A STUDY IN CRIMSON -Sherlock Holmes 1942

 

 

 

A STUDY IN CRIMSON

Sherlock Holmes 1942

By Robert J. Harris

Pegasus Crime

303 pgs

 

Like author Robert J. Harris, our first introduction to the Great Detective, Sherlock Holmes, was from the Universal movies featuring Basil Rathbone as Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. Having been born after World War II, one of millions of Baby Boomers, we would discover these black and white films on televisions years after they had been produced and shown in theaters around the globe. We were instantly taken with Holmes cool and calculating powers of observations and Watson’s courageous loyalty, despite his often depredations as to the perils they were led into. In those days, this young boy had no clue as to who Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was. That would come later in our high school classes dealing with the history of English Literature.  

What we would only marvel at many years later was how successful the script writers at Universal had been in transferring Holmes and Watson to the 20^th Century. It was a smooth and flawless transition and though some Doyle purists may have had their issues, most Holmes enthusiast relished these entries.

Now along comes writer Robert J. Harris, another fan of those films, with the marvelous idea of writing brand new mysteries set in those familiar years. With “A Study in Crimson,” we are once again in war torn London, as England bravely fends off the German Blitz fervently hoping that the United States will eventually enter the conflict. When the bodies of two murdered young women are discovered, each having been physically mutilated, Inspector Lestrade calls on Holmes for assistance. At the site of each murder, the words Crimson Jack are found painted in black clearly referring to the most brutal serious killer of all time, Jack the Ripper. Whereas it is unlikely Jack has returned from the grave, what the murders suggest is that a new fiend has arrived on the scene and is mimicking the original monster.

From the opening chapter, Harris brilliantly lays out his tale and it was impossible for this reviewer not to see Rathbone and Bruce, along with Dennis Hoey, Lestrade, in our imagination. This considerably heightened our enjoyment of the book. Bravo to Harris for recapturing that cinema magic while at the same time giving us a gem of a mystery. He plays fair, the clues are all there for the most diligent reader to discern and maybe, just maybe, solve the case before the Great Detective. All in all, a truly marvelous experience and we hope there are more of these 1942 mysteries in the works.

 

THE SHADOWED CIRCLE # 3

 

THE SHADOWED CIRCLE # 3

Editor/Publisher Steve Donoso

A Renaissance Arts Press Publication

66 pages

 

Once again, Editor Steve Donoso and his crew of enthusiastic Shadow devotees have put together another stellar issue cram-packed with informative and fun articles. All behind a terrific cover by Steve Rude.

 

Albert J. Emery’s query as to could the Shadow have ended World War II by taking out Hitler is thought provoking. Todd Severin and Keith Holt’s second part of the character’s history was professionally put forth. Will Murray always entertains, whether when writing his own exciting pulp tales or in this case, recounting his personal experiences covering the 1994 Shadow movie starring Alec Baldwin. His peek behind the glamour and glitter is fascinating. 

Our favorite article was easily the story behind “The Shadow’s Guy in the Chair.” As writer Tim King points out, in most series where the hero leads a team, there is always someone at the center of the web cleverly doing the boss’ bidding. With the Shadow it was the loyal and mysterious Burbank. A fun piece exploring the possible origins of the character as created by Walter Gibson. 

Part one of the Michael Uslan interview, “The Boy Who Loved The Shadow” by Darby Kern was enjoyable and we’re eager for the second half coming next issue. Likewise Steve Novak’s piece on the Shadow’s New York was a nice follow up from the period photo-essay on display in Issue # 2. 

Finally, “The Puzzling Adventures of The Shadow Magazine in Canada was really strange to say the least. Kudos to Tim Hewitt for his research and exploration of a little facet of publishing history before and during the years of World War II. Very little is ever written about Canadian pulps and this feature was most welcome.

Once again, “The Shadowed Circle” offers up a truly complete package with entertaining articles all beautifully laid out with clever compositions throughout. No Shadow fan should be without this wonderful mag.

BLOODLESS

 

BLOODLESS

A Pendergast Novel

By Preston & Child

Grand Central Publishing

385 pgs

 

As we said dozens of times before, our favorite new pulp series today is the Pendergast novels by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. “Bloodless” is the twentieth in the adventures of Special FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast and probably one of the most blatantly outrageous yet. Which is saying something as this series kicked off with Pendergast dealing with a mutated jungle monster loose in the Museum of Natural History to be followed by his encounter with a mysterious young lady well over a hundred years old but still retaining her physical youth. As we said, outrageous, and yet Preston and Child have so much fun telling these stories, the reader is instantly swept along for the ride and leaves all rationality behind.

