The Complete Guide to Manhunt Part 17

by Peter Enfantino

Vol. 2 No. 10   December 1954

144 pages, 35 cents

Pretty Boy by Hal Ellson

(3000 words) *   illo: Tom O’Sullivan

            From what I could make out between all the hip jive talk, this is about a young man caught up in the gang life. I’d have preferred to read the translated text.

            That night I bought me some reefers. I got crazy high quick and sent Zelda home for my pistol. Then I picked up the rest of the boys, cause we got a “war” on with the Pelicans. We taxied into foreign territory, fired a few wild shots and flew, cause the cops was hot in the streets. 

            Ellson’s bio in “Mugged and Printed” touts this as “another tough and realistic picture of teen gang life.”

Two Little Hands by Fletcher Flora

(2000 words) **   illo: Houlihan

            Big, brawny Obie’s not right in the head and everyone around him takes advantage of him, including our narrator, Jake. What Jake convinces Obie to do will haunt both of them the rest of their lives.

The Red Tears by Jonathan Craig

(5000 words) * ½   illo: James Sentz

            Detectives Fred Spence and Jake Thomas of the 18^th Precinct catch the murder of a pretty girl. She’s been shot and robbed of her engagement ring, the titular “red tears.” Not much more than a novel outline, "Red Tears" goes from Point A to Point B very quickly and without much substance

To a Wax Doll by Arnold Marmor

(1000 words) ***  

            Very good short-short about a cop tracking down a heroin pusher. Last little bit adds a nice, nasty bite.

A Bachelor in the Making by Charles Jackson

(2000 words) **   illo: Tom O’Sullivan

            Yet another of the “slice of life” stories offered up by respectable authors outside the crime genre and ballyhooed in Manhunt. This one concerns a boy growing up and experiencing life while working in a grocery store. He doesn’t witness a murder. He doesn’t commit a murder. He just works and observes.

A Life for a Life by Robert Turner

(2500 words) ***   illo: James Sentz

            Three cops stake out a maternity ward, awaiting an escaped convict whose wife is giving birth. One is a trigger-happy sadist, who shows the con how good he is with a gun. Grisly climax when the con shows the cop how sadistic he can be.

Twilight by Hal Harwood

(1000 words) ***

            A man remembers a violent incident in his childhood. Brief, but powerful.

For a Friend by Bob McKnight

(1000 words) ***   illo”: Dick Shelton

            Joe Rossotti’s not a bright guy, but he has to have Carmen, a high-priced neighborhood “lady.” Carmen suggests that if Joe had a grand, he’d get a grand time. She recommends the horses and even picks a horse for Joe to bet on. Since Joe’s not that bright, it takes him a while to realize he’s been played. Unfortunately for Joe, his epiphany doesn’t occur until after the race. But Joe concocts his revenge pretty quickly thereafter. Sly fun.

The Hero by Floyd Mahannah

(5500 words) **

            Mel Karger, just out of the pen, wants only a fresh start. Unfortunately, that fresh start may mean dealing with the rat who framed him.

Diary of a Devout Man by Max Franklin

(3000 words) ***   illo: Dick Francis

            Our titular character suddenlty begins receiving messages from God telling him he has to wipe the world clean of sinners. He buys a gun and the first sinner to fall is his girlfriend. Max Franklin is a pseudonym for Richard Deming. Under the Franklin name, Deming did several movie and TV tie-ins (Starsky and Hutch, Charlie's Angels, 99 and 44/100% Dead, Baby Blue Marine, The Dark) as well as a few original novels (Hell Street, The 5th of November, Justice Has no Sword)

Opportunity by Russell E. Bruce

(500 words) **   illo: Gussman

            A newspaper reporter comes across evidence he can use to blackmail a mobster. Proof that not all short-shorts are bad.

The Housemother Cometh by Hayden Howard

(1500 words) *   illo: Tom O’Sullivan

            Beau and Fred sneak a woman into their dorm. A rare (and unwanted) excursion into comedy for Manhunt.

Manslaughter by Henry Ewald

(1000 words) **   illo: James Sentz

            John Madden has lost his job and is facing tough times. When he goes to see his ex-boss, some hope arises. When that hope is dashed, he hits the bar and winds up in trouble.

Hit and Run by Richard Deming

(16,000 words) ****   illo: Houlihan

            Barney Calhoun steps out of the Happy Hollow Bar one night and witnesses a hit and run. Being a PI in a small town doesn’t bring in a lot of dough, so Barney gets it into his head he’ll act as middleman for the evil deed doers. He goes to Helena Powers, the passenger in the car, and offers a deal: he’ll go to the victim (who’s in intensive care) and offer to pay for his silence for a fee. Helena agrees, but unfortunately, things get complicated for barney when the victim dies. A whole new plan comes into effect, including another murder, Helena’s frightened lover, and an elaborate scheme to keep Helena and Barney out of jail. Deming crafts a wonderful short novel, filled with blind curves and capped off by a riotous climax. Later expanded to novel size (Pocket pb,1960).

No Half Cure by Robert E. Murray

(1000 words) *   illo: Gussman

            Doctor Kleist is helping socialite Mrs. Clinton overcome her annoying and embarrassing habit of kleptomania. Of course, he cures her but it’s revealed that the doctor himself is a kleptomaniac and has stolen Mrs. Clinton’s expensive cigarette case. A one-note joke extended to 1000 words.

Judgment by G. H. Williams

(1000 words) ***   illo: Coughlin

            In an issue filled with too many short-shorts, there are a surprising number of bright lights. This is one of them. Two punks are giving a bartender a hard time. They don’t know he’s got an itchy trigger finger.

Mugged and Printed features bios of Charles Jackson, Richard Deming, Jonathan Craig,  and Floyd Mahannah.

This issue also features What’s Your Verdict? #5: The Angry Man by Sam Ross, Vincent H. Gaddis’ Crime Cavalcade, Portrait of a Killer #16: Vernon Oldaker by Dan Sontup and an announcement of the first issue of Manhunt’s first companion digest, Menace. The ad features an excerpt of the Shell Scott story, "Blood Ballot."

The Health Knowledge Genre Magazines Part Five: Startling Mystery Stories

by Peter Enfantino

Part 2 of 3

No. 7 Winter 1967/68

130 pages, 50 cents

cover by Virgil Finlay

(1) The Bride of the Peacock – E. Hoffman Price

(22,500 words; from Weird Tales, August 1932)

(5) *Nice Old House – Dona Tolson (2000 words)

(2) Those Who Seek – August Derleth

(4750 words; from Weird Tales, January 1932)

(4) John Bartine’s Watch – Ambrose Bierce

(2500 words; from Can Such Things Be?)

