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'Master of craft and narrative'Walter Mosley returns with this crowning achievement in the Easy Rawlins saga, in which the iconic detective's loyalties are tested on the sun-soaked streets of Southern California (National Book Foundation) It is 1969, and flames can be seen on the horizon, protest wafts like smoke though the thick air, and Easy Rawlins, the Black private detective whose small agency finally has its own office, gets a visit from a white Vietnam veteran. The young man comes to Easy with a story that makes little sense. He and his lover, a beautiful young woman, were attacked in a citrus grove at the city's outskirts. He may have killed a man, and the woman and his dog are now missing. Inclined to turn down what sounds like nothing but trouble, Easy takes the case when he realizes how damaged the young vet is from his war experiences—the bond between veterans superseding all other considerations. The veteran is not Easy's only unlooked-for trouble. Easy's adopted daughter Feather's white uncle shows up uninvited, raising questions and unsettling the life Easy has long forged for the now young woman. Where Feather sees a family reunion, Easy suspects something else, something that will break his heart. Blood Grove is a crackling, moody, and thrilling race through a California of hippies and tycoons, radicals and sociopaths, cops and grifters, both men and women. Easy will need the help of his friends—from the genius Jackson Blue to the dangerous Mouse Alexander, Fearless Jones, and Christmas Black—to make sense of a case that reveals the darkest impulses humans harbor. Blood Grove is a novel of vast scope and intimate insight, and a soulful call for justice by any means necessary.

Famed Director and Producer, Milton Halsey Gosset, Shot Dead in Angels of Mercy, a Cozy Historical Mystery from Alice Duncan--1926, Los Angeles, CA--Former Boston Brahmin Mercy Allcutt is excited to be renting suites of rooms to deserving working women in her new Bunker Hill home. She considers it an act of good-heartedness, no matter how skeptical her boss, private investigator Ernie Templeton, is about her endeavor.When her housekeeper's son is arrested for the murder of a Hollywood big-wig, Mercy presses Ernie to solve the case. She's positive Calvin Buck is innocent. Ernie tells her he'll do his best but she's not entirely convinced he means it, so she does some snooping on her own.In the meantime, Mercy not only takes driving lessons from Ernie, she discovers there's more to being a landlady than meets the eye. One of her'Angels of Mercy'may not be what she appears. Only time, and Mercy and Ernie, will tell.Publisher Note: Readers who enjoy cozy mysteries in historical settings are sure to appreciate the Mercy Allcutt series set in 1920s Los Angeles, California. No vulgarity or explicit sex for those who appreciate a clean and wholesome read.Winner HOLT Medallion, Romantic Times tip pickTwo-time RT KISS Award WinnerNew Mexico/Arizona Book of the Year finalistNew Mexico/Arizona Book of the Year Award winnerRomantic Times Reviewer's Choice Nominee'Mercy Allcutt is a delight.'~Carola DunnThe Mercy Allcutt Mystery SeriesLost Among the AngelsAngels FlightFallen AngelsAngels of MercyThanksgiving AngelsAngels AdriftChristmas Angels

In this sequel to the Edgar Award–nominated Tough Luck L.A., a Hollywood screenwriter searches for his kidnapped son in the dark underbelly of Los Angeles. Things are mostly looking up for Ben Crandel. The once down-on-his-luck screenwriter now has a steady job as a studio script doctor. But the transition from Big Brother to single father of an adopted teenager has been bumpy. So when his son, Petey, disappears with their basset hound, Stanley, after a confrontation, Ben assumes the kid's run away again. Then comes the ransom call. Ben's frantic search for his kidnapped boy soon has him mired in a morass of body snatchers and murder that involves a corpse dredged from the La Brea Tar Pits, a drunk and deranged Hollywood legend, and a mysterious and sexually voracious femme fatale. With the help of the cop who once charged him with murder, Ben follows a twisted trail of clues all over Los Angeles—from warehouse to funeral home, tanning parlor to bomb shelter—to bring his son home in one piece. Praise for the Ben Crandel Mysteries “Sinclair has the unique ability to dish out hard-edged realism with—believe it or not—a touch of humor. Goodbye L.A. is a fine piece.” —Gerald Petievich, author of To Live and Die in L.A.

A screenwriter stage dives into L.A.'s punk rock scene to find a missing reporter as Sinclair mixes “hard-edged realism... [and] humor” in a “fine” novel (Gerald Petievich, author of To Live and Die in L.A.). Four years ago, when Capt. George Steifer charged screenwriter Ben Crandel with murder, it didn't look like the beginning of a beautiful friendship. But Hollywood makes strange bedfellows, and now the cop has come to his writer pal for help. A Los Angeles Times reporter named Elise Reilly disappeared two weeks ago while investigating a story on the punk rock scene. Steifer has been trying to find her with the help of a spiky-haired informant who just ended up shot point-blank in the bathroom of a punk club—and now the cop is losing it. It turns out he buried the lead: He's in love with Elise. Ben has lost his own loved one to the punk scene, in a way. His now fifteen-year-old adopted son, Petey, is the lead singer in a group called Claustrophobic—and apparently that's how he felt about living at home. But at least Petey left a note: He's off to pursue his punk pipe dream and Ben's left with his basset hound, Stanley, for company. In pursuit of Elise, Ben and Steifer rush headlong into a veritable mosh pit of neo-Nazis and religious fanatics, where one wrong move could get them trampled. As they uncover a stockpile of weapons and an assassination plot, they frantically search for a connection to the reporter's whereabouts... “Sinclair has the unique ability to dish out hard-edged realism with—believe it or not—a touch of humor. Goodbye L.A. is a fine piece.” —Gerald Petievich, author of To Live and Die in L.A.

