Jonathan Marks

Created by Glenn M. Barns
(1915-97)

Washington State attorney Glenn M. Barns wrote three medium-boiled and now largely forgotten novels about private detective JONATHAN “JONNY” MARKS, an operative for a large detective agency.

I don’t know much about the series, except that there first book, Murder is a Gamble (1952), was published by the lowly Phoenix Press, and that Anthony Boucher considered Marks “one of the more nearly naturalistic private eyes,” whatever that means.

Meanwhile, the The Saturday Review  tagged the final book in the series, Murder is Insane (1956) as a “gay and lively performance.” It takes place on the grounds of a mental asylum.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Author and attorney Glenn Miller Barns was born near Yakima, Washington. His major contribution to the Shamus Game was the three Jonathan Marks novels. He wrote several other mysteries, though, including Lawyers Don’t Hang (1953), Masquerade in Blue (1956) and Only the Losers Win (1968).

NOVELS

• Murder Is A Gamble (1952) | Buy this book
• Murder Walks the Stairs (1954) | Buy this book
• Murder Is Insane (1956) | Buy this book

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith.