Free Audiobook - Guns Drawn by Thomas Hyland

It's a book premier right here on Paperback Warrior! I narrate the new 75-page novella Guns Drawn by Thomas Hyland, a violent, tightly-knit character piece involving bad guys, sexy women, gunplay, and bloodshed. It's a stylish 1950ish potboiler...and it's free for you.

SYNOPSIS:

Daisy Mae married mob accountant Abner Little to escape the wrong side of the tracks. Her escape turned into a short-cut to Hell. Abner prefers other women. He rubs it in her face. So Daisy opens her heart to handsome Dwayne Duncan, who agrees to kill Abner for her. Has Daisy Mae gone from the frying pan to the fire?

Dwayne Duncan turns out may have some baggage of his own. Dwayne is  right hand man to big shot Harvey Bishop, Abner's boss. Dwayne decides to frame Abner and one of his girlfriends.

 Easy peasy, right? Abner's girlfriend is seeing the boss' volatile son Flynn. Simple goes out the door. As Dwayne connives, Bishop dies creating a power vacuum that turns the city into a bloodbath.

C'est la vie. 

Stream below via YouTube, listen on any streaming platform, or download HERE.

Paperback Warrior Primer - William P. McGivern

William P. McGivern was a successful pulp writer that specialized in crime-fiction, mystery, and science-fiction. He was also an accomplished novelist that found his fortune in the early 1950s as the original paperback novel concept became a marketing triumph. He also wrote screenplays for Hollywood and partnered with his wife to write a number of novels and non-fiction travel logs. We've covered his life and literary work on Episode 59 of the podcast (HERE) but wanted to offer an easy-to-read primer on his life and literary work.

William was born in Chicago in 1922 but at a young age, his family moved to Mobile, Alabama where he was raised. His father was a farmer and his mother was employed as a dress-maker. Despite dropping out of high school, William loved to read as a teenager. His favorite authors were Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ernest Hemingway, and William Faulkner. 

Like a lot of the authors we cover here at PW, William joined the U.S. Army in 1943 and rose to the rank of Line Sergeant. At one point he was aboard a tanker that was being bombed. Exercising quick thinking, William opened the valves and released the explosive gas from the tanker saving the crew who were trapped aboard. For that courageous feat, William received the prestigious Soldier’s Medal and honorably left the Army in 1946. At some point after his military career he enrolled in studies at the University of Birmingham in England. 

Returning to the U.S., William was employed for the Pullman Company, a manufacture of locomotive rail cars. Later, he earned a position as a police reporter with the Philadelphia Inquirer, which touched off his fascination with police work and police culture – a theme that ran through his 23 mystery novels. He worked as a police reporter for two years and then jumped ship to become a reporter and reviewer for the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin. 

He sold his first short story, “John Brown's Body”, to the pulp magazine Amazing Stories in 1940, and continued to sell short stories throughout his career to magazines including the Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, and Cosmopolitan. During the pulp magazine era, his early 1940s emphasis was on science-fiction short stories for pulps like Amazing Stories and Fantastic Adventures. Wildside Press has compiled 25 of these stories into an ebook volume (HERE). William's pulp career can be identified through a variety of pseudonyms he employed – P.F. Costello, Gerald Vance, Clee Garson, and Bill Peters.  

While William was working as a reporter he also wrote his first novel, But Death Runs Faster, published by Dodd Mead & Co. as a hardcover in 1948. When paperbacks took off in 1950, the novel was reprinted as The Whispering Corpse by Pocket. 

In 1947, McGivern married Maureen Daly, a journalist and published author. She enjoyed success with her 1942 bestseller Seventh Summer. Margaret and William collaborated on a handful of non-genre books throughout their lives, including a non-fiction book about their world travels.

During the second half of the 1940s, it is evident that William's passion for storytelling transformed into crime-fiction and mysteries. His pulp output transitioned from galaxies far, far way to that of inner-city racketeering and the hardboiled detectives destined to stop them. He wrote over 20 crime-fiction stories for pulps like Mammoth Detective, Mammoth Mystery, F.B.I. Detective Stories, and Dime Detective. He also sprinkled in some western stories as well for Mammoth Western. 