When it's curtains for a theater director, Los Angeles PI Fergus O'Breen takes center stage in this locked room mystery from the author of Nine Times Nine. Anthony Boucher was a literary renaissance man: an Edgar Award–winning mystery reviewer, an esteemed editor of the Hugo Award–winning Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, a prolific scriptwriter of radio mystery programs, and an accomplished writer of mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and horror. With a particular fondness for the locked room mystery, Boucher created such iconic sleuths as Los Angeles PI Fergus O'Breen, amateur sleuth Sister Ursula, and alcoholic ex-cop Nick Noble. Working undercover for an insurance company, Fergus O'Breen finds himself part of the cast rehearsing the latest production at the Carruthers Little Theater. He's been asked to keep an eye on playwright Lewis Jordan, who has taken out a joint policy with the director, Rupert Carruthers. If something should happen to one before the play opens, the other is set to collect a fortune. When Carruthers meets an explosive end behind a locked door, O'Breen has his work cut out for him. With a theater full of secrets, it's clear everyone in this troupe is putting on a show of their own. Now, aided by the struggling writer, O'Breen must determine who's telling the truth and who's acting—before someone else meets an untimely end...

“An intricate puzzle cleverly constructed and neatly solved” introducing Los Angeles private eye Fergus O'Breen, by the author of Nine Times Nine (The New York Times). Anthony Boucher was a literary renaissance man: an Edgar Award–winning mystery reviewer, an esteemed editor of the Hugo Award–winning Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, a prolific scriptwriter of radio mystery programs, and an accomplished writer of mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and horror. With a particular fondness for the locked room mystery, Boucher created such iconic sleuths as Los Angeles PI Fergus O'Breen, amateur sleuth Sister Ursula, and alcoholic ex-cop Nick Noble. In this “entertaining yarn,” the first to feature Fergus O'Breen, Col. Theodore Rand has received a strange telegram from his friend Humphrey Garnett (Kirkus Reviews). “You may be invaluable witness at inquest on my body,” it reads. A retired man of leisure, Rand opts to indulge what he thinks is his friend's whim, flying from New York to Garnett's home in Los Angeles—only to find Garnett dead upon his arrival. After the police arrest the wrong man, Garnett's family friend, rookie PI Fergus O'Breen, is called in to help. An eccentric and unorthodox Irishman, O'Breen is eager to take on his first murder case. But with a house full of suspects and a mystery steeped in playing card lore, the deck may be stacked against him. Now O'Breen must quickly shuffle through the clues if he hopes to solve this one before the real killer deals another deadly hand...

Murder is nothing to sneeze at for Los Angeles private eye Fergus O'Breen, in this whodunit from “a fine craftsman” (Ellery Queen). Anthony Boucher was a literary renaissance man: an Edgar Award–winning mystery reviewer, an esteemed editor of the Hugo Award–winning Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, a prolific scriptwriter of radio mystery programs, and an accomplished writer of mystery, science fiction, fantasy, and horror. With a particular fondness for the locked room mystery, Boucher created such iconic sleuths as Los Angeles PI Fergus O'Breen, amateur sleuth Sister Ursula, and alcoholic ex-cop Nick Noble. A mysterious stranger has requested Los Angeles private investigator Fergus O'Breen investigate the twenty-five-year-old unsolved murder of a bridesmaid at a wedding. But since the man will not reveal his name or allow any new discoveries to be shared with the authorities, O'Breen refuses to take the job. Fate, however, steps in, and the gumshoe is soon invited to the silver anniversary celebration of the same wedding on a secluded island just off the coast. The stranger being in attendance isn't the only surprise for Fergus. When all the guests are marooned, it becomes clear someone's out to spoil the party, and O'Breen vows to find the culprit before history violently repeats itself...

A collection of thrilling murder mysteries featuring “an unusually interesting detective” from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Spartacus (The Washington Star). Japanese-American Beverly Hills homicide detective Masao Masuto is a karate expert, a devotee of roses, and a Zen Buddhist. He does his job with a cool, caustic wit—and with surprising force when necessary. He possesses a singular sense of justice, taking action on his own and occasionally pushing the boundaries of the law... The Case of the Angry Actress: When a Hollywood mogul drops dead at his own party, Detective Masuto must dig into the darkest secrets of the magnate's past. Now he must uncover a secret worth killing for before someone else dies. “A good fast-paced thriller.” —Reader's Syndicate The Case of the One-Penny Orange: Masuto has a break-in and a murder to solve, both of which are baffling. But when he suspects a connection between the two crimes, he uncovers a bizarre conspiracy that reaches back to the darkest days of World War II. “A finely perceived mystery puzzle... an unusually interesting detective.” —The Washington Star The Case of the Russian Diplomat: When a dead body is found in a pool at a high-class hotel notorious for its illicit activities, Matsuo finds himself hunting for a killer and tangled in a web of espionage and international intrigue. “An enjoyable, highly professional entertainment.” —The New Yorker The Case of the Poisoned Eclairs: A pleasant lull in murder cases is broken when a series of unusual poisoning deaths puts Masuto on the hunt for someone whose terrifying vendetta has only just begun. “A consummate storyteller.” —The Baltimore Sun

