charles somerville

August 1, 1923 issue

August 1, 1923 issue

cover art by Jules Erbit?

~ John Baer, “A Wholesaler in Crime”, ‘compete mystery novelette’, his last of 24 stories in BM

~ Edwin Baird, “This Way Out”, short-short, 1^st of 3 stories in BM

~ Peter Chance, “The Scarlet Scalpel”, only appearance in BM

~ Ray(mond King) Cummings, “T. McGuirk – Detective”, ‘5th of 14 McGuirk stories, billed as “the quaintest character in the Underworld” & honest, more of less’, 5^th of 15 stories in BM

~ Arthur Fetter, “The Treachery of Spike McGuire”, ‘A Queer Glimpse of the Underworld’, author’s only appearance in BM

~ Henry W. Fisher, “Odd Bits”, ‘short-lived feature; not indexed past this point’

~ Geoffrey Foster, “Bedlam”, ‘short-short’, author’s only appearance in BM

~ Kenneth Fuessle, “Superstition”, ‘Adventure in Weird Surroundings’, author’s only appearance in BM

~ K. Godwin, “Conscience”, ‘Billed as BM’s “first one-act play”’, author’s sole appearance in BM

~ Robert Lee Heiser, “The World’s Greatest Mystery”, ‘true account of the murder of Clare Stone, a child, in Baltimore; would occupy readers for some time; not indexed beyond this point’

~ William Rollins, Jr., “A Song of India”, ‘billed as an ‘Oriental adventure in a small town’, 3rd of 23 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “The Camp Dix Mystery”, 12th of 47 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 13^th of 49 total articles in BM

~ Merlin Moore Taylor, “One of Five”, part 1 of 2, 2nd of 8 appearances in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

March 1925 issue

March 1925 issue

~ Erle Stanley Gardner, “Hard As Nails”, 2nd of 73 Ed Jenkins, 5^th of 99 stories in BM

~ Dashiell Hammett, “The Whosis Kid”, the Op [14^th of 25], reprinted in The Return of the Continental Op (Dell mapback, 1947), reprinted in The Big Book of the Continental Op (Vintage, 2017), in The Girl with the Silver Eyes: The Complete Black Mask Cases of the Continental Op, vol.2 (Steeger, 2023), 21st of 51 stories in BM

~ J.E. McDowell, “The True Story of the Benders”, ‘short-lived Department of Investigations; not indexed beyond this point’ [Bloody Benders of Kansas?]

~ Donald MacGregor, “The Literary Failings of Robber Bill”, 3rd of 10 stories

~ Ira D. Mullinax, “Bas Burke Keeps a Date”, Western mystery, author’s only appearance in BM

~ William Rollins, Jr., “Treasures That Dead Men Guard”, part 2 of 3, last of 3 stories with Jack Darrow, 11th of 23 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “The Clue of the Bad Check”, 38th of 47 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 39^th of 49 total articles in BM

~ J. Paul Suter, “The Cat Mocker”, 4th of 15 stories with The Reverend McGregor Daunt, ‘clergyman by profession and detective by choice’, 7th of 19 appearances in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

June 1924 issue ~ cover art by H.C. Murphy

June 1924 issue

cover art by H.C. Murphy

~ Russell Arden Bankson, “Underground”, ‘The detective-sheriff of the Kaniksu country’, 2^nd of 2 stories in BM

~ Madeline Bartlett, “The Mutilated Masterpiece”, 2^nd of 2 stories in BM

~ Frank L. Benscoter, “Gilligan and Co”, ‘Introducing a new character’, 1^st of 5 stories in BM

~ Carroll John Daly, “The Red Peril”, 3^rd of 53 with Race Williams, reprinted in Them That Lives By Their Guns: The Collected Hard-Boiled Stories of Race Williams, Vol. 1 (Altus Press, 2015) 11th of 71 appearances in BM

~ Erle Stanley Gardner, “A Fair Trial”, ‘pub. anonymously; authorship established in Hughes, Gardner, (1978), p. 312’, 1^st of 99 stories in BM

