John Piper #05 - Death Counts Three

Leopold Horace Ognall (1908-1979) was a British author that wrote novels and series titles using the names Hartley Howard and Harry Carmichael. The three series titles that Ognall gained the most success was that of Bowman, a private-eye, Quinn, a crime-reporter, and today's subject at hand, John Piper, an insurance assessor. 

Piper, who would later team with Ognall's Quinn, made his debut in The Vanishing Trick in 1952. Piper was the star of the show in his first four solo books, School for Murder (1953), Death Counts Three (1954), and Emergency Exit (1957). But, early on Ognall had a place for Quinn and positioned him alongside Piper beginning in 1952's Death Leaves a Diary and continuing for another 30+ novels through 1978. 

Being an insurance agent, I wanted to test the waters of the John Piper mysteries by starting with an early installment, the aforementioned Death Counts Three. It was published under the title The Screaming Rabbit in the U.S. 

In the book's opening pages, readers learn that Piper is a widow. His wife died in a car accident. Also, a character asks Piper about a prior mystery he was involved with, the discovery of a dead woman in his apartment (I assume in Deadly Night-Cap the year prior). Piper arrives at a large estate named Sicklehurst and introduces himself as an assessor for the Anglo-Continental Insurance Company. He's there on an invitation from Sicklehurst's owner, Edith Ellerby. She's a successful author who has requested an assessment and policy to cover some valuable items in her possession. 

Over the course of the day Piper is introduced to Edith's extended family and business associates. However, things go awry when the groundskeeper goes missing. Piper volunteers to help search and is later coaxed into staying overnight as a type of detective. In the night, Piper has a note slid under his door to meet a young girl guesting at the house. However, when he arrives at her bedroom he discovers she's been stabbed to death. Shortly thereafter he's knocked unconscious and awakens to a grand mystery of whodunit.

Despite some beautiful covers in both British and American editions, my sampling of the John Piper series was rather boring. Ognall can write efficiently and his style is similar to a female mystery writer, something perhaps written by Mignon G. Eberhart or Mary Collins. It isn't hardboiled or gritty, but instead relies on a lot of dense dialogue and lengthy discussions on each character's history and past relations with other characters. By assembling over ten guests, the suspect list is long and cumbersome for Piper and readers. If you are in the mood for cozy Golden Age of Detective-Fiction then you can probably do much worse than Death Counts Three. I wasn't feeling it and the book took me nearly two weeks to read. 

Do You Know Me? & Other Aberrations

Bruce Walter Gardner Lively Stacy Elliott, known as Bruce Elliott, (1914-1973) was a prolific writer of crime-fiction and sci-fi in the pulps. He also worked as a television screenwriter and practiced stage magic. He wrote 15 novels for The Shadow Magazine between 1946 and 1948 and helped edit and publish a number of men's magazines like Rogue and The Gent.

Back in August of 2023 I read and reviewed Elliott's fabulous short “Do You Know Me?”, originally published in the February 1953 issue of Thrilling Detective. I enjoyed the story so much that I contacted Greg Shepard at Stark House Press and informed him that he should read the story as well. Thankfully, two years later, Greg, and the great Stark House Press folks, have published a short story compilation by Elliott containing 10 of his best works culled from the detective and science-fiction pulps and magazines. The story I recommended to Greg, “Do You Know Me?” was used as the title story and the artwork from the original publication adorns the front cover. Wonders never cease.

After reading the book in its entirety, including the excellent introduction by Nicholas Litchfield, here are the capsule reviews for each story:

“Do You Know Me” (Thrilling Detective, Feb. 1953) - The author introduces “the man nobody knew” as a resident of a West 47th Street apartment just east of Broadway. The room in which the man awakens has door frames and windows stuffed with newspapers. Beside the bed, written in lipstick, an ominous message is scrawled: “Since you can't catch me, and since I don't want to kill again, I'm going to kill myself.” This man, who I refer to simply as “the killer” stalks the city and savagely cuts off his victims' faces while maniacally asking “do you know me, do you recognize me, and where do you know me from?” Through the course of Elliott's compelling, awe-inspiring story, more characters are introduced, each with their own backstory. All of these characters entwine in a disturbing series of events that mirrors an active-shooter situation today. In this story, the killer begins randomly murdering people in nightmarish fashion in the middle of Times Square. Elliott's provides some riveting stuff involving sexuality, social unrest, and mental illness. This is a must-read.