(6) The Pet of Mrs. Lilith – Robert Barbour Johnson

(6500 words; from Mystic, January 1954)

(3) The Man Who Chained the Lightning – Paul Ernst

(11,750 words; from Weird Tales, September 1935)

Notes: On The Editor’s Page, Robert A. W. Lowndes announces that they are finally taking subscription orders for SMS. “The Bride of the Peacock" features E. Hoffman Price’s Pierre D’Artois character, “a Frenchman who seems to have a propensity for getting involved with Devil worshippers of the Persian variety” according to RAWL. The story is illustrated by T. Wyatt Nelson. “Those Who Seek” is illustrated by Joseph Doolin. In his intro to “The Man Who Chained…”, RAWL explains why Farnsworth Wright ran the Doctor Satan series in Weird Tales. In The Cauldron, RAWL mentions a fanzine by Paul J. Willis called Anubis. The first ad is run for Health Knowledge’s new digest, World Wide Adventure. WWA was comprised predominately of reprints from Adventure and Argosy and lasted 7 issues.

No. 8 Spring 1968

130 pages, 50 cents

cover by Virgil Finlay

(2) The White Lady of the Orphanage – Seabury Quinn

(10,250 words; from Weird Tales, September 1927)

(5) The Gray People – John Campbell Haywood

(6500 words; from The Witch’s Tales, November 1936)

(6) *And Then No More – Jay Tyler (4600 words)

(4) The Endocrine Monster – R. Anthony

(8500 words; from Weird Tales, April 1927)

(1) The Return of the Sorcerer – Clark Ashton Smith

(6750 words; from Strange Tales, September 1931)

(3) The Three from the Tomb – Edmond Hamilton

(13,250 words; from Weird Tales, February 1932)

Notes: With this issue, SMS changes its format from two columns to straight text (with the exception of the Haywood story). Jules de Grandin appears in “The White Lady.” The story is presented with illos (uncredited) of de Grandin and his partner, Dr. Samuel Trowbridge. The Haywood story is introduced by Sam Moskowitz. Clark Ashton Smith’s “The Return of the Sorcerer” is illustrated by pulp legend Rafael de Soto (responsible for many classic Black Mask covers). Jay Tyler was a pseudonym used by RAWL. Joseph Doolin illustrates the Hamilton story. In The Cauldron, RAWL discusses the difference between the stories included in MOH and SMS. Letter writer Ron Smith comments: “The Glass Floor” (in SMS #6, written by Stephen King) was interesting and rather shocking. King is a very promising young writer and I’m sorry you had to send back his longer tale. It would have been extremely interesting to see how he stood up in a longer story” (I wonder if Mr. Smith felt the same after reading King’s behemoth, The Stand). To which RAWL replies: “Author King is cordially invited to re-submit the story I had to return, due to length, if it is not over 6000 words!” I’ve no idea if the story discussed was “The Reaper’s Image,” which was published a year later in SMS #12 (and did run under 6000 words).

No. 9 Summer 1968

130 pages, 50 cents

cover by Virgil Finlay

(2) The Black Mass – Col. S. P. Meek

(8250 words; from Strange Tales, November 1931)

(1) The Last Archer – Earl Peirce, Jr.

(12,250 words; from Weird Tales, March 1937)

(4) *The Sight of Roses – Jay Tyler (7600 words)

Acrophobia (verse) – L. Sprague de Camp

(5) Webbed Hands – Ferdinand Berthoud

(8500 words; from Strange Tales, November 1931)

(3) Hollywood Horror – Paul Ernst

(12,750 words; from Weird Tales, October, 1935)

Notes: “The Black Mass” is illustrated by Amos Sewell. There’s a strange half-page item called “The Death of Bolster” which is uncredited but appeared originally in the September 1931 issue of Strange Tales. The piece discusses the legend of a giant in Cornwall. There are “decorations” (RAWL’s description) by artist Boyce on the final page of “The Last Archer.” And one by Hugh Rankin on the last page of “Webbed Hands.”  “Webbed Hands” is illustrated by H. W. Wesso. “Hollywood Horror” is a Doctor Satan story. In The Cauldron, RAWL addresses a letter writer’s question about “framing a story in which a character is depicted as narrating the main story to some group or to a second ‘first person’ who writes it down,” and defends the idea of a reprint magazine. It’s interesting to note that, according to the advertisement on page 127, one could buy a “Life-Size Party Girl.” Five foot four inches tall with measurements of 36-22-36, all for only three bucks. Models included Joy and Candy. This seems a much more affordable solution to companionship than marriage and I suspect many readers of the Health Knowledge zines took advantage of this offer.

No. 10 Fall 1968

130 pages, 50 cents

cover by Virgil Finlay

(3) The House of the Living Dead – Harold Ward

(13,750 words; from Weird Tales, March 1932)

(4) *The Indoor Safari – Max Nugor (2600 words)

(5) The House Party at Smoky Island – L. M. Montgomery

(4000 words; from Weird Tales, March 1935)

(1) Settler’s Wall – Robert A. W. Lowndes

(11,000 words; from Stirring Science Stories, March 1942)

(2) The Isle of Missing Ships – Seabury Quinn

(17,500 words; from Weird Tales, February 1926)

Notes: On The Editor’s Page, RAWL discusses the newly-issued The Annotated Sherlock Holmes, a massive, two volume, 1452-page collection of Holmes stories. The Ward story is illustrated by Joseph Doolin. “The House Party at Smoky Island,” which is illustrated by Vincent Napoli, sounds more like a Hardy Boys mystery than a featured story in Weird Tales. According to Lowndes’ author notes, his “Settler’s Wall” originally appeared in a shorter version as “The Long Wall” as by Wilfred Owen Morley. In the resurrected Inquisitions book review column, RAWL reviews The Best From The Phantagraph, edited by Donald A. Wollheim and the latest issues of fanzines Lighthouse (edited and published by Terry Carr) and Habakkuk. The Quinn story, a de Grandin, has story notes by RAWL. In them, he relates rumors about up to 200 unpublished de Grandin stories. Lowndes gets the story straight from the horse’s mouth by writing to Quinn, who says “the correct figure of such unpublished manuscripts was no more or less than 0.” RAWL goes on to explain that Weird Tales published every de Grandin Quinn sent them. “The Isle” is illustrated by an uncredited artist. In The Cauldron, RAWL announces the death of Anthony Boucher.

