BRAIN PLUCKER

Archive for the ‘New Releases’ Category

A new Noir Master and a collection of short stories from a Science Fiction Master. But first this short story by the author of the Riverworld series.

Masters of Noir: Volume Two by Craig Rice & Jonathan Craig & Hal Ellson

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MASTERS OF NOIR: VOLUME TWO by CRAIG RICE & JONATHAN CRAIG & HAL ELLSON

Another walk on the wild side! In this series of collections of gritty Noir and Hardboiled stories, you’ll find some of the best writers of the craft writing in their prime. The following stories are included in this second volume of Masters of Noir: GREEN EYES by HAL ELLSON, BIG STEAL by FRANK KANE, NECKTIE PARTY by ROBERT TURNER, THE PURPLE COLLAR by JONATHAN CRAIG, I DON’T FOOL AROUND by CHARLES JACKSON, NICE BUNCH OF GUYS by MICHAEL FESSIER, FLOWERS TO THE FAIR by CRAIG RICE, DIE LIKE A DOG by DAVID ALEXANDER, BUILD ANOTHER COFFIN by HAROLD Q. MASUR, SOMEBODY’S GOING TO DIE by TALMAGE POWELL.

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See You At The Morgue by Lawrence Blochman

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SEE YOU AT THE MORGUE by LAWRENCE BLOCHMAN

When a gigolo is shot, to death in the bedroom of a beautiful girl, it raises some perplexing problems for Detective Kenny Kilkenny. Why, for example, would a man steal the license plates off his own car? Why should an innocent young professor come to the murder room … and then conceal a key to the crime? Why was a “phantom secretary” hiding in the closet near the murdered man? Was there really money to be made selling glass eyes for stuffed ducks? Why would a beautiful girl ask her lover to kill her? As if these questions–and a hundred others–weren’t enough to drive Kilkenny crazy–there were three exceedingly strange characters to plague him : a girl named Rux, a man named Vanizol, and the weirdest of all–Mr. Whisk! It was a tough case, but so are they all when the word goes out– PARISIAN PLAYBOY SHOT IN N. Y. BEAUTY’S BOUDOIR … “PHANTOM SECRETARY” SEEKS SUICIDE…MYSTERY REDHEAD FOUND… — The papers shouted “SCANDAL!”–but the sirens shrieked “MURDER!”

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Gimlet Eye Gunn by H. Bedford-Jones

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GIMLET EYE GUNN by H. BEDFORD-JONES

How can a 300 year-old ghost know so much, from the past, to the present — even the future? Larsen had no idea, but he had to find out. It would mean knowing whether Gimlet Eye Gunn was for real, or he was the one going crazy. First published in Weird Tales, September 1951.

A new Noir Master and a collection of short stories from a Science Fiction Master. But first this short story by the author of the Riverworld series.

Some Fabulous Yonder by Philip Jose Farmer

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SOME FABULOUS YONDER by PHILIP JOSE FARMER

No man had yet survived a landing on the black planet, till Raspold dared to venture his body and his mind in the cavern of Voittamaton, where the dracocentaurs gazed at some fabulous yonder! Farmer’s variation on the Chthulu Mythos of Lovecraft. First published in Fantastic Stories of Imagination in the April, 1963 issue.

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Dark Revenge by Rex Stout

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DARK REVENGE by REX STOUT

What’s a lawyer to do when beautiful Delia Brand confesses of her plans to kill Dan Jackson and Jackson soon turns up dead. Accused of murdering him with her father’s .38 in the town of Cody, Wyoming, Delia Brand sets out to find the real killer, and along the way, discovers the truth about her father’s unsolved murder. Dark Revenge was first published in 1939. Later appeared in an expanded novel version as Mountain Cat and The Mountain Cat Murders.