The first collection of Stan Wade short stories assembles five tales of this 1950s Los Angeles private detective! Included are: A Wisp of Memory The Bad Sleep The Magnificent Score Double Injeopardy A Private Eye's Worst Day Also features a new introduction by John Hegenberger. The series has won The Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award (2016, for Spyfall).

A collection of thrilling murder mysteries featuring “an unusually interesting detective” from the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Spartacus (The Washington Star). Japanese-American Beverly Hills homicide detective Masao Masuto is a karate expert, a devotee of roses, and a Zen Buddhist. He does his job with a cool, caustic wit—and with surprising force when necessary. He possesses a singular sense of justice, taking action on his own and occasionally pushing the boundaries of the law... The Case of the Sliding Pool: After a decades-old hidden grave is uncovered by a rainstorm, Detective Masuto must look into the distant past to find a murderer who was very good at his job—and who is about to come out of retirement. “An interesting conception.” —The New York Times The Case of the Kidnapped Angel: The wife of one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars has been kidnapped for ransom—one that is willingly paid. But Masuto doesn't believe the worried husband's performance. He suspects the payoff was for something deadly... “A talent for all times.” —The Moscow News The Case of the Murdered McKenzie: When a faded movie beauty is accused of killing her rich husband, it seems like an open-and-shut case—until Masuto investigates. And it soon appears that murder is only the beginning of an even more shocking conspiracy. “One of the best in the series.” —The New York Times As witty as he is wise, Detective Masuto is the brilliant creation of “one of the 20th century's busiest writers” known for “creating stories that even his critics admired as page-turners (The New York Times).

“Rarely is an author so skilled at portraying such unremitting evil and the poignant, human side of his characters in a single tale.”—Jeffery Deaver “Jacob Stone is equal parts Thomas Harris, Michael Connelly, Jo Nesbo, and Stephen King. CRUEL will leave you shaking... with fear, excitement, and the uncontrollable compulsion to keep on reading.” —Lee Goldberg, #1 New York Times bestselling author of True Fiction “17.” L.A. detective Morris Brick knows the number all too well. It was the gruesome signature the Nightmare Man left next to his victims'bodies. Brick's father was the first to investigate the killings. Five women were butchered before the perpetrator vanished. Seventeen years later he resurfaced—to kill again in the same depraved ways. Now another seventeen years have passed. Brick knows in his gut that it's time for the Nightmare Man to reawaken. But even Brick can't imagine the madman's true agenda. Or just how terrifying the sleepless nights are going to get in the City of Angels...

The first fully annotated edition of Raymond Chandler's 1939 classic The Big Sleep features hundreds of illuminating notes and images alongside the full text of the novel and is an essential addition to any crime fiction fan's library. One of The Atlantic's Great American Novels of the Past 100 YearsA masterpiece of noir, Raymond Chandler's The Big Sleep helped to define a genre. Today it remains one of the most celebrated and stylish novels of the twentieth century. This comprehensive, annotated edition offers a fascinating look behind the scenes of the novel, bringing the gritty and seductive world of Chandler's iconic private eye Philip Marlowe to life. The Annotated Big Sleep solidifies the novel's position as one of the great works of American fiction and will surprise and enthrall Chandler's biggest fans. Including: -Personal letters and source texts -The historical context of Chandler's Los Angeles, including maps and images -Film stills and art from the early pulps -An analysis of class, gender, sexuality, and ethnicity in the novel

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly, a short story featuring LAPD Detective Harry Bosch and FBI agent Rachel Walling.Two women have gone missing, and LAPD Detective Harry Bosch has a strong suspicion that an avid fisherman named Denninger is the culprit. Bosch needs something stronger than a suspicion to bring Denninger in, but all he has are a handful of photos--prior mug shots and pictures of Denninger posing with his prize fish. It's not much to go on, and Bosch is running out of time, which is why he calls in FBI agent Rachel Walling. What she sees in these photos could blow his case wide open.'Blue on Black'by Michael Connelly is one of 20 short stories within Mulholland Books's Strand Originals series, featuring thrilling stories by the biggest names in mystery from the Strand Magazine archives. View the full series list at mulhollandbooks.com and listen to them all!

The Big Sleep (1939) is a hardboiled crime novel by Raymond Chandler, the first to feature detective Philip Marlowe. The work has been adapted twice into film, once in 1946 and again in 1978. The story is set in Los Angeles, California and is noted for its complexity, with many characters double-crossing one another and many secrets being exposed throughout the narrative. The title is a euphemism for death; it refers to a rumination in the final pages of the book about'sleeping the big sleep.'In 1999, the book was voted ninety-sixth of Le Monde's'100 Books of the Century'. In 2005, it was included in'TIME's List of the 100 Best Novels.'