No. 11 Winter 1968/69

130 pages, 50 cents

cover by Virgil Finlay

(2) *Wolf Hollow Bubbles – David H. Keller, M.D. (8000 words)

(t-5) *Mrs. Kaye – Beverly Haaf (4000 words)

(4) The Haunter of the Ring – Robert E. Howard

(7000 words; from Weird Tales, June 1934)

(t-5) The Vengeance of India – Seabury Quinn

(7000 words; from Weird Tales, April 1926)

(1) After Sunset – Philip Hazleton

(7500 words; from Strange Tales, November 1931)

(3) The Ship of Silent Men – Philip M. Fisher

(16,500 words; from All-Story, January 3, 1920

The Whisperer (Verse) – Robert A. W. Lowndes

Notes: On The Editor’s Page(s), Lowndes discusses August Derleth’s Solar Pons stories and their relation to Sherlock Holmes. “Wolf Hollow Bubbles,” containing the popular Taine of San Francisco character created by Keller, originally appeared in a “slightly different” form in a pamphlet published in January 1934 by The ARRA Printers. The Howard story is illustrated (with a headlight shot!) by Hammond and “After Sunset” features an illo by Rafael de Soto. The Quinn story is a de Grandin. Rawl reviews The Multi-Man by Philip Harbottle and The Necronomicon: A Study by Mark Owings in Inquisitions. He also notes the latest issues of The Arkham Collector, Deeper Than You Think, and The Count Dracula Society Quarterly. We also get the first mention of the first issue of Paul Ganley’s long-running semi-pro fanzine, Weirdbook. The zine really hit the big time in 1984 when Ganley published “Gramma” by Stephen King in its 19^th issue. A major look at Weirdbook’s nearly 30-year publishing history is planned for a future bb blog. Mike Ashley contributes to The Cauldron.

No. 12 Spring 1969

130 pages, 50 cents

cover by Virgil Finlay

(t-3) The Woman with the Velvet Collar – Gaston Leroux

(6500 words; from Weird Tales, October 1929)

(t-3) *The Reaper’s Image – Stephen King (3250 words)

Sirrush (verse) – L. Sprague de Camp

(2) Sword for a Sinner – Edward D. Hoch

(13,500 words; from The Saint Mystery Magazine, October 1959)

(t-3) Tiger – Bassett Morgan

(7750 words; from Strange Tales, March 1932)

(1) The City of the Blind – Murray Leinster

(16,500 words; from Argosy, December 28, 1929)

Notes: Issue #12 is the second most collectible Health Knowledge publication, not coincidentally because it features a very early story by Stephen King. Unlike the earlier “The Glass Floor,” (in SMS #6), “The Reaper’s Image” can be found easily in King’s 1986 collection, Skeleton Crew. In The Editor’s Page, RAWL discusses Edgar Allan Poe and his detective Auguste Dupin. Another (uncredited) small piece taken from the September 1931 issue of Strange Tales investigates “West England’s Little Folk.” Inquisitions features a review of The Exploits of Chevalier Dupin by Michael Harrison. The Hoch story features his ageless occult investigator, Simon Ark (a list of Ark appearances can be found below). 2 letters from Mike Ashley in The Cauldron. An Index to Volume 2 appears.

Sources: Galactic Central
Lowndes, Robert A. W. "The Health-Knowledge Years." Outworlds 28/29, October 1976.
Marshall, Gene & Carl F. Waedt. "Health Knowledge Magazines." The Science Fiction Collector #3, 1977.

THE STORIES OF SIMON ARK

1. “Village of the Dead" (Famous Detective Stories, December 1955)

2. "The Hoofs of Satan" (Famous Detective Stories, February 1956)

3. "The Witch Is Dead" (Famous Detective Stories, April 1956)

4. "The Man from Nowhere"  (Famous Detective Stories, June 1956)

5. "The Vicar of Hell" (Famous Detective Stories, August 1956)

6. "The Wolves of Werclaw" (Famous Detective Stories, October 1956)

7. "Blood in the Stands" (Terror Detective Story Magazine, February 1957)

8. "The Judges of Hades" (Crack Detective & Mystery Stories, February 1957)

9. "Serpent in Paradise" (Crack Detective & Mystery Stories, April 1957)

10. "Twelve for Eternity" (Crack Detective & Mystery Stories, July 1957)

11. "The Hour of None" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, Fall 1957)

12. "Desert of Sin" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, May 1958)

13. " The Dragon Murders" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, September 1958)

14. "Street of Screams" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, January 1959)

15. "The Case of the Sexy Smugglers" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, July 1959)

16. "The Case of the Naked Niece" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, September 1959)

17. "Sword for a Sinner" (The Saint Mystery Magazine, October 1959)

18. " The Case of the Vanished Virgin" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, November 1959)

19. " The Case of the Ragged Rapist" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, January 1960)

20. "City of Brass" (The Saint Mystery Library #121, September 1959)

21. " Flame at Twilight" (The Saint Mystery Library #126, January 1960)

22. "The Case of the Mystic Mistress" (Double-Action Detective & Mystery, May 1960)

23. "The Clouded Venus"  (Tightrope Detective Magazine, June 1960)

24. " Lovely Lady of Lust" (Keyhole Detective Magazine, April 1962)

25. "Day of the Wizard"  (Chase, September 1964)

26. "The Lost Pilgrim" (Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, February 1972)

27. "Funeral in the Fog" (Weird Tales, Summer 1973)

28. "The Treasure of Jack the Ripper" (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, October 1978)

29. "The Mummy from the Sea" (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, January 1979)

30. "The Man Who Shot the Werewolf" (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 1979)

31. "The Avenger from Outer Space" (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, October 1979)

32. "The Weapon Out of the Past" (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, April 7, 1980)

33. "The Sorceress of the Sea" (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, August  18, 1980)

34. "The Vultures of Malabar" (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, October  1, 1980)

35. "The Dying Marabout" (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, February 4, 1981)

36. "The Unicorn's Daughter" (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, January 6, 1982)

37. "The House of a Hundred Birds" (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, February 24, 1982)

38. "The Witch of Park Avenue" (Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, August 1982)

39. "Ark in the Desert" (Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, December 1984)

40. “The Spy on the Seaway” (Espionage, February 1985)

41. “Prisoner of Zerfall” (Espionage, November 1985)

42. “Day of the Dead” (Espionage, April 1986)

43. “The S.S.S.” (Mystery Scene, November 1986)

44. “The Way Up to Hades” (Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, January 1988)

45. “The Virgins of Valentine” (14 Vicious Valentines, Avon, 1988)

46. “The Touch of Kolyada” (Mistletoe Mysteries, Mysterious Press, 1989)

47. “The Stalker of Souls” (Stalkers, Dark Harvest, 1989)

