Malachi Manatee

Created by William R. Cox Pseudonyms include William J. O’Sullivan, Joel Reeve, David Crewe, John M. Easterly, William Hartley, Lance Kermit, John Parkhill, Mat Rand, Ray P. Shotwell, Roger G. Spellman, Daniel Winters & Willard d’Arcy (1901-1988) MALACHI MANATEE came back from the war with a brand new plan. Wounded in action fighting the Japanese … Continue reading Malachi Manatee →

Seekay

Created by Paul ErnstPseudonyms included Frederick Carr, Ernest Jason Fredericks, Kenneth Robeson, Robert Wallace, Chris Brand, George Alden Edson, George Edson, Emerson Graves, Paul Frederick Stern(1899-1985) "I am going to turn on the light now. Do not be alarmed at my face." Arguably the first of the "defective detectives," Paul Ernst's SEEKAY was a tall, … Continue reading Seekay →

Needle Mike (aka Ken McNally)

Created by William E. Barrett (1900-1986) I wonder if  Jeff Johnson, creator of P.I/tatoo artist Darby Holland, knows about NEEDLE MIKE, William E. Barrett's crime-solving tattoo artist from the pulps? Posing as a seedy, disreputable alcoholic owner (complete with gold tooth and bum leg) of a grimy tattoo parlor on South Broadway in the equally … Continue reading Needle Mike (aka Ken McNally) →

Joe Venice

Created by Jiro Kimura JOE VENICE is a New York City private eye with an office across the street from City Hall where, I guess, he can keep an eye on the mayor. Just an ordinary "Joe," except that his mother was Japanese. He was born at an American military base in Sakai, just outside … Continue reading Joe Venice →

Henry von Stray

Created by John McAleer (1923-2003) Continued by Andrew McAleer HENRY von STRAY is a London-based private detective created by Edgar-winner and Rex Stout John McAleer, according to his son Andrew McAleer. Apparently, nobody had any idea the character even existed, until a handwritten copy of the only known von Stray story, "The Case of the … Continue reading Henry von Stray →

Casper Barnett

Created by John Weagly "... the Heart O’ Chicago motel... was the perfect spot for a not-quite romantic rendezvous or if you wanted a seedy place to try heroin for the first time."— Casper sets a mood in “Ferocious Infidelity” CASPER BARNETT is a P. I. in Chicago whose stories, the author admits, he likes to … Continue reading Casper Barnett →

“The Wrong Man to Cross”(Part Two)

.By Duane Swierczynski A John MacNeil Novella Winter 2006 Chuck Underhill put the time of the break-in between 2 and 4 p.m. Jonesy told him she left just before 2, and didn't return home until after a dinner of Chinese food at Kum Lin's with her mother. By that time, Chuck was already there, and he'd … Continue reading “The Wrong Man to Cross”(Part Two) →

“The Wrong Man to Cross”(Part One)

.By Duane Swierczynski A John MacNeil Novella Winter 2006 "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men.” — Ezekiel 25:17 By the end of move-in day, I needed only two things. A six-pack of Yuengling. And to get the hell out … Continue reading “The Wrong Man to Cross”(Part One) →

The Eyes of Roger Torrey

A Preliminary List   There's no doubting that Roger Torrey (1901-46) was one prolific pulpster, pounding out (in between drinks) almost 300 stories for the crime and detective magazine of the thirties and forties (at least fifty in Black Mask alone!). And while he may not have enjoyed the acclaim of Hammett, Chandler or many … Continue reading The Eyes of Roger Torrey →

Marty Dolan

Created by Roger Torrey Pseudonyms include Sam Drake, Samuel Drake, John Ryan, R.D. Torrey (1901-46) "Lengel had his finger in a lot of pies, and while a lot of people suspected it, nobody had yet proved he was helping bake them." — Dolan suspects a powerful but dodgy businessman Grab a pencil and add MARTY … Continue reading Marty Dolan →