In “Bloodless” the story begins with a retelling of the FBI’s most famous and still unsolved cases; the plane highjacking by the man known as D.B. Cooper who, after being paid his ransom, parachuted out of a plane over the Northwest and was never seen again. From this prequel, the book then springs to Savannah, Georgia today and the body of a murdered man washed up along the banks of the river…without a drop of blood in it. Pendergast, his ward Constance Greene and partner Agent Armstrong Coldmoon are assigned the case. Before too long, a second bloodless corpse literarily falls out of the sky one night nearly crushing a tourist couple out for a stroll. As events continue, the case simply becomes more and more macabre until our heroes are faced with the possibility that the killer may not be of this world.  

Like all such long running series, the Pendergast adventures have had their ups and downs. Some tales were a bit awkward and clumsy while others were spot on thrillers with panache. “Bloodless” may possibly the finest since our personal favorite, “The Cabinet of Curiosities,” book # 3.  Not to be missed, pulp fans because this is really what great pulp writing is all about.

THE EYE OF VENGEANCE

 

THE EYE OF VENGEANCE

A Red Jackal Adventure

By Jonathan W. Sweet

Brick Pickle Media, L.L.C.

149 Pgs

 

The Twin-Cities rouge colored adventurer returns in a full length adventure that pits him against a mysterious criminal mastermind known by various names. For whatever nefarious reasons, publisher Blake Randolph’s secret crime-fighting persona has become the target of the sadistic villain who begins his campaign by systematically murdering the Jackal’s agents. Then the devious crook sets up an elaborate weekend getaway for half a dozen of the city’s elite personalities to a luxurious woodsy island retreat. There, one of fiend’s twisted killers, dressed as the Red Jackal, brutally murders several of the guests so as to put the blame on the battling avenger.

Never have the stakes been higher. As he attempts to uncover the identity of his obsessed foe, the Red Jackal begins to worry that his closest confidants, to include his brother David, police Lt. McDaniels and the lovely reporter Jennifer Jones, may become the madman’s newest targets. Once again, writer Sweet spins a fast paced tale set against authentic backgrounds and history to deliver a truly rewarding tale. This being the character’s third outing, we’re totally bonafide and hope there’s a fourth soon on the way. The Red Jackal is what good New Pulp is all about.

THE SHRINKING ISLAND

 

THE SHRINKING ISLAND

Three Novels

By Mickey Spillane

Rough Edges Press

316 pgs

 

Vincent Demar and his son Larry move to the Caribbean Island of Peolle to start a new life. Upon arriving they make friends with islander Tim Toomey and his son Josh. Soon the two teenage boys are inseparable and ready for whatever adventures may come their way. Enjoying what are primarily three Young Adult novels produced by a world famous tough-guy private-eye writer is just more proof on how versatile and talented Spillane truly was. Whereas since his passing in 2006, literary history has relegated him to the narrow confines of mystery and crime thrillers choosing to ignore the incredible amount of work he created in all kinds of genres from westerns to horror and yes, even Young Adult. 

This book collects “The Day the Sea Rolled Back” and “The Ship That Never Was,” the two previously published Larry and Josh stories along with “The Shrinking Island.” Published here for the first time. Reading these, we immediately see the formula the author established. Much like all traditional young adult stories, Larry and Josh become new versions of the Hardy Boys only with an exotic Caribbean background. As each tale opens, they come across some bizarre mystery, set out to explore it on their own, then become the targets of unscrupulous men seeking a long lost treasure and put the boys in jeopardy.  

In “The Day the Sea Rolled Back” the boys deal with a natural phenomenon wherein the sea actually rolls back exposing several miles of sea bottom around the tiny islands; never before seen real estate with several sunken ships now visible to all. With “The Ship That Never Was,” Larry and Josh discover an old sailor adrift in a hundred year old British longboat that could only have come off a classic British frigate. All of which leads to the strange history of what was considered a jinxed boat. And finally, with “The Shrinking Island,” our impetuous duo encounters a supernatural force straight out of an issue of Weird Tales.  

This is a fun package and having enjoyed them, we can only bemoan the fact that Spillane never wrote any others. Larry and Josh are terrific characters and it would have been fun to see where the series might have gone. That we’ll never know, but at least we now have this volume. A tip of the pulp fedora to Rough Edge Press and writer Max Allan Collins who offers up a terrific introduction.  

CAPTAIN MOXLEY and the Embers of Empire

 

CAPTAIN MOXLEY and the Embers of the Empire

By Dan Hanks

Angry Robot

375 pgs

 

One look at artist Daniel Strange’s collage cover and you would expect to read a rollicking, over the top action packed pulp adventure. Sadly, often times as the old saw tells us, you can’t judge a book by its cover. In this rare and wonderful instance, you most bloody well can. “Captain Moxley and the Embers of Empire” is pretty much everything a good solid new pulp tale should be. It has a great protagonist, wonderful supporting cast and some truly weird and deadly villains. And it all takes place on an alternate earth not our own. 