As the paperback original became the biggest publishing enterprise, William was there to cash in. Beginning in 1950, he wrote at least one novel every year through 1963. Five of those novels, Shield for Murder, The Big Heat, Rogue Cop, The Darkest Hour, and Odds Against Tomorrow, were all adapted to film. Over the course of his career, William saw 14 of his 23 novels adapted to screen. 

As I alluded to earlier, we have covered a great deal of William's literary work. Here are some of our descriptions of the books we've sampled:

Rogue Cop (1954) - More than just a kick-ass tale of cops and crooks. It’s also a story of a man fighting for his own redemption - both professionally and spiritually. There’s a lot going on in this short novel, and it’s way smarter than most genre paperbacks.

Odds Against Tomorrow (1957) - Fans of heist paperbacks would rightly cite Lionel White and Donald Westlake as the high-water marks in the genre. The book doesn’t quite reach those heights, but it’s a worthwhile effort and a fun ride. Recommended.

Killer on the Turnpike (1961) - A fun way to kill some time with an old, crumbling paperback. Don’t spend a fortune on it, and you won’t be let down. Recommended.

Night Extra (1957) - It doesn’t reinvent the hardboiled formula, but the author certainly showcases his talents and strengths in perfecting it. This was a fast-paced narrative with some touching characters in which readers will invest.

In the early 1960s, William moved to Los Angeles to write for film and television. His credits include the TV series Ben Casey, Adam-12, and Kojak. While it was a cinematic disappointment, William is also credited for writing the screenplay for The Wrecking Crew, a film loosely based on the Matt Helm installment by Donald Hamilton.  

William continued writing novels throughout the 1960s. His books began to take on international settings as the author and his wife became seasoned travelers. His last crime novel was Night of the Juggler, published in 1975.  

After finding a robust career in California, the couple stayed there until William died from cancer in 1982 in Palm Desert. 

You can get William's books HERE.

Savages

Like many of Greg F. Gifune's books, Savages originally began publication life with a small publisher, Sinister Grin Press, in 2016. Beginning in 2022, Savages was reprinted in both physical and digital editions by Cemetery Dance Publications. 

There's something to be said about islands in horror fiction. Richard Laymon played with the idea in his 1995 slasher bloodbath Island. Brian Keene did it twice – once in 2009 with Castaways and again in 2023 with the aptly titled Island of the Dead. The idea certainly isn't a new one, not even for those guys. H.G. Wells created the ultimate island literary luau with his terrifying classic The Island of Dr. Moreau. So, it was just a matter of time before a horror mastermind like Greg F. Gifune (Judas Goat, Oasis of the Damned) took his shot at this little subgenre of horror.

A man named Dallas awakens on a sandy beach. With blurred memories, he recalls that he and his wife Quinn, along with several friends, chartered a yacht to take them out into the Pacific ocean. The captain unfortunately ran aground on some reefs and the ship sunk. Eight people were able to get away on a raft and they drifted at sea, in and out of consciousness, for three days and nights. They saw no signs of land, no planes, and no rescue ships. Dallas, thinking he had died, is astounded that he has somehow washed ashore on a beach....somewhere.

Dallas is able to reunite with his wife and a few of their surviving friends. One of their pals is a guy named Gino, one of those survivor-type prepper dudes that shops at REI every weekend. He explores their tiny island initially and determines it's a few square miles with nothing but thick jungles and a small lagoon. He also positively believes this island isn't on any major maps and that help will never arrive. Mr. Positive. 

The book begins with the typical survivor stuff – gathering supplies, finding water, creating little factions. As if things couldn't possibly become worse, the group stumbles on a severed arm that may have been attached to one of their friends from the boat. Also, it appears from a blood trail in the trampled foliage that a body was dragged. Soon the group discover an old Japanese military base. Gifune's description of this dilapidated base with three or four crumbling buildings is just so atmospheric. He sets the tone and mood by describing the jungle seemingly eating up these abandoned buildings. Inside, the survivors find hospital beds and medical supplies along with some really bizarre evidence that something supernatural occurred here. Then the killings begin. And the slaughter. And deadly things that live in an underground tunnel system on the island. 