48. “The Society of the Scar” (Predators, Roc, 1993)

49. “The Night Swimmer” (Northern Frights, Mosaic Press, 1994)

50. “No Blood for a Vampire” (Vampire Detectives, DAW, 1995)

51. “Robin Hood’s Race” (No Alibi, Ringpull, 1995)

52.  “The Graveyard Ghoul” (Night Screams, Roc, 1996)

(And 9 more titles since 1996. Many thanks to Jack Seabrook and "Mr. Ridgeway" for doing my homework for me)

The Town Where No One Stayed Over--EQMM March 1997

Master of Miracles--EQMM May 1999
The Scaring Reel--EQMM May 2001
The Man Who Boxed Forever-- Murder on the Ropes, editor Otto Penzler, September 2001
The Faraway Quilters--EQMM Feb. 2003
Tram to Tomorrow--EQMM June 2004
The Gravesend Trumpet--EQMM Dec. 2005
The Christmas Egg--Crippen and Landru Christmas pamphlet (limited to 353 copies) reprinted in EQMM, January 2009
The Automaton Museum--Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine #1 May 2008

Note: If anyone knows of any titles to add to this list, please leave all data in the comments section and I'll edit this list as info comes in. Thanks!

Night of the Living Dead Archive: June 1969 Reader's Digest

by John Scoleri

In 1992, while we were working on The Scream Factory Presents: Night of the Living Dead 25th Anniversary Tribute Magazine,  one of my goals was to include the often discussed and yet rarely reprinted commentary that Roger Ebert had written for the Chicago Sun-Times, and that had been subsequently condensed for Reader's Digest.

My brother tracked down a micro-fiche copy of the RD article for me, which we reprinted after getting the gracious permission of Ebert, the Chicago Sun-Times and Reader's Digest (it was amusing that every letter of authorization was contingent on my receiving the authorization of the other two parties).

Until recently, I had never bothered to track down an original copy of the magazine, which in today's world of Google and Amazon.com is a relatively easy and inexpensive task. I wanted to share it with you now, so that my fellow Night of the Living Dead aficionados might add this interesting ancillary item to their collections as well (if they haven't already).

"Just Another Horror Movie—Or Is It?" can be found in the June 1969 issue of Reader's Digest. Even better, you can read Roger Ebert's original review from the January 5, 1969 issue of the Chicago Sun-Times on his website.

The Complete Guide to Manhunt Part 16

Vol. 2 No. 9   November 1954

144 pages, 35 cents

Pistol by Hal Ellson

(4000 words) ***   illo: Lee

            To impress his fellow gang members, Dusty must come up with a gun to rumble with. Written much like a diary, “Pistol” is an impressive debut for Hal Ellson, who would contribute a total of 23 stories throughout the run of Manhunt. According to Ellson’s bio, his stories are “based on his experience with these teen-age gangs and have gained the praise of critics and readers not only for their excitement and realistic pace and tone, but for their obvious authenticity.” Ellson’s other contributions to gang-related fiction included his million-seller Duke, about a gang of Harlem youth.

Replacement by Jack Ritchie

(3000 words) **   illo: Tom O’Sullivan

            Max Warren wants to move up fast in  the chain of command in the local organization. Once he gets there, he decides he wants all that goes with the job, including the boss’ woman. Interesting story marred by a bad last line.

Shy Guy by Robert Turner

(3000 words) ***   illo: Lee

            Della, now employed and feeling free, tries to push her husband Aryie into her new-found world of alcohol and business parties. When the parties turn to wife-swapping, Artie’s had enough and cracks under the strain. Years before this fiction became famous in the hands of Jacqueline Susann and her ilk, “Shy Guy” was a daring little story. It’s lost a lot of its punch, of course, but it’s still fairly effective.

Man from Yesterday by Jonathan Craig

(5000 words) ***   illo: Ray Houlihan

            Detectives Lew Keller and Burt Ogden must solve the intriguing case of a man found in a car, murdered. Their trail leads to a married woman the man had been seeing. Though “The Man From Yesterday” can be very dry at times (Craig has that Dragnet-style dialog down pat), I still found it an enjoyable read. Halfway through the story, Ed Seibert,  a PI makes a brief appearance. This reminded me of the crossover shows that populated such seventies shows as Cannon and Barnaby Jones. A nice touch, and Seibert seems to be a character that Craig would have spun off.

A Bull to Kill by Richard Marsten

(4000 words) ***   illo: Tom O’Sullivan

            Reardon, a rare American bullfighter has had everything taken away from him: his beloved Juanita, lost to fellow toreador Gomez; his nerve, to a recent goring; and the crowd that once cheered his name and now favors the upstart Gomez. Driven to madness, Reardon decides he will fight one more bull and then kill Gomez. Marsden (McBain) again proves he can’t be pigeonholed. “A Bull to Kill” is as far removed from an 87th Precinct mystery as you can get.

The Stalkers by Grant Colby

(1000 words) *   illo: Lee

            Ben is released from the sanitarium and presumed sane. He acts sane until he imagines his parakeet and puppy are stalking him.

The Wet Brain by David Alexander

(7500 words) * ½   illo: Ray Houlihan

            A “wet brain” is a derogatory term for an alcoholic so far gone that he oses all sense of reality and place. This particular “wet brain” is convinced he’s killed someone but can’t convince anyone of that. He’s wandering the Bowery with a pocket full of money and attracting the attention of fellow booze hounds.

            David Alexander, according to his Manhunt bio, “insures the accuracy of his stories through study of actual police procedure, and graduated at the head of a recent class in Criminology given by a former New York police inspector. Alexander was the author of several crime novels, among them:  Murder Points a Finger (1953), Murder in Black and White (1951), Paint the Town Black (1956) Die, Little Goose (1956) and the b/side of Robert Bloch’s Spiderweb (Ace Double, 1954), The Corpse in My Bed (a retitling of his first novel, Most Men Don’t Kill, 1951). 

The Man who Had Too Much to Lose by Hampton Stone

(23,500 words) ** ½   illo: Ray Houlihan

            Assistant District Attorney Jeremiah X. Gibson happens to be in the right place at the right time when he witnesses portly Jason Gracie fall ill from what appears to be poisoning. Gracie, a belligerent and pompous individual, refuses to believe this theory until his chef is found dead, poisoned. It’s up to Jeremiah to sort through the motives and alibis of the cast of characters that surround Jason Gracie. Very much in the Perry Mason tradition, “The Man Who Had Too Much to Lose” is not a bad read, despite its length and its “cozy” atmosphere, which I usually find detrimental to a story published in Manhunt.

