John,
DOUBLE IN TROUBLE a series-crossover on which Prather
collaborated with Stephen Marlowe (and Prather's LA-based PI
Shell Scott collaborated with Marlowe's DC-based PI Chet
Drum) is one of my all-time favorite private eye novels. It
has the two dicks working at cross-purposes as they
investigate the Mob-dominated Teamsters Union (referred to in
this novel as the National Brotherhood of Truckers).
Except for Chandler's THE LONG GOODBYE, it was also the
longest private eye novel ever published to that point.
PATTERN FOR PANIC is probably the best
"ultra-right-wing private eye takes on an army of commie
spies" novels outside of Spillane's ONE LONELY NIGHT.
Actually, odd as it sounds, there were a whole lot of those
in the '50's.
PATTERN FOR PANIC has kind of an interesting publishing
history. When he submitted it to his regular publiser, Gold
Medal, they were uneasy about the up-front anti-red
sentiments expressed, and turned it down. Unbowed, Prather
simply turned Scott's hair from white to red, his military
background from former Marine to former Army Ranger, his name
from Shell Scott to Cliff Morgan, and resubmitted it.
THE TROJAN HEARSE, which has Scott getting involved in an
attempt to fix a presidential election, is also a particular
favorite.
Prather's own favorite was STRIP FOR MURDER, in which Scott
investigates a case at a nudist colony, a situation that
makes it difficult to wear a shoulder holster concealed.
Prather always thought this was the book where the humorous
elements that were the hallmark fo the Scott series started
to really assert themselves.
When it turned out to be a huge success for another
publisher, the thoroughly abashed editors at Gold Medal asked
if they could publish a reprint edition with Scott restored
as the hero.
If you've never read a Scott, you might want to try a few of
the short stories to see if they're to your taste. Prather
wrote four Scott short story collections, THREE'S A SHROUD,
HAVE GAT - WILL TRAVEL, SHELL SCOTT'S SEVEN SLAUGHTERS, and
THE SHELL SCOTT SAMPLER. He also left behind one uncollected
short story, "The Bloodshot Eye," which you can read for free
here:
user.dtcc.edu/~dean/tbe.html
If you like the short stories you'll probably like the
novels.
JIM DOHERTY
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