Sam Durell #13 - Assignment-Lowlands

The 13th adventure starring CIA troubleshooter Sam Durell was Assignment-Lowlands from 1961. By this point in the series, author Edward S. Aarons had fully embraced the character that would carry him to his death in 1975 after authoring 42 installments starring the Cajun spy.

A romantic weekend with his girlfriend on the Chesapeake Bay is cut short by a phone call summoning Sam to a meeting in a London pub to accept his next assignment. Two days earlier, every CIA operative around the world was put on high alert and told to be ready for something big. That time is now.

After a brief stop in London that provides the reader no insight into the crisis, Sam continues to Amsterdam. Upon meeting his CIA safehouse host, Sam finds the man dying of a rare virus. Before he expires, he sends Sam to the Northern Holland island of Scheersplaat (not on Google Maps - possibly fictional?) to meet a man who unleashed this virus upon the world from a bunker. Naturally, the CIA’s man in Amsterdam dies before providing any pertinent details - just a map to the target location in the Frisian Islands in Northern Holland.

"Operation Cassandra” was an undeployed Nazi bioweapons program during WW2 that has been unearthed and somehow released from an underground lab on a remote island in Holland. This is the kind of thing that would make the Bubonic Plague look like a head cold, and Sam needs to contain it without becoming infected along the way.

Neither Sam nor his CIA colleagues knows who unearthed this buried laboratory of the Nazi virologists, but whoever is behind this is trying to blackmail the USA for money to keep the disease from spreading worldwide. This creates a mystery for Sam to solve while on the ground in Holland. Think Jack Bauer meets Sam Spade.

Sam finds himself face-to-face with the terrorist behind this plot fairly early in the paperback, and he’s one of the best villains I can recall in ages. Menacing and unhinged - but not cartoonish. There are further layers of adversaries baked into the plot - each one better than the last.

I’ve read a handful of Aaron’s Sam Durell Assignment adventures, and this one is by far the best thus far. The plot moves at a great pace akin to an episode of 24 and Sam shows way more personality than usual. The setting was great, and the aspirations of the characters were always logical.

The paperback had elements of a maritime adventure, a hardboiled mystery, and a treasure hunt - all the wrapping of a 1960s spy adventure. If these types of stories broadly appeal to you, you’re gonna love this Assignment. You can get Edward S. Aarons books HERE.

Antique Store Crime-Fiction

In this video, Eric journeys north to St. Mary's Georgia to locate a lone bookshelf buried in an old antique store. This video shows the vintage crime-fiction hardbacks stored there by authors Richard and Frances Lockridge. Eric presents a brief overview of the Mr. & Mrs. North, Lieutenant Heimrich, and Detective Nathan Shapiro crime-fiction titles. Stream on the YouTube app HERE or watch below:

Unboxing Operation Hang Ten

In today's video, Eric unboxes the entire Operation Hang Ten series. This was a title created by Lyle Keynon Engel and published between 1969 and 1973. Eric has a brief history of the title and author and examines each paperback in the collection. Stream the video HERE or watch below. Be sure to subscribe for weekly videos.

Simon Ark #03 - The Witch is Dead

“The Witch is Dead” was the third Simon Ark story, and it appeared in Famous Detective Stories' April 1956 issue. It was reprinted in the Fall 1966 issue of Startling Mystery Stories. There were a total of at least 45 Ark stories, and they are all penned by Edward D. Hoch. The concept is that Ark travels the globe searching for Satan while also solving crimes that possess a weird menace. Most of the stories include an unnamed narrator presenting the story in first-person. 

The story begins with the narrator describing a woman named Marie Carrio and her career as a fortune-teller named Mother Fortune (how original). She operates her mammoth crystal ball in Westchester County, New York. The narrator states that Mother Fortune died in a burst of flames and that her death proved even more fantastic than her life. 

The narrator then describes the events leading up to Mother Fortune's fiery demise, which is the story. He says it was October in 1950 and he was now working for Neptune Books, a paperback publisher (great nod to the era). He is now married to a woman named Shelly. He meets Simon Ark unexpectedly at a train station. Ark catches up with the narrator on the last couple of years since they had worked together. He says, “There is evil everywhere these days, and it is most difficult to separate the man-made evil from the more ancient type.” This statement pretty much sums up the Simon Ark series – deciphering supernatural or simple logic. 

Ark explains to the narrator that he is in Westchester County to investigate weird happenings at the Hudsonville College for Women. The narrator laughs when Ark advises that the college has somehow become cursed by Mother Fortune. Three students are near death and another forty are critically ill. Ark is there to determine the real cause of the outbreak and if it is somehow linked to an unfortunate event that occurred between Mother Fortune and the school years ago.

This was probably my least favorite of the Simon Ark stories thus far. The plot development was a bit murky and the final solution to the school's epidemic was hard to believe. I enjoyed the exchanges between Ark and the narrator and appreciated the PI-esque investigation. The story just moved a little too slow with such a limp payoff. With this many stories across four decades the output is certainly going to vary. You could skip this one.

Paperback Warrior Primer - Jon Messmann

Whether you enjoy men's action-adventure, adult westerns, comics, mysteries, vigilante sagas, or gothic romance, there's something for everyone when it comes to author Jon Messmann (1920-2004). We have covered so many of his books and titles thanks to publishers like Cutting Edge Books reprinting his work for modern readers. Hopefully, today's primer will shine a light on his life and literary work.