Wow, that’s a lot of good stuff. Indeed it is, and Hanks pulls it off beautifully. In this “other” earth, World War II has ended and former British fighter pilot, Samantha (Sam to family and friends) is in New York City to find her sister Jess who she believes has been kidnapped by a secret cabal known as the Nine. She was once one of their agents, but soon realized they were corrupt and left their ranks. Something they frown upon very badly.

As it turns out, Sam finds her sister busy at work on a new exhibition at the Natural Museum of Science in Manhattan. Jess is an archeologist, and along with her colleague and boyfriend, Will, is about to put on display and ancient artifact the Nine want. Sam arrives in the nick of time, fouls the attempted kidnapping/robbery and then is off to Paris, along with Jess and Will, to contact Professor Edward “Teddy” Ascher, a former flying pal of French/Arab descent and leading expert on the Hall of Records, a supposed lost despository of the world’s accumulated knowledge hidden beneath the sands of Egypt. 

It is Sam’s belief that the Nine’s primary goal is to find the hidden library because among its many wonders is a power source of unbelievable strength which would allow them to become masters of the world. Teddy proceeds to tell her aside from the amulet Jess has in her possession, there remains one other artifact, a key, supposedly hidden in the catacombs beneath Paris. Without it, the amulet is useless. Needless to say, Sam and her team of three soon find themselves racing against their enemies under the city streets to find that lost key.

If all this echoes the Indiana Jones movies, it is because Dan Hanks blatantly list those films and many others, including pulps and comics, as his inspirations for writing this bold, in your face adventure. It is a fast paced page turner with so much action as to leave the reader for breath by its climatic finale. Oh, and as if that wasn’t enough to satiate your need for pulp thrills, the ending fades out with the obvious intent of a sequel. One we cannot wait to get our hands on. “Captain Moxley and the Embers of Empire” is a hoot, pulp fans. We found it at Amazon. You should pick it up now. Don’t wait another minute.

 

 

THE MENACE

 

 

 

THE MENACE

By Mickey Spillane & Max Allan Collins

Rough Edge Press

189 pgs

 

This book is a gem in that it actually contains three different works by the indisputable master of private-eye fiction, Mickey Spillane. The first is a novella based on a television script and adapted by Collins. The second is a long lost short story and the last a non-fiction true crime essay based on an actual murder case. All three are memorable in their own way and combined, offer up a small glimpse of the unbounded talent and imagination Spillane possessed.

“The Menace” itself is a thriller regarding a grotesque serial killer targeting doctors in small southern county. Sheriff Cutter, a veteran of the NYPD, puts the pieces together and discovers the killer’s next victim is a likeable pediatrician and his young son. Yet despite surrounding the doctor and his family with a cadre of officers, Cutter soon learns his monstrous foe is not going to let anything deter him from his savage goal.

“The Duke Alexander” is a hilarious tale of mistaken identity. A garage owner is on vacation when he is crosses paths with an exact look-alike who happens to be a foreign gigolo in this country to marry a wealthy debutante. Honestly, Spillane’s comedy is worthy of a Marx Brothers feature. It is that funny.

Finally, Collins wraps it all up republishing a short true-crime essay wherein a young woman’s body, left at the bottom of freezing cold lake, eventually rises to the surface and kicks off an investigation, which via the science of the day, eventually tracks down the killer.  

Three for the price of one sums up “The Menace.” A satisfying fun read you don’t want to miss.

 

CAULDRON OF THE HOLLYWOOD HEADHUNTERS

 

 

 

CAULDRON OF THE HOLLYWOOD HEAD HUNTERS

Man of the Mist # 3

By Darryle Purcell

Digital Parchment Press

165 pgs

 

Darryle Purcell returns with a third Man in the Mist adventure which is his homage series to the classic pulp avengers. Industrialist Ralph Thorne learned mystic abilities while on his trips to the world’s exotic locales. Now, using his power to cloud men’s minds, he battles an assortment of bizarre master villains. Reading these fun adventures, one is immediately reminded of classic heroes ala the Shadow and the Spider.

In this particular adventure, Thorne, and his lovely blonde assistant, Moxie Malone, take on a secret facist cabal insinuating itself into the Hollywood entertainment community. From the movies to music, led by the mysterious Phoenix, the group threatens their way to power in order to subvert the public. From sadistic torturers, zombies and a crazed werewolf, the cult becomes one of the greatest challenges ever faced by the steely avenger. “Cauldron of the Hollywood Head Hunters” is a page turning hoot. If you love old pulps, this one was made for you.

