminded me of another, much better Fawcett Gold Medal paperback - 1968's A Great Day for Dying by Jack Dillon.

At just 140 pages, Hold Back the Sun is a satisfactory read, but just manage your expectations. Despite the alluring cover art, the story is a little stale. 

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Zorro #01 - The Curse of Capistrano (aka The Mark of Zorro)

Johnston McCulley (1883-1958) was a prolific author for the pulps. He created characters like The Crimson Clown, The Green Ghost and Black Star. On August 9th, 1919, All-Story Weekly presented the first of five installments of "The Curse of Capistrano" (aka "The Mark of Zorro"). It was the first appearance by the Western hero Zorro. McCulley kept writing Zorro stories for decades. The hero became a phenomenon of pop culture with TV shows, movies and graphic novels all dedicated to the masked man. 

In 2016, Florida's Bold Venture Press began reprinting all of the pulp adventures of Zorro. These have been compiled in 6 massive volumes. I'm staring with Zorro: The Complete Pulp Adventures Vol. 1. It contains an original serial "The Curse of Capistrano" plus two short stories, "Zorro Saves a Friend" (Argosy, 11/02/1932) and "Zorro Hunts a Jackal" (Argosy, 04/22/1933). In addition, two informative pieces are included regarding the series location as well as Zorro's appearances in cinema and television.

"The Curse of Capistrano" takes place in the early 19th century in California. This was before California joined the United States. As a result, the state was governed by Mexico. In the story, the Spanish missions and ranches are often terrorized by Mexican soldiers, notably Sergeant Gonzales and Captain Ramon. A masked man dressed in black and calling himself Zorro (The Fox) assists the people in their fight against the tyranny. 

When Zorro helps a young woman named Lolita, the story starts to tighten. Lolita's parents have requested that she locate a proper suitor to marry. Don Diego Vega, a wealthy man living with his father, attempts to swoon Lolita and asks if she will marry him. The problem is that Lolita has her eyes fixed on the dashing Zorro and now her heart is beating for him. However, Lolita doesn't realize that Vega is Zorro. When Captain Ramon forces himself on Lolita, Zorro comes to the rescue, further emphasizing her attraction for the lone hero. Later, Zorro comes to the aid of his friend Fray Felipe while also being hunted by the Mexican army. 

McCulley's story blends romance with action into a Western-style story. The dry and dusty Pueblo of Los Angeles is the perfect place, further enhancing Western themes. Zorro's mission to assist the downtrodden and fight government politicians is crucial to the plot. The first half was a bit slow but the second half was ripe with action, violence and a frantic pace as Zorro performs hit and run tactics through the city. It was interesting that McCulley doesn't reveal that Vega is Zorro until the end of the story. It's no surprise to the reader as there are so many clues that signal Zorro's identity.

If you are a dedicated Zorro fan or just a casual reader, this omnibus is essential reading. The thrilling adventures of this masked hero showcases everything we know and love about the pulps. Buy a copy of this volume HERE.

Castlecliffe

Sandra Shulman (b. 1944) is a British author who specializes in gothic and horror novels. Typically, her works involve evil sects, worshippers of Satan, and old deserted castles. Using the pseudonym Lisa Montague, Shulman authored three novels of historical romance for Harlequin Masquerade. The author also wrote a number of non-fiction books about astrology, dream interpretation and the punishment of women through history. I read a thread online that suggested that she also wrote novels for the television series Dark Shadows. My first experience with Shulman is her second career novel, Castlecliffe, first published by Paperback Library in 1967. The novel was later reprinted by the publisher with different cover art in 1971.

In 1798, the French politician and military commander Napoleon Bonaparte placed an army on the coast of the English Canal. The threat of invasion tormented the British for six years and was eventually rescinded as a result of France's conflicts with Egypt and Austria. It is this era that Castlecliffe exists, a historical period that peaked in fever as England seemed to await the "inevitable" invasion. 

20-year old Sophy Marlowe has been a student in Brussels. Her father was killed in the Middle East and her inheritance comes to fruition on her 21st birthday. Upon specific instructions from her father, Sophy is to be placed under the care of her guardian, a close friend of her father named Eastlake, at his large manor called Castlecliffe on the English Moors. Sophy's father also makes it clear that he is not a fan of Eastlake's doctor and friend, Rashid.

Just on the outskirts of Castlecliffe, Sophy and her fellow passengers are attacked on a coach road by a highwayman named Midnight. This masked man has a brief fondness for Sophy and promises not to hurt her. When Sophy arrives at Castlecliffe, Midnight comes to her overnight and advises her to leave the castle immediately. He warns that it isn't safe to stay at the castle and that her guardian is a dangerous man. Sophy ignores Midnight's warning and proceeds with his stay. But the words of Midnight may have a ring of truth when she sees a man bent and disfigured lurking in the dark outside the castle.

Shulman's narrative introduces two romantic interests, a military captain who is smitten with Sophy and Rashid's young nephew. Both seem like safe allies, but again Midnight cautions her. The mysteries abound when Eastlake shows no interest in Sophy nor does he have any real information about her father. They were supposed to be best friends, so why doesn't he have stories or historical accounts of their time together? Rashid is also a mystery as a crazy scientist carrying out heinous experiments on animals. He often condemns Sophy and, at some point, seems intent on killing her.

Like Shulman's other novels, the idea of a satanic sect arises when Rashid, the captain and a wealthy woman are found wearing rings depicting goat horns. They invite Sophy to join their "science club" but Sophy fears that the group is practicing some sort of witchcraft in secret. The greatest mystery may be the heritage itself. Rashid and Eastlake aren’t aware of any specific inheritance and her father's documents simply state that she will not collect any information about this inheritance until her 21st birthday. This date is November 1, usually a Gaelic holiday called Samhain.

