
cover art by Sam Cherry
[cover updated 5/13/26]

June 1, 1923 Special KKK issue
cover art by L.L. Balcom
better image than previously posted
~ Raymond J. Brown, âPhantom Bulletsâ, last of 5 parts, only works in BM
~ Richard Connell, âThe Color of Honorâ, KKK story, âsee p. 127 for data on RCâ, reprinted in The Black Lizard Big Book of Black Mask Stories (Vintage, 2010), only story in BM
~ Ray(mond King) Cummings, âT. McGuirk – Klansmanâ, â3rd of 14 McGuirk stories, billed as âthe quaintest character in the Underworldâ & honest, more of lessâ, âalleged to be a âhumorous taleâ, 3rd of 15 stories in BM
~ Carroll John Daly, âKnights of the Open Palmâ, âDebut of Race WilliamsâŠsee p. 127 for letter from CJD on story, 1st of 53 RW stories, reprinted in The Great American Detective (1978)â, in The Arbor House Treasury of Detective & Mystery Stories from the Great Pulps (1983), in Them That Lives By Their Guns: The Collected Hard-Boiled Stories of Race Williams, Vol. 1 (Altus Press, 2015), 5th of 71 appearances in BM [historically considered to be the first ever âhard-boiledâ story]
~ N. Bryllion Fagin, âMrs. Frye Captures a Highwaymanâ, authorâs sole story in BM
~ Henry Clay Foster, âThe Klan As It Wasâ, article âWho started it and Whyâ, authorâs only appearance in BM
~ Robert Lee Heiser, ââDevil Danâ Hewettâ, KKK story, âsee p.128 for Data of RLH & his storiesâ, numerous appearances but little fiction â 1st of 3 stories in BM
~ George Jean Nathan, âRemarks on the Klanâ, âbrief article on KKK, reprinted from âSmart Setâ, March 1923â, authorâs sole appearance in BM
~ Herman Petersen, âCall Out the Clanâ, ‘KKK yarnâ, 8th of 20 stories in BM
~ Harford Powel, Jr., âThe Other Immortalsâ, âfantasy short-short featuring Leon F. Czolgosz, John Wilkes Booth & Judasâ, 4th of 6 appearances in BM
~ Christopher Sandstone, âThe Knights of the Ku Klux Klanâ, âarticle; âthe case forââ, writerâs sole appearance in BM
~ Charles Somerville, âThe Ku Klux and Crimeâ, âthe case againstâ, 8th of 47 articles in the âManhunterâ series
~ Herbert Elisha Stover, âThe Guillotineâ, ânot a KKK piece; see p. 128 for letter from HESâ, 1st of 3 pieces in BM
©Seattle Mystery Bookshop
[This post is in no way supporting the evil and hate of white supremacy. At the time this magazine issue was published, the KKK was in resurgence. It was just as relevant an issue then as now. Plus, due to the Daly story, it’s important in American literature.]

January 1977 Vintage paperback original, 1st printing
edited and with an introduction by Herbert Ruhm
Carroll John Daly, âThe False Burton Combsâ (Dec, 1922)
Peter Collinson, âThe Road Homeâ (Dashiell Hammettt, Dec, 1922)
Dashiell Hammett, âThe Gutting of Couffignalâ (Dec, 1925)
Norbert Davis, âKansas City Flashâ (Mar, 1933)
Frederick Nebel, âTake It and Like Itâ (June, 1934)
Raymond Chandler, âGoldfishâ (June, 1936)
Lester Dent, âAngelfishâ (Dec, 1936)
Erle Stanley Gardner, âLeg Manâ (Feb, 1938)
George Harmon Coxe, âOnce Around the Clockâ (May, 1941)
Merle Constiner, âThe Turkey Buzzard Bluesâ (July, 1943)
William Brandon, âItâs So Peaceful in the Countryâ (Nov, 1943)
Curt Hamlin, âKiller Come Homeâ (his only Black Mask story, July, 1948)
Paul W. Fairman, âBig-Time Operatorâ (his only Black Mask story, July, 1948)
Bruno Fischer, âFive O’Clock Menaceâ (May, 1949)
©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

