The Second Pulp Crime Read online

  Contents

  COPYRIGHT INFO

  A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

  The MEGAPACK® Ebook Series

  MURDER ON HER MIND, by Rufus King

  PAPER CAPER, by James Holding

  MIND OVER MAYHEM, by Mack Reynolds

  LOOSE ENDS, by Fletcher Flora

  A LONG ROPE, by Archie Oboler

  YOUR CRIME IS MY CRIME, by Talmage Powell

  LUCKY BREAK, by Will F. Jenkins

  A DEVIL’S HIGHBALL, by G. T. Fleming-Roberts

  BIRTHDAY PARTY, by Bryce Walton

  KILLER BE GOOD, by Talmage Powell

  A DEAD CLUE, by David Nowinson

  WHEN DOUBLES CROSS, by George V. Miller

  FLOPHOUSE COURT, by Hapsburg Liebe

  HANDY MAN, by Fletcher Flora

  TURNABOUT, by Colby Quinn

  AN EXERCISE IN INSURANCE, by James Holding

  THE CRIMSON COMPLEX, by G. T. Fleming-Roberts

  ACTOR’S SHOWCASE, by Bryce Walton

  HEAT FROM TEXAS, by W.W. McKenna

  MURDER GAME, by Archie Oboler

  HOPHEAD HOMICIDE, by Robert Carlton

  NIGHT SCENE, by Jerome Severs Perry

  FATAL FACIAL, by Cary Moran

  WAKE UP AND DIE, by Robert Turner

  DAMON AND PYTHIAS AND DELILAH BROWN, by Rufus King

  COPYRIGHT INFO

  The Second Pulp Crime MEGAPACK® is copyright © 2016 by Wildside Press, LLC. All rights reserved.

  * * * *

  The MEGAPACK® ebook series name is a trademark of Wildside Press, LLC. All rights reserved.

  * * * *

  “Murder on Her Mind,” by Rufus King originally appeared in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, December 1957. Copyright © 1957, renewed 1985 by Rufus King. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “Paper Caper,” by James Holding originally appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, February 1979. Copyright © 1979 by James Holding. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “Mind Over Mayhem,” by Mack Reynolds originally appeared in New Detective Magazine, November 1950. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “Loose Ends,” by Fletcher Flora originally appeared in Manhunt, August 1958. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “A Long Rope,” by Archie Oboler originally appeared in Ten Detective Aces, April 1933.

  “Your Crime Is My Crime,” by Talmage Powell originally appeared in New Detective Magazine, May 1946.

  “Lucky Break,” by Will F. Jenkins originally appeared in Colliers, September 26, 1926.

  “A Devil’s Highball,” by G. T. Fleming-Roberts originally appeared in Ten Detective Aces, July 1933.

  “Birthday Party,” by Bryce Walton originally appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, February 1965. Copyright © 1965 by Bryce Walton. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “Killer Be Good,” by Talmage Powell originally appeared in New Detective Magazine, December 1952. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “A Dead Clue,” by David Nowinson originally appeared in Ten Detective Aces, September 1933.

  “When Doubles Cross,” by George V. Miller originally appeared in Spicy Detective Stories, November 1935.

  “Flophouse Court,” by Hapsburg Liebe originally appeared in Ten Detective Aces, September 1933.

  “Handy Man,” By Fletcher Flora originally appeared in Manhunt, February 1956. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “Turnabout,” by Colby Quinn originally appeared in Spicy Detective Stories, December 1938.

  “An Exercise In Insurance,” by James Holding originally appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, March 1964. Copyright © 1964 by James Holding. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “The Crimson Complex,” by G. T. Fleming-Roberts originally appeared in Ten Detective Aces, September 1933.

  “Actor’s Showcase,” by Bryce Walton originally appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, March 1966. Copyright © 1966 by Bryce Walton. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  “Heat From Texas,” by W.W. McKenna originally appeared in Spicy Detective Stories, November 1935.

  “Murder Game,” by Archie Oboler originally appeared in Nickel Detective, August 1933.

  “Hophead Homicide,” by Robert Carlton originally appeared in Mobsters, February 1953.

  “Night Scene,” by Jerome Severs Perry originally appeared in Spicy Detective Stories, May 1935.

  “Fatal Facial,” by Cary Moran originally appeared in Spicy Detective Stories, September, 1936.

  “Wake Up And Die,” by Robert Turner originally appeared in 10-Story Detective, October 1947.

  “Damon And Pythias And Delilah Brown,” by Rufus King originally appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, April 1958. Copyright © 1956, renewed 1984 by Rufus King. Reprinted by permission of the author’s estate.

  A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

  Here are 25 tales that fit the “pulp crime” theme perfection. They cover a wide range of mysteries, featuring everything from private investigators to police officers to everyday men and women pushed into extraordinary situations. From lowly bars to city streets to suburbia, no place is safe from the pulp crime writer -- and here are crimes galore, by some of the top pulp magazine writers of the 20th century!

  Enjoy!

  —John Betancourt

  Publisher, Wildside Press LLC

  www.wildsidepress.com

  ABOUT THE SERIES

  Over the last few years, our MEGAPACK® ebook series has grown to be our most popular endeavor. (Maybe it helps that we sometimes offer them as premiums to our mailing list!) One question we keep getting asked is, “Who’s the editor?”

  The MEGAPACK® ebook series (except where specifically credited) are a group effort. Everyone at Wildside works on them. This includes John Betancourt (me), Carla Coupe, Steve Coupe, Shawn Garrett, Helen McGee, Bonner Menking, Sam Cooper, Helen McGee and many of Wildside’s authors…who often suggest stories to include (and not just their own!)

  RECOMMEND A FAVORITE STORY?

  Do you know a great classic science fiction story, or have a favorite author whom you believe is perfect for the MEGAPACK® ebook series? We’d love your suggestions! You can post them on our message board at http://wildsidepress.forumotion.com/ (there is an area for Wildside Press comments).

  Note: we only consider stories that have already been professionally published. This is not a market for new works.

  TYPOS

  Unfortunately, as hard as we try, a few typos do slip through. We update our ebooks periodically, so make sure you have the current version (or download a fresh copy if it’s been sitting in your ebook reader for months.) It may have already been updated.

  If you spot a new typo, please let us know. We’ll fix it for everyone. You can email the publisher at [email protected] or use the message boards above.

  The MEGAPACK® Ebook Series

  If you enjoyed this ebook, check out more volumes in Wildside Press’s great MEGAPACK® series…more than 300 in all!

  THE GOLDEN AGE OF SCIENCE FICTION

  1. Winston K. Marks

  2. Mark Clifton

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6. Charles L. Fontenay

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