Only Toby Peters stands in the way of a plot to murder Albert Einstein. A dentist dangles from the window of a swanky Park Avenue hotel. Toby Peters, a Los Angeles detective who's very far from home, clutches the man by his jacket, which tears slowly, stich by stich. A dead man lies on the bed, while his killer batters the room door, which is going to pieces as quickly as the dentist's jacket. Somehow, this entire mess is Albert Einstein's fault. Two nefarious groups have been threatening the great physicist. One, a ring of blackmailers who claim to have evidence that he has been passing nuclear secrets to Russia. The other, a gang of Nazi assassins intent on doing away one of the most famous opponents of Hitler's rule. Einstein hires Toby Peters to nip both problems in the bud. But if Einstein can't figure it out, what chance does Toby have?

Jack Liffey's former mistress reappears to plead for the P.I.'s help finding her missing niece. The hunt leads Liffey to Monterey Park, where he dives into an undercurrent of racial tension that puts the peace of the small suburb in jeopardy. Meanwhile, a fire burns in the hills above Los Angeles, offering a sinister reminder that few events in life are coincidental. But Liffey's sudden troubles with racist gangs, teenage revolutionaries, and South African nutjobs are dwarfed by the threat his old mistress poses to his relationships with his new girlfriend and his recently reconciled lesbian daughter. What's a hard-boiled dick to do? Exploding with wry wit, Chinese Beverly Hills is tense and thought-provoking, with the quirkiness that Shannon's fans have come to expect.

An Arizona attorney has a client with a problem. It's no ordinary problem and this is no ordinary client. Luckily this legal eagle happens to be friends with the hawkish private eye, Shell Scott. Scott is a sure-fire shamus with no shame and a pocket full of bullets. But he will need more than a pocketful of miracles to make this missing persons case go away. A father desperately wants to see his daughter before he dies. But she's disappeared. Scott must find her. But he can't use her name. The father is a rich asset. But his affiliation with the crime world is making the case too dangerous for our prowling P.I. All Scott has to go on is a birthmark in a strategic place. But the client won't be so happy if Scott sees it. Shell Scott is back sending ripples of rancor through the criminal underworld but this case threatens to hit our gun-toting gumshoe like a tidal wave of terror. Will Shell Scott get swamped amid the Arizona desert? Or will he shock everyone by riding this crime wave all the way to the bank? Shellshock is the 41st book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

'As far as I'm concerned, Richard S. Prather was the King of the paperback P.I writers of the 60s. Shell Scott should be in the Top Ten of any readers list of favorite private eyes.'--Robert J. Randisi For four decades, Richard S. Prather published over 40 works of detective fiction, most featuring his clever, cad-about-town hero, Shell Scott. Known for their arched humor, punchy dialogue, and sunny Southern California locale, the Shell Scott books represent one of the greatest private eye collections ever produced. HAVE GAT--WILL TRAVEL A Shell Scott Mystery Shell Scott'll slay you...with leers, tears and pistol packin'dears. Meet Shell Scott and his entourage of hoodlums, beauties, and dangerous killers. It doesn't take much for this ferocious fireball to pack a punch to all corners of the underworld, but he sure does it. Even if it means sacrificing a pretty little love interest along the way. A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do...and if he run's out of bullets doing it, Shell will just scare them to death! Honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Private Eye Writers of America!'(Shell Scott is) as amusingly blithe a figure as the field has seen since the Saint.'--Anthony Boucher Have Gat—Will Travel is the 15th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Just when surefire shamus Shell Scott was thinking that unannounced naked women don't show up on his doorstep frequently enough, a Ms. Naked USA contestant and next-door neighbor comes knocking with nothing on. But the real knockout is her story: someone tried to kill her and is now dead on her floor! This private eye can't believe what he's seeing! Before Scott can even ask where she kept the weapon, she's disappeared and our private dick is stuck with the stiff…and a tall tale to tell the cops. Scott's used to people trying to take shots at him, and for good reason, but who would want to hurt this heavenly heartbreaker? The trail leads Shell Scott to even more barbarous beauties and he gets thrown some dangerous curves along the way. The search for the truth is a bumpy ride and people keep getting bumped off but our legendary lady-killer knows how to hang on. The plot is thick, the suspects are drop-dead gorgeous and its time once again for our hard-charging, gun-toting gumshoe to rise to the occasion. The Amber Effect is the 40th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

