Dime Detective was a great magazine and though the 1930's were full of great stories, including several by Raymond Chandler, my favorite period is the 1940-1953 years, especially when Ken White was the editor. He encouraged the writers to submit witty stories dealing with wacky characters and plots. These stories have not dated at all and are still fun to read. These covers and story titles indicate some of the humor involved.
I especially enjoy the Norbert Davis, John K. Butler, Robert Reeves and D.L. Champion stories from this period. Along with the Race Williams tales, of course
And us, readers from this age, own the task of enjoy and keep this stories, true historical record of a piece from the culture many times dismissed as "minor" (false, IMHO. There is no minor culture. Only disliked).
In addition to the authors that Evan Lewis mentions, I also like TT Flynn's Mr Maddox(The Bland Buddha of the Bangtail circuit), Merle Constiner's The Dean, Fred Davis' Bill Brent series, and Peter Paige's Cash Wale. Plus there were plenty of authors that did not have a series character like Cornell Woolrich and John D. Macdonald.
Appreciate the tips, Walker. I have stories from all those series, but haven't tried them. And though I like Macdonald and Woolrich, I haven't paid much attention to their pulp fiction either.
I would recommend that all collectors and readers of the bizarre and unusual try Constiner's The Dean series in DIME DETECTIVE. There were 19 long novelets, all of which have crazy plots and characters. The entire series was reprinted in one gigantic book by Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.
Fred Davis' Bill Brent series was also reprinted by Battered Silicon in one volume and stars Brent as a hardboiled reporter who manages to screw up so bad that his editor assigns him to write the lovelorn column in the newspaper. He still manages to get involved in complex and insane murder mysteries.
Yes, The Dean collection is a very large book. Despite having the novelets in DIME DETECTIVE, I also had to have the book. Peter Ruric wrote a very detailed biography of Merle Constiner covering his pulp work and his later western paperbacks. Go to google.com and type in "The hunt for merle constiner". It's an excellent piece on one of the better but unknown pulp writers. Highly recommended.
"Peter Ruric" as is "Paul Cain"? Wow, I didn't know about that.
P.S. I've just discovered I have a third unreprinted Paul Cain story ("Dutch Treat" from the Dec. 1936 Black Mask), and will soon make it available via email to readers of the Almanack.
As always, you're a true detective of the pulps, Evan. I wonder how many of this stories (and i am thinking about the ones in Fight Stories)has never reprintred.
Sorry, I mean Peter Ruber, not Ruric. I must have Paul Cain on the mind. Speaking of which, his FAST ONE is in the running for greatest hardboiled novel ever. His shorts are excellent also plus his screenplay for the Lugosi and Karloff horror movie is a stunner(The Black Cat).
Dime Detective was a great magazine and though the 1930's were full of great stories, including several by Raymond Chandler, my favorite period is the 1940-1953 years, especially when Ken White was the editor. He encouraged the writers to submit witty stories dealing with wacky characters and plots. These stories have not dated at all and are still fun to read. These covers and story titles indicate some of the humor involved.
ReplyDeleteI especially enjoy the Norbert Davis, John K. Butler, Robert Reeves and D.L. Champion stories from this period. Along with the Race Williams tales, of course
ReplyDeleteAnd us, readers from this age, own the task of enjoy and keep this stories, true historical record of a piece from the culture many times dismissed as "minor" (false, IMHO. There is no minor culture. Only disliked).
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the authors that Evan Lewis mentions, I also like TT Flynn's Mr Maddox(The Bland Buddha of the Bangtail circuit), Merle Constiner's The Dean, Fred Davis' Bill Brent series, and Peter Paige's Cash Wale. Plus there were plenty of authors that did not have a series character like Cornell Woolrich and John D. Macdonald.
ReplyDeleteAppreciate the tips, Walker. I have stories from all those series, but haven't tried them. And though I like Macdonald and Woolrich, I haven't paid much attention to their pulp fiction either.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend that all collectors and readers of the bizarre and unusual try Constiner's The Dean series in DIME DETECTIVE. There were 19 long novelets, all of which have crazy plots and characters. The entire series was reprinted in one gigantic book by Battered Silicon Dispatch Box.
ReplyDeleteFred Davis' Bill Brent series was also reprinted by Battered Silicon in one volume and stars Brent as a hardboiled reporter who manages to screw up so bad that his editor assigns him to write the lovelorn column in the newspaper. He still manages to get involved in complex and insane murder mysteries.
Walker, the Dean volume must be humongous. 19 long novelettes in a single book, wow!
ReplyDeleteYes, The Dean collection is a very large book. Despite having the novelets in DIME DETECTIVE, I also had to have the book. Peter Ruric wrote a very detailed biography of Merle Constiner covering his pulp work and his later western paperbacks. Go to google.com and type in "The hunt for merle constiner". It's an excellent piece on one of the better but unknown pulp writers. Highly recommended.
ReplyDelete"Peter Ruric" as is "Paul Cain"? Wow, I didn't know about that.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I've just discovered I have a third unreprinted Paul Cain story ("Dutch Treat" from the Dec. 1936 Black Mask), and will soon make it available via email to readers of the Almanack.
As always, you're a true detective of the pulps, Evan. I wonder how many of this stories (and i am thinking about the ones in Fight Stories)has never reprintred.
ReplyDeleteSorry, I mean Peter Ruber, not Ruric. I must have Paul Cain on the mind. Speaking of which, his FAST ONE is in the running for greatest hardboiled novel ever. His shorts are excellent also plus his screenplay for the Lugosi and Karloff horror movie is a stunner(The Black Cat).
ReplyDelete