Jon Messmann was born in 1920. His parents forced him to play violin and some sources stated he really disliked playing music and preferred writing. In 1940, he began writing for the up-and-coming comic industry, a period known as the Golden Age of Comic Books. His first gig was for Fawcett Comics, an early, successful comic book publisher of that era. His co-workers were a dream-team of comic book icons such as Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, and Chic Stone. Messmann wrote for a decade on titles like Captain Marvel Jr., Human Torch, Sub-Mariner, Gabby Hayes, Don Winslow of the Navy, Tex Ritter, and Nyoka: The Jungle Girl.

In 1950, Messmann, co-created Carousel, an 8-page tabloid comics section in the Pittsburg Courier. This featured many of Messmann's comic ideas like secret agents, historical romance, sea adventure, private-eyes, jungle girls and even fairy tales. Carousel lasted five years and was distributed by New York's Smith-Mann Syndicate. But, Messmann wanted to get into writing full-length, paperback originals.

Beginning in the 1960s, Messmann’s transition into paperback full-length novels began with Lyle KenyonEngel’s star franchise, Nick Carter: Killmaster. Messmann’s first contribution to that series was it's 37th installment, 14 Seconds to Hell, published in 1968. The series, authored by a selection of ghost writers under the name Nick Carter, was a firm stepping stone for Messmann. The series paralleled the pulp industry in terms of campy, over-the-top secret-agent action. Messmann’s experience writing comics and comic strips made him a viable workhorse for Engel to rely on. The author contributed 14 more installments through 1970 before departing the series. Most Nick Carter fans will list Messmann in the highest tier of series contributors.

Engel, pleased with Messmann’s production, paired him with another Killmaster author named George Snyder for a series called Hot Line in 1970. The series lasted only three installments with Messmann only contributing to the debut, Our Spacecraft is Missing!. Again, this allowed Messmann to develop a modern secret-agent, in this case a President’s Man type of hero named Fowler.

Also in 1970, while writing Killmaster novels Messman wrote two books starring a vagabond hero named Logan. They were inspired by John D. MacDonald’s successful character Travis McGee. The books are Logan and Killers at Sea and were authored under the pseudonym Alan Joseph. Both books have been reprinted as new editions under Messmann's name. You can obtain them HERE.

Just like Gil Brewer, Dean R. Koontz, Hillary Waugh, and Gardner F. Fox, Jon Messmann also authored gothic romance paperbacks. The pseudonyms he used for these novels was Claudette Nicole and Claud Nicole.

After Mack Bolan's saga was unveiled in the hit series The Executioner in the late 1960s and early 70s, publishers began searching for vigilante fiction. In 1973, Signet began publishing a vigilante series called The Revenger, written by Jon Messmann. He crafted these novels through 1975 while also creating and writing another character, Jefferson Boone: Handyman. The sexual escapades of The Revenger's Ben Martin, Jefferson Boone: Handyman, and the Nick Carter series before that, led Messmann to what would ultimately become his meal ticket – Skye Fargo.

By 1978, adult western fiction rose to prominence and was led by a series heavyweight in Lou Cameron's Longarm. The concept was simply to incorporate two to three graphic sex scenes into a traditional western. The main character fights the bad guys and pleases the bad girls. Messmann, following the trend, created The Trailsman series in 1980 for Signet. Like Don Pendleton's The Executioner, Messmann had created an iconic hero in Skye Fargo – lake blue eyes/bed mattress Olympian – and placed him in nearly 400 total installments. Of those, Messmann wrote nearly half up until his retirement using the pseudonym Jon Sharpe. The publisher then handed the series over to a rotation of ghost writers using the Sharpe house name.

Messmann also created the short-lived Canyon 'O Grady western series in 1989 and authored three installments. It was rumored that Messmann had never been to the western regions of the U.S., instead writing every Trailsman and Canyon 'O Grady novel from the comfort of his Manhattan apartment.

Messmann even dipped his typewriter in the romance waters. Using the pseudonym Pamela Windsor, he wrote three romance novels for Jove from 1977 through 1980. He also authored a horror novel called The Deadly Deep in 1976 for New American Library, and thrillers like Phone Call for Signet in 1979, Jogger's Moon in 1980 for Penguin, and the western The Last Snow in 1989 for Random House. He also authored the stand-alone crime-fiction mystery novel A Bullet for the Bride in 1972 for Pyramid.

Jon Messmann died in 2004 at the age of 84 in a New York nursing home. His books are widely circulated and can often be found in just about any used bookstore across America. The fact that fans like myself are still discussing his literature is a true testament of his storytelling talent. Get many of his books and titles right HERE.

Joe Bain #02 - The Pleasant Grove Murders

Sheriff Joe Bain serves fictitious San Rodrigo County, California. He is a Korean War vet with an estranged wife and a teenage daughter. Bain is also a by-the-books guy, but is a little more elementary and basic when it comes to your average police procedural. He's what I describe as barnyard dumb, rough around the edges, and has a unique likability that may compare to Hoke Moseley. The character was created by John Holbrook Vance, a science-fiction and fantasy author that dipped his toes in mystery fiction with a handful of novels. There were only two published Joe Bain books. The first, The Fox Valley Murders, I reviewed HERE and discussed on the podcast HERE. But, I also read the series second and last installment, The Pleasant Grove Murders.

The premise for the novel is the murder of a young mailman named Ken. Bain must determine if someone murdered a mailman, who just happened to be Ken that day, or if they were intentionally killing Ken, who just happened to be the mailman that day. You see the mystery here? However, when more murders begin to pile up the mystery expands into some pretty posh places. 

Like the first Bain book, this novel introduces a small backstory on events that happened to a high school kid named Sam, Ken's best friend. Vance introduces a proposed marriage between two prominent families, a who-can-outdo-who class clash, and some scandalous neighborhood affairs. It all washes out in the end but the real joy is just sorting through the suspects in a befuddled Bain sort of way. 

