Two for the Money by Max Allan Collins

Nolan. No first name given. Tough guy. Resume includes managing nightclubs for the Chicago branch of “The Family” and also a professional thief – a true master. Of note: he once killed an incompetent mobster who also happened to be the brother of an underboss. Not good.

Nolan has been laying low for over a decade, dodging his former employers. He’s nearing 50 years of age but his hard life makes him feel closer to 80.  So, when a friend offers to broker a deal to grant Nolan a clean slate with The Family, he feels he must take them up on the offer. The deal turns out to be one last job. A bank robbery that Nolan must carry out along with three rookies who are little more than college age juvenile delinquents. But the rewards are high; not just the take from the bank but also that promised clean slate. If only Nolan could trust the deal.

This book combines the first two novels in the Nolan series by Max Allan Collins: “Bait Money” and “Blood Money”. Collins makes it clear in the afterward that he considers these two books to really be one larger novel and indeed, that’s the way this reads. This combined book was first published by Hard Case Crime in 2004 (with unspectacular cover art) but thankfully the publisher has committed to re-publishing the entire Nolan series with new cover art, beginning with this volume. In reading the first half of this book, I was amazed to discover it was actually Max Allan Collins’ very first published novel, written back in 1969-70 while he was a college student himself. But it reads like a veteran writer’s work, all the way through. It’s clearly an homage to Richard Stark’s (Donald Westlake’s) Parker series, readily admitted to by Collins in the afterword. In fact, Collins sought out Westlake’s approval before continuing the Nolan series.

As for the story itself, it’s a wonderful read. The first part is a gripping heist novel with all the meticulous planning and unforeseen snags that occur in the best of that genre. The second part is a little more character-driven but with just as many edge-of-your-seat scenes to keep the pages turning. Together, the larger story really creates an unforgettable character, Nolan, a hardened criminal with a code that makes you want to root for him all the more. Bring on the next one pronto!

The Copenhagen Affair (The Man From U.N.C.L.E.) by John Oram

For the third novel in the series, the publishers turned to John Oram (John Oram Thomas), a staff writer for the Empire News before turning to writing novels.  The plot revolves around a new THRUSH threat in the form of a flying-saucer-type weapon system being built in Denmark.  Solo and Kuryakin are sent to stop whatever progress has been made but when they finally arrive on scene (after a couple of action scenes where Solo must force his way past some THRUSH thugs), they discover the weapon is complete and ready to run its first dastardly mission.

My research into this author revealed little other than he supposedly based this book on his wartime experiences fighting for the Danish resistance.  He would go on to write the 22nd novel in the series, The Stone-cold Dead in the Market Affair.  However, I could find no other novels by him, or any other pen names he might have used.

This is a quick read, with a straight-forward plot that seems a lot like one of the season one television shows.  Solo still gets most of the protagonist role but I did notice Kuryakin seems to be a bit more of a ladies man than we see in the TV show.  Perhaps, like the first two books in the series, this was written based on the show’s concept and before the show’s first scripts were produced or maybe just before the show started to jell into its norm.  David McCallum, the actor who played Kuryakin, is on record as saying he purposely did not play the role as a ladies man, believing the character would be too focused on the missions to get side-tracked by that.

The Black Master (The Shadow) by Maxwell Grant

Even though this is the second “Shadow” novel in the order published by Pyramid, it is actually the eighth one as originally published in the March 1932 issue of The Shadow Magazine.

The story opens with a bombing on Wall Street, leading to the deaths of five men. One hour later a similar bombing takes place at Grand Central Station, followed by a third explosion at the subway entrance at Columbus Circle. What is going on? Sounds like a case for The Shadow…

The Shadow, as usual, needs help gathering all the evidence and clues necessary to expose the entire plan and who’s behind it. Several of his regular agents contribute to this adventure, including Harry Vincent who has been in all seven of the novels before this one. Also, contact man Burbank is here, as well as reporter Clyde Burke. Detective Joe Cardona plays a large part in this story and I understand he appears in over 200 of the pulp novels. The Shadow, himself, appears in disguise as Henry Arnaud for the very first time although not quite the same Arnaud that will appear in later stories. The Arnaud disguise reportedly appears in twenty-eight of The Shadow's adventures, but usually Arnaud was a solemn businessman. This time around, he is an eccentric multi-millionaire.