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The Odor Of Thought: Short Stories Of Robert Sheckley, Volume 2

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The Odor Of Thought: Short Stories Of Robert Sheckley, Volume 2

Robert Sheckley (July 16, 1928 — December 9, 2005) was a Hugo- and Nebula-nominated American author. First published in the science fiction magazines of the 1950s, his numerous quick-witted stories and novels were famously unpredictable, absurdist and broadly comical. Sheckley was given the Author Emeritus honor by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2001. Included in this collection are nine of some of his best stories written in the 1950s. Includes the following stories: WARM, THE DEMONS, THE ODOR OF THOUGHT, PROSPECTORS SPECIAL, THE SWEEPER OF LORAY, DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY, WATCHBIRD, FEEDING TIME, WE ARE ALONE

A new Noir Master and a collection of short stories from a Science Fiction Master.

The Hot Shot by Fletcher Flora

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THE HOT SHOT by FLETCHER FLORA

Skimmer was the Hotshot–handsome, smart, arrogant. He had everything personality, looks, women. He was ready for success–regardless of the cost ? And then he met a girl and a gangster–and something went wrong! Hotshot is Skimmer’s story–a unique candid portrait not of the knife-wielding delinquents who capture headlines but of today’s troubled youth as they really are. The unforgettable story of a generation battling to find its way in a world it never made. Originally published in 1956, this exciting novel is now available as an eBook for a whole new generation.

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The Earth Killers and Other Stories

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The Earth Killers and Other Stories by A.E. van Vogt

From the mind of Science Fiction Grand Master, A. E. van Vogt, comes five imaginative bizarre tales of the future. The Earth Killers–What if you were blamed for the destruction of the Earth? And what if you were the only one who had the key to what really happened? The Star-Saint–A superman of space is willing to save your colony, but at what cost? The Enchanted Village–As the only survivor of a doomed expedition to Mars, your only chance of survival is to live in a deserted Martian village that is designed for a life that is totally alien to man. Itself!¬–Something is lurking beneath the sea. It is enormous, lethal and very angry! The Expendables–A multi-generational spaceship is about to make landfall. But how is it going to deal with aliens when dealing with the dysfunctional relationships onboard for multi-generations?

New Vintage eBooks from Wonder Publishing Group. Ahhh! The Power of three. Three new eBook titles from three classic authors from three different genres!

Meeting of the Minds: Short Stories of Robert Sheckley, Volume One

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Meeting of the Minds: Short Stories of Robert Sheckley, Vol. 1

Robert Sheckley (July 16, 1928 — December 9, 2005) was a Hugo- and Nebula-nominated American author. First published in the science fiction magazines of the 1950s, his numerous quick-witted stories and novels were famously unpredictable, absurdist and broadly comical. Sheckley was given the Author Emeritus honor by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America in 2001. Included in this collection are nine of some of his best stories written in the 1950s. Includes the following stories: MEETING OF THE MINDS, THE LEECH, UNTOUCHED BY HUMAN HANDS, WARRIOR RACE, SHAPE, WRITING CLASS, SEVENTH VICTIM, COST OF LIVING, and THE LAST WEAPON

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The Lucky Stiff by Craig Rice

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The Lucky Stiff by Craig Rice

“Anna Marie St. Claire died in the electric chair at one minute after midnight this morning, with smile on her lips ? ” Brooding over his gin in Joe the Angel’s City Hall Bar, John J. Malone read those headlines, and the story of how, half an hour too late, a dying gangster’s confession had proved Anna Marie innocent. She had been too beautiful to die. Malone knew if he had defended her she wouldn’t have had to die. Suddenly he turned white. For there, floating through the swinging doors, came a lovely apparition, curves outlined by a chic gray suit–Anna Marie, dressed just as she had been the day her gangster lover was bumped off. Malone muttered a prayer and fled. Anna Marie followed him ? So begins a giddy Craig Rice manhunt, combining mirth, mixed drinks, murder, and that talented trio, John J. Malone and Helene and Jake Justus.