Savages is like a popcorn horror flick with disposable characters being mauled by a supernatural killer. The author's smooth prose and propulsive action sequences drive the narrative into a frenzied kill-or-be-killed story saturated in blood and guts. Gifune may be one of my favorite horror storytellers in terms of combining quick character development, a suffocating atmosphere (usually with weather-related phenomenon) and a supercharged panic that seemingly lives and breathes in the character's behavior and dialogue. The exotic locale, brutal killings, and macabre infrastructure of this horrifying research facility elevate the book into an extremely entertaining read. Like Gifune's Oasis of the Damned, Savages is survival horror at its finest. Highest recommendation. Get it HERE.

Cold Hazard (aka Danger Rock)

Richard Armstrong (1903-1986) was a British novelist that wrote adult and young-adult fiction that mostly centered around nautical adventure. He sailed for 17 years in the Merchant Service so his writing contains a great deal of validity. That experience shines through with his 1955 British novel Danger Rock. It was published in the U.S. under the title Cold Hazard.

This 200-page book begins by introducing the protagonist, 18-year old ship apprentice Jim Naylor. He's in charge of a large shipping trawler when it crashes into a floating iceberg. As the ship sinks into the frosty Atlantic, the crew begins to divvy out lifeboats. In the commotion of clearing the decks Jim and four other apprentices are left behind. They manage to get a small craft off and begin a perilous float for survival.

Jim and his fellow apprentices float overnight and eventually find a large island somewhere near Newfoundland. But, this island is nearly drowning in fog and seems to possess no life whatsoever. Saturated in cold mist, razor sharp rocks, and a harsh terrain, it is the last place on Earth the tiny crew wants to beach. But, with no other options available they push their tiny craft onto the rocks and begin weeks of intense struggle that test their endurance and internal fortitude. 

I really enjoy a good shipwreck story and Armstrong's writing is brimming over with atmosphere and desperation. These young men fear that death is within reach as they lay out their meager supply of food and water. Doom and gloom settles in when the group begins to argue politically on who's in charge and what awaits them. Jim's nemesis is a younger man named Pipworthy, a selfish guy who seemingly steals from every man. Over the course of weeks the small group must forage for supplies, build shelter, and create a crafty beacon system to alert any passing ships. 

Like Robb White, Frank Bonham, and Arthur Catherall, Richard Armstrong proves he can write with the best of them. While this book is geared for young adults, there are technical nuances and adult decisions foisted on the group as they strive to survive their Hellish predicament. This was also a mid-career book for Armstrong and I feel like the writing and prose shows him at the peak of his writing career. Highly recommended. Get the book HERE.

Uptown Shopping

Eric visits a two-story store filled with comics, vintage hardcovers, CDs, magazines, and old maps. He shares highlights from his big shopping trip, showcasing paperback book covers and sharing publication histories, fun facts, and insights about obscure authors. It's an informative and entertaining recap for book lovers. Stream below or watch on the YouTube channel HERE.

Paperback Warrior Primer - Sydney Horler

Depending who you talk with Sydney Horler (1888-1954) was historically good, average, or just a plain 'ole hack. He wrote 150 novels - at least - and countless stories and columns. He's known for a variety of spy and crime-fiction series titles like The Ace, Sir Mark Bellamy, Brett Carstairs, Bunny Chipstead, Sir Brian Fordinghame, Gerald Lissendale, Chief Constable Meatyard, Nighthawk, Sebastian Quin, Peter Scarlett, Tiger Standish, Baron Veseloffsky, Paul Vivanti, and Robert Wynnton. He also wrote horror and non-fiction books over the course of his prolific writing career. We offered a podcast episode about his life and literature HERE.

Sydney Horler was born in England in 1888. He was educated at Redcliffe and Colston Schools in Bristol and began professional writing in Fleet Street, first on the the Western Daily Press and on Daily Mail chronicling junior reporting assignments like police courts, inquests, and chapel meetings. He served in Air Intelligence in the propaganda section during World War I. After the war he was hired as sub-editor for John 'O London's Weekly before his employment was terminated in 1919. 