This was a fast-paced adventure with a lot of moving parts. The identity of “The Black Master”, the one behind the bombings is fairly evident from near the beginning but it is still fun to watch how The Shadow and his agents figure it out.

Apache Devil by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The sequel to ERB’s 1927 western, "The War Chief", begins with our hero, Shaz-Dijiji (Black Bear) trying to pick up the pieces of his life amid the tragic circumstances surrounding his loved ones in that first book. He’s still a young man in his early 20’s when this book begins, still an Apache warrior chief but the end of the Apaches as a people is becoming more and more evident. 

The novel is a conjunction of two types of stories. It’s partly an accurate historical novel that chronicles the final years of Geronimo and his renegades before the final peace agreements and the eventual life on a reservation. It also includes a more typical western tale (told from the Apaches’ point of view) that centers on Shaz-Dijiji and his needing to come to grips with his own origins as a white man. A potential romance may be in the cards; dare we hope for a happy ending for him? 

I’ve thought before that ERB was ahead of his time when it comes to appreciating the plight of the Native Americans and this novel proves it. It’s hard to believe this was first published in 1928 given the sympathetic view the author has for Geronimo and his people.

ERB isn’t well known for his westerns, probably because there are only a handful of them and when compared to his prolific output and world-famous settings and characters like John Carter, Tarzan, David Innes, etc. it’s just hard to compete. But one gets the impression that the author’s own experiences in the West as an enlisted soldier with the 7th U.S. Cavalry in Fort Grant, Arizona Territory were forever imprinted on his psyche and came pouring out in these two novels. I wish there were more in this series.

The Collected Raffles Stories by E.W. Hornung

This volume collects all of the AJ Raffles short stories written by the original author, E.W. Hornung, combining the works previously published in Raffles: "The Amateur Cracksman" (1899), “The Black Mask” (1901), and "A Thief in the Night" (1905). The only thing missing is the 1909 novel, "Mr. Justice Raffles". So, a total of 26 short stories included as well as an in-depth introduction written by Clive Bloom.

For the uninitiated, Raffles is  "the classic gentleman thief". The character defines the archetype of the gentleman criminal who has a code of honor, steals only from the rich, and is drawn to burglary for the sport as much as for the money. By day he is a well-known amateur cricket player, a useful tool to distract from his other profession. He is accompanied in his thieving practices by  Harry "Bunny" Manders who “writes” the stories much like Watson “writes” the Sherlock Holmes stories. The comparisons don’t stop there considering that the author, E.W. Hornung was the brother-in-law to Arthur Conan Doyle. There are a number of similar plot devices and character quirks that are similar as well.

While I enjoyed the characters of both Raffles and Bunny, the stories are clearly from another time. They are heavy on Bunny’s observations and full of description. The action, particularly the thievery, Raffles' disguises, etc. is subdued compared to today’s style and thus can be difficult to stick with. I keep coming across references to the character of Raffles in other books so I’m glad I’ve read them. I would be interested to read some more recent stories or crossovers by other authors if I can find any.

The Immigrants by Howard Fast

This first novel in the 6-book “Lavette Family” series begins in 1889 with fisherman Joseph Lavette and his wife Anna completing their Atlantic sea voyage and arriving at Ellis Island. But most of the story features their son, Dan Lavette and takes place in California between 1906 and the early 1930s.

Dan begins as a fisherman like his father but loses both parents in the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Even though taken in by friends of the family, he grows up quickly and uses his talents to grow an empire, eventually including cargo ships during WWI and later ocean liners, hotels, department stores, land acquisition, and even the rapidly expanding early airline industry. Risk, it seems is its own reward. This is a story of building great riches, great power, and complex relationships. Huge gains and big losses against a backdrop of world war, prohibition, and stock market crashes. A cornucopia of characters contribute to the overall story with a number of sub plots and story arcs but ultimately this is Dan’s story as he learns what is truly important in life. 