 

POLLEN IN PRINT 1955-1959

 

POLLEN IN PRINT 1955-1959

Edited by Robert Deis & Wyatt Doyle

Men’s Adventure Library

# new texture

159 pgs

 

With this book, Men’s Adventure Magazines historians Robert Deis and Wyatt Doyle once again shine a light on the amazing, and prolific work of artist Samson Pollen. In the two previous volumes, “Pollen’s Action” and “Pollen’s Women,” the authors focused on those particular themes that were the hallmark of the artist’ majority of published work. In this, their third collection, they turn their critical eyes to Pollen’s smaller black and white illustrations that appeared in those periodicals.

This is no easy task, as many of the wonderful illustrations they reproduced were from tiny originals no more then three or four inches in length and width. What generally happens when attempting to reproduce such small pieces is the disintegration of the line work when enlarged. Yet, somehow, they have deftly manipulated the digital scanning progress to prevent such from happening and the end result is clear, beautiful copies detailing the mastery of Pollen’s composition and shading skills.  

Another noteworthy element in this volume is that unlike all their previous titles, this one was crowd-funded on-line. I.e. it was produced by the generous donations of art and MAMS lovers around the world. This in itself is a testimony to both Pollen’s work and the legion of fans the authors have increased by their tireless efforts in preserving these artistic treasures for future generations. We heartily applaud them both and encourage all of you to pick up this gorgeous book.

THE COWBOY AND THE CONQUEROR

 

THE COWBOY AND THE CONQUEROR

A Bob Howard Adventure

By Teel James Glenn

Pro Se Press

180 pgs

 

In 2020, writer Teel James Glenn wrote “A Cowboy in Carpathia” and in 2021 it won the Pulp Factory Award for Best Novel. The conceit of the story was that pulp writer Robert E. Howard, the creator of Conan, and other great characters, did not commit suicide and in this alternate world went on to have real adventures. In one such he took and defeated the Vampire King, Dracula. Talk about a great pulp concept. It was no surprise to this reviewer that it went on to win the Best Novel title. 

And so here we go again, back to this “what if” world and this time the battler from Cross Plains teams up with another pulp writer. This one is German and his name is Adolf Hister. Whoa. Up reading the opening chapter, this reviewer sat back and wondered if our eyes had deceived us. Was the first person narrator of this sequel actually an alternate world version of Adolf Hitler? Answer, yes, he was. Only this little fellow with the Charlie Chaplain mustache is married and has two sons. His life has been blessed and he is a successful spinner of tall tales. Wow. You have to give Glenn kudos for have the courage to pull this switch. 

Howard and Hister meet on a boat in Egypt traveling the Nile. Their ship is boarded by Arab revolutionists who kidnap a British headmistress and her girls on a field trip. Our two pulp scribes give chase, assuming the girls are going to be held for ransom by the bandits. Little do they know that behind the raid, is a mysterious cult known as the White Hand and their objection is a great deal more sinister. When this comes to light, the Cowboy and German wordsmith return to London where they will uncover the White Hand’s master plot, the true leader.

In Glenn’s topsy-turvy upside world, our good guys are villains and vice versa. As if that wasn’t enough plot for this non-stop action adventure romp, he even gives us a very unhealthy dose of H.P. Lovecraft’s Cluthu mythos. Oh, yeah.

“The Cowboy and the Conqueror” may be Glenn’s most accomplished work to date. He cleverly sets the table with all kinds of familiar pulp tropes and then peels back a philosophical layer that at the core of all stories. The myths behind life and death and the choices we make. What else can we say but…bravo!!!  Clean a space off your trophy self, Mr. Glenn.

BLOOD ON THE TRAIL

 

OD ON THE TRAIL

A Jeremiah Halstead Western

By Terrence McCauley

Pinnacle Books

315 pgs

 

Mystery writer Terrence McCauley burst on the western scene several years ago with his first Sheriff Aaron Mackey novel, “Where the Bullets Fly.” At the end of that four book series, Mackey was sworn in as Montana’s U.S Marshal and residing in Helena, the state capital. We cannot say enough good things about that series and happily reviewed each and every one of them. Though we were led to believe that after the fourth book that would be the last we’d see of Mackey and his likeable cast of characters.

Happily we’ve been proven wrong as McCauley has now returned to Montana and begun a second series this time featuring one of Mackey’s Deputy Marshals, Jeremiah Halstead, who had first appeared in the previous books as a supporting character. Young Halstead was the son of one of Mackey’s closest friends from the war. In this first story, Deputy Halstead is sent down to the small town of Rock Creek to locate the whereabouts of the murderous Hudson Gang. That he manages to do easily enough. It is only after he captures the gang’s leader, John Hudson, that his trouble begins. Fleeing Rock Creek with the rest of the killers chasing him, Halstead manages to escape but not before killing two of them; one being Hudson’ younger brother.