“Vengeance is Not Enough” (Stories Annual v1, 1955) – The story begins with a man named Henry Timms sweating from shock therapy at the hands of a psychiatrist. As the doctor prods, Henry recalls the events that led him to the doctor – the horrific murder of his young son in a hit-and-run. But, just as the past events unveil before the reader a gun shot sounds and the doctor is killed. The story then follows Henry trying to find answers on what happened and who is responsible. It's an effective “innocent man on the run” story with a distinct flavor that only Elliott could provide - ethereal, violent, and wholly unique.

“The Darkened Room” (Popular Detective, May 1953) – Matching the title's dimness, Elliott's bleak writing elevates this story as a real highlight of the collection. A criminal named Garrow and his partner Madigan have stolen gems from a celebrity and hocked them. At a hotel in New York, Garrow pays a visit to Madigan and selfishly strangles him to death to be sure all the money is his. Then the narrative is a rollercoaster as Garrow runs from the cops by seeking shelter in a dark flophouse. But, like all good heists, the criminal never gets away with the cabbage. This one has a fitting ending that serves as a type of cautionary tale – crime doesn't pay.

“Carnage in Colossa” (Sea Stories, Nov. 1953) – Tommy Winters is an American crewman on a shipping trawler. At an extended stop on a small Pacific island, Tommy strikes up an intense affair with a married islander named Acquila. One night he awakens from a drunken beating to discover his passport, money, and ship has left him behind. Penniless and homeless, Tommy agrees to work for Acquila's husband, a fat seedy merchant and restaurant owner named Madigan. If Tommy can do all the dirty work around the place for a week – mopping up piss and puke – then he'll earn enough money to get a transport to the nearest U.S. Embassy. After one week of working for Madigan by day, and sleeping with his wife by night, Tommy is hopeful he can get away. But, there's a surprise awaiting Tommy and the reader. “Carnage in Colossa” was an exceptional tale laced with grime and shady characters. It's a cautionary tale that has a fitting and enjoyable ending, but left me guessing where Elliott was going to dump these despicable people.

“Death Lives in Brooklyn” (Thrilling Detective, Apr. 1953) - Farnell is an attorney that lost everything. He now spends his time on 47th street in Broadway playing nickel and dime ball. A mob henchman is roughing up a couple of people when Farnell hears their victim whisper to him to check the bathroom. That same victim warns Farnell to avoid the police because “they are iced”. In the john, Farnell finds a signed document sealed in an envelope. He has the foresight to take a photo of the document using one of the arcade camera vending machines (that was a thing back then). Farnell then goes on the run from the Syndicate and their killers who want this mysterious document. He's eventually caught and ordered for execution in a run down section of Brooklyn. Like any good crime-noir, the innocent man-on-the-run is being chased by cops and crooks. This was such a great story and is really ahead of its time. Today, taking photos of documents with our phones is an everyday thing. Back then it was unheard of outside of espionage.

“The Devil Was Sick” (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science-Fiction, Apr. 1951) – This is the first sci-fi story to appear in the compilation. In this futuristic story, a man named Acleptos is attempting to consult the internet (this is 1951 and the internet is a fantasy creation called The Machine) on the notion of devils and demons. He's trying to conjure a real demon using an ancient method of reading scripture by candlelight. When he successfully invites a demon he begins making the obligatory wishes. The demon, bored with the same requests of sex and money, is surprised when Acleptos asks for something different. This is an abstract story with an emphasis on mental health, demon possession, and divine intervention. It is up for debate on what the story is really about, but my takeaway was based on Biblical scripture and the idea of initial expelling of “sick” angels - fueled by jealousy and greed – from Heaven.

“The Last Magician” (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science-Fiction, Jan. 1953) – This is another futuristic story where magicians are few and far between now. Everyone has access to everything due to technology. But, there's one rare magician named Duneen that does a type of vaudeville magic show for the people. Duneen has a Martian girl as his assistant and he abuses her. But, the girl still loves him. When the narrator, telling the story in first-person, is offered a chance to assist in a Houdini-styled escape trick, he picks a type of advanced vacuum tube for Duneed to escape from. Only, the narrator has a trick of his own. This was my least favorite story of the bunch. It isn't terrible, but left me wanting a little more.