The Wild West is not your regular western movie but it is wild! Any movie that involves four beautiful starlets without any clothes is bound to be wild and to attract the attention of Shell Scott, P.I., especially if one of the girls is thought to have been murdered. It is up to Scott to go on location where the film is being shot and determine whether or not her death was an accident. He must also keep himself out of danger, what with the girls--and with the men who are trying to take his life. The Cockeyed Corpse is the 26th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Wilfred Jefferson Jellicoe is nowhere to be found. And the person missing him most, his ex-wife, hires Shell Scott to find him. Though alimony payments may be her motive to pursue his trail, Hollywood producer, Gideon Cheim, has another reason for calling on Scott to track this man down. For Cheim has entrusted Jellicoe with his autobiography, only to be published post-mortem. Is it coincidental that the Cheim manuscript has disappeared with the man responsible for it while Cheim lies in his hospital bed nearing death? Scott doubts that--and is determined to discover what it is that his clients are really in search of--the man, or... The Cheim Manuscript is the 34th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Shell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and murder on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but take the job, even when the case is a killer. Shell feels like a walking, talking target. He's not an easy guy to mistake for someone else, with his gray eyes, broken nose and missing ear tip, but who would want to take a shot at such a stunning and attractive man? Something's fishy in the state of Denmark when Shell finds he is dodging bullets and it seems like everyone is holding a smoking gun. This case just might land Shell a new, deluxe residence... in the morgue. Honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Private Eye Writers of America! Everybody Had a Gun is the 3rd book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

It's not exactly Xanadu but the Kubla Khan, Ormand Monaco's new super-luxury hotel in Palm Desert, California is designed and built to transport visitors to what such a palace would be like. He's planned a beauty contest as part of the grand opening but what nobody had planned on are a couple of murders that stir things up and start to spoil the show. Who better than Shell Scott to come in and sort things out? As he unravels the knots--and the one holding up Lyssa Weldon's towel unravels all by itself--the usual mix of lust and mayhem that surrounds Shell Scott spreads in all directions--and threatens to drown him if he doesn't finish sorting things out in a hurry. The Kubla Khan Caper is the 32nd book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

I could see the beach robe Zazu had been wearing, but couldn't see her. Then the pool's surface rippled and tossed darts of sunlight at my eyes, and I could see Zazu quite well. She was wearing either the latest thing in jazzy bathing suits or nothing at all. She reached the ladder and started to climb up it, nonchalant as a bird--a jaybird.'Hi,'I said brightly,'you can see I'm working.'She started down the ladder until the water was almost up to her waist.'Do you always swim in the nude, dear?'I said.'It feels good. Probably I won't do it when I'm older.''I thought that was when girls did it.'The Meandering Corpse is the 31st book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Dancing the fox trot with a client could be considered unethical--then again, a lot of what my job leads me to do is unethical--but I believe in adding a personal touch to my work. And boy did that ferocious feline of a lady make me crazy about my job. After a while, our rhythmic anatomy lesson turned dirty with an unfriendly gangster pointed his pistol my way. They want me, Shell Scott, to be the headline in the obituaries section, and all I want to do is turn off that dancing music and run to save my life. Over Her Dear Body is the 19th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Shell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and murder on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but take the job, even when the case is a killer. He's South of the border and crackin'down on crime. There's a fierce crime wave running rampant throughout Mexico that's got Shell in the mood for some hot tamales, wet tequila and justice. But who would have guessed that the police are involved in the scam? Shell's got his work cut out for him, but that doesn't mean there's no time for some sexy senoritas. Pattern for Panic Dying is the 10th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Shell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and murder on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but take the job, even when the case is a killer. Shell has finally met someone who may be his match. She's got a killer body and legs that seem to never end, but where is she hiding her pistol in that painted-on dress? It's tough to keep his mind on the current case, but he's used to distraction and knows all he needs is a stiff drink and a cold shower. He's the man for any case and he welcomes the attractive distractions. The Scrambled Yeggs is the 8th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

No one other than Shell Scott has the ability to dodge a bullet while magnetized to a magical mistress or engage in dangerous games of both love and war simultaneously. This sleuth has the touch that touches every broad--and with his private eye, he can detect the phonies from the felines in a heartbeat. But where there's a babe, there's usually a bad guy lurking in the darkness. Wait, in Shell's case, make that always. But that life as a private eye and hey, it's better than the alternative. Shell Scott's Seven Slaughters is the 23rd book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

The mystery series with more than 40 million copies in print continues with pulp fiction's favorite PI on the hunt for a missing harem. A petroleum magnate--a snake oil salesman at heart--finds himself in a gusher of a business deal with a shifty-eyed Sheik. The businessman needs some leverage but how do you get at a guy who has everything? You could kidnap his wife but he has six! Sure enough the girls are gone and the Sheik is freaked. The friction between the two sides is setting off sparks and the plot threatens to explode. For our trigger-happy gumshoe it's another case of burning ambition, white-hot action, bounty in the billions and beauties in the backroom. Shell Scott is used to flexing his grip on both con men and dangerous broads but this case is just getting out of hand. Our peerless P.I. must find the girls before the greedy goons find him. Leave it to Shell Scott to find a sure thing when all the bets are against him. The Sure Thing is the 39th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

A femme fatale flirts with foul play in the series that “bring[s] back the 1950s in a good-natured and rather innocent way” (Mystery Scene Magazine). Shell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and murder on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but take the job, even when the case is a killer. Martinique was a cool, creamy piece of dynamite with a ten-second fuse and an I.Q. around one hundred sixty. Those were numbers Shell Scott liked to play--except in her case they seemed to add up to murder. The Sweet Ride is the 38th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

