Mystery and Crime Drib, Dr. [Editor]: Murder By Design. v2. 31 Dec 08

[Dr. Drib]

Version 2 released - fixes a few paragraph problems.
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These stories were released under a Creative Commons License with a link to the stories here. There is additional acknowledgment AND a link again placed at the end of the book. All stories acquired from Munsey's; However, THIS ENTIRE BOOK WAS ASSEMBLED, CREATED, AND FORMATTED BY ME TO MY SPECIFICATIONS.

Additionally, some stories were taken by Munsey's from Pulpgen.

http://www.munseys.com/detail/mode/title/baldy_and_the
http://www.munseys.com/book/14403/AS..._MURDERER,_THE
http://www.munseys.com/book/28655/Daughter_of_Murder
http://www.munseys.com/book/25417/Do...Castle_Novelet
http://www.munseys.com/book/25429/Mu..._Berke_Novelet
http://www.munseys.com/detail/mode/author/John_Benton
http://www.munseys.com/book/27030/Murder_Backstage
http://www.munseys.com/book/26522/Murder_by_Magic
http://www.munseys.com/book/25119/Murder_in_the_Fog
http://www.munseys.com/book/24910/Mu...n_t_Everything
http://www.munseys.com/book/26225/Murderer_s_Bait
http://www.munseys.com/book/24819/Mu...host_Novelette
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From my Introduction:

This anthology celebrates Murder in both story titles and in body count, thus doubling your pleasure.

Most of the writers here are “unknowns,” but that shouldn’t deter you. If you want some detective action and adventure, with bullets flying all over the page, then you should find a great deal of pleasure in reading these forgotten stories.

Here you’ll find wise-cracking detectives, bullet-faced criminals, and curvy molls. All these characters create a crazy mix of entertainment and sometimes unintentional zaniness. Look, as well, for the ever-present convertible.

Stylistically, the stories range all over the noir map; after all, we’re talking about the pulps here—not high literature. This is entertainment value that is rarely experienced in today’s super-heated action novels which rely mainly on a different and more sophisticated audience.

One of my favorite writers is Robert Leslie Bellem. I included two stories in this anthology, one featuring Dan Turner, a detective with an eye for the curvy dame and a command of the English language that you don’t encounter in any textbook. (ESL students are strongly advised to avoid reading Bellem.) Take a look at this paragraph and you’ll see what I mean:

“Her bare gams were sleek, tapered, creamy; her hips had a gorgeous lilt in those skin-tight scanties. The moonlight kissed her perkily mounded tidbits through the gossamer brassiere; danced across her piquant puss and made glints in her wavy auburn coiffure. Even at that distance I could see she was something extra special in the way of youthful she-male yumph.”

Tidbits, indeed.

Not all is hilarity and gams [intentional pun] in this latest pulp remembrance. There’s room enough here for serious dead bodies and some very intense detective work.

One such example is Dashiell Hammett who needs no introduction. For superb plotting and realistic character development, Hammett defines the tough-detective genre.

Other writers are long-forgotten, but not their writings. One writer who continues to be read in the science fiction community today is Ray Cummings.

The twelve stories collected here create a world far different from today's world of high-tech, white-collar crime. Rather, these stories reflect a working-man's crime, in a time when beers were tossed back, spittle flew, and noggins were rarely meant for thinking but for bashing.

Sit back, grab your ebook Reader, and have some fun.
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One title - the Hammett title, The Assistant Murderer - was previously made available by mtravellerh and is available here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32243

Like all the books I assemble on MobileRead, this too was assembled to reflect human intervention and artistic judgment.

I hope you enjoy it.

Don

[Dr. Drib]

Version 2 - fixes a few paragraph oddities.

Previous version deleted.

Don