He became a novelist around 1915 with his first book being a western titled Standish of the Rangeland (1916). He didn't find success with the western and left that genre behind. It was during this time that Horler went to the short story market, used a pseudonym of J.O. Standish, and wrote a serial starring a character named Rex Harley called The Lightning Left. It ran from November 1919 through February 1920 in the pages of The Boys Realm. I wasn't able to obtain any info on this serial or character. I find it interesting that he used the pseudonym of Standish which was his western hero in his first book. He will use that name again with a future spy series. Before the year 1920 Holter had penned an additional 24 short stories for British magazines like Short Stories Illustrated, Chums, and The Grand Magazine. 

In the novel market, Horler followed Standish of the Rangeland with sports books like Goal! A Romance of the English Cup Ties, originally published in magazine form first. He wrote a crime novel called The Breed of the Beverleys in 1921. In a nonfiction book called London's Underworld, there is a newspaper article written by A.E Wilson from The Star serving as an introduction. In it, Wilson, who was friends with Horler from an early age, said, quote, "He progressed from boy's fiction to football fiction and from football fiction to the thriller." He also goes on to say, "It was only a few years ago that Edgar Wallace said to me very seriously: That fellow Horler is going to be a dangerous rival." Wilson continues and states that if Wallace lived it would have been interesting to watch the race in output and popularity.

Throughout Horler's career he is often described as being similar to Edgar Wallace. 

His writing career caught fire in 1925 with the crime novel book The Mystery of No. 1. It was published in the US as The Order of the Octopus and ran in the pages of Top-Notch Magazine in 1926. It is the first novel in a series that Horler launched launched starring a British Evil Genius named Paul Vinanti. In The Mystery of No. 1 Vivanti creates a villain supergroup called The Order of the Octopus with contains a Chinese man, a Count of Central Europe, and a woman described as extremely dangers and desired. Vivanti does all of the things that traditional villains do while attempting to build a criminal enterprise. Through the course of the series a British intelligence agent named Peter Foyle, who is also a statesman's nephew, is there to nix Vivanti's plans. The six Vivanti books were published from 1925 through 1945 and were the aforementioned The Mystery of No. 1, then Vivanti, The Worst Man in the World, Vivanti Returns, Lord of Terror, and Virux X. The series gets rave reviews while others seem to think it is just an average pulpy series of novels with cheap thrills. According to my sources the character also appears in at least one of three stories published as The Man Who Shook the Earth in 1933, an anthology of three stories. He also appeared in another of Horler's short story collections called The Screaming Skull, and Other Stories. The series can be described as a mixture of occult and super-science. 

Since he had luck in 1925 with a series, Horler decided to immediately write another. This one only lasted two books, False-Face in 1926 and Miss Mystery in 1928. Once again, the series stars a villain, a Russian secret agent named Baron Veseloffsky and the obligatory British secret agent as his foe, a guy named Sir Brian Fordinghame in the series debut. 

Horler liked the hero Sir Brian Fordinghame so he spun off of this series another three books featuring the character - The Murder Mask, High Stakes, and The Prince of Plunder. The four-book Brian Fordinghame series altogether features those books plus False-Face. Technically, this series can be labeled as published between 1913 and 1932.

Another character debuted in 1927 - Bunny Chipstead. He's a freelance British Secret Service agent which means he can choose which assignments he wants plus he can work both British and American assignments. There were four of these books running from 1927 through 1940 - In the Dark, Chipstead of the Lone Hand, The Secret Agent, and The Enemy within the Gates. 

Next was the Sebastian Quin series (not to be confused with popular author Seabury Quinn). Now Sebastian Quin appeared in three stories in 1925-1930. He is described as an occult detective, an enthusiast of the bizarre who has devoted his life to the study of crime in its most exotic and weird manifestations. He can Speak Chinese and another 17 foreign languages. What is interesting about him is that he isn't necessarily looking to stop a crime. He wants to learn what prompted the outrage to commit the crime. His assistant is a man named Martin Huish. The three story appearances exist but this character was the star of his own two-book series. The first novel was The Evil Messenger from 1938, followed by Fear Walked Behind in 1942. There is also a short story collection called The House in Greek Street that has a Sebastian Quin story reprinted from the magazines.

