Johnny Liddell #02 - Green Light for Death

Frank Kane's private-eye character Johnny Liddell appeared in 29 novels and a number of short stories in the pulps and digests. The second Liddell full-length novel published in book format was Green Light for Death. The first magazine publication of the novel was Crack Detective Stories' July 1949 issue. In 1949 (could be 1950?) there was a Readers Choice Library (N.8) edition of the book with a cover by Wayne Blickenstaff. My version of the book is the 1956 Dell paperback with a cover by Victor Kalin.

The novel begins with Liddell arriving in a small town called Waterville. His client was named Nancy Hayes, a young woman recently found floating in the water. Her death is deemed a suicide by the local homicide detective, a guy named Happy Lewis. Liddell finds some discrepancies in the story and begins to fish around town for answers. 

His investigation leads to Nancy's roommate, a sexy lounge singer that Liddell refers to as “Red” through the narrative. Red reveals that Nancy was in a panic prior to calling Liddell and hints that she may have been in some trouble. By teaming up with the local press, Liddell hones in on clues that Nancy came to Waterville searching for her younger brother. When Liddell goes to Red's lounge he learns about a unique colored lighting system that identifies certain patrons. From the title, one can assume that the green spotlight is fatal. 

Frank Kane writes Liddell as the standard competent private-eye that loves trouble, sarcasm, and women. The mix thrusts the hero into precarious situations that outmatch the small town police force. In this case, Liddell suspects the town's Chief is paid to allow a criminal network to flourish, thus there's a good side story with Detective Lewis looking to overthrow the Chief to regain the town's trust. I particularly enjoyed the physical aspects of Liddell fighting a couple of Chief thugs in a jail cell. There's plenty of gunfire and fisticuffs to match Liddell's determination to honor Nancy even in death.

If you love this era's Mike Hammer and Mike Shayne then you will surely find plenty to enjoy about Green Light for Death. Get the original vintage edition HERE. Or, HERE in digital.