Desperate to get back to Helena with his prisoner, the Deputy Marshal stops in the town of Silver Cloud, a half-way point on his trip. But when goes to the local jail to lock up his prisoner, he’s confronted by the mean-spirited Sheriff Boddington and his two dimwit deputies. Halstead has no patience for men like these and quickly puts all three out of commission with the use of his rifle butt; an action guaranteed not to endear him with the good people of Silver Cloud. Then he gets a telegram from Marshal Mackey telling not to return immediately, but to remain in the burgeoning mining campe, Halstead’s situation becomes less than enviable.  

Then within twenty-hours of his arrival, a popular prostitute is murdered, her body discovered in the alley behind the saloon. Thus our hero is forced to stay in a town where he has already antognized the sheriff, is embroiled in a murder investigation and very much aware that the remainder of the Hudson gang is most likely to attempt to free their boss at any time. Suspense builds upon suspense as McCauley skillfully weaves his narrative at a remarkably well established pace. There is plenty of action throughout the tale skillfully interwoven with genuine characterizations of believeable people. As a series debut, “Blood On The Trail,” is a magnificent launching which only has us hoping the sequel isn’t too far off. This is what good westerns are all about.

VERMIN CALLING

 

VERMIN CALLING

By Darryle Purcell

Offbeat Reads

198 pgs   

Young Vernon Jiles was bullied as a child. His worst tormentor, his older brother. To survive these daily beating, Vernon lost himself in his comics and soon developed a true love of graphic storytelling. Enough so that he began drawing his own comics and grew up to become a professional illustrator.  But there was more to Vernon’s story for he possessed a very unique imagination, one his mind learned to harness is a most spectacular way. Vernon discovered early in his comic creating career that he, by the power of his mind, could bring his cartoon characters to life.  

Soon, his colorful friends, led by the fighting DuckTard, were parading around his studio and adding to the fun and mayhem of his daily life. Ultimately, realizing he had the ability to do good and protect people, Vernon assumed a secret identity and the Vermin, scourge of the underworld, was born. Again, all because of his amazing imagination.

When the beautiful Tenacity Mills answered an ad to be his assistant, she was instantly brought into his top secret crusade. At first the poor girl thought she was losing her mind, but gradually Vernon’s naïve sincerity won her over. Soon Tenacity was fighting crooks and communist agitators alongside Vermin and his cartoon posse.  

Darryle Purcell is a gifted storyteller unafraid of exploring the wild and bizarre and he has no problems making the impossible seem totally believable. Never more so than in this crazy romp with two of his most likeable characters ever. In fact when you consider the plot, this reviewer doesn’t wonder if some of these exploits weren’t based on his own life. Now that would be crazy! And fun!

MOONLIGHT SERENADE

 

MOONLIGHT SERENADE

Book Three of the Vim Hood Chronicles

By Terry Mark

285 pgs  

With this volume, writer Terry Mark continues his thrilling alternate history series featuring some very famous personalies. He picks up the narrative in Europe shortly after the Normandy invasion by allied troops. We find General Patton leading his armored command across France at such speed as if to threaten his own gas supply lines. Meanwhile in the South Pacific, Amelia Earhart, is alive and operating as an island spotter for the U.S. Navy observing the movements of Japanese warships. When that mission is completed, she recruits a young Navy flier named Paul Newman to accompany her to Europe and a rendezvous with Patton.  

Meanwhile a frightened young teenage Anne Frank has escaped her family’s hiding place and while on the run encounters a trio of savage Nazis werewolves. All of which has to do with Hitler’s attempt to find the source of the mysterious Vim gems that grant people arcane powers and the ability to make super weapons of mass destruction.

Once again, Mark weaves real history with his daring alternate world supernatural storyline to achieve the maximum in spills and thrills. Oh, and did we mention a certain trumpet player named Glenn Miller also has a part to play in the adventure. Just like his first two books in the series, “Moonlight Serenade” is pure pulp from start to finish. We urge you not only to pick it up but do yourselves a favor and also latch on to those first two books, “Kill the Night” and “And the Sun Goeth Down.” Really, you’ll be glad you did.

QUARRY'S BLOOD

 

QUARRY’S BLOOD

By Max Allan Collins

Hard Case Crime

205 pgs  

Max Allan Collins has been writing stories about his Vietnam veteran hitman since 1976. It was obvious from the start that the author and his creation were the same age making it easy enough for him to place the stories in time. Collins did a few Quarry books and then walked away from them. When Hard Case Crime came along, publisher Charles Ardai, a fan of the character, urged Collins to bring Quarry back.” Collins, obviously older, as was his hero, realized he had a golden opportunity to write a finale.  