~ Dashiell Hammett, “The Girl with the Silver Eyes”, the Op [10^th of 25], referred to in BM as ‘Hammett’s San Francisco Detective’, sequel to “The House in Turk Street” (4/15/1924), issue also includes letter about the story, reprinted in The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps (Vintage, 2007), reprinted in The Big Book of the Continental Op (Vintage, 2017), in The Girl with the Silver Eyes: The Complete Black Mask Cases of the Continental Op, vol.2 (Steeger, 2023),17th of 51 stories in BM

~ Frank Howard, Jr., “The Vernacular at the Night Court”, ‘No data’ [no explanation as to what that means], author’s only appearance in BM

~ Victor Shea, “Mr. Pentridge Comes Down to Breakfast”, 1^st of 2 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “The Lively Corpse”, 30th of 49 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 31st of 49 total articles in BM

~ Joe Taylor, “Monty’s Last Job”, last of 12 tales in ‘My Underworld’ series, last of 13 appearances in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

[terrible cover but first I’ve seen since starting this project in 2013]

[cover updated 2/16/26]

March 1, 1923 issue ~ cover art by A. Rose

March 1, 1923 issue

cover art by A. Rose

~ John Ayotte, “Okolehao”, ‘short-short, ‘A tragedy of Hawaii’, JA’s debut in BM’, 1^st of 10 stories

~ Eustace Hale Ball, “The Trail of the Scarlet Fox”, part 4 of 6 parts with various subtitles, 4th of 13 appearances in BM

~ Black Mask Crime Review, ‘A Crime Expert’s Review of the Hall-Mills Tragedy; Article; anonymous;1^st segment in this irregular, short-lived Department; no indexed beyond this point’

~ Crowley Conmarr, “Under the Hide of Tu Son”, ‘A Weird Tale’; 1^st-person narrator; Chinese character’, 1^st of 2 stories in BM

~ Jack J. Gottlieb, “With His Enemies’ Aid”, ‘A Mystery of the D.A.s office’, authors 8^th and final story in BM

~ John Hanlon, “The Door”, ‘A Skit with Spirits’, last of 3 stories in BM

~ John Holden, “The Perfect Plan”, ‘Gerald Drago, embezzler’, author’s only story in BM

~ Francis James, “Sinister Images”, Prentice, Harvard-trained criminologist turned policeman (‘the young Central Office Man’) with Police Chief Shannon, 3rd of 4 parts, 5th of 20 appearances in BM

~ Roy L. McCardell, “Pieces of Men”, ‘daytime story’, last of 5 appearances in BM

~ Herman Petersen, “The Ghost Ship”, ‘Complete Mystery Novelette of the Cannibal Isles’, 6th of 20 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “Old Clothes”, ‘fictitious names are given…changed a bit for necessary reasons’, 3rd of 47 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 3^rd of 49 total articles in BM

~ Gregory Stragnell, MD, “Our Dreams”, “short-lived Department devoted to ‘one of the newest sciences – psychoanalysis’; not indexed beyond this point”

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

December 15, 1923 issue ~ cover art by H.C. Murphy

December 15, 1923 issue

cover art by H.C. Murphy

~ Charles Hilan Craig, “The Wanderer”, Western, only story to appear in BM

~ H.B. Davenport, “Weapons”, last of 2 stories in BM

~ Donald Feak, “Emeralds!”, ‘Pirates’, last 3 stories in BM

~ Henry W. Fisher, “Executioners I Have Met”, ‘4th^t of 6 ‘true’ articles with various subtitles’

~ Charles M. Green [pseud. of Erle Stanley Gardner], “The Shrieking Skeleton”, 1^st of 3 stories under this name, ESG’s debut in BM

~ Thomas de V. Harper, “A Melanesian Holiday”, ‘short-short’, author’s only appearance in BM

~ Francis James, “The Sand Devil”, Prentice, Harvard-trained criminologist turned policeman with Police Chief Shannon, 2nd of 4 parts, 11th of 20 appearances in BM