“Wolves Don't Cry” (The Magazine of Fantasy and Science-Fiction, Apr. 1954) – Have you seen the 1987 comedic film Walk Like a Man, starring TV celebrity and talent show host Howie Mandel? I can't help but think someone involved in that film read this short story. It's about a wolf that is captured and placed in a zoo, but during a transformation overnight he awakens as a man. The zoo is confused on how the man got inside the cage and they quickly let him go. Unfortunately, for this wolf, he is trained over weeks to become a rehabilitated civilized human. Elliott's story is poignant and speaks about a naturalist approach to living – as bizarre as it is. It's a quick fun read that offers a different style and feel from the author.

“So Sweet as Magic” (Fantasy Fiction, Aug 1953) – With Elliott's experience as a practicing magician, he delves into this hilarious industry with this humorous fantasy tale. A magician named Bardoni is a fairly successful stage magician that has cut his teeth working his way through card tricks, vaudeville, and the 'ole tablesaw bit. But, he's become complacent with his show and realizes the rabbit doesn't come easy any longer. After a performance, Bardoni is invited to speak with a mysterious magician named Count St. Germain, who may in fact be the real Frenchman that lived in the 1700s. After a night of drinking with the Count, Baroni awakens with a magical ring on his hand and a message that states if Baroni takes the ring off he will die. But, that isn't the only thing that's changed overnight. Bardoni finds that the entire world has changed overnight. This new world contains real magic, and, with magicians doing things like levitating and reporting to actual wizards, Bardoni must hunt down the Count to figure out what is happening. This is a crazy story filled with funny moments about magic, magicians, the art of the industry, and the political nature of this new society. I consider it fantasy or dark fantasy and the story was unusual but highly enjoyable.

“The Man Next Door” (Amazing Stories, Dec 1953/Jan 1954) - This is another one of Elliott's science-fiction stories. Like the story before it, this also has some humor, this time poking fun at pulp writers and their struggles to create stories featuring many of the same elements that have been done to death. Barlay is a writer that is suffering from writer's block. In the basement, his son is building an actual time machine while Barlay's wife is having an affair with the neighbor. I can't help but think Elliott is suggesting writers miss life happening around them due to the time spent behind the keyboard. But, in a wild turn of events, a meeting of the minds in a future boardroom directly connects to Barlay's son and his creation. This was a really fun time-travel adventure set within the confines of a struggling creator. It's also a clever tongue-in-cheek dig at the publishing industry.

As you can see, Elliott dabbled in a little bit of everything – but he was seemingly good at everything. Whether it is serial killers, shady criminals, bumbling magicians, time-travel, or everyday people experiencing extraordinary events, Elliott's writing is both flexible and superb. This collection is a real testament to his writing. Highly recommended. Get it HERE.

Paperback Warrior Podcast - Episode 121

In this episode, Eric embarks on a globe-trotting nautical adventure with a spotlight on Arthur Catherall, exploring his World War II-era series set in exotic locales. He also dives into a recent western discovery, reviews a thrilling novel about a runaway rollercoaster, and shares his thoughts on the latest short story collection from Bruce Elliott, newly released by Stark House Press. Stream it below, watch on YouTube HERE, or download HERE.

Listen to "Episode 121 Audio" on Spreaker.

Pulp Apocalypse

In 2020, I was honored to have Justin Marriott, one of my inspirations for creating Paperback Warrior, invite me to write a Foreword for his one-off book Pulp Apocalypse. The testament is roughly a 100-page volume of post-apocalyptic fiction featuring reviews, articles, and loads of black-and-white paperback and magazine covers spruced up with some comic covers and interior art. I wanted to share my write-up with the PW fans and readers that didn't have an opportunity to buy the book. 

“Foreword”

I was about 10-years old when the world ended. I was sitting cross-legged on shag carpet in a double-wide trailer in rural Virginia. It was 1986 and my teenage cousins had scored a VCR over Christmas. They had rented two VHS movies, Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Mad Max (1979). While both films offered contrasting visions of doomsday, the end result was still the same – a violent fight for survival among the decimated and decayed ruins of our civilization. 

As a child of the 80s, the idea that the Soviets were bringing death to our doorsteps was ingrained in our daily American lives. The idea of a nuked-out or plagued America was saturated in popular culture, from cartoons like Thundarr the Barbarian (1980) to books like Stephen King's The Stand (1978) and Robert R. McCammon's Swan Song (1987). Fully embracing the phenomena, it was interesting to see the 1980s nuclear hysteria transform into zombie popuarity. 