What his crystal ball couldn’t predict was how successful “The Last Quarry” would become among his ever growing audience. And there was Ardai wanting more. Collins pulled a very neat hat-trick and went backwards with “The First Quarry.” Which of course meant dusting off his own memories of those long ago times and their social environs. All of which he did making it seem effortless.  

Having thus given us the alpha and omega, it seemed we mystery/crime fans had seen the last of Quarry. Again we’ve been proven wrong in this new “Quarry’s Blood.” It’s pretty much a gripping fast paced epilogue and so much fun. We catch up with an aging Quarry, almost about to reach seventy and widowed for the second time. He’s content with living a quiet, if lonely life, until a very savvy female writer named Susan shows up on his doorstep. As it turns out she’s the author of a bestselling true crime novel that was clearly inspired by Quarry’s lethal career and she’s convinced he is the real hitman she researched in her book. 

Unnerved by all this, he maintains his false innocence and sends her packing. The following day, while taking a pre-dawn swim at a nearby indoor pool, he’s nearly killed by two professional assassins. No way is it a coincendence and Quarry finds himself once again being pulled into his old world of hunter/prey, kill or be killed. But what’s the connection to Susan? And who, after so many long years, wants him dead and why?  

This is one of the best Quarry books ever. Maybe we think that because we’re seventy-five, a Vietnam veteran and often times think about all our brothers who never made it home to their families and loved ones. Who never got to drink another cold beer or read a damn good book like this one. Thanks, Max, for all of them.

MEN'S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY Issue # 4

 

MEN’S ADVENTURE QUARTERLY

Issue # 4

Edited by Robert Deis & Bill Cunningham

Pulp 2.0

148 pgs   

When repeating an operation several times, you can be assured of one of two results. One, the action is lessened and the quality diminishes with repetition. Or, two, the process becomes refined and the quality increases exponentially. With this series, there’s no doubt it is the second of theory that becomes instantly evident. Each new issue of “Men’s Adventure Quarterly” is unbelievable better than the last. How that is possible is obviously the work of editors Robert Deis and Bill Cunningham. Both are masters at their respective interests and merging of those two publishing sensibilities is sheer genius.   

Deis is the consummate MAM’s expert and his knowledge of that subject is only equaled by his love for it. As with the previous four installments, issue 4 has a theme; one near and dear all fans of this literature – Jungle Girls. From the opening page to the last, we are presented with a cornucopia of intriguing articles, action packed fanciful fiction and several captivating photo features.  

The 148 page magazine is book-ended by two segments spotlighting two very different women and their particular connection with the world of Men’s Adventure Magazines. The first is a series of new and reprinted articles about Jane Dolinger, a globetrotting beauty who was both a gifted writer and lovely cheesecake model. Deis’ presenting this little know adventuress to the world is worth the price of the issue. Ms Dolinger was a one of kind character just as sensational of those she invented in her fiction. Her pictorials also display a natural beauty completely comfortable with her own sexuality. We were much impressed with Deis’ interview with writer Lawrence Abbott who wrote Ms Dolinger’s biography; “Jane Dolinger : The Adventurous Life of an American Travel Writer.”  

The book’s middle section features four MAMS reprint stories about white men caught in lost jungle cities from the Amazon to Borneo and confronting lethal but sexy female warriors. Each is a gem and much fun. All are gorgeously illustrated by classic art from various MAM artists of the past, from Gil Cohen to Mort Kunstler.  

And then the volume wraps up with a huge photo tribute to the late German actress Marion Michael who came to stardom by starring in two internationally celebrated jungle movies in the mid-60s, “Liane – Girl From the Jungle” and “Nature Girl and the Slaver.” In the former she was billed as the German Sheena. A pretty blonde sweetheart, she was also compared to Brigette Bardot. Of course this is where the other half of the editing team, Bill Cunningham, shines. Once again, Cunningham’s skill at page layouts and his use of the art and photos is spot-on. He knows instinctively how to make every single page a dramatic presentation and joy to simply behold.

Deis’s articles are tremendous and Cunningham gives them the stunning visual stage they so richly deserve. “Men’s Adventure Quaterly # 4” is truly a wonderful treasure to any love of MAMS and pulps in general. Honestly, we can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

RELIQUARY

 

RELIQUARY

By Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child

Forge Fiction

264 Pgs  

Way back in 2002 a good friend sent us a copy of the book, “The Cabinet of Curiosities” by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. In was in this book that we first encountered FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast. What we didn’t know at the time was it was the character’s third appearance in a book by these two writers. Later we would learn he had first appeared in “Relic,” (1995) a horror thriller that was later adapted into a feature film. Now we hadn’t read “Relic” but we had seen and enjoyed the movie. Sadly, in the process of bringing the story to the screen, the screen writers opted to trim the large cast of characters and Pendergast was one of the casualties of those cuts.   