Vance included a campaign election to entertain readers between bodies hitting the floor in Bain's debut. This novel also offers an enjoyable time-waster as well. Bain and his mother are flirting with the idea of running a country hotel complete with a dive bar and alcohol. The town questions the Sheriff dealing with the town's riffraff on a personal level but also the fact that he learned about the hotel sale through his professional endeavors. Should a Sheriff be able to gain insider information for his own gain? It is a good debate between the town. In some ways it reminds me of those outlandish scenarios presented on the old 90s television show Picket Fences. 

I really enjoy the Joe Bain character and hated to learn that this is really it. Two published books. However, there is an unfinished and unedited loose outline of a third Bain book out there too. I've never read it because I just don't consider it to be a finished product suitable for public consumption. It is a shame that Vance never wrote anything else about this crazy little community. Buy a copy of the book HERE.

Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 105

Today's brand-new episode focuses on one of the most polarizing authors of the early to mid 20th century, Sydney Horler. He wrote 150 books and authored over 1,000 short stories while waging a headline war with his contemporaries. We dive into his life, his involvement in London's criminal underworld, and the many series titles and characters he created. Eric also reviews a private-eye novel from 1984 and discusses a heated marital dispute in the parking lot of a Jacksonville bookstore. Play the episode below or on any streaming platform. Download the episode HERE. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast and follow us on Facebook, X, and YouTube. 

Listen to "Episode 105: The Crazy Career of Sydney Horler" on Spreaker.

Simon Ark #02 - Hoofs of Satan

The Famous Detective Stories February 1956 issue includes “Hoofs of Satan”, the second appearance of occult detective Simon Ark. He first appeared in the magazine a few months earlier. Those of you unaware of the character there were at least 45 Simon Ark stories and they were all authored by series creator Edward D. Hoch. Ark travels the world searching for the Devil while investigating bizarre occurrences that suggest an evil presence. He teams with an unnamed narrator that progresses from a reporter to a publisher and then a partner with Ark in a detective agency. 

“The Hoofs of Satan” takes place in the winter of 1945 in North Bradshire, a village that lies on the edge of a forest on one of the main highways from London to the coast. The narrator, in third-person this time, describes it as a relic of the Middle Ages that somehow survived the 20th century. Simon Ark is there to investigate the village and later explains to a Chief Inspector that a hundred years ago several villages in that area discovered strange cloven hoof-prints in the snow. The villagers followed the path of the prints through the forest but came to a certain point where the dogs would just howl but go no further. 

Simon Ark, the Inspector, and the village mayor examine new hoof-prints that have appeared in North Bradshire. The trio interview the owner of a house where the majority of the hoof-prints appear. A man named Summers agrees to help the group find answers on who – or what – is making these tracks. Ark has some suspicions and meets with a neighbor named Hunt, a strikingly beautiful married woman that was a popular actress before her retirement a couple of years ago. Ark believes there may be some connection between Hunt, her husband, and Summers. A love triangle? But, what does that have to do with hoof-prints?

Despite Ark's explanation of the weird happenings in North Bradshire, the story eventually drifts into familiar territory in these Ark stories. There is a logical explanation, a murder, and a central mystery on who the killer is. The prints in the snow are unusual but explained in the story's conclusion. As the story ends there is a dark tone as readers discover that Ark may have dished out vigilante justice. The ending suggests that maybe there was a supernatural element marked by Ark leaving an ankh behind. 

This was a fun bit of escapism that puts Ark into the role of leading a mystery investigation. The story is more procedural and follows a well-worn template but it still works well. Readers gain a few tidbits about Ark along the way which contributes to the grand mystery of who the heck Ark really is. As usual, suspend your disbelief and have fun with it. That's what the Simon Ark stories are really about. 

You can obtain this story by purchasing City of Brass: And Other Simon Ark Stories. It is a collection published by Mysterious Press and it features three Ark stories. You can buy it HERE.

Friday the 13th - Friday the 13th Part 3

In one of the more bizarre occurrences in paperback history, two film novelizations occurred for Paramount's Friday the 13th Part 3 (often listed with III). The first was authored by Michael Avallone, a crime-fiction author that wrote the popular Ed Noon series of detective fiction as well as early installments in the Nick Carter: Killmaster series. Avallone wasn't a complete stranger to spookville. He also wrote gothic romance novels that possessed a familiar supernatural scent that appealed to 1970s readers. His F13 novelization was timed perfectly for the release of the film to theaters in 1982. However, Signet hired Simon Hawke, who had previously penned the prior two Friday the 13th novelizations, to write his own novelization of Friday the 13th Part 3 in 1988. Weird, right?

I like Avallone's writing so I chose to read his take on the film first. As a kid, I rented Friday the 13th films so much that the tapes were at my house more than the rental store. I also camped in front of cable television in the late 80s watching the USA Network air the films every Saturday on the Captain USA show or their Saturday Nightmares prime-time spot. Needless to say, I knew what the next page was going to offer. 

Avallone mostly sticks to the script for 90% of the book. If you haven't seen the film, this one has Jason attacking teen visitors at a nearby farm called Higgins Haven, which is adjacent to the Camp Crystal Lake original battleground. Many fans call this film “the barn one” because the action and body count intensifies in that dwelling. Plus, there's plenty of sharp things in there to penetrate soft bodies.