Arguably, America's recent pop-culture fascination with zombies could be attributed to three things: Image Comics' The Walking Dead (2003), Brian Keene's novel The Rising (2003), and the popular movie 28 Days Later (2002). All three of those works, crossing three different mediums, have somewhat peculiar plot-lines – man's will to survive in a post-apocalyptic graveyard of undead or infected. Essentially, these works reimagined George Romero's iconic Night of the Living Dead (1968) into a new phenomenon by bringing the apocalypse into our modern world. Movies, books, comics, and even TV shows became saturated in these apocalyptic visions of the walking dead, forming the ultimate man versus nature contest in an extreme Darwinian state – survival of the fittest. 

Pulp Apocalypse is a celebration of doomsday. Thankfully, a fictitious one where we can all escape modern reality, exchanging it for a deformed tomorrow of post-doomsday, action-adventure storytelling. I am honored to join Justin Marriott on this journey as Paperback Warrior's post-apocalyptic fiction correspondent to celebrate the freakishly good, the abysmally bad, and well....Roadblaster. 

Enjoy!

Eric Compton
Paperback Warrior

Get Pulp Apocalypse HERE.

The Slanted Gutter

S. Craig Zahler is the terrific independent screenwriter/director behind the brutal western, Bone Tomahawk (2015). He is also an accomplished genre novelist whose latest book is a violent crime novel titled The Slanted Gutter (2021).

Our protagonist is Darren Tasking, aka: Task. He’s a pimp in Great Crown, Florida - a fictional city Zahler created to be an amalgam of Miami, Tampa and Jacksonville. For a pimp, Task treats his prostitutes (“the butterflies”) surprising well, ensuring their security, childcare and a fair wage. He employs significant deception to lure them onto his staff, but after that, he’s a pretty good boss.

Zahler spends a lot of time world-building and getting the reader acclimated to the organized crime hierarchy and customs of Great Crown. The city is run by Russian mob consortiums to whom independent hoodlums like Task pay for the right to operate in the city. The consortiums compete for indie talent and provide some level of protection and support.

Task’s prostitution ring is pretty fascinating as well - operating out of small whorehouse and gambling lounges in converted apartments with architectural security designed to protect the workers and customers from corrupt police raids.

The underworld vernacular everyone uses is a great element of the novel. I won’t spoil it all here, but Zahler’s use of slang and language makes the novel poetic and a pleasure to read.

The plot takes awhile to get off the ground but centers around a new prostitute in Task’s stable named Erin. Her recruitment by Task is diabolically clever and Task’s infatuation with the girl is riddled with complications. Beyond that, the twists and turns were amazing and shouldn’t be ruined in a book review.

You should be aware that this is a graphically-violent novel. Please take this warning seriously because you’re going to read scenes in this paperback that will stick with you forever. It’s a great, great crime novel in the spirit of a classic Fawcett Gold Medal paperback filtered through a blood-soaked gauzy filter of depravity. This is the crime fiction equivalent of an extreme horror novel.

But even with the shocking violence (or maybe because of it), The Slanted Gutter is one of the best modern crime novels I can recall reading. I audibly gasped several times while reading it, and the plot twists and literary fake-outs were so satisfying. Highest recommendation (for the right reader). Get it HERE.

The Howling Man

Before a rare illness took his life at the young age of 38, Charles Beaumont (1929-1967) put his mark on the science-fiction, fantasy, and horror genres with his splendid short stories and screenplays. His short fiction tale “Black Country” was the first story selected by Playboy to be published in their magazine. Beaumont wrote 22 episodes for The Twilight Zone, many of which were adaptations of his own short stories. He also wrote scripts for films like Night of the Eagle (with Richard Matheson and George Baxt), Premature Burial, The Haunted Palace, and Queen of Outer Space. His fiction is compiled in several critically acclaimed collections including Night Ride, The Magic Man, and Perchance to Dream: Selected Stories. 

Based on a recent video by Michael Vaughan (watch HERE), I decided to read what many consider his finest story, “The Howling Man”. The story originally appeared in Rogue magazine in November 1959 and was filmed as a praised episode of the The Twilight Zone in 1960.

“The  Howling Man” is set in the years between WW1 and WW2. Young David Ellington is a Boston native that feels the tug for Paris. Fresh out of college, he desires mysterious beautiful women, profound discussions, and grand visions of the Tuileries, the Louvre, and the Arc de Triomphe. By bicycle, David embarks on a ride through Europe. After pedaling through France and Belgium, David finds himself becoming quite ill in the deep rural stretches of the Moselle Valley of Germany. With his arms and legs heavy, his head throbbing madly, he falls unconscious. 