            Published in hardcover by Simon and Schuster in 1955 and reprinted by Dell in paperback in 1957. 18 novels featuring DA Jeremiah X. “Gibby” Gibson and his helper, Mac, were published between 1948 and 1972. More interesting is the reprinting that took place in 1972 as part of the “Hampton Stone Mystery” series of paperbacks published by Paperback Library. 17 of the novels were reprinted in the series (“The Man Who Had Too Much to Lose” was #16). Strangely enough, the 18^th, published in 1972, was never reprinted in paperback (in the series or otherwise). Hampton Stone was the pseudonym of prolific author Aaron Marc Stein (1906-1985), who wrote over a hundred novels under his own name, as Stone, and also as George Bagby. “The Man Who Had Too Much to Lose” would be Gibby Gibson’s only appearance in Manhunt but Gibson would later pop up in  “The Mourners at the Bedside”, a short story in Ed McBain's Mystery Book #3 (1961).

Mugged and Printed features Hampton Stone, David Alexander, Robert Turner, and Hal Ellson. 

Also appearing in this issue are: What’s Your Verdict? #4: The Anxious Friend by Sam Ross; Vincent H. Gaddis’ Crime Cavalcade; and Portrait of a Killer #15: Joseph McElroy by Dan Sontup.

The Complete Guide to Manhunt Part 15

by Peter Enfantino

Vol. 2 No. 8 October 1954

144 pages, 35 cents

The Beatings by Evan Hunter

(3500 words) **** illo: Ray Houlihan

“Men can become good neighbors when their common mortar is despair.” Another visit to the hell populated by Ex-PI, current drunk Matt Cordell. This time, Matt’s helping out his fellow winos, who find themselves under attack by a pack of violence hungry teenagers. Interestingly enough, “The Beatings” starts off with one of Ed McBain’s patented soliloquies of the city: “the city wore August like a soiled flannel shirt.” Eighth and final Matt Cordell story is also the best of the bunch.

The Bargain by Charles Beckman, Jr.

(3000 words) *** illo: Tom O’Sullivan

Frank and his wife Mavis re vacationing at their mountain cabin when a murderer, hiding from the police, takes them hostage. To win their freedom, Mavis must give the man what he wants. Nice twist when we find that Mavis might have other reasons for going along with this killer’s demands.

Clean Getaway by William Vance

(5500 words) ***

Police chief Mark Nadine closes in on a couple of murderers at a roadside inn. The pair make a getaway but not before Mark makes a startling discovery: the woman of the pair is his wife, long gone but not forgotten. A well-written noir, very much cut from the cloth of Jim Thompson, but a few too many questions left unanswered for my tastes. Second and final Manhunt story for Vance (although this story would be retitled “Lust or Honor” for the December 1966 issue). William Vance wrote westerns, under his name as well as the pseudonym George Cassidy, for such pulps as Star Western, 2-Gun Western, Dime Western, and Best Western, as well as crime stories for Trapped, Terror Detective, and Mike Shayne. His novel, Homicide Lost, was published by Graphic in 1956.

Laura and the Deep, Deep Woods by W. B. Hartley

(2000 words) ** illo: Tom O’Sullivan

Teenaged Eddie gets his first glimpse of “what sex really is” when he happens upon cute little Laura in the deep, deep woods. By no stretch of the imagination, a Manhunt story. Reads more like an excerpt from a Twain novel. This was the only story Hartley wrote for Manhunt.

Second Cousin by Erskine Caldwell

(2000 words) * ½ illo: Tom O’Sullivan

Pete Ellrod comes home to find his wife’s second cousin, once removed, has moved into his house and the wife is being a bit stubborn about the situation. Pete doesn’t want the cousin around as second cousins, once removed historically have a tendency to want favors granted. Second story by Erskine Caldwell to see print in Manhunt (with three to follow) has the same problem I had with its predecessor: it doesn’t belong in a “Detective Story Monthly.” It would be better served in The Saturday Evening Post or one of the other slicks of the 1950s.

Love Affair by Richard Deming

(2000 words) * illo: Ray Houlihan

This homophobic tale of two cops and the “woman” they pick up in a sleazy bar is about as subtle as the bar’s name: The Purple Dragon. You can see the “twist” coming at you two pages in. Deming is so much better than this would lead one to believe.

Lady Killer by Richard Marsten

(2500 words) ** illo: Francis

Charlie Rawlings is the best hit man money can buy. Now George Manelli, mob boss, needs Rawlings to silence an old moll of George’s. She’s about to sing to the cops about his organization and she knows enough to bring his comfy world crashing around him. No relation to the 87th Precinct novel McBain (Marsten) would write in 1958.

The Dead Darling by Jonathan Craig

(5000 words) **1/2 illo: James Sentz

Detectives Rayder and Selby are called in to investigate what appears at first to be a suicide (a girl with her head in the oven) but it quickly becomes apparent that what they’re actually dealing with is a murder. This girl spent a lot of her free time bedding married men.

Though Ed McBain’s 87th Precinct novels became world famous and sold in the millions, Jonathan Craig’s Pete Selby and Stan Rayder stories (aka The 18th Precinct) actually pre-dated the 87th by two years. “The Dead Darling” was expanded into the first Pete Selby novel of the same name in 1955. Craig wrote 3 18th Precinct stories for Manhunt before turning his attention to the novels. The series morphed in a way into a second set of procedurals Craig wrote for Manhunt (the Police Files) but more on that in a future installment.

There were ten Pete Selby novels in all: The Dead Darling (1955); Morgue for Venus (1956); The Case of the Cold Coquette (1957); The Case of the Beautiful Body (1957); The Case of the Petticoat Murder (1958); The Case of the Nervous Nude (1959); The Case of the Village Tramp (1959); The Case of the Laughing Virgin (1960);The Case of the Silent Stranger (1964); and The Case of the Brazen Beauty (1966). The original Gold Medal paperbacks had typically gorgeous covers by George Mayers, George Gross, and Stanley Zuckerberg. When Belmont/Tower reprinted the series in 1973, the publishers opted to grace the covers (with one exception - The Dead Darling - a sharp painting that could have come from the Gold Medal art gallery) with generic, ugly men’s adventure leftovers. The casual newsstand browser would not have been able to tell the difference between SELBY and THE SHARPSHOOTER or THE MARKSMAN, two very bad 1970s Belmont adventure series. Belmont also chose to number both Morgue for Venus and Laughing Virgin as #6 in the series, ostensibly to confuse the reader or because they just didn’t care enough to check the number of the previous book.