The author, Howard Fast was, himself, the son of immigrants and much of his early life seems partly to parallel that of Dan Lavette’s early struggle to succeed. This series of books comes fairly late in his prolific career and it reflects his love of history as well as an accomplished professional style that is both informed and entirely readable. In some ways this reminds me of the novels of Jeffrey Archer or perhaps Harold Robbins' The Carpetbaggers. This one kept me turning the pages wanting to see what happened next and now I am most anxious to pursue the next books in the series.

The Bridge by Manfred Gregor

Near the end of WWII, a desperate Nazi party attempted to shore up the German army by forming the ‘Volkssturm’, a national militia of those not already serving in the military. Many 16-year-old boys, who were members of the Hitler Youth, were strategically placed at key locations to prevent the Allied advance. Seven such boys are the focus of this novel, all childhood friends, rounded up in a small village and ordered to defend a bridge at all costs from the oncoming Americans who are only twenty miles away. 

I haven’t read many WWII novels from the German point of view but this one makes it clear that people are people, no matter their nationality. While these boys want to follow orders, their fears are as real as anybody else’s. With the advantage of history we know these young men are likely doomed and indeed, the novel unfolds in much the same way as the Battle of the Alamo. The author includes flashbacks for each of the boys so we get to know them pretty well. They become individuals with personalities, flaws, and dreams. That makes it all the harder when they eventually fall one by one.  The battle action is intense and the boys put up a good fight, establishing machine gun nests, surprise traps, and even using bazookas to take out a couple of American tanks. When they are reinforced by another group of Volkssturm, this time a group of ten men all over 60 years old, those men take one look at the situation and promptly desert, knowing the war is in reality already over.

The author is Gregor Dorfmeister, writing under the pen name of Manfred Gregor. This novel, published by Avon in 1958, is largely autobiographical as the author was himself a 16-year-old member of the Volkssturm, assigned to defend a bridge against American tanks. He survived to tell the tale but the experience of seeing Americans as well as his own buddies killed in combat turned him into an anti-war pacifist. This is reflected in the novel which highlights the futility of the bridge defense effort. If you’re looking for a realistic portrayal of a last stand scenario in WW2, this is a good one.

Swamp Tease by Edward Kempton

I got this 1960 Avon paperback in one of those $5 grab bags filled with about 50 books. I took one look at the title and the cover art, read the verbiage on the back cover…and knew I absolutely had to read it.

It’s the story of four people who are living near Lake Okeechobee in Florida. 31-year old Mae is a never-married homely spinster who desires nothing so much as to get married and live happily ever after. Her sister, 18-year old Sue, is a pretty blonde with a penchant for teasing the boys. Their father has just passed away leaving a run-down truckers café with a heavy mortgage as their only means of making a living. Enter Strick, a handsome vagrant who the girls hire as a handyman and who takes advantage of the situation in more ways than one. Sue’s boyfriend Johnny rounds out the foursome and despite his initial dumb hick personality turns out to be the only one with a solid set of thinking skills. I won’t spoil it for you, but you can probably guess what will eventually happen here.

This is a crime novel. Many paperbacks published during this era used eye-catching titles and cover art to attract male buyers but inside they often turn out to be pretty good crime or mystery yarns. This one kept me turning the pages although the plot was largely predictable and there was a bit too much stupidity on the part of all the major characters for my taste. Still, the writing was decent, and the ending (taking place in the midst of a hurricane, no less) was a nicely paced edge-of-your-seat thrill ride. 

I could find nothing on the author, but I feel like it’s too well written to be the only one ever scribed by “Edward Kempton”. Much more likely to be a pseudonym so I’m hoping somebody out there can educate me in this regard. (No entry in Hawk's Authors' Pseudonyms II). Judging by all the other reviews I see out there…I’m the only person to have ever read this book. I’m granting it 4 out of 5 stars because it was quite a lot better than I expected.