The hero of the film/book is Chris, a young woman that lived a horrifying ordeal as a child when she saw Jason Voorhees face to face in the woods. While she's dealing with repressed memories of that night, she orchestrates an outing to visit the lake where the murders occurred. She brings friends along that just make for easy slasher fodder – two potheads, a horny couple, a creepy lunatic nerd, and another sensible girl. She also brings her boyfriend Andy along for the massacre as well.

Jason begins hacking his way through the characters, including three black bikers, until Chris is the proverbial last girl. Avallone's writing borders on satire at times as if he is secretly rolling his eyes at the ludicrous concept of the undead killer killing...again and again. The perfect example is his take on the imbecile police in the third chapter, aptly titled “Give Him the Axe!”. Avallone is such a great storyteller that he is able to draw out some of the tension and cat-and-mouse intrigue to heights that even rival Harry Manfredini's intense musical score. 

The book's ending drifts into a different version than what is seen on film. In this book's ending Chris completely decapitates Jason whereas in the film she simply cleaves him in the head with an axe. Big difference. She also awakens in bed with the doctors and police outside in the hallway questioning her sanity. She escapes the room and journeys back to the barn to search for clues that the murders actually happened. She wants to prove that she didn't make all of this up. She finds a leg, a foot, and an arm in the hay before Jason decapitates her. The police then go check on Chris and find her still in bed. The whole scene was a nightmare. 

In the film, one of the best segments is when Chris escapes to the canoe and at dawn she sees Jason peering from a window before Mrs. Voorhees corpse erupts out of the water, which is later proved to just be a nightmare. Avallone omits this segment. I took a peek at Simon Hawke's treatment and he kept his novelization strictly to the film version, which may be why he was hired to do another novelization of the film in the first place. 

I love the Friday the 13th films in the same way that any old timer will tell you they loved all of the Hammer and Universal horror films when they were a kid. Jason, Michael, Freddy, and Leatherface have become the new Wolfman, Dracula, Frankenstein, and The Mummy. This book is a nostalgic trip through time but also showcases a superb writer doing the most he can with an unrealistic story. For that, I applaud the effort. This is an entertaining read.

Joe Bain #01 - The Fox Valley Murders

John Holbrook Vance (1916-2013) published most of his literary work under the name Jack Vance. As a respected science-fiction and fantasy author, Vance wrote many series titles like Dying Earth, Lyonesse, Demon Prince, and Durdane. While those two genres occupied most of Vance's career, he still wrote mystery novels as Ellery Queen, Peter Held, and Alan Wade. My first experience with the author is his two-book series of mysteries starring Sheriff Joe Bain. I started with the first novel, The Fox Valley Murders, originally published in hardcover in 1966. 

In the fictitious California locale of San Rodrigo County, the long-serving Sheriff dies in a freak swimming accident. His replacement is deputy Joe Bain, a one-time troublemaker that has worked his way through the ranks to become a semi-respectable lawman. However Bain is serving in interim role until the county elects a new Sheriff. Bain, enjoying the freedom of a supervisory role, throws his hat in the pool as a nominee. A protagonist running a tight political race may not be an electrifying read. To combat the boredom the author throws in a riveting murder mystery with a robust body count. Now we're talking.

The author offers an explanatory – and disturbing – flashback highlighting events that transpired in San Rodrigo 16 years ago when a young man named Ausley was sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and murder of a middle school girl. There were a half-dozen residents that testified they saw Ausley at the scene of the crime. However, those residents are now being murdered one-by-one after Ausley is released from prison for good conduct. 16 years have passed and Ausley now says he is a changed person and isn't committing murders or any crime whatsoever.

Vance inserts Joe Bain's brief history to build validity to the character. He joined the U.S. Army after high school and saw action in the Korean War. He was then transferred to the Military Police and wound up as a sergeant. He used his GI benefits to attend the Chapman Institute of Criminology which resulted in his position as county deputy. Bain has an estranged wife somewhere and he lives with his mother and teenage daughter. Bain is rough around the edges and comes across as barnyard dumb in a likable way. His pleas for a vote come at the most inopportune time and his problem solving skills are a little late for the dance. But, these are purposeful characteristics that set Bain apart from the cookie-cutter good guy with a badge that dominated media of that era.

If you are looking for a police procedural that is a little unusual then Joe Bain is the man for the job. He's the star of this quirky small-town murder mystery with a bite. Your only disappointment will be coping with the fact that only two of these Joe Bain books were published. You get a copy of the reprint HERE and listen to our podcast episode about the series HERE.

Hammond Innes Paperback Collection Visualized Feature

Today we feature an exclusive video showcasing Eric's Hammond Innes paperback collection. The video features paperback covers by Frank McCarthy and publishers Avon and Ballantine. Check it out below or by clicking HERE.

Simon Ark #01 - Village of the Dead

Edward D. Hoch was a prolific writer that penned hundreds of shorts across several different genres in dozens upon dozens of magazines. He was a big deal for publishers and editors looking for content for their monthly or weekly books. While there have been several memorable characters in Hoch's bibliography, ranging from Ben Snow to Captain Leopold, the one that fascinates me the most is the bizarre occult detective Simon Ark. 

Simon Ark debuted in “Village of the Dead”, a short story featured in Famous Detective Stories in December 1955. In fact, Ark's first six appearances were in that magazine before spilling over into magazines like Crack Detective and Mystery Stories, Double-Action Detective and Mystery Stories, and Tightrope!. Eventually, the character would become a fixture in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. There were at least 45 stories featuring Simon Ark between 1956 and 2008. 