He awakens in a room of gray stone with dirt flooring and a blanket laid on straw. Across the room a monk named Brother Christophorus introduces himself and explains that David was brought to the Abbey of St. Wulfran's to get better. Christophorus advises David to take his time healing. At night, David is plagued by horrific screams from somewhere inside the Abbey. The next day he asks Christophorus about these screams and is met with a puzzled expression. Christophorus explains that there is no screaming. As the days toll by David is maddened by these terrible screams of anguish. Each time he questions them he's met with the same answer – it's all in his head. There are no screams. Weird. 

Eventually, David wanders out into the hallways to source the screams. What he finds is shocking and I can't reveal any further details without ruining the surprise. 

“The Howling Man” is one unforgettable short story that left me pondering the grand reveal for hours after completion. The idea behind it is quite fascinating and conjures so many different elements that approach fantasy, horror, mystery, and folklore. In some ways the writing and dialogue reminded me of the best Robert E. Howard stories featuring his Puritan hero, Solomon Kane. While I haven't seen the Twilight Zone adaptation, this story is simply remarkable. Highly recommended reading! Get a collection of these stories including this one HERE. 

Peter Craig #01 - Twenty-Fourth Level

British writer Kenneth Benton (1909-1999) was employed as an MI6 officer in 1937, He served for 31 years in the position highlighted by two years in Madrid during WWII, an experience that led to the capture of 19 spies during that time. After his intelligence career ended, Benton wrote spy, crime, and historical fiction and served as president of the Crime Writer's Association in 1974. His most successful work is the espionage series starring an international police advisor, Peter Craig. There were six installments published during Benton's lifetime and an additional one posthumously. Spy Guys and Gals gave the series a B+ and I wanted to try it out. I began with the series debut, Twenty-Fourth Level, originally published by Collins in hardcover in 1969.

On page 35 of this 220 pager, readers learn that 35-year old Scottish man Peter Craig was educated at the University of Cambridge and entered a career in law-enforcement. In the late 1950s, Craig, now serving as a civil servant in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the British government, held the position of Overseas Police Advisor in the West African British colony of Sierra Leone. Now, Craig works as an international Police Adviser for the Diplomatic Service as a specialist in counter-terrorism and guerrilla warfare. In the novel's beginning, Craig is on his way to Chile to provide lectures to a police academy. Upon an invite from his old friend Sir Wallace, a British Ambassador, Craig is asked to stay a few nights in Rio so they can catch up. 

Prior to his arrival in Rio, Craig promised a friend that he would look into some mysterious blue diamonds that appeared in London recently. Through a variety of interviews Craig tracks the source to a very bad guy named Graben. Previously, Craig was involved in Graben's capture and imprisonment on a variety of criminal charges. Graben escaped an African prison years ago and now works as a mining operator in town. Shortly after Graben's discovery Craig is nearly killed by an arrow while smoking on the Ambassador's veranda. Further, the people Craig interviewed regarding the diamonds are all mysteriously murdered. Graban is savagely covering his tracks and location. 

Normally, this type of “find the killer” tale is wrought with a lot of interviews, walking the beat, and fumbling through leads, some of which can prove to be boring literary exercises. However, Benton is a better storyteller and helps elevate the tension with a more direct approach. 

In a captivating bit of romanticism, Craig begins a relationship with a 19 year-old woman named Alcidia that is dating Graben. It's a unique beginning as this beautiful and sexy vixen refuses to believe Craig's testimony on Graben's criminal background. But, as the narrative unfolds, Alcidia's protective walls deteriorate as she begins to trust Craig. Together, the two seek Graben before more killings occur. 

Benton is a smart and entertaining storyteller with a striking flavor for dialogue and descriptions. His technical explanations of the diamond industry reminded me of Desmond Bagley, specifically his 1971 novel The Freedom Trap. I love how adventure authors incorporate flavorful history and technical nuances about a country's exports and Benton does this quite well without boring the audience. His narrative includes the aforementioned assassination attempt (an excellent opening scene!), a really fun dating angle for Craig, a suitable biography on the lead character, a mining expedition, a breakout, and the intriguing inner-workings of colonialism that separate the classes.

If Twenty-Fourth Level is any indication of the quality in the Peter Craig series then I'm in for a real treat. I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure and I think you will too. Get the vintage hardcover HERE and the poorly edited digital edition HERE.