Craig Rice (pseudonym of Georgiana Ann Craig; 1908–1957) was an American author of mystery novels and short stories, sometimes described as “the Dorothy Parker of detective fiction.” She was the first mystery writer to appear on the cover of Time Magazine, on January 28, 1946. Gritty but humorous, Rice’s stories uniquely combine the hardboiled detective tradition with no-holds-barred, screwball comedy. Most of her output features a memorable trio of protagonists: Jake Justus, a handsome but none too bright press agent with his heart in the right place; Helene Brand, a rich heiress and hard-drinking party animal par excellence (to become Mrs. Justus in the later novels); and John Joseph Malone, a hard-drinking, small-time lawyer (though both his cryptic conversation and sartorial habits are more reminiscent of such official or private gumshoes as Lieutenant Columbo). ¬– via: Wikipedia

Last of the Breed by Les Savage, Jr.

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Last of the Breed by Les Savage, Jr.

The town of Apache Wells had quietly sneered at Brian Sheridan all his life. It knew him as a drunk, a playboy, the worthless son of a man who had hacked his power and fortune from the Arizona wilds in the tradition of the great empire builders. And then one day the father was dead. Brian found himself broke, hated, squeezed dry by the men he’d known as friends. Slowly Brian Sheridan began to fight back, to come alive as a man. It was a good feeling. But it carried the uneasy knowledge that somebody had decided the new Sheridan would also be the last. A rousing novel of frontier Arizona! Les Savage, Jr. was a writer from age 17. He was a prolific contributor to the pulp magazines for a number of years. In addition he penned over twenty books. A few of his better known titles are: “Treasure of the Brasada,” “Silver Street Women” and “The Royal City.” Several of his novels were adapted for the movies and television. In 1958 he died at the too young age of 35.

One new eBook this week from Wonder Publishing Group by Science Fiction legend, Murray Leinster.  Here’s an excerpt from the wikipedia entry for this novel, The Forgotten Planet:

The “forgotten” planet had been seeded for life, first with microbes and later with plants and insects. A third expedition, intended to complete the seeding with animals, never occurred. Over the millennia the insects and plants grew to gigantic sizes. The action of the novel describes the fight for survival by descendants of a crashed spaceship as they battle wolf-sized ants, flies the size of chickens, and gigantic flying wasps.

The Forgotten Planet by Murray Leinster

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The Forgotten Planet by Murray Leinster

NATURE’S MISLAID MADHOUSE! Beneath dense gray clouds through which no sun shone lay a forgotten planet. It was a nightmare world of grotesque and terrifying animal-plant life. Gigantic beetles, spiders, bugs and ants filled the putrid, musty earth–ready to kill and devour anything in sight. There were men amidst this horror–men who cringed and ran from the ravening monsters and huddled in the mushroom forests at night. Burl was one of these creatures. But one day inspira-tion hit Burl. He would find a weapon–he would fight back. And with this idea the first step was taken in man’s most desperate flight for freedom in this most horrible of all worlds. But it was only a first step.

One of my favorite audiobook narrators, William Coon, has struck out on his own with a new Philip K. Dick collection called The Defenders and Other Stories. He also has a new website that looks eloquent and is called Eloquent Voice. William has some other titles by Henry James and Anton Chekhov. And he let me know that coming soon he’s has a collection of Robert Silverberg stories that he’s narrating. I’ll be for sure checking that out.

William has read several titles for my company, Wonder Audiobooks. Here’s a page of his work he’s done for Wonder Audio.

Very nice selection of releases from Wonder Publishing Group for this week. Check them out.

Death Pulls A Doublecross by Lawrence Block

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Death Pulls a Doublecross by Lawrence Block

She was a beautiful girl with a talent for two-timing: she led two lives, tormented two men–but the one thing she couldn’t doublecross was murder! I’m Ed London, PH. D.–PHILANDERER IN DANGER Nailing killers is my racket But hiding their victims’ corpses, from the law? Better conjure up Houdini, buddy, I’m not the man you want. That’s what I should have sai. But I’ve got a heart as big as a bawdy house. When I saw my sister’s marriage going up in smoke because her husband’s extramarital flame got murdered, I decided to stick my neck out and plant the body so it couldn’t be traced to him. That’s when the fur began to fly–and so, in fact, did the bullets. First the girl had been leading a double life. Second, she had pulled a neat little doublecross that left me holding the bag–a bag with the keys to a priceless fortune and up for grabs to every hood in town. Also published under the title Coward’s Kiss.

