Richard S. Prather – Larque Press | The Digest Enthusiast

Uncategorized September 3, 2019

Manhunt No. 10 Oct. 1953

Manhunt Detective Story Magazine Vol. 1 No. 10 Oct. 1953
Contents
Mickey Spillane “The Girl Behind the Hedge”
Richard S. Prather “Squeeze Play” (Shell Scott)
Richard Deming “Balanced Account”
Robert Turner “Dead Heat”
Harold Cantor “The Idiot”
Dan Sontup’s Portrait of a Killer: Louise Peete
David Goodis “Professional Man”
Sam S. Taylor “Summer is a Bad Time”
Arnold Marmor “Response”
Vincent H. Gaddis’ Crime Cavalcade
Floyd Mahannah “Where’s the Money?” art by Don Rico
John Ross Macdonald “The Beat-Up Sister” (Lew Archer)
Jonathan Craig “The Bobby-Soxer”
Mugged and Printed: Mickey Spillane, John Ross Macdonald, David Goodis, Richard S. Prather

Flying Eagle Publications, Inc,
Editor: John McCloud
Managing Editor: Hal Walker
Art Director: Chas. W. Adams
Business Manager: R.E. Decker
144 pages, 35¢

Peter Enfantino’s story-by-story synopsis of Manhunt is featured in The Digest Enthusiast No. 6–10.

Opening Lines June 30, 2019

Opening Lines: The Double Take

“This was a morning for weeping at funerals, for sticking pins in your own wax image, for leaping into empty graves and pulling the sod in after you.”

“The Double Take” by Richard S. Prather Manhunt Detective Story Magazine July 1953

Vault May 17, 2019

Manhunt No. 7 July 1953

Manhunt Detective Story Monthly Vol. 1 No. 7 July 1953
Contents
Fredric Brown “The Wench is Dead”
Craig Rice “Quiet Day in the County Jail” art by J.Q. Farris
Fletcher Flora “I’ll Kill for You”
Jonathan Lord “Day’s Work”
Evan Hunter “Good and Dead” (Matt Cordell) art by R. Cossette
Bruno Fischer “Say Goodby to Janie” art by Rus Anderson
Hunt Collins “The Follower” art by R. Cossette
Vincent H. Gaddis’ Crime Cavalcade
Elliot West “I’m Getting Out” art by J.Q. Farris
Frank Kane “Evidence” (Johnny Liddell)
Dan Sontup’s Portrait of a Killer No. 2: Charles Henry Schwartz
Richard S. Prather “The Double Take” (Shell Scott)
Arnold Marmor “Heirloom”
Mugged and Printed: Fredric Brown, Bruno Fischer, Frank Kane, Craig Rice

Flying Eagle Publications, Inc,
Editor: John McCloud
Managing Editor: E.A. Tulman
Art Director: Chas. W. Adams
Business Manager: R.E. Decker
144 pages, 35¢

Vault April 5, 2019

Manhunt No. 6 June 1953

Manhunt Detective Story Monthly Vol. 1 No. 6 June 1953
Contents
Henry Kane “Far Cry” (Pete Chambers)
Evan Hunter “Small Homicide” art by J.Q. Farris
Charles Beckman, Jr. “Ybor City” art by R. Cossette
Manhunt’s Movie of the Month: The Hitch-Hiker
Richard Deming “The Loyal One”
Michael Fessier “The Faceless Man”
Vincent H. Gaddis: Crime Cavalcade
Harold Q. Masur “The Double Frame” (Scott Jordan)
Emmanuel Winters “The Caller” art by R. Cossette (flopped)
Richard S. Prather “Hot-Rock Rumble” (Shell Scott)
Hunt Collins “One Down” art by Tom O’Sullivan
Mugged and Printed: Henry Kane, Richard Deming, Evan Hunter, Richard S. Prather, Charles Beckman, Jr., and Michael Fessier
Every story opens with an illustration, mostly in two colors. Unsigned, unless noted.

Flying Eagle Publications, Inc,
Editor: John McCloud
Managing Editor: E.A. Tulman
Art Director: Chas. W. Adams
Business Manager: R.E. Decker
144 pages, 35¢

Vault October 1, 2018

Manhunt Detective Story Monthly March 1953

Contents
Richard S. Prather “The Sleeper Caper” (Shell Scott)
Evan Hunter “Dead Men Don’t Dream” (Matt Cordell)
Bruno Fischer “Stop Him!”
Robert Patrick Wilmot “Triple-Cross”
Leslie Charteris “The Loaded Tourist” (The Saint)
Frank Kane “Payoff” (Johnny Liddell)
Craig Rice “The Tears of Evil” (John J. Malone)
Harold Q. Masur “The Mourning After” (Scott Jordan)
Mickey Spillane “Everybody’s Watching Me” (Part 3 of 4)
William Lindsay Gresham “Teaser”
Floyd Mahannah “Prognosis Negative”
Richard Marsten “Against the Middle”

Vault July 8, 2018

Manhunt Detective Story Monthly Jan. 1953

Contents
“Everybody’s Watching Me” by Mickey Spillane (Part 1 of 4) art by Joe Kubert
“Die Hard” by Evan Hunter
“I’ll Make the Arrest” by Charles Beckman, Jr.
“The Hunted” by William Irish
“The Best Motive” by Richard S. Prather (Shell Scott)
“Shock Treatment” by Kenneth Millar
“The Frozen Grin” by Frank Kane (Johnny Liddell)
Backfire by Floyd Mahannah
“The Set-Up” by Sam Cobb
“Who is Vetter?” (coming next issue)

Reviews February 11, 2018

Richard S. Prather’s Lie Down, Killer

The final story from Justice Amazing Detective Mysteries #2, July 1955, is billed as a “complete suspense novel.” It’s a reprint from the Lion Books edition, first published in 1952, one of only three novels Richard S. Prather wrote that does not feature Shell Scott.

“Lie Down, Killer” stars Steve Bennett, who it turns out is the perfect patsy to frame for a series of murders by crime boss Oscar Gross and femme fatale, Margo Whitney. It’s a carefully plotted mystery that unfolds rapidly with plenty of action and romance along the way. The brutal showdown between the villains and hero had me flying through the final pages to reach its satisfying conclusion.

With issues like this one, it’s particularly unfortunate Justice didn’t last longer than four issues.

Lion cover image from Pulp Serenade.