We're still in the 1920s and Horler is creating characters and series titles, but still filling the void with stand alone sports novels. From my research I counted eight sports novels between 1920 to 1926. Continuing in 1926 was another mystery or crime fiction novel called House of Secrets concerning an inheritance. This is followed by more stand alone mystery novels like The Black Heart, The Fellow Hagan, The 13th Hour, Heart Cut Diamond, and Lady of the Night to finish out the 20s. He also used pseudonyms like Martin Heritage and Peter Cavendish this decade. Horler wrote 137 short stories in the 1920s for all kinds of magazines and pulps. There were also recurring characters in some of these stories like a sports team called Sportsman's Club. 

Switching to a different series, Horler did start one more series in 1928 that was a tremendous success that launched a small empire for him. 

Harker Bellamy is a British spymaster, a Secret Service Chief in an intelligence organization called Q One. This is important because Bellamy runs the place and has agents that directly work for him. He is introduced for the first time in 1928 in a book called The Curse of Doone. In this one, Bellamy is on the case of a kidnapped woman by an orphan. He assigns the case to a Q One agent named Ian Heath. There is a sense of supernatural, like many of Holter's novels, when the house the woman is held at may be haunted and may in fact contain a vampire. In the third book, Bellamy calls upon one of his best agents, a man named Tiger Standish. As of book three of the Bellamy series it is all Tiger Standish through book 10. The series ran 1928-1948. So, you can theoretically take all 11 books and call them the Harker Bellamy series just like you could take all the Matt Helm books and call them the Mac series - Mac being Helm's boss. However, the Tiger Standish character continues to show up in other books too from 1936 to 1951. Books like Exit the Disguiser, They Thought He Was Dead, The House of Jackals, and Tiger Standish Does His Stuff. He's also in some short stories as well. I find it strange that the author had such a fixture on the name Standish. His first book was a cowboy named Standish, then he used that same name as a pseudonym and now his most popular spy is the same name.

The Nighthawk series began in 1937 and consisted of the books They Called Him Nighthawk, The Return of Nighthawk, Nighthawk Strikes to Kill, Nighthawk Mops Up, Ring Up Nighthawk, Nap on Nighthawk, and Nighthawk Swears Vengeance. This character is named Gerald Frost and he is a professional burglar. He is described by characters in the books as having the law unto himself. He robs crooks, taking on cases which the police have been powerless to touch. For example, The Return of Nighthawk has him defending a friend of his - a doctor - from a crook named Marius who employs a network of crooks to help him swindle innocent people across London. The theme of the series is a thief of thieves. 

Also in 1931 was a two-book series starring Brett Carstairs. He was in The Man Who Walked with Death and The Spy. He's a British secret agent that portrays a wealthy upperclassman to disguise his secret missions against the Soviets. 

Again, just like the 1920s, Holter is filling holes between his series installments all through the 1930s. Stand-alone books in the 1930s add up to 35-38 books in addition to all of those series installments. By this point Horler has sold over 2 million books. Between the years 1925 and 1953 Horley never published fewer than three books of fiction in any year. Three books a year was actually a slow year for him, he only sank to that level in 1940 due to the Blitz in England during WWII. In 1931 he produced 7 novels, a book of short stories, and in 1951 he wrote 10 novels. 

He had been quoted as saying he dictated 25,000 words which is about 100 pages every single week. Horler was a prolific author and he sold well through the 1920s, 1930s, and even into the 1940s. His publishers would include "Horler for Excitement" on his books as the marketing slogan.

Beginning in 1941 there was The Ace series starring a British secret agent named Justin March working for an organization named Y.2. There were three books total with Enter the Ace in 1941, Hell's Brew in 1952, and The Dark Night in 1953. 