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Beware the Fury by Theodore Sturgeon

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Beware the Fury by Theodore Sturgeon

Meet Wolf Reger–traitor. Compared to him Benedict Arnold was a national hero and Judas Iscariot a paragon of virtue. At least that’s the way it showed in the Major’s notes?. But traitors aren’t born that way. Something has to happen to them long before they turn against society. That’s why, when you dig deep enough, you may find that the word traitor can be one hell of a misnomer!

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Midnight Blue by Ross Macdonald

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Midnight Blue by Ross Macdonald

Lew Archer was out for a little target practice. Just a deserted old estate in the canyon where Archer could get away from the Hollywood rat race and sharpen his shooting skills down in the meadow. But he found two things there he wasn’t expecting. One was a crazy old vagrant that had set up in dilapidated gatehouse. And two was a glittering red object on the ground. It was a red enameled fingernail that just happens to still be attached to its owner. A young blonde who was strangled, buried and very much dead. Now Lew Archer’s chance to get away from it all, just got away. And the wild old vagrant has decided to runaway too!

Three new eBook releases from my company, Wonder Publishing Group. One Science Fiction, one mystery, and one romance. What more could you want?

The Tomorrow People by Judith Merril

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The Tomorrow People by Judith Merril

There was something on Mars that killed people! One expedition vanished without a trace. Out of another, only one man came back. That was Johnny Wendt–the only man who had seen Mars and lived. His knowledge could be decisive in the desperate East-West race for Space. But Johnny didn’t know what it was that made Mars a death-trap, and he didn’t know that he’d brought it back with him! First published in 1960.

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Bodies in Bedlam by Richard S. Prather

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Bodies in Bedlam by Richard S. Prather

Shell Scott was up to his neck in guns, girls and gore. Constanza Carmocha was unarmed–that is, she didn’t have a gun. She didn’t need one, either. She had all the weapons that have ruined men from time immemorial–or time immoral. One man had had his throat slit because of her, another was going to die. She was surrounded by a guy who resembled a shaved ape and looked as though he could pick himself up with one hand. But the hand isn’t always quicker than the private eye, and as sure as my name’s Shell Scott, I’ll get to the bottom of this affair with the deadly dame.

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Woman of Fire by Peggy Gaddis

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Woman of Fire by Peggy Gaddis

It was after ten when she and Clem left the party … He said, a trifle thickly, “Where to? I haven’t any idea where you live. ” Viola slid close to him and lifted her face until her lips were against his ear. She spoke straight from her wildly beating heart, “Take me home with you. Please–please take me home with you”. His arms encircled her … “Sure, why not? Why the devil not? ” He leaned forward, gave the taxi-driver his address and turned to pull Viola’s trembling body hard against him. He covered her lips with his … Viola Barton thought that she could throw away her heart, deny her son his true father, and make a life for herself without the ecstasy of a young man’s love. She married Eugene, old and dying and passionless … and then found that there are wellsprings in a woman’s soul which cannot be stifled or denied There was room in her thoughts only for Clem … here beside her …

Been busy, busy with new releases. Unfortunately that making this blog one new release posting after another. So starting tomorrow next week there will be Free Fiction Friday. To find out more, check in tomorrow next week (technical difficulties created an unexpected delay) . And now with the new releases for this week.

