Created by Bevis Winter An early character created by mushroom jungle author Bevis Winter, it's difficult to pin down exactly who SEBASTIEN RIFFKIN was. He was a private investigator--there seems to be no doubt about that--although many of his adventures seem to be played for laughs of the Wodehouse variety (Hubin's makes a point of … Continue reading Sebastien Riffkin
Tag: The Pulps & Short Stories
Wade Miller
Pseudonym of Robert Wade (1920-2012) and Bill Miller (1920-61) Other pseudonyms include Whit Masterson, Dale Wilmer, & Will Daemer This bio, taken from Brian Ritt's excellent Paperback Confidential, highlights the career of a unique writing partnership that was responsible for the creation of one of the all-time great private eyes, Max Thursday, as well as … Continue reading Wade Miller
Carrie Cashin
Created by Theodore A. Tinsley Other pseudonyms include Reid Sleyton, Maxwell Grant (1894-79) Attractive as sin, hard-boiled as hell. One of the very first of the hardboiled lady dicks of the pulps, and certainly the most popular was Manhattan eye CARRIE CASHIN, who appeared in over three dozen action-packed, fast-paced stories, starting in the November … Continue reading Carrie Cashin
Rod Case
Created by John K. Butler (1908-64) Hoo-boy! They sure had some peculiar occupations, those hard-boiled dicks of the pulps. ROD CASE was--I kid you not!--a hard-nosed "special agent" for the Los Angeles-based General Pacific Telephone Company in a handful of short stories that ran in Black Mask in the early 40's. He was somewhat of … Continue reading Rod Case
Calvin Kane
Created by Russell Gray Pseudonym of Bruno Fischer Other pseudonyms include Harrison Storm) (1908-1992) Ladies and gentlemen, step right up and behold the infamous Crab Detective! CALVIN KANE was a pulp-era private eye from the thirties whose "severely deformed body made him look like a refugee from a side-show attraction," according to Don Hutchison, pulp historian. … Continue reading Calvin Kane
Peter Quest
Created by John Kobler Pseudonyms include Warren Lucas (1910-2000) Hokey as heck, but Hey! It's the pulps! One of the infamous "defective detectives," former medical student PETER QUEST was a nearly-blind New York City private eye who suffered from glaucoma. Not the world's most well-adjusted individual, his affliction left Peter a "reckless, world-weary embittered man" … Continue reading Peter Quest
Bill “Baron Munchausen” Tolliver
Created by Curtiss T. Gardner (1898--) BILL "BARON MUNCHAUSEN" TOLLIVER was an investigator for the Imperial Casualty Company who appeared in over a dozen short stories in the pulps in the forties, mostly in G-Men Detective. Apparently, the author, Curtis Tarring Gardner, had a thing for insurance dicks. He also wrote at least one story about … Continue reading Bill “Baron Munchausen” Tolliver
Willard P. Webb & Bruno Steele
Created by Curtiss T. Gardner (1898--) Somebody sent me this, with no explanation, but it does sound intriguing... I mean, a couple of insurance dicks, working as a team? And one of them is blind? And those names! WILLARD P. WEBB? BRUNO STEELE? Visions of some unholy, pulpy mix of Double Indemnity and Longstreet are … Continue reading Willard P. Webb & Bruno Steele
Oliver Quade (“The Human Encyclopedia”)
Created by Frank Gruber Pseudonyms include Stephen Acre, Charles K. Boston & John K. Vedder (1904-1969) "The price of this magnificent volume is not twenty-five dollars as you might expect, not even fifteen or ten, but a paltry two-ninety-five. It sounds preposterous, I know, but it's really true! All the wisdom of all the ages … Continue reading Oliver Quade (“The Human Encyclopedia”)
Wilbur Peddie
Created by Howard Browne (1907-1999) Best known for his Paul Pine books, writer/editor Howard Browne also gave us several other intriguing private snoops, including one WILBUR PEDDIE. With a monicker like that, you might think Wilbur isn't the most two-fisted of men, and you'd be right on the money. The stories are good, but Peddie … Continue reading Wilbur Peddie