In “Village of the Dead”, an unnamed narrator (he is never named) recounts a strange event that occurred in a small American town – The Gildaz Horror. In first-person, the narrator explains that he was working as a reporter scoping out political stories when a teletype hit the newsroom about a mass suicide occurring in the tiny village of Gidaz, just south of the narrator's location. He quickly gets to the scene and discovers that a majority of Gidaz's population took a fatal jump from the top of a hundred foot cliff. 73 people now lay in bloody shreds on sharp rocks lying at the cliff's base. What would make all of these people commit suicide together?

As the narrator begins researching the story he enters one of the abandoned homes and meets another investigator – one of a different sort. He introduces himself as Simon Ark, but advises the narrator that his name is not important. He is described as not appearing old, yet there were tiny lines of age if you looked close enough. The narrator says in a way Ark was a very handsome man, yet he couldn't imagine women ever being attracted to him. He later describes Ark as seemingly from another world or another time.

The two team up together to learn more about the suicide and eventually meet another reporter named Shelly that was originally from the small town. Ark discovers a book in town called The Confessions of Saint Augustine that looks as though it was burned. Later, they discover that a man calling himself Axidus came to town two years ago and began a new religion for Gidaz. The population trusted him to a fault, which may have been their downfall. Through the course of the investigation the narrator and reader learns more about Simon Ark – he may be 2,000 years old, he speaks Coptic, hints that he knew Saint Augustine himself, and that this Axidus may be an evil figure from long ago. How does it all tie together?

There are readers that absolutely love the Simon Ark stories and others really hate them. I've had the fortune of reading a lot of them and I really enjoy the character. “Village of the Dead” by itself isn't strong storytelling and ends with a Scooby-Doo type ending. That's the thing about the Simon Ark stories, they have a bizarre menace theme that eventually leads to a logical explanation instead of some far-flung supernatural one. However, what makes the stories cool is there is always a lingering thought that maybe there was something supernatural occurring. Like in this story Axidus is probably just a quack fanatic that got rich quick or he really was some ancient enemy from centuries ago. 

The thing with Simon Ark stories is that he is on a mission to find the Devil. It is his goal to combat evil across the globe and to eventually bring the ultimate fight to the Devil. But, he isn't a pulpy over-the-top hero. Instead, he solves mysteries in a Sherlock Holmes way with the narrator playing Watson. As the series progresses forward the narrator becomes a book publisher and then eventually partners with Ark as a detective agency. The supernatural and bizarre menace possibilities tend to lessen as the series matures in the 60s and 70s. 

Many Simon Ark stories have been reprinted in physical and digital collections. A passing glace on Amazon will net you a handful of titles with this story included. Start here as a base and then work your way forward. I'll bring you more Simon Ark reviews to guide your way through the darkness. 

Get Simon Ark books HERE.

A Matter of Adultery

A Matter of Adultery was first published by Newsstand Library as a mass market paperback in 1961. The cover was painted by artist Robert Bonfils, a name synonymous with the sleaze paperback era. The author is listed as Don Lee, a name that I don't recognize or know. Cutting Edge Books have performed a remarkable service by offering vintage paperbacks in new editions for the modern consumer. The book now exists in digital and paperback versions. It is also collected in a digital omnibus titled Vintage Sleaze #5: 12 Forbidden Novels from the 1950s and 1960s. 

The book stars Chris Howard, a public relations executive that absolutely loves the look, feel, and aura of women. He's obsessed with women and has made it a steadfast vow to never marry. Whenever he gets too close to a woman he immediately plants the smell of baby diapers in his mind and then quickly scampers out of the intimate relationship. It is a game he plays with himself and others that aligns with his career choice of backing ambitious men for various public official roles.

Howard's newest client is a politician named Morley. However, his contact for Morley is the man's sexy wife Jen. She's a tramp who imposes her will by expertly seducing men. Howard takes the contract to plan Morley's campaign for governorship of his state. However, Howard must walk a balance beam between sleeping with Jen, which is a must, while also supporting Morley in his political endeavors. Needless to say a talented man like Howard can juggle both jobs very well. However, there are three main issues confounding his position.

The first issue is a racketeer that doesn't want Morley elected. To stop the proceedings they put a price on Howard's head. After numerous attempts to kill him Howard buys some protection in the form of an ex-OSS (that's today's CIA) agent and war hero named Amy Downs. She takes the job to investigate the killers to protect Morley and Howard. The second issue is that Amy and Howard have a physical chemistry that is electric. While Howard is resting from his sexcapades with Jen he has to make room for Amy in his bed. Which brings us to the third issue and what I consider the real focus of the book – Howard's secretary and business partner Darleen.

Howard's daily work routine and very existence is plagued by the sexiest woman in the novel. Darleen is a beautiful, loving, highly-charged virgin that adores Howard. Darleen's love for the man extends to forgiving trust that no matter how many women Howard sleeps with he will ultimately choose her someday. Howard himself knows this but fights his urges to sexually engage with Darleen. His battle is an emotional and physical test of willpower and inner fortitude.

Like most of these mid 20th century sleaze novels A Matter of Adultery is far better than its reputation as disposable fiction read with one hand. This book, like many others of the era, is a melodrama packed with tantalizing romance that is void of any graphic sex. I will say this book may be the first one of this era that states “orgasm” in the lovemaking...but it doesn't get much hotter than that. The central theme rests in the conflict between Howard and his strict bachelorhood and Darleen with her eyes on the prize. As a romance novel the author nails it. As a crime-fiction story it mostly works with just enough action to keep it breezing by. It is mostly an original story and plot but I did see a twinkling of a White Christmas plot-point that may have been recycled. Otherwise, A Matter of Adultery is worth pursuing. Recommended. 