~ William Rollins, Jr., “The Wolf of the Du Mont Thiers”, ‘advertised as “A Strange Story of Strange People”’, 5th of 23 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “The Loot Ship”, 21st of 47 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 22^nd of 49 total articles in BM

~ Emmett Welsh, “The Slippery Eel”, ‘billed as “A Complete Fast-Moving Novelette”; NYC police; oddly, in 15 Nov 1923 issue (p.42) author is listed as Robert E. Welch’, author’s sole appearance in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

May 15, 1923 issue ~ cover art by A. Rose

May 15, 1923 issue

cover art by A. Rose

better image than previously posted

~ Raymond J. Brown, “Phantom Bullets”, part 4 of 5, only work in BM

~ Jack Carlton, “Four Shots”, ‘cemetery tale’, 1of 2 stories in BM

~ Carroll John Daly, “Three Gun Terry”, 1^st of 2 with PI Terry Mack, 4th of 71 appearances in BM, reprinted in The Black Mask Boys (1985, Morrow). Reprinted in The Man in the Shadows: The Complete Black Mask Cases of Terry Mack (Steeger Books, 2021).

~ Carl Glick, “In the Grey Dawn”, 2^nd of 2 stories in BM

~ Charles T. Jordan, “A Matter of Postage”, 1^st of 2 stories in BM

~ Herman Petersen, “In Mutiny”, ‘A weird thing’, 7th of 20 stories in BM

~ Robert Russell, “The Snake”, 2nd of 3 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “The Clue in the Turf”, ‘“Honest John” Brunen, murder victim & Ellis Parker, detective’, 8th of 47 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 8^th of 49 total articles in BM

~ Joe Taylor, “Ragged Seams”, 8th of 12 tales in ‘My Underworld’ series, 9^th of 13^th appearances in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

March 15, 1923 issue ~ cover art by A. Rose

March 15, 1923 issue

cover art by A. Rose

~ John Baer, “The Three Witnesses”, ‘”Compete Mystery Novelette”; set in Pittsburgh suburb’, 23th of 24 stories in BM

~ Eustace Hale Ball, “The Trail of the Scarlet Fox”, part 5 of 6 parts with various subtitles, 5th of 13 appearances in BM

~ Charles Phelps Cushing, “A Tassel of Black Yarn”, ‘Mammie Skaggs, policewoman’, author’s only appearance in BM

~ Meredith Davis, “The Lower Law”, ‘innocent victim burned at the stake by a lynch mob’, 2^nd of 3 stories in BM

~ Drayton Dunster, “The Tombstone Babette”, ‘A Cemetery Tale’, 4^th of 9 stories in BM

~ Francis James, “Sinister Images”, ‘Prentice, Harvard-trained criminologist turned policeman (‘the young Central Office Man’) with Police Chief Shannon‘, last of 4 parts, 6th of 20 appearances in BM

~ C.S. Montanye (Carleton Stevens), “A Shock for the Countess”, ‘Countess d’Yls steals some pearls; set in Paris’, reprinted in The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps (Vintage, 2007), 16th of 29 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “The Big Surprise”, ‘Capt. Fay, German spy in USA during WWI’, 4th of 47 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 4^th of 49 total articles in BM

~ Willett Stockard, “A Dead Girl in the Moonlight”, ‘rural setting; dead girl avenged by badman’, 1^st of 5 stories in BM

~ Joe Taylor, “Playing Both Ends”, 6th of 12 tales in ‘My Underworld’ series, fiction, 6^th of 13^th appearances in BM

May 1925 issue ~ cover art by O.K. Uzzell

May 1925 issue

better image than previously posted

cover art by O.K. Uzzell

~ John Nicholas Beffel, “Finger-Prints”, ‘article – can fingerprints be forged?; this prompts answer from Dashiell Hammett’, June 1925 issue, author’s sole appearance in BM