A triple play of foul play for PI Shell Scott. “One can always rely on Richard S. Prather to deliver a breezy, sex and violence filled caper” (The Ringer Files). Three tales of murder and mystery from everyone's favorite dick: With a name like Shell Scott, you can imagine a lot of peculiar things creep up on me—even murder. Especially when there are minor—er, major—distractions that keep me from sleuthing properly... or, in some cases, help me to sleuth improperly. There was the steamy Martita, whose sizzling seduction led me to the barrel of her pointed pistol and sent me sprinting from her singing bullets. And of course I can't forget to mention my Hungarian hurricane Ilona, whose stormy winds swept me so far off the ground only parts of me returned in one piece. It's no joke that I'm hanging on by thinning threads these days—but it's cozier than hanging on to delicious Diane's velvet noose. One frail's ferocious. Two's double trouble. And—pardon me if I croak—three's a Shroud. Three's a Shroud is the 16th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

A torrent of trigger-happy tough guys makes LA too hot to handle for PI Shell Scott. “Prather has a style that is addictive” (Killer Baloney). Shell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and murder on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but take the job, even when the case is a killer. Shell knows that every gun in California is pointed at him. He is a hot target for the cops and especially a pretty little lady with a mission and a.32. If every man's secret wish is to be wanted by somebody, Shell's came true long ago. He is wanted by so many people who wish for nothing more than to see him at the hot end of their gun barrel. Too Many Crooks is the 11th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

A pop star's death puts Los Angeles PI Shell Scott on the hit list in the mystery series with more than 40 million copies in print. With a national election going on, Shell Scott's timing might have been less than perfect. Perhaps he did prevent the victory for the shoo-in candidate, but a lot of strange things were happening. There was Polly Plank, whom he encountered in her psychiatrist's office in her birthday suit. What about the American singing idol Johnny Tray, who turned up dead? And of course Joe Rice, leader of the West's underworld, who wanted Shell under the world too—six feet under. The Trojan Hearse is the 28th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Los Angeles PI Shell Scott must keep his eyes off the girl and on the case as corruption hits California politics. Shell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and murder on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but to take the job, even when the case is a killer. As usual, the beautiful women are always the mysterious ones. Following the goddess-like facade of a major player in the California Senate investigation, Shell Scott, PI, must compose himself and get on the case before things get violent. But he can't take his eyes off this enchanting girl. As events churns into a cyclone of violence, Shell must rush to solve the case before he gets caught in the cross fire. The Wailing Frail is the 13th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

'As far as I'm concerned, Richard S. Prather was the King of the paperback P.I writers of the 60s. Shell Scott should be in the Top Ten of any readers list of favorite private eyes.'--Robert J. Randisi For four decades, Richard S. Prather published over 40 works of detective fiction, most featuring his clever, cad-about-town hero, Shell Scott. Known for their arched humor, punchy dialogue, and sunny Southern California locale, the Shell Scott books represent one of the greatest private eye collections ever produced. ALWAYS LEAVE'EM DYING A Shell Scott Mystery Shell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and sex and violence on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but take the job, even when the case is a killer. In ALWAYS LEAVE'EM DYING, Shell thinks he has seen it all – until he sees the cult. It sacrifices the best for the worst, and when he discovers who's leading it, it almost kills him. Uniformed in black right down to the gun aimed at Shell, the leader resembles an embalmed undertaker. But it isn't just those gorgeous young girls he seeks to sacrifice. He wants Shell. Not dead or alive – just dead. Always Leave'Em Dying is the 9th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

“As far as I'm concerned, Richard S. Prather was the King of the paperback P.I writers of the 60s. Shell Scott should be in the Top Ten of any readers list of favorite private eyes.” --Robert J. Randisi For four decades, Richard S. Prather published over 40 works of detective fiction, most featuring his clever, cad-about-town hero, Shell Scott. Known for their arched humor, punchy dialogue, and sunny Southern California locale, the Shell Scott books represent one of the greatest private eye collections ever produced. BODIES IN BEDLAM A Shell Scott Mystery Shell Scott. He's a guy with a pistol in his pocket and murder on his mind. The crime world's public enemy number one, this Casanova is a sucker for a damsel in distress. When a pair of lovely legs saunters into his office, he can't help but take the job, even when the case is a killer. Constanza Carmocha is like a cat in heat; she innocently purrs while scratching your eyes out with her razor-sharp claws. She is a dame skilled in the age-old act of bending men to her will, using no other weapon than her lips and the sensuous curve of her hips. But she had already left behind a trail of dead bodies, and this gal's blaze burns everyone who touches her. Shell's seen his fair share of women, and this one can't have a deeper bag of tricks than he? Or can she? Bodies in Bedlam is the 2nd book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

A prank by a flamboyant Spanish artist could cost Toby Peters his life. An ax-wielding monk hacks at the door. Toby Peters is on the other side, running as fast as his recently broken leg will allow. Alongside him is Salvador Dalí, dressed in a rabbit suit, insistently muttering'grasshoppers'as they try to make their escape. Dalí insists on being carried across the lawn, so Peters hobbles along with the surrealist in his arms. They get in the car just as the monk chops down the front door. The car doesn't start, and the monk charges silently, the ax in the air. This is not the strangest thing that has happened to Toby Peters this week. Life has been odd ever since the call came from Dalí's wife. Peters, suffering from post -- New Year's malaise, was happy to look into the theft of three of Dalí's paintings. He had no idea that the investigation might end with his face being turned into abstract art.