The Mystic Mullah (Doc Savage) by Kenneth Robeson (Lester Dent)

First published in 1935, the 23rd Doc Savage novel (as originally published – number 9 in the Bantam paperback order) opens with two mysterious strangers from the fabled Asian Kingdom of Tanan arriving in New York City, seeking Doc Savage's aid. They are being hunted by some sort of supernatural “soul slaves” on behalf of an entity known as the Mystic Mullah. They need Doc’s help to save their country.

The Mystic Mullah itself seems to be a mysterious and monstrous floating face which can speak and warn of dire threats. It uses strange ghostly “soul slaves” that look like floating snakes to attack, causing horrible burns or snapping necks. It’s a creepy foe to be sure but we readers know Doc will get to the bottom of it and discover who is behind the mysterious moniker of the Mystic Mullah. Lots of action permeates the novel. We have Doc’s machine pistols, Russian spies, Doc’s skin-bleaching trick, Doc in disguise, and plenty of fisticuffs. All five of Doc’s aides are present for this one, and all of them get captured at one point or another. We also get to see the team travel to Asia and the Kingdom of Tanan. It's always a treat to see them in action in an exotic locale.

Interestingly, pulp writer Richard Sale started ghost writing this novel based on an outline by Lester Dent but removed himself from the project after receiving criticism from Dent. So Lester Dent wrote it himself. Many fans believe, consequently, that Dent worked extra hard on it to make sure it was a good one. Could be. I certainly enjoyed it and would rank it among the top 20 Doc Savage novels.

The Long Lavender Look (Travis McGee) by John D. MacDonald

The 12th book in the Travis McGee series is, perhaps, my favorite so far.  That’s saying something. 

 Travis and his pal Meyer are driving home from a wedding in Travis’ Rolls Royce “pickup” he’s named Miss Agnes.  Late at night in rural, backwater Cypress County of Florida, a brief flash of a young woman darts into the road causing Travis to lose control and end up upside down and underwater in a drainage canal. Meyer is able to fish him out safely, but Miss Agnes will need to be towed out.  But as they’re walking to the nearest “town” somebody shoots at them, believing them to be a couple of henchmen of a notorious local casino robber. This case of mistaken identity keeps on going as Travis is framed for murder and arrested by the local sheriff.

While the main plot involves Travis’ personal investigation to clear his name by finding what happened to the real robbers and murderers, there a number of subplots and deviations as well.  But it’s a tightly packed narrative and fascinating to see unwind.  Perhaps one of the saddest scenes in the entire Travis McGee series occurs in this book and involves the lovable, if odd, Betsy Kapp.  The story can be pretty convoluted but it all comes together in the final chapters. Travis himself is heavily impacted by the events in the book and by the end, there can be nothing sweeter in the world than to get back home to slip F-18 and The Busted Flush houseboat.

Thankfully, for me, he still has nine more adventures to come.

Renegade by Ramsay Thorne (Lou Cameron)

Prolific author Lou Cameron wrote all the Renegade novels under the pseudonym “Ramsay Thorne”. These books are similar in many ways to the “Longarm” books, a character and series he created and for which he wrote over 50 books.

The first book in the Renegade series, originally published in 1979, opens with Lieutenant Richard Walker in an Army jail somewhere in the desert southwest, not far from the Mexico border, awaiting the hangman’s noose. His crime was one of compassion for some prisoners that were getting a raw deal so he let them escape. Walker also manages to escape, putting him on the run and leading him into one adventure after another as he makes his way down to Mexico and earning the moniker, “Captain Gringo”. We also meet Gaston Verrier, an ex-French Foreign Legionnaire who is now a soldier of fortune and a heavy influence on Walker’s choices. Indeed, he will be a continuing co-character throughout the series, providing much of the humor along the way.

These books are often marketed as “westerns” but most of the series takes place in Central America and are basically mercenary stories. They do, however, earn the “adult” western notation due to graphic sex scenes mixed in along with a heap-load of violent action. I will be reading more…