Buoyed by the success of that first collaboration, Preston and Child wrote a sequel, “Reliquary” (1997) and once again brought back Pendergast as part of the original cast of characters from the previous thriller. Again, at the time, we were totally oblivious to any of this. Or the fact that Pendergast role slowly growing even though he was still part of an ensemble of players. With the arrival of “The Cabinet of Curiosities” he took center stage and quickly gathered a huge fandom. Soon the series became the Pendergast books and each continued to expand his popularity. It remains our personal favorite such.  

Recently we found a new paperback edition of “Reliquary” and immediately picked it up. We were amused at the sub-title indicating it was “The Second Novel in the Pendergast Series.” How things had changed. Being familiar with the movie version of “Relic” we had no trouble digging into this story and realized quickly that it is most assuredly a follow up. In fact one might rightly call it a Part Two of the same tale. In “Relic” a scientist returns from a trip to the Amazon infected by an exotic plant. Upon his return to New York City and the Natural History Musuem, it transforms him physically into a monstrous beast that then terrorizes and murders lots of people before being vanquished.  

In “Reliquary” several of his museum colleagues have discovered the truth behind the monster and begin expirementing with what remains of the alien plant. These secret expirement leads to creation of as yet another mental and physical altering drug and they begin testing it on the homeless “moles” that live beneath the streets of the city. Soon these poor souls are turned into horrible creatures and begin killing people at random. When a rich young debutant becomes one of their victims and her headless corpse is discovered in the river, the police begin to investigate and eventually Lt. Vincent D’Agosta and Dr. Nora Kelly, a museum curator, are once again teaming up to solve the grisly murders. It is no surprise when, a quarter into the book, Agent Pendergast appears we readers are once again enjoying another fast paced, fantastic thriller like no other.  

Being Pendergast fans, we’re happy to have had this chance to read one of his earliest appearances and as ever cannot wait for his newest book.

THE MANY LIVES OF JIMMY LEIGHTON

 

THE MANY LIVES OF JIMMY LEIGHTON

By Dave Thomas & Max Allan Collins

Neo Text

328 pgs   

Considering his past works, writer Max Allan Collins is the last person we’d ever associate with science fiction. But that’s exactly what we have here in this thriller co-written with Dave Thomas. “The Many of Lives of Jimmy Leighton” is half sci-fi and half crime mystery. Jimmy Leighton is a young thief living in Boston’s notorious South-End. He’s in debt to a sadistic Vietnamese gangster and decides to rob the house of a scientist. In the man’s cellar, he discovers a quantum machine and accidentally activates it at the same time he is shot in the back of the head by a second intruder.  

And just like that there are two Jimmy Leightons. One who collapses from the gunshot wound and the second who simply vanishes? That Jimmy’s consciousness is transported to another earth and into the body of a duplicate Jimmy Leighton; one who is rich and lives in Chicago. As our dimension hopping protagonist tries to comprehend his dilemma, his other self is rescued and taken to a Boston hospital where surgeons save his life but leave him in a coma. Enter detectives Sam Neer and Taylor Farr, assigned to the case. Who shot the thief in the scientist’ basement and why? From this point the book jumps, much like our hero, back and forth between the story of the cops trying to solve the shooting and Jimmy’s quantum identity jumps. Through the course of the story, he’ll find himself as a boxing prize-fighter, a bank robber, an infantry soldier in Afghanistan and even a hometown Catholic.

The balance between both narratives is really well handled; with both writers maintain a truly enjoyable rhythm throughout the story. They bring it all to a very satisfying conclusion for all the characters. This is obviously a one shot as we can’t envision any sequels. Yet we’d really like to see Neer and Farr again. Perhaps in a more traditional cop mystery in the future? Regardless, “The Many Lives of Jimmy Leighton” is a fun read one not to be missed.

THE SHADOWED CIRCLE # 2

 

THE SHADOWED CIRCLE # 2

Editor/Publisher Steve Donoso

A Resonance Arts Press Publication

62 pages

 

Last year pulp enthusiast were treated to the premier of this excellent new magazine devoted to arguably the great pulp hero of them all, The Shadow. The magazine was crammed pack with excellent, informative articles, great artwork all beautifully designed. Now comes the second issue equally as good only with an additional 12 pages. Talk about making a good thing better.

The first article “Stories of World History and The Shadow” kicks it all with a look at the greatest Shadow graphic adventure ever published, Marvel’s “Hitler’s Astrologer” as written by Denny O’Neil and illustrated by artists Michael Kaluta with gorgeous inks by Russ Heath. We think so highly of this book, we own two copies.   

Next Will Murray offers up memories of his time working with Tony Tollin on the Sanctum Shadow reprints series. Murray’s anectodes are always fun and sometimes eerily revealing. 