Castlecliffe is a more of a horror story than a gothic one. The satanic panic inside the castle, strange creatures wandering through the countryside and the disfigured thing are all frightening and indicative of a traditional horror story. The romanticism of these three men (captain, nephew, bandit) coveting Sophy is a central concept, but it also provides a good dose of action-adventure. Midnight's fights with the English are exciting and I really liked the idea of Sophy dressing in disguise as a male. This is another staple of Shulman's writing. In her 1971 novel The Florentine, that book's main character disguises herself as a man to seek revenge. In addition, the idea of the French possibly invading England at any moment just adds to the tension. 

If you enjoy gothics then you will surely love Castlecliffe. But beyond that, this is just a great story with an intriguing mystery, perfect pacing (it's a countdown to her birthday) and small ingredients of a selection of genres. With slightly less than 160 pages, the narration is a quick read with enough intensity to keep the pages moving. I urge you to find a copy.

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Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 92

The Paperback Warrior Podcast rolls into August with Episode 92. On this episode, Eric explains the life and literary work of crime-fiction author Ovid Demaris. Eric talks about his recent gothic paperback bonanza, a visit to the psychic capital of the world and his recent health scare. Tom pops in to discuss the life of the paperback king himself, Harry Whittington, including a review of the author's 1954 novel The Woman is Mine. Listen on any podcast app, paperbackwarrior.com or download directly HERE:

Listen to "Episode 92: Ovid Demaris" on Spreaker.

Gulf Coast Girl (aka Scorpion Reef)

Gulf Coast Girl, by Charles Williams, has a rather complicated publication history. The novel was released in condensed form in the September 1955 edition of Manhunt under the title "Flight to Nowhere". That year MacMillan published it as a hardback entitled Scorpion Reef. Pan published the paperback version under that title in 1958. In 1955, Dell published the book as Gulf Coast Girl with cover art by Robert Maguire. Dell then reprinted it again under that title in 1960 with cover art by Robert McGinnis. In 1972, it was reprinted by Pocket Books as a paperback titled Scorpion Reef and currently it is that title as a $4 ebook offering through Mysterious Press.

Bill Manning is a 33-year old salvage diver that attended M.I.T., served in the U.S. Navy and authored a few adventure stories. While working in the little town of Sanport, Florida, Manning is approached by a young Scandinavian woman who presents herself as Mrs. Shannon Wayne. She wants to hire Manning to dive in a lake to retrieve her husband's lost shotgun. Manning accepts the job, but is skeptical of her real intentions.

At the rural lake location, Manning locates and returns the shotgun, but knows it was a setup. Mrs. Wayne, who is really Mrs. Macaulay, is attacked in the lake house by three men seeking her husband. When Manning defends her from the assailants, the whole story starts playing out. 

Mr. Macaulay is a salvage insurance underwriter that stole $750,000 in diamonds from a shadowy criminal enterprise. That crime-ring is led by a smooth operator named Barclay. While attempting to escape by plane, Macaulay ends up crashing the plane into the ocean. He escapes with his life, but the plane, and the diamonds, sink into a big area called Scorpio Reef. The Macaulay couple has been on the run from Barclay for months. 

A few high-tension events happen that lead to both Barclay, and his cohort Barfield, forcing Manning and Mrs. Macaulay to sail them to Scorpion Reef. Using Mrs. Macaulay's knowledge of the aircraft's vague location, they will force Manning to dive for the diamonds. Once the diamonds are found, Manning and Macaulay will be killed and the criminals will win back their stolen wealth. 

Providing more information on this story would be a disservice to those of you who have not read it. This was the author's first foray into nautical adventure and serves as a precursor to his novels like Aground (1961), Dead Calm (1963) and And the Deep Blue Sea (1971). However, Williams cut his teeth on crime-noir novels that typically featured sexy female accomplices lulling an innocent man into the jaws of unlawful violence. This is the central feature that makes Gulf Coast Girl so exciting.

The author's twisted narrative is interwoven with violence, sexual chemistry and this thick and disturbing feeling that something very bad will happen to these characters. Barclay's lethal threats, enforce the fact that this nautical voyage is indeed a one-way endeavor. Because of Williams' excellent character development, I really cared about the fate of these two admirable characters and felt touched by the emotional love story embedded in the crime-noir.

As an exhilarating nautical adventure or a straight-laced crime-fiction novel, Gulf Coast Girl is such a pleasure to read. Charles Williams was a master storyteller and this novel showcases that talent tenfold. Highly recommended.

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Anne Whitlow #01 - Moura

Like her contemporary in Phyllis Whitney, Virginia Coffman (1914-2005) was a cornerstone of gothic fiction in the middle of the twentieth century. The author was born in San Francisco and graduated from University of California, Berkeley in 1938. After college, Coffman worked as a fan-mail secretary and in public relations for studios like Monogram, RKO and Columbia. She eventually moved to Nevada and became a full-time novelist. She authored over 100 books, mostly gothic romance or gothic suspense. Her 1959 novel, Moura, is considered a highlight of contemporary gothic fiction. It has been reprinted numerous times and exists today in physical and digital editions. The bestselling novel also inspired four sequels.

The book begins in England in 1815 and stars an Irish woman named Anne Wicklow. Wicklow is employed as a housekeeper at Miss Nutting's Academy of Select Young Females, a type of boarding school. In the opening pages, Miss Nutting and three teachers are away, leaving discipline and schooling to Anne. One of her charges, Palla Florin, is from France and has recently arrived at the school. But, late one night her uncle, Edmund Moura, arrives at the school and notifies Anne that Palla is to be shipped back to her French home, the eponymous Castle Moura. Anne approves the request and shortly afterwards Palla leaves.