That Stranger, My Son by C. B. Gilford

(3000 words) * illo: Ray Houlihan

Paul and his father are grieving the drowning death of Paul’s brother. The boy’s father is convinced that Paul could have saved his brother’s life. There’s something to those suspicions, of course. The first appearance by prolific short story writer C. B. Gilford in Manhunt (he would contribute a total of 12 stories throughout the run). Gilford became a staple of Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine (seeing 80 stories published between the July 1957 issue and his last appearance in October 1980 ) as well as most of the other crime digests of the 1950s and 1960s. 5 of his stories were dramatized on Alfred Hitchcock Presents/Hour.

One of a Kind by Ben Smith

(1000 words) * illo: Ray Houlihan

Sordid short-short about rape and the degrees of evil.

The Famous Actress by Harry Roskelenko

(1500 words) * illo: Lee

Wandering the streets of Paris, a man picks up a woman he later fiinds is a well-known actress, researching a role. Unfortunately for the lady, the man is a bit of an “actor” himself.

Candlestick by Henry Kane

(16,500 words) ** illo: James Sentz

Peter Chambers is enlisted by police lieutenant Louis Parker to help solve the murder of publicity mega-agent Max Keith. The agent has been clobbered with a gold candlestick and the lieutenant is up to his neck in suspects. One of the suspects is the victim’s sister, who stands to inherit a big chunk of the family inheritance once her brother is dead. Chambers knows the girl is innocent (well, innocent in Manhunt is a relative term) since, in a laugh out loud coincidence, he was bedding her when he got the call! Not really as grating as the other Chambers novellas but still about double the length it needs to be.

Mugged and Printed features Henry Kane, Erskine Caldwell, Richard Deming and Evan Hunter (in Hunter’s bio, it’s revealed that his novel The Blackboard Jungle, had just been sold to MGM for a record $95,000—good coin in that day).

This issue also features What’s Your Verdict? #3: The Drinking Man by Sam Ross; Crime Cavalcade by Vincent H. Gaddis; and Portrait of a Killer #14: Albert Van Dyke by Dan Sontup.

The Health Knowledge Genre Magazines Part Four: Startling Mystery Stories

Startling Mystery Stories Part 1 (of 3)

By Peter Enfantino

Note: Originally this section of the Health Knowledge overview was to run in two installments. Other work necessitated I break it into three parts instead, which works well since each “volume” is six issues. As a bonus, I’ve included a complete list of the Jules de Grandin stories following our look at the first six issues.

“The big news this time,” began Robert A. W. Lowndes in the letters page of Magazine of Horror #13, “is the inauguration of our companion magazine, Startling Mystery Stories. While this publication is restricted to mystery tales, we are stressing the eerie, bizarre, and strange type of mystery, rather than the mundane crime story (however excellent) to be found in other magazines of this caliber. Thus you will find not a few authors and types of story quite in line with some of the content of Magazine of Horror.”

No. 1 Summer, 1966

130 pages, 50 cents

cover: Hubert Carter

(4) Village of the Dead – Edward D. Hoch

(7500 words; from Famous Detective Stories, December 1955)

(3) House of the Hatchet – Robert Bloch

(7000 words; from Weird Tales, January 1941)

(5) *The Off-Season – Gerald W. Page (3100 words)

(6) The Tell-Tale Heart – Edgar Allan Poe

(2500 words; uncredited source)

(2) The Lurking Fear – H. P. Lovecraft

(9750 words; from Home Brew, January 1923)

(7) The Awful Injustice – S. B. H. Hurst

(4500 words; from Strange Tales, September 1931)

(8) *Ferguson’s Capsules – August Derleth (4000 words)

(1) The Mansion of Unholy Magic – Seabury Quinn

(16,000 words; from Weird Tales, October 1933)

There is no “Editor’s Page” as in Magazine of Horror. There’s simply an introduction and in that introduction, editor Robert A. W. Lowndes tells us a little bit about each story that appears in the first issue and lets us know what we can expect in SMS. “Village of the Dead” was not only the first story in the long-running Simon Ark series, it was also the first published Edward D. Hoch story. Way back in The Scream Factory #18 (Autumn 1996), Ed Hoch was nice enough to write a piece for us on the history of Simon (including a complete bibliography of Ark appearances which we'll reprint in our next installment). RAWL mentions that the Derleth story will appear in an upcoming hardcover titled Harrigan’s Files. That book didn’t appear until 1975 (published by Arkham House). “The Mansion of Unholy Magic” is a Jules de Grandin story. Strangely, RAWL picks a story years into the series (it began in WT in 1925) rather one of the first. Hubert Carter designed the logo for SMS and Famous Science Fiction and did the cover for SMS 1.

No. 2 Fall, 1966

130 pages, 50 cents

cover: Carl Kidwell

(1) The House of Horror – Seabury Quinn

(9250 words; from Weird Tales, July 1926)

(5) *The Men in Black – John Brunner (4250 words)

(7) The Strange Case of Pascal – Roger Eugene Ulmer

(2500 words; from Weird Tales, June 1926)

(6) The Witch is Dead – Edward D. Hoch

(8500 words; from Famous Detective Stories, April 1956)

(2) Doctor Satan – Paul Ernst

(11,250 words; from Weird Tales, August 1935)

(3) *The Secret of the City – Terry Carr and Ted White (3500 words)

(4) The Scourge of B’Moth – Bertram Russell

(13,750 words; from Weird Tales, May 1929)

In his intro, RAWL reveals that ten of Quinn’s de Grandin tales are “off-limits” as they appear in a then new hardcover collection, The Phantom Fighter (Mycroft & Moran), which is reviewed in the Books section. Also reviewed is the science fiction anthology, Strange Signposts, edited by Roger Elwood and Sam Moscowitz. For some reason, RAWL skips the second Simon Ark story, “The Hoofs of Satan” (Famous Detective Stories, February 1956), and instead publishes the third in the chronology. The first in a series of eight stories starring the titular bad guy, “Doctor Satan” was Paul Ernst’s (and Weird Tales’) attempt to create a popular pulp character ala Doc Savage or The Spider. The difference in this case, of course, was that the Doc was a villain. RAWL got around to reprinting six of the eight stories. Bob Weinberg reprinted 5 of the stories (including the two RAWL didn’t get to) in Pulp Classics #6 (1974). Terry Carr and Ted White were both respected editors and anthologists. White wrote one of my favorite comic book novels, The Great Gold Steal (Bantam, 1968), starring Captain America. He also edited F&SF, Amazing and Fantastic in the 1960s and 70s. Carr edited The Best Science Fiction of the Year anthology from 1972 through 1987 and 17 volumes of Universe, an annual anthology of new sf. Carr and White were the co-authors of Invasion from 2500 (Monarch, 1964) a pulpish sf novel with a fabulous cover. The first installment of “The Cauldron,” Startling Mystery’s answer to It Is Written. In the inaugural, RAWL gives bios of each of the authors that appear in this issue. Letter writers include Robert Silverberg and Edward D. Hoch.

