flashgun casey – SMB Noir

July 1934 issue

July 1934 issue

cover art by J. W. Schlaikjer

~ W.T. Ballard, “Whatta Guy”, 7th of 27 stories with ‘Bill Lennox, troubleshooter for Consolidated Films’, reprinted in That’s Hollywood: The Complete Black Mask Cases of Bill Lennox, Vol.1 (2023 Steeger Books), 7th of 43 stories in BM

~ Raymond Chandler, “Smart-Aleck Kill”, 2^nd Mallory, first book appearance in the collection The Simple Art of Murder (Houghton Mifflin hardcover, 1950), first paperback appearance Pickup on Noon Street (Pocket, 1/52), various paperback editions, 2^nd of 11 stories in BM

~ George Harmon Coxe, “Hot Delivery”, 5^th of 27 with Flashgun Casey, 5^th of 31 stories in BM

~ Eugene Cunningham, “If Murder Can Be Funny”, 3^rd of 5 with undercover Texas Ranger Cleve Corby, 9^th of 14 stories in BM

~ John Graham, “Murder Crate”, ‘ambulance crew; NYC setting’, 1^st of 2 stories in BM

~ Raymond Jae Moffatt, “Death in the Dark”, ‘Patrolman tries to avenge murdered father’, 1^st of 2 stories in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

January 1935 issue ~ cover art by Fred Craft

January 1935 issue

cover art by Fred Craft

~ Raymond Chandler, “Killer in the Rain”, unnamed LA PI, 1^st person, first book appearance in the anthology Killer in the Rain (Hammish Hamilton, UK hardcover, 3/26/64, US edition by Houghton Mifflin, 1964), various paperback editions, reprinted in The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps (Vintage, 2007), 4th of 11 stories in BM [Chandler would “cannibalize” this story for The Big Sleep – note the totem with the camera lens.]

~ George Harmon Coxe, “Murder Picture”, 7^th of 27 with Flashgun Casey, reprinted in The Black Lizard Big Book of Pulps (Vintage, 2007), 7^th of 31 stories in BM

~ George Alden Edson, “Hot Lead”, author’s only appearance in BM

~ Erle Stanley Gardner, “Winged Lead”, ‘Bald Pete’, character’s only appearance in BM, 84th of 99 stories in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

February 1935 issue ~ cover art by Fred Craft

February 1935 issue

cover art by Fred Craft

better image than previously posted

~ Dwight V. Babcock, “Murder After Midnight”, ‘Al, bodyguard, 2^nd story in series’, 4^th of 21 stories in BM

~ W.T. Ballard, “Confessions Means Death”, 1^st of 2 with radio host/”people’s pal” Jimmy DeHaven, 12^th of 43 stories in BM

~ Clue Club, “Clue Club Mystery Story Contest”, ‘short-lived contest sponsored by Warner Bros & BM with prizes, etc.; not indexed beyond this issue’

~ George Harmon Coxe, “Casey – Detective”, 8^th of 27 with Flashgun Casey, 8^th of 31 stories in BM

~ Raymond Jae Moffatt, “Dunnigan of the Morning Call”, ‘cub reporter & cops’, 2nd of 2 stories in BM

~ Frederick L. Nebel, “It’s a Gag”, 29th of 37 with Captain Steve MacBride and local reporter Kennedy, reprinted in Too Young to Die: Complete Cases of MacBride & Kennedy, v.3 (Altus, 2013), 57 of 67 stories in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

September 1934 British issue ~ cover art by Fred Craft

September 1934 British issue

cover art by Fred Craft

October 1935 issue ~ cover art by Rudolph Belarski

October 1935 issue

cover art by Rudolph Belarski

better image than previously posted

~ W.T. Ballard, “You Never Know About Women”, 1^st of 7 with ‘Red Drake, undercover investigator for the State Racing Commission, 1^st-person narrator’, 15^th of 43 stories in BM

~ George Harmon Coxe, “Mr. Casey Flashgun Murder”, 14^th of 27 with Flashgun Casey, 14^th of 31 stories in BM

~ Erle Stanley Gardner, “Crash and Carry”, 61th of 73 stories with Ed Jenkins, ‘The Phantom Crook’, 86th of 99 stories in BM

~ Preston Grady, “Massacre”, ‘Ned price, p.i., in South Carolina, 1^st-person narrator; smuggling & Chinese villain.’, author’s sole appearance in BM

~ Leslie T. White, “The City of Hell”, ‘four honest cops “put the Indian sign on a city of graft”’, author’s sole appearance in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

[cover updated 1/25/26]