Buy a copy of this book HERE.

Kid Crimson #01 - Gunpowder Mountain

According to his bio, Jarret Keene is an assistant professor in the Department of English at UNLV where he teaches American literature and the graphic novel. His published books include Hammer of the Dogs, and the middle grade books Decade and Survive: The Attack on Pearl Harbor and Heroes of World War II: 25 True Stories of Unsung Heroes Who Fought for Freedom. His newest venture is a series of westerns starring a Nevada fighting man deemed Kid Crimson. The series debut sports the explosive title of Gunpowder Mountain.

Needless to say, I've read my fair share of action-adventure books. Occassionally I'll find one line in a book or novel that describes the intensity of both the story and the character. Keene places this literary gem in the middle of the pages:

"I'd never fought for my life outnumbered during an evening windstorm alongside a stone killer with only one good arm."

This quote from Kid Crimson speaks volumes and loosely summarizes one of the more harrowing scenes in the book. 

Keene introduces Crimson to readers by providing dark snippets of his childhood in Georgia. His father is described as a ruthless adversary (I'm anticipating an epic future showdown) that taught him that violence was the only language spoken. Due to Crimson's harsh upbringing, he now serves as a gun-for-hire in Virginia City, a westward mining town.  To know Crimson also means you know his colorful friends, the townspeople he is sworn to protect, and his lover.

First, the closest thing Crimson has to a real father is the town's undertaker, an older man named Grover. Crimson sleeps in Grover's storage shed and enjoys reading Homer's Iliad by the dim light of a kerosene lamp. His friend is a Native-American warrior named Snake. His lover is Poppy, a businesswoman who gently cures illness at an opium den (aptly titled Sure Cure) she owns and operates. Crimson is like a father to a young shoeshine boy named Ezra. Crimson's lifegoal is to save enough money so he can bring Poppy and Ezra to California to buy an orchard and peacefully grow fruit for the rest of his life. But, there's plenty of blood and bullets before that goal is reached. Crimson's Colt Army Model 1860 and a Sharps 50 will bring the pain.

The debut novel's central plot has the town preparing for the surprising arrival of President Lincoln. His appearance in town is to motivate the miners and community to work harder supplying more silver - more silver means more Union guns. While Lincoln will supply his own guard complete with U.S. Marshals, the town's premier businessman has hired Crimson to employ his own small task force to provide additional security on the street. This will hopefully extinguish any potential security breaches. Thankfully, Keene provides those security breaches to allow Crimson plenty of iron-fisted action. 

However, Gunpowder Mountain is stuffed with another exciting plot. Before Lincoln's arrival, another businessman has hired Crimson to be a stagecoach agent. But, this isn't any ordinary stagecoach. This is a hydrogen-generating inflation wagon that the man hopes to use with a giant balloon. In an interesting history lesson, it's explained that the balloon was a failed project by the Confederacy to enhance their spy intelligence. Their failure will now generate a lucrative entertainment industry by providing balloon rides to paying customers. But, as you can imagine, things don't go as planned and Crimson ends up teaming with a sadistic nemesis to retrieve the wagon from outlaws. 

As much as the term "action-packed" is strewn around, I have to utilize the term here as a valid description of the book.  It isn't the traditional western, but more of a Wild Wild West televison theme crossed with Ben Haas's Fargo. I believe that is the best approach considering the restraints and redundancy of the common 125-year old genre tropes. This series debut is one long action sequence from beginning to end. Whether Crimson is fighting drunks at the Bloody Nugget, firing off a unique bow-and-grappling hook weapon to retrieve a speeding wagon, or diffusing explosive devices set to topple a rugged mountain, Keene's combination of lovable characters and dastardly villains makes for a rip-roar reading experience. This one is highly recommended.

Get your copy HERE.

Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 104

On this thrilling NEW episode, Eric takes listeners on an extensive bookstore tour throughout New England, including a stop at one of the largest buildings in the world dedicated to rare books. In addition, Eric visits the resting places for two astounding authors. You can watch the video of the bookstore tour HERE. It's also a double-feature with a look at the vintage stories starring occult detective Simon Ark and an examination of a two-book 1960s series starring a California sheriff. Download the episode HERE. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast and follow us on Facebook, X, and YouTube.  

Listen to "Episode 104: Simon Ark & Sheriff Joe Bain" on Spreaker.

Paperback Warrior Primer - Sammy Gomez

Author George F. Krull (1911-1963) utilized the pseudonym Dean Evans to author shorts for the pulps from 1948 through 1954. During his short writing career (and abbreviated lifespan) Krull churned out 30 stories for magazines like Black Mask, The Phantom Detective, and Detective Tales. From my research, I was able to find one lone paperback authored by Krull, This Kill is Mine, published in 1956 by Graphic Mystery that also uses the Evans name. 

Krull created two characters during his pulp career, both of which are of the detective variety. The first was Edward Gates, a private-eye beating the street for clients in Reno, Nevada. He first appeared in “Need a Body Cry?” in New Detective Magazine's May 1949 issue. He then re-appeared in the subsequent issue, a cleverly titled story called “I.O.U. - One Grave”.

The second of Krull's character creations, which we are examining today, was Sammy Gomez, a Lieutenant Detective working for the Carson City, Nevada police department. The fact that both characters are in Nevada makes me think Krull was a Nevada native and/or resident. Gomez's appearances were “The Man Behind the Gun” in Detective Tales July 1950, “Margie – It's You!” in Detective Tales September 1950, and the novelette "Immanuel" in 5 Detective Novels Magazine Summer 1952.