Weeks later, Anne begins receiving letters from Palla providing status updates. The letters begin on a positive note, but over time they become more desperate and darker. Anne, worried about Palla's health, decides to visit Castle Moura. Once there, she learns from Edmund and his servant Achilles that Palla has a lung disease and isn't at Castle Moura any longer. However, Edmund makes a lucrative offer to Anne to remain at the castle as the housekeeper. Unfortunately, she accepts.

Castle Moura is as dark as a mortuary drape. The Moura family is fairly disorganized so Anne spends a great deal of time exploring and cleaning the castle. But there's some weird stuff going on in the workplace. For example, there's packs of wolves that patrol the castle walls at night, prohibiting anyone from traveling after dark. A young servant is found dead and there are signs of a ghostly apparition haunting the dark corridors. Moura learns from a visitor that the preceding maid disappeared in the castle and that the Mouras may have been involved in her disappearance. When Anne makes a horrifying discovery in an upstairs bedroom, she learns that she may be a prisoner in this house of horror.

I really enjoyed this classic gothic tale. The central mystery of Palla's whereabouts is combined with Anne's own fear that something evil is lurking within the castle's walls. I found the surprise reveal quite satisfying and felt it really shaped the narrative going forward. Location, atmosphere and mysterious characters enhance the story, combining both horror, suspense and romance into a whirlwind of intrigue. I can certainly understand the book's popularity. Considering there's more to this story and its characters, I've already purchased used copies of the second and third installments.  

Anne Whitlow Series

1. Moura (New York, Crown 1959)
2. The Beckoning (New York, Ace 1965 and as The Beckoning from Moura 1977)
3. The Devil Vicar (New York, Ace, 1966; revised edition as Vicar of Moura 1972.)
4. The Dark Gondola (New York, Ace, 1968; and as The Dark Beyond Moura 1977)
5. The Vampyre of Moura (New York, Ace 1970)
6. Return to Moura (1999, same as The Devil Vicar)

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Gull #01 - That Man Gull

In detective novels, there have been instances where the protagonist was not necessarily a private investigator. In these stories, the characters can work as a newspaper reporter (Night Extra), accountant (Steve Bentley) or lawyer (City Limits), but still display the same features of a hard boiled detective. The same can be said for the espionage genre, with professions like arms-dealers (Your Friendly Neighborhood Death Peddler), bank-robbers (Earl Drake) and private-eyes (Chester Drum) submerging themselves into the global spy industry. That formula applies to Vladimir Gull. This was a six-book series of novels starring a freelance language translator authored by Anthony Stuart. The books were originally published in hardcover and then reprinted as paperbacks by Fawcett Popular Library beginning in 1981. I'm starting at the beginning with the series debut, That Man Gull.

Vladimir Chaikov was a soldier in the Russian Red Army before defecting to England in the late 1950s. Now, as Vladimir Gull, he's a freelance language translator that often accepts assignments working for the United Nations. In the book's opening pages, this is where readers find Gull. He's working in a small sound booth at a global meeting for foreign powers. Each country's chosen representative or leader is wearing a headset with their understood language being fed in by the interpreter. When Gull finds a gun to the back of his head, he's forced to relay a Soviet Union message to the English speakers. In the message, which is heard by China (for some reason), Gull relays that the Soviet Union and the United States have reached a peaceful agreement based on their concerns over China. Gull is then forced to read a list of war crimes committed by China before finally being knocked unconscious.

Upon his awakening, Gull learned that most of the hostilities had abated and that China had been informed of the false message. But, Gull has a suspicion that his former lover may have something to do with the scheme. The idea is that the message may intrigue China enough to purchase stolen Russian information. Stuart's narration puts Gull in Bucharest in search of that woman. On the way, he gets laid, chases a former CIA agent and avoids any action that could make That Man Gull interesting.

Stuart's writing is similar to that of Howard Hunt in that the novel contains extensive descriptions of European specialties, wines and culture. The writing is good, but there is simply not enough history here to enable Gull or his lovers to produce anything engaging for the reader. Often, I ended up counting the pages or jumping through long sequences of dialogue that have no impact on the story. At 220 pages, the book is likely 70 pages too many. Despite the cover of the book, the "hero" does not like firearms and at one point holds one, but is not familiar with it to actually use it. He even appears excited when he loses his weapon. These are not attributes that give me hope that the other five books are any better.

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Delaney #01 - Blind Justice

Charles Herbert Shaw (1900-1955) was an Australian journalist and author. In 1952, Shaw's first novel, Heaven Knows Mister Allison, became an international bestseller and he sold the film rights to Eastern Film Enterprises, Inc. In 1953, Shaw used the name Bant Singer to write You're Wrong, Delaney, the first of four novels starring a drifter named Dennis Delaney. The book was published as a hardcover by Collins in Europe. In the United States it was published as a paperback by Pyramid as Blind Alley.

Delaney is a card sharp that has ran pool rooms and small gambling circuits for a number of years. As a WW2 veteran, he can run roughshod over any players that become drunk or out of line. For the last year, Delaney has been working for a criminal named Martini. As the book begins, Delaney has fled to a town 100-miles away in Black Springs. It's here that he's being questioned by a police detective named Keough about his possible involvement in Martini's slaying. Delaney explains that he had a physical struggle with Martini's right-hand man, Peters, but that beyond that he has no knowledge of this man's death.

Keough, who is immediately likable, lets Delaney go under the strict rule that he cannot leave Black Springs while the investigation is still underway. Hard up for a dollar, Delaney finds the local pool hall and chums around with a man he calls Fats. Fats leads him to an illegal gambling scene where Delaney has Fats use loaded dice to win the duo a wad of cash. But, when Fats tries to leave with the money, Delaney tracks him into an alley. It's here that Fats is lying face down in what appears to be a drunken blackout. Delaney grabs the money and an envelope and heads to a hotel room. In the morning, he learns that Fats are dead. Now, Keough could possibly pen both Martini and Fats on Delaney.