According to his 1934 autobiographical book London's Underworld, Holter says that in the prime of his career he received a phone call from The Star asking him to briefly switch from a full-time novelist to a part-time journalist. The assignment was to submerge himself into the underworld for a full month. Here is what they told him, according to Horler's book: 

"We want you to meet the people who live in, and practice their crafts through, the Underworld. We want you to talk to them and get their viewpoint, describe their habits, characteristics, their methods of working - in short - to deliver us a clear and composite picture of this section of humanity which we know actually does exist but of which 99 persons out of every hundred are in complete ignorance. This gentleman, indicating He Who Had Remained Nameless, will act as a guide to begin with. After that it will be up to you."

I haven't read this book but I looked at the chapter list at the beginning of the book and you can kind of see where the author spent time at. He wined, dined, interviewed, traveled with, and entertained thieves, prostitutes, white slavers, blackmailers, the real soho, dope traffickers, and police on the take. In flipping through the book it is all done in a humorous way.

Horler also wrote screenplays as well. There are four films listed on IMDB with his name attached to them. 

Horler's political views have often come under fire. He often expressed contempt in his writing of non-British peoples. Malcolm Turnbull noted that Horler's novels regularly depict Jews as criminals. Horler's book Nighthawk Mops Up has a Jewish villain who collaborates with the Nazis. Odd. Horler was outspoken and said Americans were absurd, Italians smelly, French dishonest, and the Swiss had wooden faces. 

Horler had an ongoing feud or squabble with British crime-fiction writer Dorothy L. Sayers, who immensely disliked his work. The same can be said for Scottish writer Compton MacKenzie. 

Horler suffered a stroke in August of 1954. He then entered Bournemouth nursing home and would pass away on October 27th  at age 66.

To give you an idea how abrasive Horler was, when he died the Daily Express announced his death by stating "HORLER KILLED EVERY WAY THERE IS!" 

You can get Sydney Horler books HERE.

Hunter Hawk: Skyway Detective #01 - Outlaws of the Air

Eric Leyland (1911-2001) wrote over 300 books in a variety of genres using his own name and a variety of pseudonyms that include Nesta Grant, Sylvia Little, and Elizabeth Tarrant. His work has also appeared in Weird Tales, the television series Fact and Fiction, and a blog dedicated to studying his body of work aptly titled Eric Leyland – Hack of All Trades. His adventure series titles that would draw Paperback Warrior consumers includes David Flame, a secret agent that appeared in 16 books from 1958 through 1963, and the Steven Gale series, four books published in 1961/1962 starring a globe-trotting reporter solving mysteries involving a variety of familiar criminal tropes. 

The series I wanted to sample was Hunter Hawk: Skyway Detective. These are pulpy romps originally marketed as young adult reading. Considering that Hawk kills at least two people in the series debut, the notion of curtailing the title as juvenile compares to lumping heroes like The Avenger and Doc Savage into the same category. Anyone of any age group that enjoys adventures should find plenty to like about Hunter Hawk. The series was published by Edmund Ward of London between 1957 and 1962 and consisted of seven total novels. The books were all written by Leyland using his own name but co-authored by the series aviation advisor T.E. Scott-Chard, a Reference Officer of the B.O.A.C. 

My exploration of the series title is the debut, Outlaws of the Air. In the first chapter, readers are introduced to Jeff Hawk, known to both friends and enemies as Hunter Hawk. He is an aviation veteran of World War II and junior member of an airline detective agency titled Skyway Investigations Ltd., based out of London. Thickset judo expert Mike is Hunter's 19-year old cousin. Together the two work on international cases involving criminality plaguing the aviation industry.

In this novel, the duo, working with another Skyway Investigations detective named Brady, are working a case for their newest client Golden Orient Airways. The airline is experiencing a loss of cargo aircraft on their routes from Kantaru to Rangoon in Thailand. The planes are carrying precious stones harvested from the area's lucrative mining industry. The author (or Scott-Chard) considerately explains that these airplanes aren't equipped with long range radar and radio communications due to costs. Instead, this short route only demands shortwave radio transmissions. The disappearance of the planes and cargo makes it a literal needle in a haystack in terms of loss and recovery. Skyway Investigations must solve the case.