Toby Peters guards a horror icon against a gang of crazed vampire enthusiasts. Coffins fill the basement of a crumbling Los Angeles movie theater. Five vampires crowd around fading horror idol Bela Lugosi, peppering him with questions. A malfunctioning plastic fang causes one of the undead-wannabes to lisp. The effect is less than fearsome, but Lugosi is terrified, for one of these oddballs has been making threats on his life. He hires Toby Peters to provide security against his unbalanced fans. The detective is not concerned, but he should be. Even fake vampires can kill. Meanwhile, the Warner brothers contact Peters regarding a murder. A body has surfaced in one of Hollywood's darker corners, and police suspicion has fallen on one of the studio's star screenwriters: William Faulkner. As he struggles to balance the murder investigation while protecting Lugosi, Peters finds a thread connecting the two cases. To get Faulkner off the hook, he'll have to find out who wants to kill Hollywood's original Dracula.

Hollywood detective. Toby Peters does a job for one of Tinseltown's finest. It's been four years since security guard Toby Peters got fired from the Warner Brothers lot for breaking a screen cowboy's arm. Since then he's scratched out a living as a private detective -- missing persons and bodyguard work, mostly -- but now his old friends, the Warners, have a job for him. Someone has mailed the studio a picture of Errol Flynn caught in a compromising position with a very young girl. Although Flynn insists it's a fake, the studio is taking no chances. Toby is to deliver the blackmailer $5,000 and return with the photo negative. It should be simple, but Flynn, a swashbuckler on and off the screen, has a way of making things complicated. Though he isn't impressed by movie stars, if Toby Peters isn't careful he may end up dying for one.

'As far as I'm concerned, Richard S. Prather was the King of the paperback P.I writers of the 60s. Shell Scott should be in the Top Ten of any readers list of favorite private eyes.'--Robert J. Randisi For four decades, Richard S. Prather published over 40 works of detective fiction, most featuring his clever, cad-about-town hero, Shell Scott. Known for their arched humor, punchy dialogue, and sunny Southern California locale, the Shell Scott books represent one of the greatest private eye collections ever produced.'I'm Shell Scott, the Private Eye. Well, at least I have a private eye when blondes, brunettes or redhead babes are involved, and I can always spot a hot tamale. You can see why I love my work, and when I heard that Chester Drum was operating my own game on the East Coast, I was in for some ride. There's only room enough for one and Drum was working on my turf.'Honored with the Life Achievement Award by the Private Eye Writers of America!'(Shell Scott is) as amusingly blithe a figure as the field has seen since the Saint.'--Anthony Boucher Double in Trouble is the 20th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.

Toby Peters investigates threats to Judy Garland and a body on the MGM lot. A year after The Wizard of Oz's smash success, the yellow brick road is crumbling. The famous sets are stashed on a soundstage in the depths of the MGM back lot while the studio plans a sequel, and a strange addition has just been made to the scene: a munchkin in full costume lying facedown with a knife buried in his back. The studio boss calls Toby Peters, a Hollywood detective with a reputation for discretion, and asks for help keeping the murder quiet. MGM is a family company, and Judy Garland, who found the body, is a wholesome actress whose rising star cannot risk a whiff of scandal. But as Peters quickly learns, the threat to Miss Garland isn't the tabloids: It's the psychopathic killer whose turf is the back lot, and whose crime of choice is the murder of the silver screen's finest.

Investigating the alleged suicide of a hip-hop star, Gunner uncovers a murder. Carlton Elbridge, better known as C. E. Digga Jones, was too nice for gangsta rap. When he allegedly shot himself, he had millions in the bank, his face on the cover of Time magazine, and a nation of fanatics to mourn his death. He was found in a locked room, gun in his hand and bullet in his brain, and the police assumed it was suicide. Only the rapper's father thinks otherwise. Suspecting that his son was killed as the result of a hip-hop feud, Carlton's father hires private detective Aaron Gunner to investigate the death. As Gunner tries to juggle the case with security work for a conservative black talk-show host, he learns that for some in the hip-hop world, the thug life is much more than an act.

Carl Hiaasen meets Agatha Christie in this funny hard-boiled mystery starring Junior Bender—the thief-turned-PI hailed as “the clown prince of crime fiction” (Suspense Magazine). In present-day L.A., Junior faces a murderous conspiracy—and the increasingly confusing legacy of his burglar-mentor, Herbie Mott. It's everyday business when Wattles, the San Fernando Valley's top “executive crook,” sets up a hit. He establishes a chain of criminals to pass along the instructions and the money, ensuring that the hitter doesn't know who hired him. But one day Wattles finds his office safe open and a single item missing: the piece of paper on which he has written the names of the crooks in the chain. When people associated with the chain begin to pop up dead, the only person Wattles can approach to solve his problem is Junior Bender, professional burglar and begrudging private eye for crooks. But Junior already knows exactly who took Wattles's list: the signature is too obvious. It was Herbie Mott, Junior's burglar mentor—and when Junior seeks him out to discuss the missing list, he finds Herbie very unpleasantly murdered. Junior follows the links in the chain back toward the killer, and as he does, he learns disturbing secrets from Herbie's hidden past.