No. 3 Winter 1966/67

130 pages, 50 cents

cover: Virgil Finlay

(1) The Inn of Terror – Gaston Leroux

(10,250 words; from Weird Tales, August, 1929)

(5) The Other – Robert A. W. Lowndes

(1750 words; from Stirring Science Stories, April 1941)

(4) The Door of Doom – Hugh B. Cave

(11,750 words; from Strange Tales, January 1932)

(3) *A Matter of Breeding – Ralph E. Hayes (4000 words)

(6) *Esmerelda – Rama Wells (4250 words)

(7) The Trial for Murder – Charles Collins & Charles Dickens

(5000 words; uncredited source)

(2) The Blood-Flower – Seabury Quinn

(10,750 words; from Weird Tales, March 1927)

Notes: Finally establishing an Editor’s Page, RAWL debates the merits of updating outdated stories (he’s pretty much against it). Gaston Leroux, of course, is best known for his novel, The Phantom of the Opera. In his author bios, Lowndes mistakenly credits Lon Chaney with two versions of The Phantom. He claims he saw a “talking” version of the 1925 classic (save Chaney speaking himself). I suspect this was either a misremembrance or some kind of revival. Probably the former. In the book section, RAWL reviews Colonel Markesan and Less Pleasant People by August Derleth. “The Door of Doom” is illustrated by H. W. Wesso. I could find only one other story written by Ralph E. Hayes (“Yesterday’s 7000 Years” in Adam, September 1963), even though RAWL mentions, in the author bio, that Hayes is a mystery and detective story writer. Lowndes mentions that Hayes would have appeared in the fourth issue of Chase had it been published. I wonder if this is the same Ralph Hayes who would go on to author several novels in the 1970s, including The Hunter series (5 novels) for Leisure. In his bio, RAWL claims that Rama Wells “is well known for non-fiction under a different name, which we are constrained not to divulge; this is his first appearance with us, but he is reticent about saying whether it is also his first fiction sale.” Well, evidently “Rama” is still reticent or maybe still relatively unknown under his real name as I can find no trace of Rama after this issue. It was his only Health Knowledge appearance. The Quinn story is a Jules de Grandin (the 11th of the 93 to be published in Weird Tales) adventure. Letter writers in The Cauldron include Ed Wood and Mike Ashley.

No. 4 Spring 1967

130 pages, 50 cents

cover: Virgil Finlay

(4) The Adventure of the Tottenham Werewolf – August Derleth

(9250 words; from The Memoirs of Solar Pons)

(2) *The Secret of Lost Valley – Robert E. Howard (9750 words)

(3) Medium for Justice – Victor Rousseau

(8250 words; from Ghost Stories, July 1928, originally as “The Blackest Magic of All.”)

(5) Si Urag of the Tail – Oscar Cook

(7000 words; from Weird Tales, July 1926)

(6) The Temptation of Harringay – H. G. Wells

(2500 words; from The Stolen Bacillus and Others)

(1) The Tenants of Broussac – Seabury Quinn

(14,500 words; from Weird Tales, December 1925)

Notes: In The Editor’s Page, RAWL responds to a reader who requests a new department for stories by “budding writers of today.” In keeping with stuffing SMS with series characters, Lowndes adds August Derleth’s poor-man’s Sherlock Holmes, Solar Pons to his roster. For more info on the weird and potholed history of the Robert E. Howard story, see my notes for MOH #13. In the body of the story, RAWL reprints Harry Bates’ letter to Robert E. Howard explaining the cancellation of Strange Tales and thus the return of the story to Howard (dated October 4, 1932). Also reprinted is the first page of the returned manuscript including Bates’ notes and corrections. A fascinating bit of history. Black Medicine by Arthur J. Burks is reviewed in Books. In The Cauldron, a fan meeting with August Derleth (who spoke on Solar Pons) is detailed. Writing in is Ted White and Glenn Lord. Author bios are also included.

No. 5 Summer 1967

130 pages, 50 cents

cover: Virgil Finlay

(3) The Gods of East and West – Seabury Quinn

(13,500 words; from Weird Tales, January 1928)

(5) The Council / The House (verse) – Robert A. W. Lowndes

(6) *Behind the Curtain – Leslie Jones (2000 words)

(1) A Game of Chess – Robert Barr

(5500 words; from Pearson’s Magazine, March 1900

(4) The Man From Nowhere – Edward D. Hoch

(6750 words; from Famous Detective Stories, June 1956)

(2) The Darkness on Fifth Avenue – Murray Leinster

(23,250 words; from Argosy, November 30, 1929)

Notes: On The Editor’s Page, RAWL continues the debate over a “new writer’s” department. “A Game of Chess” comes with an introduction by Sam Moskowitz. The Quinn story (another de Grandin) is illustrated twice (once is by Rankin, the other is not identified). In his intro to the story, RAWL informs us that "Behind the Curtain” would have run in Chase. The story is illustrated but the illo is not credited. “The Man from Nowhere” is a Simon Ark story. Another uncredited illo for “The Darkness on Fifth Avenue.” Deep Waters by William Hope Hodgson is reviewed in the Books section. In “The Cauldron,” RAWL discusses Robert E. Howard’s enduring popularity and Solar Pons’ non-horrific elements (which have raised eyebrows among readers who want only “weird fiction.” Marvin Jones writes in from Los Angeles to beat down RAWL for the Phantom of the Opera inaccuracies in the last issue. Thanks for backing me up, Marv. Also writing in is Mike Ashley.

