Created by William Campbell Gault Pseudonyms include Roney Scott, Will Duke, Bill Gault, David Crewe & Ray P. Shotwell (1910-1995) Presenting the fuck-up as P.I. Not that he started that way, of course. But while straight arrow Brock "The Rock" Callahan remains William Campbell Gault's most famous creation, JOE PUMA definitely deserves some attention, too. … Continue reading Joe Puma
Tag: Hollywood Dick
V. Daniel
Created by David M. Pierce Pseudonyms include Milton (1932--) " 'Voila,' I said. 'That's French for something' " — Write Me a Letter I always sorta thought of David M. Pierce's VIC DANIEL as a stretched-out Shell Scott for the nineties. Although he wore his big crazy heart on his sleeve, he shared an attitude … Continue reading V. Daniel
Babs Norman & Guy Brandt
Created by Elizabeth Crowens Pseudonym of Sheri Lane For those of you who miss the star-studded, name-dropping Hollywood misadventures of Stuart Kaminsky's beloved Toby Peters, you might want to check out Elizabeth  Crowens' similarly light-hearted novels featuring 1930s and 40s Tinseltown dick BABS NORMAN and her partner, best friend and aspiring actor, GUY BRANDT. They … Continue reading Babs Norman & Guy Brandt
Tony Key
Created by Steve Fisher Pseudonyms include Stephen Gould, Grant Lane (1912-80) Former Federal Agent turned hard-boiled Hollywood dick TONY KEY, he of the white shoes, white sweater and jet black hair, appeared in a dozen or so stories in Detective Fiction Weekly, and Black Mask, written by screenwriter and pulpster Steve Fisher. Tony calls himself … Continue reading Tony Key
Jacob Singer
Created by George Baxt JACOB SINGER is a LAPD detective (later a Hollywood private eye) who wanders in and out of George Baxt’s "Murder Case" series, working the same celebrity-clogged streets of 1930s and 40s Hollywood as Stuart Kaminsky's Toby Peters. Dorothy Parker? Alfred Hitchcock? Greta Garbo? Humphrey Bogart? William Powell AND Myrna Loy Murder? … Continue reading Jacob Singer
Doc Holiday
Created by Kirk Alex You’ve heard the expression “too on the nose”? Like, when some writer thinks he’s being clever, offering a simple hint or allusion to something, a shout-out meant to be subtle or disguised, but in fact is about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face? This series may qualify. Naming your … Continue reading Doc Holiday
Jake Palmer (Pin-up Mysteries)
Created by Dan Ames "If I'd known the bullshit that was about to go down, I never would have had that ninth beer." -- Dan opens Miss February with a confession Taking his inspiration from the beloved centrefold girls of the forties and fifties (and private eye fiction of the same era), Dan Ames' slyly … Continue reading Jake Palmer (Pin-up Mysteries)
Bill Lennox
Created by W.T. Ballard (Willis Todhunter Ballard)Pseudonyms include P. D. Ballard, Harrison Hunt, Neil MacNeil, John Shepherd(1903-80) “Just a friendly town... When the knife falls, everyone helps you down into the gutter.”-- Lennox ponders Hollywwood in "A Little Different" Here's another iconic private eye who's officially not a private eye, yet does pretty much everything … Continue reading Bill Lennox
Milo Speriglio
(1938-2000) “Milo is half the size of Cannon, not nearly as handsome as Mannix and a lot shorter than Barnaby Jones... He’s a quiet, soft-spoken guy, on the small side, with glasses. He could pass for a bank clerk. But he’s handled more cases than all the television sleuths combined, about 35,000 over the years.” … Continue reading Milo Speriglio
Stan Wade
Created by John Hegenberger STAN WADE's a 1950s Hollywood P.I. and the star of a playful series of fun-flecked, star-studded romps by John Hegenberger. Stan may be no Toby Peters, but he has a similar amusing habit of rubbing shoulders (and occasionally other body parts) with the era's celebrities, including Walt Disney, Humphrey Bogart, George … Continue reading Stan Wade