With 190 pages of small print, there's plenty beyond Delaney just trying to clear his name. He falls in love with a maid named Kathy while trying to extort money from a bride named Elaine. Fats were having an affair with the woman and that valuable information was found in the envelope. For 500 bucks, Delaney won't say anything about the affair. Otherwise, Elaine's husband will be notified.

Shaw's writing style is really catchy. He writes it in the first person, but Delaney's narrative is more a story. According to The Australian Dictionary of Biography, Shaw wrote in a 'terse and laconic prose. It's really clever and funny with Delaney's downtrodden perspective on life and his experiences. While the series is described as being "detective-fiction", I can't really imagine Delaney as a detective. I'd like to obtain the other books in the series just to learn what Delaney is actually doing with those books. He's not a cop or a detective, more like a con artist similar to Frank Gruber's Johnny Fletcher. But for now, all I have is just this series debut and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Series Order:

1. You're Wrong Delaney (aka Blind Alley) 1953
2. Don't Slip, Delaney (1954)
3. Have Patience, Delaney (1954)
4. Your Move, Delaney (1956)

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Teen-Age Mobster (aka The Life and Times of a Tough Guy)

Benjamin Appel (1907-1977) grew up in Hell's Kitchen, NY, and attended the University of Pennsylvania and New York University. He authored over 20 novels between 1934 to 1977. Most of his crime-fiction involved the tough urban streets of New York City. One such example is the juvenile crime novel Life and Death of a Tough Guy. It was originally released in 1955 and republished by Stark House Press. In addition, Avon released the book as Teen-Age Mobster in 1960.

The book starts with the introduction of the main character, Joey Kasow, when he is four years old. He lives in Hell's Kitchen among the gangs and the criminal underworld of that era. Because of his speed, his father has him running errands throughout the city. But Joey, being Jewish, is at times taken by his peers and subjected to humiliating jokes and violent beatings. After running afoul of a young group of bullies, Joey takes his beating, but is later accepted by the pack. As the story progresses, Joey grows up with those children and establishes a street gang called 1-4-Alls. 

At the age of 15, Joey and some of the 1-4-All gang join a larger, more violent gang called The Badgers. This group is run by small-time hoods that become a staple in Joey's life. These seasoned criminals turn Joey and his friends into small-scale robbers working in department stores. This involves training the kids on how to avoid the retail cops and how to make a swift grab by consistently displaying an innocent face. 

Ultimately, Joey's rise to criminal superstardom involves the armed robbery of department stores and grocery stores. In January 1920, all bars and saloons of the nation were closed as a result of prohibition. The Badgers' gambling, whore and holdup money begin to seem elementary compared to the big bucks of running moonshine. Appel's narrative begins to tighten up as Joey Kasow becomes the gangster known as Joey Case. His rise to criminal stardom, his eventual struggles with a friend and former gang-associate Georgie and his love interest in a young woman named Sadie are all important elements of the story.

There's nothing not to dislike about this rags to riches story. It possesses many of the juvenile delinquent genre offerings of the era. As a biography of this fictional Joey Kasow character, Appel's narrative is often violent with historical references to Al Capone, Dutch Schultz and Thomas Dewey. If you like early mobster fiction or this notorious era of American history, I think you will enjoy Appel's novel. I'm not a huge fan of the run 'n gun 1920s and 1930s, so Teen-Age Mobster didn't quite grasp my attention as well as crime-noir novels set in later time periods. As a quick read, I mostly enjoyed it.

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Ben Corbin #1: Sgt. Corbin’s War

Among the over 100 books he authored employing a variety of pseudonyms, Con Sellers (1922-1992) wrote a six-book series starring a soldier-turned-CIA operative Ben Corbin under the pen name Robert Crane. The series debut was 1963's Sgt. Corbin’s War and it takes place long before the hero became a spy. 

It’s late in the Korean War, and U.S. Army Sergeant Ben Corbin is an unusual asset for the military. Having been born and raised in Korea by American missionaries, Corbin speaks the Korean language fluently, has a keen understanding of cultural norms, and a spitting hate for North Korean commies. As such, he’s the guy chosen to interrogate North Korean prisoners of war, something he does with a cruel and torturous glee. He’s also an unlikely hero in the novel’s opening scene as he removes the fingernails of an enemy P.O.W. with a sharpened bayonet. Regardless of your opinions on torture, it’s a rough read. 

Corbin has a pessimistic view of U.S. military leadership and believes that the war effort needs a hand-picked unit comprised of a few G.I.s and trusted Republic of Korea soldiers unbound by the red tape of a formal command structure. It would be a unit that could really take it to the NoKos without the handcuffs of the pesky Geneva Convention rules of war. He pitches this idea to a General who grants him low-key permission to form a unit to kill the enemy without any micromanaging. With that blessing, Corbin’s Invader Security Force is born. 

As Corbin begins hand-picking his fighting unit, his first stop is a sexy Korean woman named Kim Chuni, who was a key figure during the resistance against the Japanese rule over Korea that ended in 1945. Nowadays, she’s a black marketeer and underworld figure. Her ostensible job in Corbin’s war unit is interpreter, but her real role is providing intel on the ground as well as having regular sex with Corbin. The rest of Corbin’s Army is Korean fighters and hard-case Americans with a distaste for authority and a taste for blood. 

The battle scenes are vivid, violent and well-written. However, much of the paperback is dedicated to Corbin feeling deeply between the worlds of his Korean upbringing and his American blood. He’s also struggling with the legacy of a strict religious father whose evangelism left deep scars in Corbin. The overwritten trajectory of the romantic partnership of Corbin and Kim mostly left me cold as well. 

