July 1934 issue

July 1934 issue

cover art by J. W. Schlaikjer

better image than previously posted

~ 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”, 2nd 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,  2nd of 11 stories in BM

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

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

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

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

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

Dealing out Death x 4

1948 McKay hardcover

3rd novel with Hollywood trouble-shooter Bill Lennox who works for the General Consolidated Studios

1950 Graphic reissue

better image than previously posted

1954 Graphic reissue – cover art by Walter Popp

1958 Banner reissue in the UK – cover art by Stanley Borack

November 1934 issue ~ cover art by Fred Craft

November 1934 issue

cover art by Fred Craft

better image than previously posted

~ W.T. Ballard, “In Dead Man’s Alley”, 10th of 27 stories with ‘Bill Lennox, troubleshooter for Consolidated Films’, 10th of 43 stories in BM

~ Eugene Cunningham, “Room Service”, last of 5 with Cleve Corby, 11th of 14 stories in BM

~ Carroll John Daly, “The Eyes Have It”, ‘last William’s caper [of 53 though Hagemann lists 54] in BM (wherein he had appeared ‘exclusively’), CJD not to pub. in BM until Mar 1938’, reprinted in If Death is Respectable: The Collected Hard-boiled Stories of Race Williams, v.4 (Altus, 2018), 66th of 71 appearances in BM

~ Erle Stanley Gardner, “Hot Cash”, 59th of 73 Ed Jenkins, as Bob Sabin, 83rd of 99 stories in BM

~ Herbert Koehl, “See See Drops In”, ‘C.C. Cane, private eye, 1st person narrator‘, author’s only appearance in BM

~ Roger Torrey, “Law and Disorder”, 10th of 11 with Dal Prentice, Magna City police dick, ‘one tough guy’, title used again in April 1941 issue, not the same story, 13th of 50 appearances 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, 2nd story in series’, 4th of 21 stories in BM

~ W.T. Ballard, “Confessions Means Death”, 1st of 2 with radio host/”people’s pal” Jimmy DeHaven, 12th 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”, 8th of 27 with Flashgun Casey, 8th 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

November 1937 issue ~ cover art by Stockton Mulford

November 1937 issue

cover art by Stockton Mulford

better image than previously posted

~ W.T. Ballard, “Friends Sometimes Kill”, “Don Tomaso Sherman, narrator: 2nd DTS story”, 28th of 43 stories in BM

~ H.W. Guernsey, “Late Harvest”, ‘mushrooms, e.g. morel (nightshade)’, 2nd of 4 stories in BM

~ Baynard H(ardwick) Kendrick, “Burial Mound”, 4th of 14 stories with Mikes Standish (Stan) Rice, ‘The Hungry’[?], all set in Florida

~ Roger Torrey, “One Good Turn”, ‘Shean Connell, private peep; 3rd of 4 SC stories’, reprinted in Just Nice Girl: The Complete Black Mask Cases of Shean Connell, Vol. 1 (Steeger, 2025), 31st of 50 appearances in BM

~ Edward S. Williams, “Leave the Door Open”, ‘Peter Nelson, young MD, in the slums’, 3rd of 8 appearances in BM

~ Cornell Woolrich, “Cab, Mister?”, 7th of 24 (22 original) stories to appear in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

February 1939 issue ~ cover art by James Lunnon

February 1939 issue

cover art by James Lunnon

~ W.T. Ballard, “No Parole from Death”, 20th of 27 stories with ‘Bill Lennox, troubleshooter for Consolidated Films’, 31st of 43 stories in BM

~ Dale Clark, “Death Watch”, Scotland Yard undercover man Carr, politics and murder, 2nd of 32 stories in BM

~ Frederick C. Davis, “Tonight I Must Die”, 7th of 16 stories in BM

~ Steve Fisher, “Flight to Paris”, 8th of 9 stories in BM

~ Frank Gruber, “State Fair Murder”, 7th of 10 with‘Oliver Quade, The Human Encyclopedia’, 10th of 14 stories in BM

~ K. Webster, “Underwater Kill”, ‘cop goes under sea-surface to nab his man’, 1st of 3 stories in BM

~ Edward S. Williams, “Deadly Secret”, ‘Rex Flynn, private dick’, 4th of 8 appearances in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop

March 1937 issue ~ cover art by Harry Stoner

March 1937 issue

cover art by Harry Stoner

better image than previously posted

~ W.T. Ballard, “This is Murder”, 18th of 27 stories with ‘Bill Lennox, troubleshooter for Consolidated Films’, 24th of 43 stories in BM

~ Hugh B. Cave, “Dead Dog”, ‘Pooch Hanley a cop who likes dogs’, 2nd of 9 stories in BM

~ James Duncan, “Double Trouble”, 1st of 5 stories with ‘The Parson, who lives on a ‘mythical’ (fictional?) isle, Cariba’, set in Havana, reprinted in Murder for Pennies: The Complete Black Mask Cases of the Parson (Steeger, 2024), 6th of 10 stories in BM

~ Erle Stanley Gardner, “This Way Out”, 64th Ed Jenkins ‘as Bob Sabin; with Ngat T’oy’, same title as 3/1927 but different story, 89th of 99 stories in BM

~ Eric Howard, “The Mugg from Frisco”, ‘Kelly, 1st person narrator & some shady politics’, 1st of 6 stories in BM

~ H. Randolph Peacock, “Dead Alibi”, 1st of 3 with Otto, department store dick, making ‘$40 a week at Klineman’s‘, ‘see p. 127 for word on HRP‘, 1st of 4 stories in BM

~ Cole Richards, “No Reprieve”, ‘short-short’, author’s sole appearance in BM

~ Roger Torrey, “Always a Lady”, ‘Lieutenant Delehanty, a cop’, 26th of 50 appearances in BM

©Seattle Mystery Bookshop