As I alluded to earlier, I don't consider Hunter Hawk to be a traditional boys' adventure. Hawk and Mike both shoot two criminals (I assume fatally) and Hawk kills his opponent in the sky. There are some investigations into trade routes, technical nuances of airplanes – both the British Mosquito, Daktoa, and Japanese Zero – and some crime-noir tendencies that aren't a far cry from what one would find in an Ace double from the mid 20th century. It's a slippery slope when pigeonholing adventure novels into young-adult molds. 

I really enjoyed the characteristics of both main characters and found them distinct from each other – Mike being the ground 'n pound fighter and Hawk the more lofty thinking man with a skill-set for high adventures. I also found Leyland's geographic layout exciting and flavorful, complete with some of the minor nuances that make up this Lower Burma region. The author describes the look and feel of the area quite well and fluidly manages to import the pedestrian reader into the exotic locale. Additionally, the book is highlighted by the formulaic sequence of adventures where the narration has checkpoints for characters to problem solve before advancing to the next challenge.

Overall, Outlaws of the Air was quite entertaining and a welcome gateway into this exciting British adventure series. With six more installments to explore, I'm flying high with this new reading experience. Highly recommended! Get the books HERE. 

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.  

S.O.B.s #02 - The Plains of Fire

According to The Internet Speculative Fiction Database, Alan Philipson has authored 15 novels in the Deathlands series as James Axler. He also wrote installments in the Destroyer, Executioner, Stony Man, and Super Bolan series. As Jack Hild, he wrote eight novels in the S.O.B.s series including The Plains of Fire, the second installment. It was published by Gold Eagle in February 1984 with another incredible painted cover by Ron Lesser.

The book begins in Iran as the main villain, heinous Captain Mohamadi Razod and his Islamic Revolutionary Guards, lead a rocket scientist to a gas soaked pyre. The heroic scientist leaked details about an Iranian quest to build four antiquated atomic bombs. In this savage opening sequence the scientist is nailed to a seat through his...thatchy area...and then mercifully cuts his own throat as the flames soar up his legs. Philipson's descriptive narrative isn't for the squeamish. 

Walker Jessup, the CIA liaison for the S.O.B.s, is fed details about the Iranian bomb program. He is instructed by the high-ranking U.S. brass that an official American military unit can't risk destroying this Iranian installation. The mission demands incursion into the country's sovereign territory and would be viewed as an act of war. Instead, the government wants Jessup to get his S.O.B.s on the job based on their triumphant success in Kaluba (the series debut). The plan is to penetrate the base and destroy it from within. Jessup gets on the horn with team lead Nile Barrabas. 

The next few chapters resembles a Sam Durell novel as Barrabas pieces together a ten-person team of specialists that can bring the military's operation to fruition. Unlike the first novel, these chapters are brief as smaller biographies are presented with highlights of the characters. Philipson is a smart writer and incorporates the character's skill-set into the main portions of the novel. For example, five pages spent on Vince Biondi informs readers he can drive a race car super fast. This will prove crucial to the novel's finale.

Philpson proves to be an excellent storyteller as the narrative spills into the final 100 pages. The scenes alternate from the perspective of a handful of Iranian scientists working under intense pressure to complete the construction of the bombs. Razod is the one you love to hate, the sadistic barbarian leader that kills his own people for the unholy crusade. Each of Barrabas' team members have important roles and pieces of the narrative are solely dedicated to their participation in the mission. Some authors create abrasion or disjoint the plot when attempting to present multiple perspectives. Philpson is a pro and seamlessly delivers a smooth prose. I also enjoyed (I'm awful!) the fact that three of the team members die in the fight. Nobody is safe in an S.O.B.s book!

The Plains of Fire is an excellent men's action-adventure with enough violence and action to saturate 200 pages. As much as I enjoyed the series debut, written by Jack Canon, David Wade, and Robin Hardy, the narrative suffered from too many pages of character development. Philpson keeps it simple stupid when entrusting readers to consume character bios. Recommended. Get it HERE.