Overall, Sgt. Corbin’s War was just okay. Our friends at Spy Guys and Gals website say it’s the highlight of the series. As such, I don’t see much need to dive deeper into the world of Ben Corbin. 

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Ghost Bullet Range (aka Blood on the Saddle)

One of the most collectible pulp magazines of all time is the August 9, 1919 issue of All-Story Weekly. This publication featured the first of a five-part series called "The Curse of Capistrano". It was the first appearance of the wildly popular western hero known as Zorro. The character and story were created by Johnston McCulley (1883-1958), a World War I veteran from Ottawa, Illinois. Not only did McCulley create Zorro, but he excelled in the pulps by creating characters like The Crimson Clown, The Green Ghost and Black Star. Additionally, McCulley wrote hundreds of short stories and novelettes including Ghost Bullet Range. This novel first appeared in the September, 1942 issue of West. In 1944, Avon released the book as a paperback titled Blood on the Saddle. The book is now available in both softback and ebook version through Florida independent publisher Bold Venture Press.

Ghost Bullet Range features an experienced and highly respected trail boss named Phil Banniton. When readers first meet Banniton, he's in a firefight on the Kansas plains just outside of Dodge City. The fight stems from a quarrel the prior night over beer, poker and a gallon of testosterone. After Banniton won some money off of Sid Boyd, he becomes a target on the range. This gunfight is just an introduction to Banniton to insure readers that he's of the “admirable white-hat traditional western hero” variety. 

Later, one of Banniton's old friends shows up with a message. The Diamond W ranch, owned by Andy Walsh, is being bullied by a nest of land baron vipers. Banniton's reaction to this emotional message is mixed. Walsh raised Banniton and had groomed him as the ranch's successor. But the two had a falling out and Banniton resigned his position at the ranch. Banniton not only severed ties with Walsh, but also extinguished the romantic relationship he was having with Walsh's daughter Ella. Banniton still feels a sense of obligation to Walsh. Additionally, one of Banniton's best friends was murdered on the ranch. These emotions all play a part in Banniton's participation to defend the Diamond W.

McCulley's narrative moves at a brisk pace and is loaded with nonstop action. Banniton's investigation into who is killing off the Diamond W ranch hands is an interesting part of the story. As the body count grows, the only clue seems to be the vague words "spotted steer" that is often whispered by dying men. The trouble comes in waves as Banniton faces this mysterious killer, a rival ranch and a nemesis that's pressuring Walsh to sell the ranch cheaply.

There's nothing to really dislike about Ghost Bullet Range. As an early 20th century western, it contains all of the likable aspects of the genre - noble hero, savage range war, damsel in distress and the evil rival rancher. The spotted steer clue resulted in a rather disappointing revelation, but this wasn't a deal breaker. McCulley's propulsive pace placed these characters in many different locations throughout the story. As a reader, I never found myself confined to a saloon, ranch, prairie or house. The action is a spread out to deliver a more epic presentation.

If you like classic westerns, Ghost Bullet Range is sure to please. Buy a copy of the book and support independent publishing HERE.

Where Are the Children?

With decades of bestsellers, Mary Higgins Clark (1927-2020) was considered the queen of suspense. Of her 51 novels, the majority contained women in precarious situations, both physically and emotionally. In 1964, she began writing four-minute radio scripts before expanding into novels. Her first book, Aspire to the Heavens, is a fictional account of George Washington's life. After that flopped in 1968, she transcended into the suspense genre. Her second novel, Where Are the Children?, was published in 1975 as a runaway best-seller. 

Years ago, young California native Nancy Harmon was arrested for allegedly smothering her two children in the backseat of her car. After their bodies were dumped in the ocean, a sensational trial swept the nation. In court, Nancy's character became questionable and a key witness, one of her husband's students, would have been the condemning voice. After jury members were overheard in a restaurant declaring her guilty, a new trial was ordered. The key witness surprisingly skipped town and was never heard from again. Nancy was never convicted, her husband committed suicide, and then she disappeared out of public view.

Now, decades later, Nancy has a new life in the quaint coastal town of Cape Cod. It's here that she's married to a real estate broker named Ray. The couple have two young children and are living a blissful, uneventful life. Besides her husband and one of his sales agents, the town isn't aware that Nancy Eldredge is the same Nancy Harmon that became a media sensation years before. 

In the opening pages of the book, readers learn that a psycho has leaked the secret surrounding Nancy Eldredge to the local paper. However, his request was that the local newspaper holds the story until her birthday. Clark's novel takes place on the day of Nancy's birthday, a heartbreaking 24-hour thriller. Not only did the psychopath plan to leak the story to the press, he also planned to kidnap her two children in a sadistic repeat of the shocking events from years ago. When Nancy discovers that her two children have disappeared from the backyard, chaos ensues and the whole town wonders where the children are.

Admittedly, I was skeptical to read a novel by Mary Higgins Clark. Throughout my childhood, I remember my aunts and grandmothers reading her books and would often see the overly dramatic commercials for numerous television adaptations. Despite my recent obsession with gaudy gothic paperbacks, I still believed that Clark may just be a bit too hokey for me. I now realize I did Clark and her fans a serious disservice. Where Are the Children? is fantastic.

The novel certainly has a surplus of suspense, but it also has everything that readers of detective novels will be able to profit from. The likable town sheriff plays an important role and provides the appropriate procedural techniques under the most unfavorable conditions. With an ice storm obstructing the investigation, there are intense interrogations, detailed manhunts and roadblocks to keep the characters and readers busy.

I also thought the mystery of Nancy's entire life was absolutely fascinating. She had more information on the death of her family in California, and this element is cleverly concealed for most of Clark's story. That trial's mysterious key witness also plays a large role with an extortion gamble similar to a good mid 20th century crime-noir. Who is the psychopath, what is his relationship with Nancy and will he succeed are all questions that consume the central framework of the book. 