Editor Steve Donoso then ushers in a truly wonderful pictorial of old New York by photographer Berenice Abbott that showcases a 1930s landscape that was clearly the landscape for many of the Shadow’s adventures. It is a nostalgic treasure we greatly enjoyed. 

Tim King’s “The Dark Avenger in Military Heraldry” was really fascinating stuff. 

Donoso then reviews Will Murray’s “Master of Mystery : The Rise of the Shadow.” Something we did as well when the volume was first released. 

Todd D. Severin and Keith being their history of the character with “The Shadow – Mysterious Being of the Night – The Pulp Years – Part 1.” Again informative and fun. Will be eagerly awaiting future segments. 

“The Shadow and the Explorers Club” by Julian Puga is a short two-page article and nice finale to a wonderful issue. 

If you’re a Shadow enthusiast by any degree, visit their on-line website and pick up a copy…of both issues. You’ll be richer for it. Tell them the sun is shining but the ice is slippery.  (www.theshadowedcircle.com)

 

TROUBLE IN THE BROWNSTONE

 

TROUBLE IN THE BROWNSTONE

A Nero Wolfe Mystery

By Robert Goldsborough

Mysterious Press

246 pgs.

Every now and then we readers discover fictional characters and become totally enamored with them. Enough so that when their creators pass on, we hope other writers will take on those heroes and continue their adventures; most of which we refer to as pastiches. (Note – a term we totally dislike.) Now, regardless of your attitude towards continuations, it is all too clear some of these characters have come to belong to the world at large. When thinking of such, Sherlock Holmes immediately takes the number one spot. Since his creator’s passing, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of his new adventures have been written. Why? Simple, because his world wide fans demanded more. 

Thus is the case with Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, the irascible characters created by the late Red Stout as his take on the Holmes/Watson duo. It was no surprise that they quickly became the darlings of mystery fans everywhere and when Stout passed away in 1975 it seemed the end for this delightful pair. Happily such was not the case when journalist/author Robert Goldsborough arrived to reopen the door to the famous Brownstone on West 35th St. and began writing new Nero Wolfe mysteries. In the past fifteen such, he’s related the first ever meeting between Wolfe and Archie, taking us on a visit to Archie’s hometown and even had Wolfe come to Inspector Cramer’s rescue on a tricky case. It is these forays into the established character’s background that have made all of Goldsborough’s books a pure delight. Book # 16, “Trouble in the Brownstone” is no exception.

It begins with Wolfe’s orchid expert Theodore Horstmann being savagely beaten weeks after having left his rooftop apartment for new digs. Left in a coma from which he may never recover, Wolfe and Archie devote themselves to finding the perpetrators and bringing them to justice. This leads to McCready’s an Irish bar near the docks of the Hudson River. Archie soon learns the bar is frequented by foreign seamen most of whom reside at a five story hotel across the street from the pub. Set in the months after the end of World War Two, Goldsborough’s plot centers around the plight of thousands of Displaced Refugees desperately hoping to immigrate to America. Thus the opportunity arose for unscrupulous opportunists in providing smuggling avenues for those people with the money to pay. How this connects with Horstmann’s fate is part of the complicated knot the rotund sleuth must unravel if the villains are to be exposed. 

“Trouble in the Brownstone” is, as its previous entries, a terrific Nero Wolfe story and as always, is a genuine homage to Mr. Stout. Here’s hoping Goldsborough has lots more stories coming our way. We eagerly await each and every one of them

DEATH TRIP

 

DEATH TRIP

By P.J. Thorndyke

https://pjthorndyke.wordpress.com/

238 pgs   

It is the summer of 1968 and a girl name Alice has fled her past life and moved to California. Fate decrees her arrival to coincide with a deadly train derailment that unleashes an experimental gas created by the war department to enhance violent emotions in combat soldiers fighting in Vietnam. Soon locals are infected and begin attacking each other with incidents of violent bloodshed spreading rapidly. The papers call the infected souls The Changed.

 

On her own, Alice tries to flee Southern California and in a roadside diner encounters a young man named Cody. Both of them barely manage to escape another bloody encounter and end up joining a group of bikers for protection. In turn the bikers come across a busload of drug-addled free-love hippies. The two groups agree to band together in an abandoned old west town on the edge of the desert. Here they can be safe from The Changed and hopefully wait out the disaster until the world returns to normal. Regrettably as time goes by, one of the charismatic hippy leaders named Chuck manages mesmerize everyone into believing the outside world is doomed and they are the only hope for mankind’s future. All too soon Alice and Cody find themselves trapped in a cultish compound being led by a madman.  

P.J. Thorndyke is an excellent writer and unfolds his story in a logical step by step manner so as to detail the thin line between civilization and savagery. His characters are doomed from the start; unable to alter the swift descent into horror that ultimately engulfs them all.