No. 6 Fall 1967

130 pages, 50 cents

cover: Virgil Finlay

(2) My Lady of the Tunnel – Arthur J. Burks

(7250 words; from Astounding, November 1933)

(5) *The Glass Floor – Stephen King (3250 words)

Death from Within – Sterling S. Cramer

(10,750 words; from Wonder Stories, June 1935)

(6) *A Vision (verse) – Robert E. Howard

(7) *Aim for Perfection – Beverly Haaf (2500 words)

(3) The Dark Castle – Marion Brandon

(5500 words; from Strange Tales, September 1931)

(4) *Dona Diabla – Anna Hunger (5000 words)

(1) The Druid’s Shadow – Seabury Quinn

(14,500 words; from Weird Tales, October 1930)

Notes: This is, of course, one of the two Holy Grails for collectors looking to complete their set of Startling Mystery (or their collection of Stephen King first appearances, for that matter). Currently there are several copies of the issue on sale on abebooks.com with prices ranging from $750-1500. It’s Stephen King’s first pro sale, which is why the bounty is so high. King actually had one other story appear before this (“I Was a Teenage Grave-Robber” in Comics Review, which was reprinted as “In a Half-World of Terror” in Marv Wolfman’s fanzine, Stories of Suspense #2, 1965) but good luck finding a copy of that. SMS #6 is around but you’ll pay a lot of money for it. For history’s sake, here’s RAWL’s intro to “The Glass Floor”: 

“Stephen King has been sending us stories for some time, and we returned one of them most reluctantly, since it would be far too long before we could use it, due to its length. But patience may yet bring him his due reward on that tale; meanwhile, here is a chiller whose length allowed us to get it into print much sooner.” 

Readers were indifferent to the future superstar though as they voted "The Glass Floor" 5th out of 7 stories in The Reckoning the following issue. King would have been about 20 years old at this time. I’m not sure if it’s laziness on his part, but there seems to be a plethora of uncredited illustrations lately. Another one appears with “My Lady of the Tunnel.” However, a badly reproduced illustration credited to Hugh Rankin appears for “The Druid’s Shadow.” In The Cauldron, RAWL relates that he has won the Praed Penny Award from the Praed Street Irregulars for reprinting “The Adventure of the Tottenham Werewolf” back in SMS #4. The award was accepted at the “Annual PSI dinner” by Forrest J. Ackerman. Others in attendance were Vincent Starrett and Robert Bloch. An Index to Volume One also appears.

The 93 Jules de Grandin Stories (All stories appeared in Weird Tales):

1. The Horror On The Links (Oct 1925, reprinted May 1937)

2. The Tenants Of Broussac (Dec 1925)

3. The Isle Of Missing Ships (Feb 1926)

4. The Vengeance Of India (April 1926)

5. The Dead Hand (May 1926)

6. The House Of Horror (July 1926)

7. Ancient Fires (Sept 1926)

8. The Great God Pan (Oct 1926)

9. The Grinning Mummy (Nov 1926)

10. The Man Who Cast No Shadow (Feb 1927)

11. The Blood-Flower (March 1927)

12. The Veiled Prophetess (May 1927)

13. The Curse Of Everard Maundy (July 1927)

14. Creeping Shadows (Aug 1927)

15. The White Lady Of The Orphanage (Sept 1927)

16. The Poltergeist (Oct 1927)

17. The Gods Of East And West (Jan 1928)

18. Mephistopholes & Co., ltd. (Feb 1928)

19. The Jewel Of Seven Stones (April 1928)

20. The Serpent Woman (June 1928)

21. Body And Soul (Sept 1928)

22. Restless Souls (Oct 1928)

23. The Chapel Of Mystic Horror (Dec 1928, reprinted Nov 1952)

24. The Black Master (Jan 1929)

25. The Devil-People (Feb 1929)

26. The Devil's Rosary (April 1929)

27. The House Of Golden Masks (June 1929)

28. The Corpse-Master (July 1929)

29. Trespassing Souls (Sept 1929)

30. The Silver Countess (Oct 1929)

31. The House Without A Mirror (Nov 1929)

32. Children Of Ubasti (Dec 1929)

33. The Curse Of The House Of Phipps (Jan 1930)

34. The Drums Of Damballah (March 1930)

35. The Dust Of Egypt (April 1930)

36. The Brain-Thief (May 1930)

37. The Priestess Of The Ivory Feet (June 1930)

38. The Bride Of Dewer (July 1930)

39. Daughter Of The Moonlight (Aug 1930)

40. The Druid's Shadow (Oct 1930)

41. Stealthy Death (Nov 1930)

42. The Wolf Of St. Bonot (Dec 1930)

43. The Lost Lady (Jan 1931)

44. The Ghost-Helper (Feb-March 1931)

45. Satan's Stepson (Sept 1931)

46. The Devil's Bride (Feb-July 1932)

47. The Dark Angel (Aug 1932)

48. The Heart Of Siva (Oct 1932)

49. The Bleeding Mummy (Nov 1932)

50. The Door To Yesterday (Dec 1932)

51. A Gamble In Souls (Jan 1933)

52. The Thing In The Fog (March 1933)

53. The Hand Of Glory (July 1933)

54. The Chosen Of Vishnu (Aug 1933)

55. Malay Horror (Sept 1933)

56. The Mansion Of Unholy Magic (Oct 1933)

57. Red Gauntlets Of Czerni (Dec 1933)

58. The Red Knife Of Hassan (Jan 1934)

59. The Jest Of Warburg Tantavul (Sept 1934)

60. Hands Of The Dead (Jan 1935)

61. The Black Orchid (Aug 1935)

62. The Dead-Alive Mummy (Oct 1935)

63. A Rival From The Grave (Jan 1936)

64. Witch-House (Nov 1936)

65. Children Of The Bat (Jan 1937)

66. Satan's Palimpsest (Sept 1937)

67. Pledged To The Dead (Oct 1937)

68. Living Buddhess (Nov 1937)

69. Flames Of Vengeance (Dec 1937)

70. Frozen Beauty (Feb 1938)

71. Incense Of Abomination (March 1938)

72. Suicide Chapel (June 1938)

73. The Venomed Breath Of Vengeance (Aug 1938)

74. Black Moon (Oct 1938)

75. The Poltergeist Of Swan Upping (Feb 1939)

76. The House Where Time Stood Still (March 1939)

77. Mansions In The Sky (June-July 1939)

78. The House Of The Three Corpses (Aug 1939)

79. Stoneman's Memorial (May 1942)

80. Death's Bookkeeper (July 1944)

81. The Green God's Ring (Jan 1945)

82. Lords Of The Ghostlands (March 1945)

83. Kurban (Jan 1946)

84. The Man In Crescent Terrace (March 1946)

85. Three In Chains (May 1946)

86. Catspaws (July 1946)

87. Lotte (Sept 1946)

88. Eyes In The Dark (Nov 1946)

89. Claire De Lune (Nov 1947)

90. Vampire Kith And Kin (May 1949)

91. Conscience Maketh Cowards (Nov 1949)

92. The Body Snatchers (Nov 1950)

93. The Ring Of Bastet (Sept 1951)

(source: posted by “demonik” on The Vault of Evil: British Horror Anthology Hell)

Also, thanks once again to Galactic Central for the cover repros. I've got these zines in my collection but I'm too lazy sometimes to break out the digital camera!