Despite all the preconceptions you have about Mary Higgins Clark, you really need to read one of her novels. I strongly recommend Where Are the Children? But beware, it's violent, disturbing, scary and a consuming page-turner. 

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Psi-Power #01: Brain Twister

Using the joint pseudonym of Mark Phillips, science fiction authors Randall Garrett (1927-1987) and Laurence Janifer (1933-2002) collaborated on a three-book series starring an FBI agent chasing psychic spies that began with 1959’s Brain Twister (Original Title: That Sweet Little Old Lady). The novel was nominated for a Hugo Award and remains available today under the authors’ real names.

Brain Twister takes place in the distant future of 1971 where we join our hero, FBI Special Agent Kenneth Malone, nursing a hangover when he is interrupted by his boss summoning him to save America from a dire threat. Malone is 26 years-old and has been an FBI agent for three years. In that time, he’s cracked some pretty big cases and is regarded as the director’s secret weapon to combat this current threat.

The U.S government has conducted research involving telepathy, and has developed a machine to detect telepathic activity and mind reading. It’s like a smoke detector for psychic energies, but it doesn’t pinpoint who the psychic is or where he’s located. The machine just identifies that a particular individual’s mind is being read.

While experimenting with the new machine on a secret installation in Nevada, the scientists discover that someone is invading the brains of other scientists working on a highly-classified project involving space travel. The base has been penetrated by a telepathic spy, and the FBI needs Malone to ferret him out of hiding and neutralize him before U.S. government secrets fall into the wrong hands.

So what we have here is a pretty cool setup for a science fiction espionage mystery. The execution will be familiar to fans of police procedural crime novels. Malone embarks on a perfectly logical investigation utilizing FBI manpower to shag leads bringing him closer to the truth. Without giving too much away, he enlists the help of an unlikely ally in completing his mission, causing the book to veer into some wacky places.

There are some genuinely funny scenes and too many overly-silly ones. At times, it reminded me more of a Donald Westlake madcap crime caper than a hardboiled novel of the future. The solution to the mystery owed more to Sherlock Holmes-style deduction than psychic intervention. Overall, this old paperback was a lot of fun to read, and I’m looking forward to the second installment. Recommended.

Addendum:

The chronology of this series is a little confusing as the three novels were originally serialized in sci-fi digest magazines and then re-titled for paperback releases with no indication they were part a series.

1. Brain Twister - Originally “That Sweet Little Old Lady” (1959/1962)
2. The Impossibles - Originally “Out Like a Light” (1960/1963/1966)
3. Supermind - Originally “Occasion for Disaster” (1960-1961/1963)

Your best bet may be dishing out $2 for all three books on your Kindle HERE

The Extortioners

Ovid Demaris (1919-1998) wrote nearly 20 novels of crime-fiction as well as 14 non-fiction books about crime. The author has been reintroduced to new generations of readers with publishers like Cutting Edge Books and Armchair Fiction reprinting his work. The author's fifth career novel, The Extortioners, was originally published by Fawcett Gold Medal in 1960. Since then, it has been reprinted as an e-book by Hauraki Publishing in 2016 and by Armchair Fiction in 2019 as a double with Henry Kane's 1954 paperback Laughter Came Screaming.

Hugh Dewitt has endured many hardships and tribulations on the road to becoming a millionaire. Dewitt, who frequented gambling joints, experienced the loss of his young son in an auto accident. The insurance payout insured Dewitt's family for life, allowing him to invest and buy into the lucrative oil industry. Dewitt's friend and business associate is Neil Gordon, a man he trusts and confides in. Together, the two have grown a small empire.

In the opening pages of the book, Dewitt organizes a party in his large mansion. Angelo Rizzola, Dewitt's former bookie, learns about the party and appears uninvited. Both Dewitt and Gordon are shocked by his appearance, but eventually discuss old times over a few drinks. Angelo insists on investing in Dewitt' business. Hesitant about discussing business with Angelo, he volunteers that his company will be selling a 2% overriding royalty that pays about $5,000 per month. He cannot guarantee that it is still for sale and he has no idea if Angelo can even buy it. All Angelo hears is the payout and states he can come up with the needed funds.

Where does a criminal get a loan? The mob. Without any guarantee that he can even purchase the royalty, Angelo calls a dangerous mob organizer named Jimmy Gracio. Angelo explains the deal and Jimmy immediately says they can share the buy-in, although neither of them know the price. Jimmy has graduated from mob enforcer to organizer and now owns stock in multiple hotels and corporations. This is his chance to finally allocate funds to the oil industry. He tells Angelo to set it up. The problem? The royalty offer has already taken place and has been approved by the company for another person to buy it. 

The author's extremely violent narrative begins with Angelo endlessly calling Dewitt's secretary asking for a callback. Next, both Angelo and Jimmy begin working on Gordon in person and by phone. After numerous threats, Gordon advises Angelo that he knows nothing about the proposed deal and that Dewitt was just saying anything at the party to get Angelo to leave. There's no royalty for sale and Angelo will need to chase another business venture. Angelo relays this to Jimmy and all Hell breaks loose.

Jimmy feels like a victim of discrimination and starts threatening Gordon and Dewitt. Once he targets Dewitt's family, the business associates make the unfortunate mistake of going to the police. The story breaks out into a crescendo of bloodshed and suspense when Jimmy starts using years of experience to extort the family. Is it possible for Dewitt to escape this fiasco alive?

Like Ride the Gold Mare, The Long Night and The Enforcer, The Extortioners is laced with brutality. Demaris was an expert on organized crime and pulls no punches in describing their threatening methods. In some ways this story reminded me of John D. MacDonald's The Executioners (twice filmed as Cape Fear). The endless physical and psychological abuse of attorney Sam Bowden and his loved ones by Max Cady is similar to this story, though MacDonald's novel was published three years before The Extortioners. 