A look at Gomez and his three appearances:

“The Man Behind the Gun” - The story begins with Gomez arriving at the Club Drake casino to investigate a fatal shooting. The initial interview and evidence shows that a disgruntled gambler barged into an accounting room and started firing off shots. Drake, behind his desk, ducks and pulls a .45 and kills the gambler. Despite the evidence and City Hall's praise that this is an open and shut case, Gomez doesn't buy it. Despite his superior, the recurring Captain Hart, Gomez digs in further to learn about Drake's business practices and connections. His determination to seek justice leads to Gomez giving Hart his badge when the pressure is on to bring Drake to trial for murder. The story had a fast-pace, quick character development, and provided the traits and skill-set to establish Gomez as a viable and durable hero. I enjoyed it.

“ Margie – It's You!” - Gomez begins with a scolding from Captain Hart about his inability to find a murderer named Hamil. He interrogates Gomez and wants to learn what the delays are. Gomez is working the case hard by going after Hamil's honey, a woman he finds at a nearby bar called The Queen Bee. The bulk of the story relies on dialogue as the woman expresses her discontent with Hamil, an emotion that is only rivaled by her undying love for him. Eventually Gomez gains the scoop on what type of vehicle Hamil is driving and his plans to escape town. The story ends in a subjective manor as Gomez pulls a gun and begins walking into a laundromat that Hamil is occupying. As I flipped the page I was wanting more, but then I thought better of it and decided the story didn't need the shootout or cuff. I was happy with the pursuit, which is where Evans' writing centers consistently. This was a great story. 

“Immanuel” - This story concerns a dying man's last words. When a bank heist occurs, the police erroneously shoot an innocent bystander. Now, City Hall is cracking down on the department and Captain Hart is feeling the heat. He wants Gomez to learn more about the incident and what exactly led to the citizen's death. Gomez, of Hispanic ethnicity, interviews the man's family and friends, all of which share his same ethnicity. As the pieces come together the man's innocence is severely questioned. Again, this was a fantastic story and I appreciated Gomez's determination. Like the first story, Gomez once again threatens to give Hart his badge when the criminal fires begin to heat up. Hart, in a role-reversal, is often found serving Gomez more often than not. 

Unfortunately, there were no other Gomez stories. The author's death at just age 52 abbreviated his writing career and diminished his contributions to the pulps. His run is rather short compared to other writers of the time like Edward D. Hoch, Bruno Fischer, and John D. MacDonald. Like so many of these pulp authors, Krull's literary work is mostly forgotten now. Hopefully, this primer will provide some new light on the author, his stories, and maybe more information about his personal life. If anyone has more information please feel free to post it in the comments. You can read these stories and more HERE.

Nick Hockaday #01 - Sea of Green

Thomas Adcock's writing career began with the Detroit Free Press. As a journalist, he authored articles for newspapers like Chicago Today, Toronto Telegram, and the New York Times. Between 1981 and 1982 Adcock authored the five-book series Ben Clayton, T-man, starring a U.S. Treasury Department agent. The books were slim men's action-adventure novels published by Warner Books. In 1982 Adcock expanded to the 300-400 page counts with his six-book series starring New York City Police Detective Neil Hockaday. The series' second installment, Dark Maze, won him an Edgar award in 1992. I never like to jump ahead so I'm beginning this series with Sea of Green, the 1989 debut published by The Mysterious Press.

Neil Hockaday is an Irish plainclothes detective working the streets as part of New York City's Street Crime Unit – Manhattan out of Midtown-North. He calls it SCUM Patrol. Hockaday grew up in Hell's Kitchen and was an altar boy. Later, he worked his way through the police ranks and is quite comfortable roaming the streets and avenues of his native stomping ground. Most of his collars are small-time swindles, a few drug busts, and the occasional shooter. For the savages, he carries a .44 Charter Arms Bulldog in a shoulder holster, a .32 Beretta Puma on his left ankle and a .38 police special in a belt snap holster. 

In Sea of Green, Hockaday, in first-person perspective, explains that he recently became divorced (no kids) and has moved into a tiny apartment house on West Forty-third Street and Tenth Avenue. After the brief history and introductions the book kicks off with Hockaday discovering that one of his snitches has been murdered. When Hockaday investigates the murder he interviews the man's landlord, a sketchy guy named Howie. A few days later Hockaday returns home and discovers Howie's naked body in his bathtub – dead as Elvis. 

Next, Hockaday's superior, Inspector Tomassino Neglio puts him on the case of The Most Reverend Father Love of the Healing Stream Deliverance Temple. It turns out the preacher, a guy named Waterman, has received numerous death threats in his offering plate. During the investigation an unknown shooter assassinates Waterman right in front of Hockaday. Somehow the murder of Waterman ties into a real-estate swindle involving the very dead Howie, the snitch, and a huge swath of land deemed The Jungle. 

I have a number of problems with the book. First, Hockaday doesn't have a violent bone in his body. There is absolutely no action whatsoever. He spends his time bar-hopping while contemplating his romantic ties with a cabaret dancer named Mona. Second, this book is a heavy tribute to New York City. Adcock spends pages and pages detailing the city's buildings and landmarks. That's fine, but the book is painted to be crime-fiction. I can read thousands of other cosmopolitan books dedicated strictly to New York. Third, Adcock inserts too much political garbage and personal opinions into the novel. He takes shots at Reagan, the U.S. government, and highlights so many social issues that really don't need to be here. It's like reading new Stephen King novels where he injects his over-the-top anger towards Donald Trump. I don't really give a shit if any author is an elephant or a jackass. Just write stories for people to escape their current environment or situation.