cover art by J.W. Schlaikjer
~ Carroll John Daly, âDeath for Twoâ, 42nd of 53 with RW, Race âWilliams pinch-hits for his friend, Sergeant OâRourkeâ, reprinted in Shooting out of Turn: The Collected Hard-boiled Stories of Race Williams, v.3 (Altus, 2017), 54th of 71 appearances in BM
~ Erle Stanley Gardner, âPromise to Payâ, 37th of 73 Ed Jenkins, with Lui Sing Fong, patriarchal master of Chinatown, 2nd of 3 connected stories (7/1931 and 12/1931), 54th of 99 stories in BM
~ Nels Leroy Jorgensen, âThe Sound of Gunsâ, 16th of 32 with Stuart âBlackâ Burton, âsquare-shooting gambler from the Southwest, often entangled with the lawâ, âset in NYCâ, 22nd of 39 stories in BM
~ Frederick L. Nebel, âPearls are Tearsâ, 6th of 15 stories with âtough dick Donahue of Interstateâ, reprinted in Tough as Nails (2012, Altus), 34 of 67 stories in BM
~ Stewart Stirling, (âpossible pseud. of Stewart Sterling?â), âPushoverâ, 4th of 8 stories with âJohnny Hi Gear, a.k.a. K-5, Undercover Agentâ, ââŠ& boxing fixâ [Sterling and Stirling were pen names of Nathaniel Prentice Winchell, 20 total stories in BM]. Reprinted in Boomerang Dice: The Complete Black Mask Cases of Johnny Hi Gear (Steeger Books, 2020).
~ Raoul [Fauconnier] Whitfield, âRed Terraceâ, âAlan Van Cleve, wealthy sportsman, man-about-town, 2nd (of 6) segment in The Skyline Murders series; printed as separate stories rather than conventional serialâ; pub. as Killerâs Carnival (1932) under pseudonym of Temple Fieldâ, 50th of 67 stories in BM [see also 24 stories as Ramon Decolta]
©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

cover art by H.C. Murphy
~John Ayotte, âHawaiian Driftageâ, âopium ring in Honolulu: some characters from âThe Puzzle of Hook Namâ, JAâs last appearance in BMâ
~ Ray(mond King) Cummings, âThe Mystery at Cragmoorâ, only non-McGuirk story (see Apr 23), 14th of 15 stories in BM
~ Tom Curry, âThe Frame-Upâ, authorâs 1st of 39 stories in BM
~ Carroll John Daly, âAlias Buttercupâ, 10th of 53 with RW, âRace Williams in Mexicoâ, reprinted in Them That Lives By Their Guns: The Collected Hard-Boiled Stories of Race Williams, Vol. 1 (Altus Press, 2015), 18th of 71 appearances in BM
~ Joseph Gollomb, âA Pass Key to Scotland Yardâ, 3rd of 6 articles
~ Donald MacGregor, âThe Dancer in the Eastâ, 5th of 10 stories
~ Charles Somerville, âA Weird Detectiveâ, 44th of 47 articles in the âManhunterâ series, 46th of 49 total articles in BM
©Seattle Mystery Bookshop


cover art by William Reusswig
better image than previously posted
Carroll John Daly, âThe Black Warningâ (Vee Brown)
Erle Stanley Gardner, âDressed to Killâ (Paul Pry)
J. Paul Suter, âSeconds of Doomâ (Horatio Humberton)
Oscar Schisgall, âDeath Under Glassâ (Ed Graham)
Fred MacIsaac, âGhost City Set-Upâ (Rambler Murphy)
profile and letter from MacIsaac appear n p. 123
[updated with original art 8/14/25, cover updated 11/12/25]