Dominion by Arthur J. Burks

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Dominion by Arthur J. Burks

Deep in the heart of South America’s jungles, explorers Leyson and Horton found the source of the fantastic rumors which had been alarming government officials. And the facts they found were stranger than the wildest stories they had heard, for here were a race of metal men, the New People. And here, behind the scenes, was Von Glauber, sworn follower of the swastika, making a madman’s dream come true. For the metal giants had been made to rise and conquer, and have dominion over the entire world! First published in Science Fiction Stories, July 1943

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Hostage For A Hood by Lionel White

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Hostage For A Hood by Lionel White

Every minute she had was borrowed, and every second ticked off the time for murder. Joyce was driving along the deserted avenue. Just ahead on a side street, Cribbins checked the second hand of his watch for the last time. He swung the heavy Cadillac around the corner. He had a rendezvous with an armored car and a quar¬ter of a million dollars; he had a tommy gun to make sure it all went off smoothly. Everything was timed, everything was planned down to the most insignificant detail–except for Joyce Sherwood and her eight-year-old Chevy, which crashed deep into the side, of Cribbins’ stolen car. That’s how they met–the house¬wife and the hoods. And terror took over!

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Jobo by Henry Slesar

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Jobo by Henry Slesar

Jobo was picked upon and teased. Not like any other child in the deep woods of Tennessee. They called him a freak, but he was strong and could whoop anybody, if forced to do so. Unfortunately, he may be forced to do so. Meanwhile, John Tilletson was on an expedition of lifetime–to Easter Island! All to prove his unorthodox hypothesis that the giant head sculptures of Easter Island have an extraterrestrial origin. Soon Jobo and John Tilletson’s worlds would collide.

First up for our new releases is our first “erotica” title. I put the word in quotes because by today’s definitions of erotica it’s fairly tame. Let us call it light erotica, or mild erotica. Anyways it’s a good novel (and rare, well not anymore) that moves along quickly.

Campus Doll by Donald E. Westlake

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Campus Doll by Donald E. Westlake

The intimate story of a coed who turned “love” into a big business! At Clifton College the male students were never frustrated. When a campus cutie teased and ran, there was always Jackie Hayes’ “study rooms” to resort to. There you could do your “homework” in peace. There you could carry on experiments so dear to the hearts of all eager students, with tutors truly dedicated to their work: Sandy, Laura, Rita, Honey and even Jackie–the campus doll herself. True, this extra-curricular work led to no degree but it did satisfy a need, with girls on your own mental level–coeds who knew as much about English Lit, Advanced Psychology–and Love–as you did. But with all the fun comes a dark side. Jackie thought it would all be so simple. Turn a trick a few times a week and she would have enough money to stay in college. But it kept escalating. Now she was a Madame of the house and behind her back even Marijuana was being sold! She didn’t realize she’d need protection, even if that protection was unwanted and cruel. Men were the problem, Jackie was convinced, and that’s when she turned to the arms of innocent Rita. First published in 1961 by Donald E. Westlake under the pen name, Edwin West.

Sea Change by Judith Merril and C.M. Kornbluth

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Sea Change by C.M. Kornbluth and Judith Merril

The seas were capable of great resources, including the extraction of metal so civilization could grow. But civilization was still separated the “haves” and the “have not”. The domes under the water were a dangerous enough place to work. But when there were saboteurs about, things got a lot worse. For Lev Sloane, a valued technician, remaining politically neutral was no longer an option. Now he had to show the beautiful African, Dr. Vanderpoel, around the dome and keep safe. But from what direction was the danger coming? Sloane didn’t know.

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Red Threads by Rex Stout

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Red Threads by Rex Stout

Jean Farris, renowned cloth designer, had no idea that the Indian jacket made of centuries old bayeta yarn would one day shape her destiny, through the most unusual way possible — murder! But Guy Carew, half-Indian heir of murdered multi-millionaire Val Carew, saw fit to give it to her, and she innocently accepted the offer. Now she has her doubts: Was it truly out of the generosity of his heart, or something more sinister? Jean intends to find out; however, it seems that the murderer isn’t the only one who doesn’t want her to learn the truth! Somehow, for her and Guy, she must get through this in one piece ? or end up like Val Carew.