Despite my issues with the book and author, which began to take their toll by page 250 of 312 pages, I soldiered on. The story is a fine one when the author focuses on actually telling it. The limited investigation was still a pleasant reading experience and the tie-in of the story's central murder to the romantic fling was see-through but rewarding. I enjoyed Hockaday's perspective on his childhood as an altar boy and the personal connection he had with the church in attempting to solve the reverend's murder. 

If this bloated book was trimmed to 200 pages it would have been a fast-paced winner with plenty of upside. Give me the meat and potatoes, spare the parsley. Mild recommendation. 

Buy a copy of the book HERE

Sergeant Cluff #01 - Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm

British author Geoffrey Horne (1916-1988) used the pseudonym Gil North to author an 11-book series of crime-fiction novels starring Sergeant Caleb Cluff, a detective working in the Yorkshire Dales for the Criminal Investigation Department. The books were published between 1960 through 1972 and spawned a BBC TV show that ran two series between 1964-1965 starring Leslie Sands in the titular role. Lately, I've been sipping tea a lot and reading British novels, so I acquired the series debut, Sergeant Cluff Stands Firm. 

Although no age is provided, I gained the impression that Cluff is in his late 50s or early 60s. He is single, walks with a cane, and has both a cat and a dog. Each morning a woman comes to his small cottage to bring him breakfast and to attend to small chores, although I'm tempted to believe she comes there just to be sure he is still alive. He's a recluse. He does have a brother who took over the family farm after the death of their mother. The brother, John, has a wife and a daughter. 

The novel begins with Cluff being summoned to a house in the village. It is there that neighbors have reported that a 20ish woman hasn't been seen outside of her home in a few days. With Inspector Mole, the two break into the house and find the woman has committed suicide by turning on the gas stove and taking a nap. However, her husband – a much older man – has seemingly disappeared.

Cluff begins the hunt for the woman's husband, a man named Wright. He checks the man's employer as well as two other women that Wright has been laying with. Despite the possibility of a criminal charge, the coroner finds no signs of foul play. Yet Cluff, a seasoned veteran, feels it in his bones that Wright just isn't right. There's a catch here somewhere. After his superiors squawk over his never-tiring approach, Cluff calls in a leave of absence to go on holiday. He spends his time watching Wright like a hawk until the case breaks.

I really enjoyed the Cluff character. He doesn't say much. His dog Clive is nearly in every scene with him, a type of Lassie sidekick that comes into save the day at one point. Clive's demeanor is rather cold and could be perceived as off-putting. When it comes to the suspects and criminals Cluff is notorious, summoning Mike Hammer's internal fortitude to scare and intimidate before getting physical. Also, I liked the book's location which apparently is a mainstay through the series. Cluff was born and raised in the fictional village of Gunnershaw and he serves that region's law-enforcement. Gunnershaw is a densely wooded area with rural farms and a small-town demeanor. There is also a humorous interaction between Cluff's colleagues – the aforementioned Inspector Mole and a bungling Constable Barker, both of which feel that Cluff is a neanderthal worthy of prowling the forest with his dog. Alas, that's the appeal of the character and story. 

If you enjoy the British sleuths and gumshoes then this book and series should entertain you. It does have a uniqueness about it that drifts from the quilted comfy zone of the dry British whodunit. Give it a try. Buy the books HERE.

Paperbacks from Hell Visualized Feature

Way back on Episode 65 we covered the horror sensation of Paperbacks from Hell. This remains one of our most beloved features. What better way to celebrate this feature's popularity than a visualized enhancement!?! We've repurposed the segment into an awesome visual experience complete with dozens upon dozens of full-color horror vintage paperback covers and photos from our own personal collection. Enjoy the show HERE and be sure to subscribe. 

The Maze and the Monster

The August 1963 issue of Magazine of Horror and Strange Stories featured stories by powerhouse authors like Robert Silverberg, Frank Belknap Long, Ambrose Bierce, H.G. Wells, Donald A. Wollheim, and Robert W. Chambers. I've been reading a lot of Edward D. Hoch stories recently and wanted to try a stand-alone short by the writer. I found his story “The Maze and the Monster” included in this issue. The story is also included in an anthology collecting 52 shorts called Devils and Demons, edited by Marvin Kaye and published by Doubleday in 1987.

The beginning of “The Maze and the Monster” begins with a tourist named William Nellis traveling from London's West End to the wild waters off the Atlantic Coast of North Africa. Like the typical pulp nautical adventure things go awry quickly and the ship Nellis is aboard crashes on an island during a storm. Alone on the beach, washed up and in distress, William is delighted when two men wearing a sort of greenish uniform appear. But, they level their rifles at him and march him to an island fortress.

After his half-day stay in a dungeon, William is brought in front of Captain Cortez. It is explained that William has arrived on the Island of Snails. He discovers that Cortez owns the entire island and controls all of the people. He has also devised a wicked game for his prisoners to play. William is brought to a dark underground level of the fortress and explained the rules of his game.

Before him is two miles of passageways that form a dark maze. The door behind William be sealed and and his only choice is to enter the maze with no weapons. Inside, he will find two possible exits – one leads to a paradise of pleasure beyond his wildest dreams and the other leads to a savage beast. To instigate things Cortez has his men enter the maze and pull out the remains of the last prisoner that entered. Then, the door shuts and William is left in darkness.

This was a creepy short read that showcased Hoch's penchant for placing ordinary people into extreme circumstances. The writer thrived for decades and penned numerous stories for the pulps and digests. The ending is a slamming door that surprises the reader (and the main character) and it left me feeling something after reading the last line. Recommended. You can read the story below.