Aside from a mediocre novel here and there, Ovid Demaris was a rock solid crime-noir author. In my personal experience, The Extortioners is his best work. With two reprint options available, there's no reason you shouldn't be reading this.

Buy the e-book HERE and the paperback HERE

The House of Numbers

Walter Braden, Jack Finney (born John Finney, 1911-1995) was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended Knox College in Illinois. Aside from being an advertising writer in New York, Finney wrote a number of novels using the name Jack Finney. Many of his literary works have been adapted for film and television, including The Body Snatchers, Good Neighbor Sam, Assault on a Queen and the subject at hand, The House of Numbers. This was the author's third career novel and was initially published in 1956.

Arnie and his girlfriend Ruth become engaged and Arnie is looking for the perfect ring. Despite having very little money, Arnie buys an expensive ring with a check that won't clear the bank. After making rounds, Arnie cashes a bunch of checks at various retailers for cash and deposits the money. Needles to say, Arnie ends up in California's San Quentin prison for check fraud. According to this novel, most prisoners had sentences that were listed as the number of years to life. In Arnie's case, he's serving five years and his criminal record is five years to life. That's important to know.

In the first chapters, the prison warden summons Arnie to his office and explains that another prisoner saw him assault a guard. Arnie did it, but thought no one was around to witness the assault. The warden threatens Arnie to explain his actions, otherwise he will accept the other prisoner's testimony as fact. Arnie refuses and he's sent back to his cell to await whatever fate he's destined for. Now, referring to this Californian law, Arnie knows that anyone with a "life sentence" that attacks a prison guard is guaranteed a death by lethal injection. Either Arnie leaves the prison as a corpse or an escaped convict. That's when his brother Ben becomes involved.

Arnie reaches out to Ben and begs that he break him out of San Quentin, one of the most fortified prisons in the country. Along with Arnie's fiance Ruth, Ben begins scouting the prison and designing a plan to liberate his brother. Ben and Ruth move into a neighborhood near the prison and learn that their neighbor is actually one of the prison guards. This becomes a real problem when the guard casually mentions to Ben that he's seen him at the prison visiting an inmate. Arnie's escape would surely be linked to Ben. 

Finney's narrative unfolds as a unique first-person presentation from both Ben and Arnie. Although the author does not necessarily specify who is speaking, the reader can instantly decipher it depending on where and with whom the character speaks. Another unique aspect of this prison break story is the means by which the escape occurs. Ben formulates a plan to break into the prison and assume the role of Arnie. This frees up Arnie's time to work on the getaway through an elaborate combination of underground excavation and warehouse work. While Ben becomes the prisoner, Arnie is essentially a free man. This adds an alluring enhancement to the narrative; will one brother betrays another? The plot thickens when Ben and Ruth develop a romantic chemistry.

The House of Numbers was a good crime novel that used some new tricks to spice up the average prison break formula. I liked the concept and the various questions it presented - will the guard rat out Ben, can the warden be trusted, is Ruth serious about her passion for Ben, will Arnie become greedy? These questions are all asked and answered over the course of the book. Getting there was really fun. If you enjoy prison break novels, The House of Numbers is a dependable selection.

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The Secret of Haverly House

From the book notes, Carolyn Bauman was born in Oakland, California. After attending UCLA, she won many poetry awards and published short stories in a variety of magazines. Her only known novel was a gothic mystery titled The Secret of Haverly House. It was first published by Bantam in 1966 and then reprinted with different artwork by the same publisher in 1975.

Young, Heather Lane responds to a classified ad in a San Francisco newspaper. The ad asks for an assistant for a senior woman named Mulvina Haverly. After an interview with Mulvina's grandchild, Winston, Heather correctly pronounces the name of the house as Waverly House despite its printed name of Haverly House. Winston is impressed by this, along with Heather's background, credentials, and hires her. The opening pages of the book have Winston driving Heather along the winding roads to the seaside mansion known as Haverly House.

The vast mansion has 50 rooms, most of them unused. As a matter of fact, the whole left wing of the house is largely abandoned. A seemingly endless maze of corridors exists just for collecting dusty furniture. This is the wing that Winston's Aunt Julia resides in when she comes to visit her husband Calvin. Over the course of the introductory tour, Heather feels that Winston and Julia have been in a long-standing conflict and generally hate each other. Unfortunately, Winston places Heather's bedroom in this desolate left wing of the mansion.

As a 1960s gothic paperback, Haverly House has to be haunted. Heather often gets the impression that she's being watched. She feels a macabre presence in the hallways and often hears or sees signs that someone is lurking outside of her room. Of course, Winston disagrees along with a rather prudish family servant named Mrs. Anderson. This critique forces Heather in a state of doubt and uncertainty. Is she turning into a crazy psycho?

The Secret of Haverly House is another average gothic paperback surrounded by stacks and stacks of average gothic paperbacks. The market was saturated with these novels and the genre's enticing cover art never paused sales. There is nothing innovative or original about Bauman's story, but like a traditional spooky tale, it succeeds. There's a central mystery, a slight love interest and enough atmosphere draping everything in a misty haze. My only complaint is the amount of questions Heather asks herself throughout the narrative. The flood of rhetorical questions became a burden over the course of the book. Otherwise, it was enjoyable enough to stay in my collection.

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The Collector Comes After Payday

The August 1953 issue of Manhunt featured a novella from Kansas native and World War 2 U.S. Army veteran Fletcher Flora (1914-1968) that has been reprinted on its own and as part of The Second Fletcher Flora Mystery Megapack from Wildside Press.

Frankie is a down-and-out loser living in a crappy apartment on Skid Row. He grew up and still lives with an abusive, drunken and bullying father, and the paternal indignities have continued into Frankie’s young adulthood. One evening after the old man humiliates Frankie in a crowded bar, he makes up his mind that dad needs to die.