~ Erle Stanley Gardner, “Painless Extraction”, 3^rd of 10, ‘Bob Larkin in Mexico’, 6^th of 99 stories in BM

~ Dashiell Hammett, “The Scorched Face”, ‘the Op, called here ‘The Continental Sleuth’ by ed.’, [11^th of 22], 16^th of 45 stories in BM

~ Lillian W. Keenan, “The Lost Glove Needle”, ‘described as ‘shrewd detective work’”, author’s sole appearance in BM

~ C.S. Montanye (Carleton Stevens), “An Adventure in Diamonds”, 9^th of 10 with ‘Captain Valentine, that ‘attractive European scalawag’, adventurer and rascal’, 25th of 29 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “The Tracking of a Fiend”, 40th of 47 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 41st of 49 total articles in BM

~ J. Paul Suter, “The Uncomfortable Buddha”, 5th of 15 stories with The Reverend McGregor Daunt, ‘clergyman by profession and detective by choice’, 8th of 19 appearances in BM

~ L. King Tichenor, “A Thousand Dollar Bill”, 1^st of 5 stories in BM

May 1, 1923 issue ~ cover art by L.L. Balcom

May 1, 1923 issue

cover art by L.L. Balcom

better image than previously posted

~ John Ayotte, “A Pillar of Flame”, 2^nd of 10 stories in BM

~ Raymond J. Brown, “Phantom Bullets”, part 3 of 5, only work in BM

~ Randal J. Carnes, “Civilized”, only story in BM

~ Ralph Cummins, “The Gas Heater Mystery”, 2^nd of 3 stories in BM

~ Frederick C. Davis, “All Things Considered”, 3rd of 16 stories in BM (Davis won’t appear again in BM until 8/38)

~ Fairfax Downey, “Blood or Wine”, 1^st of 2 stories in BM

~ John B. Hyde, “The Black Fin”, author’s sole appearance in BM

~ Harford Powel, Jr., “Mystery Ship” and “How Two Men Died”, a ‘brief-brief’, 2^nd and 3^rd pieces in BM

~ J. Fortune Reade, “The End of the Measure”, 1^st of 3 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “A Crook Deluxe”, 7th of 47 articles in the articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, reprinted in 5 parts through consecutive issues of Flynn’s Weekly Detective Fiction, July 23 – August 20, 1927 issue, 7^th of 49 total articles in BM

~ Joe Taylor, “Alias Claire”, 7th of 12 tales in ‘My Underworld’ series, 8^th of 13^th appearances in BM

April 15, 1924 issue

April 15, 1924 issue

better image than previously posted

~ Carroll John Daly, “One Night of Frenzy”, 10th of 71 appearances in BM

~ Harold De Polo, “Mr. Dugan’s Vocation”, 5th of 6 stories in BM

~ Marjory Stoneman Douglas, “White Midnight”, last of 4 parts, ‘South Seas setting’, author’s only story in BM

~ Edward Ettinger, “The Mystery of Perkins Farm”, 2^nd and last story in BM

~ Arthur S. Garbett, “The Times Speeder”, ‘amateur sleuth, 1^st-person narrator, novelette’, last of 4 stories in BM

~ Dashiell Hammett, “The House in Turk Street”, the Op [9^th of 25], see sequel “The Girl with the Silver Eyes”, (6/1924), reprinted in The Big Book of the Continental Op (Vintage, 2017), reprinted in Zigzags of Treachery: The Complete Black Mask Cases of the Continental Op, Vol. 1 (Steeger, 2023), 15th of 51 stories in BM

~ L.M. Lish, “Poker”, ‘short-short’, author’s sole appearance in BM

~ C.S. Montanye (Carleton Stevens), “The Seven Gold Figures”, 7^th of 10 with ‘Captain Valentine, that ‘attractive European scalawag’, adventurer and rascal’, ‘see p.127 for letter from CSM‘, 23rd of 29 stories in BM

~ Charles Somerville, “A Reporter’s Clue”, 28th of 47 articles in the ‘Manhunter’ series, 29^th of 49 total articles in BM