June 1935 issue ~ cover art by Rudolph Belarski

June 1935 issue

cover art by Rudolph Belarski

better image than previously posted

~ Dwight V. Babcock, “Hide-Out”, ‘1^st G-Man Chuck Thompson story of 7; CT, Special Agent, FBI, in LA’, 6^th of 21 stories in BM

~ W.T. Ballard, “Murder Makes a Difference”, 2^nd of 2 Jimmy DeHaven stories, 14^th of 43 stories in BM

~ Raymond Chandler, “Nevada Gas”, Johnny DeRuse, first book appearance Five Murderers (Avon digest, 2/3/44), first hardcover appearance The Simple Art of Murder (Houghton Mifflin, 1950), then Pickup on Noon Street (Pocket, 1/52), various paperback editions 5^th of 11 stories in BM

~ George Harmon Coxe, “Thirty Tickets to Win”, ‘Flashgun Casey at the race-track’, 11^th of 27 Casey, 11^th of 31 stories in BM

~ Roger Torrey, “Dead Men Can Talk”, last of 11 Dal Prentice capers, Magna City police dick, ‘one tough guy’, 16th of 50 appearances in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

[cover updated 11/9/25]

June 1936 issue ~ cover art by John Drew

June 1936 issue

better image than previously posted

cover art by John Drew

~ Raymond Chandler, “Goldfish”, Carmady #2 of 4, ‘see May 1936 issue, p. 127, for comment on RC’, first book appearance Five Murderers (Avon digest, 2/3/44), reprinted in the collection Trouble is My Business (Penguin UK, 1950), The Hard-Boiled Detective, (1977), 9th of 11 stories in BM

~ George Harmon Coxe, “Fall Guy”, 17^th of 27 with Flashgun Casey, reprinted in The Black Lizard Big Book of Black Mask Stories (Vintage, 2010), 19^th of 31 stories in BM

~ M.A. Gutschow, “The Wild Rose Hermit”, ‘another in the ‘Narrowest Escape’ series, see Charles E. Cox Jr.’, author’s only appearance in BM

~ Nels Leroy Jorgensen, “Two Tickets to Trinidad”, 26th of 32 with Stuart “Black” Burton, ‘square-shooting gambler from the Southwest, often entangled with the law’, 33rd of 39 stories in BM

~ Frederick L. Nebel, “Hard to Take”, 36th of 37 with Captain Steve MacBride and local reporter Kennedy, reprinted in Winter Kill: Complete Cases of MacBride & Kennedy, v.4 (Altus, 2013), 65 of 67 stories in BM

~ Theodore A. Tinsley, “Storm Signal”, ‘16th (of 25) Jerry Tracy capers, columnist on the (NYC) Planet, ‘mixer with poor and rich, the crooked and the straight, trailer of trouble and happiness’, reprinted in Murder Maze: The Complete Black Mask Cases of Jerry Tracy, vol.2 (Steeger 2022), 17th of 26 stories in BM

[cover updated 1/26/26]

Gangsters and Gun Molls #3, 1952

Gangsters and Gun Molls #3, Avon, 1952

cover art by Perlowen

Art taken from Avon Paperback #143, entitled “Flash Casey” by George Harmon Coxe. Art credit from Catalog of Copyright Entries. Third Series: 1948.

[updated 4/15/26]

cover art by Gerald Gregg

originally published in Sept. 1941 issue of Black Mask Magazine as “Killers are Camera Shy”,

1948 Dell mapback, mapback by Ruth Belew

better image than previously posted

February 1936 issue ~ cover art by John Drew

February 1936 issue

cover art by John Drew

better image than previously posted

~ Dwight V. Babcock, “Rat Bait”, 4^th of 7 Chuck Thompson stories, 9^th of 21 stories in BM

~ George Harmon Coxe, “Portrait of Murder”, 15^th of 27 with Flashgun Casey, 15^th of 31 stories in BM

~ Nels Leroy Jorgensen, “Shylock Is Murdered”, 24th of 32 with Stuart “Black” Burton, ‘square-shooting gambler from the Southwest, often entangled with the law’, 31st of 39 stories in BM

~ Frederick L. Nebel, “No Hard Feelings”, 34th of 37 with Captain Steve MacBride and local reporter Kennedy, they reverse roles in this story, reprinted in Winter Kill: Complete Cases of MacBride & Kenney, v.4 (Altus, 2013), 63 of 67 stories in BM

~ Theodore A. Tinsley, “Body Snatcher”, ‘15th (of 25) Jerry Tracy capers, columnist on the (NYC) Planet, ‘mixer with poor and rich, the crooked and the straight, trailer of trouble and happiness’, 16th of 26 stories in BM

[cover updated 10/27/25]