In the dark and twisted world of Manhunt magazine, killing is the easy part. Getting away with murder is frequently the real challenge. Frankie’s plan to dodge justice is quickly derailed by unforeseen events that he initially regards as a lucky gift from above. When you read enough crime fiction stories, you know that there’s no such thing as a free murder, and the luck of a loser never lasts. There’s always a cost.

“The Collector Comes After Payday” is a nasty cautionary tale that reminded me of the work of David Goodis. The ending wasn’t particularly twisty, but I was never bored as the pages flew by through the novella’s seven short chapters. The story only costs a buck on your Kindle device, and it’s well worth the investment. Recommended.

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The Woman is Mine

Harry Whittington preferred to sell his novels to Fawcett Gold Medal because the paperback imprint paid more and sold more units than rival publishers. As a result, his best works were published with the telltale yellow spines, including his 1954 thriller, The Woman is Mine.

Minnesotan Jeff Patterson is on vacation alone on a Florida beach unwinding after an Army stint in Korea. The single woman in the next cabana has been catching his eye. His first attempt to chat her up lands with a thud. The woman actually seemed terrified and guarded. Later that night, she attempts suicide only to be saved by Jeff. What gives with this girl?

Back at Jeff’s cabana, he doesn’t get much information from her other than her name is Paula and someone is out to get her. Just as she lets her guard down and decides to share her story with Jeff, men with a warrant arrive to take her away. The man at the door explains that he’s a psychiatrist, and the girl’s name is really Mrs. Joyce Glisdale. He explains that she’s a delusional paranoiac requiring sedation and a forcible return to the psychiatric facility from which she escaped. Before Jeff can discern the truth, the men are gone with Paula/Joyce in custody.

This is one of the best setups, I can recall for a 1950s suspense thriller. Someone isn’t telling the truth here. Is she really a lunatic named Joyce or a scared victim named Paula being kidnapped by weird dudes? For his part, Jeff is smitten and sets out to find out the truth about Paula/Joyce and the mysterious sanitarium where they are holding her. The more he snoops around, the fishier the shrink’s story seems.

Jeff’s amateur sleuthing is a total pleasure to follow. Every step closer to the truth opens a new door that begs several other questions. The novel recalled the popular movies by Alfred Hitchcock, and the suspicious and guarded sanitarium reminded me of Dennis Lehane’s Shutter Island. All of this leads to a revelatory conclusion that ties up the mysteries in a creative and satisfying manner.

The Woman is Mine is one of the finest Harry Whittington novels I’ve read and I’m baffled why the literary arms race to reprint Whittington’s greatest hits has left this paperback behind. With a bit of searching and know-how, used copies from 1954 are available from online sellers of vintage paperbacks. This one is worth the effort and expense. Recommended. 

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Do Evil in Return

Margaret Ellis Millar (born Margaret Ellis Sturm, 1915-1994) was a mystery writer originally from Ontario, Canada. In 1938, Margaret married Kenneth Millar, the author who used the pseudonym Ross Macdonald to create and write the bestselling Lew Archer character. Margaret Millar authored over 25 novels, including series titles like Paul Pry, Inspector Sands and Tom Aragon. My first experience with Millar is her 1950 Dell paperback Do Evil in Return. In 2006, Stark House Press reprinted the book as a double along with the author's 1957 novel An Air That Kills.

Charlotte Keating is a private-practicing physician who lives and works in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. One evening before close she receives a young woman named Violet. Desperate for help, Violet tells Charlotte that she is a married woman from Oregon who had an affair with a married man and is now four months pregnant. The purpose of her visit is to request Charlotte to perform an abortion. Charlotte rejects and explains that the term of pregnancy is too advanced while reminding Violet that abortions are illegal. Charlotte learns that Violet rents a one-bedroom apartment in town. While offering to bring her there, Violet runs away. 

Afterwards, readers learn about Charlotte's emotional problems. She has an extended relationship with a married man named Lewis. Her mental barriers are thick with a sense of insecurity, self-doubt and vulnerability. She wants Lewis to divorce his spouse or just have the internal fortitude to end their own long affair. With all of these underlining conditions, Charlotte somehow feels as if she has failed Violet.

On the other side of the city, Charlotte speaks with one of Violet's neighbors and has the impression that they are not pleasant people. After her visit, Charlotte shockingly learns that Violet’s body has washed ashore and all signs point to a suicidal drowning as the cause of death. 

Charlotte's brief participation in the young lady's life has now become rather dangerous and complex. Violet’s violent uncle and conniving husband break into Charlotte’s house and attempt to extort her for money. She refuses and things quickly become grim when a skeptical police detective starts asking questions about Charlotte's role in Violet's suicide. When Violet's husband and uncle are discovered with bullet holes in the head, Charlotte finds herself in a whirling nightmare.

Millar's plot was structured as a suspenseful mystery with a handful of characters who might have turned out to be a killer. I liked the author's inclusion of extramarital affairs and the way these characters viewed themselves and their marriages. Except for Charlotte, nearly all the characters were married and had difficult relationships. Millar’s unmarried characters "survive" the ordeal. It seems to me that Millar's suggestion is that two people can find independent happiness. 

While Millar is considered a mystery writer, I also like to think of Do Evil in Return as a stylish crime-noir. It has some detective procedural elements, the concept of an average citizen thrust into extreme circumstances and the alarming idea that an innocent person could find themselves guilty of a crime they didn't commit. These are all genre tropes that adapt uniformly to most of these crime novels of the mid-20th century. As a short read, I found it to be an entertaining experience. 

Note: There is an informative biography HERE that discusses Millar’s fascinating life, influences and her superb writing style. 

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