In the sixties era of black nationalism, political abductions, and epidemic police corruption, Easy's latest case will pull him—unremittingly and inevitably—into the darkest underbelly of Los Angeles. Rosemary Goldsmith, the daughter of a weapons manufacturer, has been kidnapped by a black revolutionary cell called Scorched Earth. Their leader, Uhuru Nolicé, is holding her for ransom and if he doesn't receive the money, weapons, and apology he demands, “Rose Gold” will die—horribly and publicly. So the authorities turn to Easy Rawlins, the one man who can cross the necessary lines to resolve this dangerous standoff and find Rose Gold before it's too late.

As a favor to his brother, Toby Peters does a job for a fading Hollywood diva. You can't trust a man who's dressed as Mae West, especially not in Mae West's house. One of Hollywood's earliest sex symbols, the whip-smart blonde's star has fallen since the Hays Code cracked down on the racy repartee that made her famous. Her latest project is a thinly veiled autobiographical novel, whose only copy is stolen just after she finishes her first draft. Tonight she's having a Mae West party, with every guest a man dressed as her. The thief is among those in drag, and Toby Peters has come to tear off his wig. He's there as a favor to his brother, a brutal cop who had a fling with West when she first moved to Hollywood. But this is more than a theft. The crook wants to destroy Mae West, and he has murder on his mind.

Gunner attempts to set the record straight for a dead police officer with a racist past. No one in South Central is surprised when Jack McGovern, a brutally racist cop, is accused of gunning down a black teenager in cold blood. But they are shocked when the LAPD actually responds to the charges, firing McGovern and leaving him without badge, pension, or pride. Eight months later, a thief breaks into a stereo store and encounters the disgraced cop, now a night security guard. McGovern draws his gun and, to the thief's surprise, shoots himself in the head. Few mourn the suicide, but one citizen is unsettled. A witness to the shooting that ended McGovern's career, Mitchell Flowers knows the cop wasn't lying when he said the teenager had fired first. Flowers hires private detective Aaron Gunner to clear the dead cop's name -- pitting Gunner against every civilian in South Central. Soon Gunner tugs on a chain of police corruption that stretches all the way to the top of the LAPD.

Toby Peters goes to Chicago to clear up a famous comic's gambling debts. There's nothing funny about the package that comes for Chico Marx. It's a severed ear, a simple message from a Chicago bookie who wants $120,000 from the world-renown Marx brother. The strange thing is that, though Chico likes to gamble, he hasn't been making bets in Chicago. Terrified, he goes to the studio for help. Louis B. Mayer, king of Hollywood, places a call to Toby Peters. Peters's first lead is promising. Traveling on the studio's dime, he makes his way to Florida where he gets an interview with Al Capone, deposed lord of the Chicago underworld. The retired bootlegger's mind has gone soft, and he doesn't know anything about Chico's bookie, but he suggests Peters speak to his brother. With Scarface's good word as an introduction, Peters goes to Chicago, where it will take more than a good sense of humor to keep the Marxes from getting axed.

A starlet is dead, and it falls to Scott Elliott to avenge her In the penthouse of a Las Vegas casino, a gang of mobsters play poker, betting sums that would make even the most seasoned gamblers blush. In the bedroom lies Beverly Brooks, one of Tinseltown's most beautiful leading ladies. She has been kidnapped for the amusement of the don. Scott Elliott, Hollywood sleuth, has come to save her. Dressed as a bellhop, he slips her out through the service elevator and they make their getaway down the Vegas strip. He has saved her life—for now. While shooting a cut-rate rip-off of Cleopatra, Brooks and her producer are killed in a plane crash that may lead back to the Mob. Elliott was supposed to be protecting her, and he let her down. To ease his conscience, Los Angeles'toughest private detective will have to give in to his hunger for revenge.

To avenge a long-ago death, a killer puts Toby Peters in his sights. On December 10, 1938, Atlanta burned again. In the back lot at David O. Selznick's studio, sets from a dozen old pictures were pushed together and set alight to provide a backdrop for the climax of what Selznick promised to be the movie of the century: Gone with the Wind. Toby Peters, then just a studio security guard, was on hand to help keep the dozens of Confederate extras in line. When the fire was over, he found one of them dead, impaled on his own sword. Five years later, Toby scratches out a living as a private detective for Hollywood's finest, several of whom have just been marked for death. On the back of a cryptic poem is a list of names of men who were on the scene the night the extra died. Two are already dead. One is Clark Gable. The other is Toby himself.

A simple job turns treacherous when Toby Peters stumbles upon a corpse. It's a lucky thing that Cary Grant once trained as an acrobat, because Toby Peters's life is in the actor's hands. As the two men sprint through the pitch-dark woods, trying to elude the man with the gun, they come to a canyon ledge. With nowhere to go but down, they scramble over the side. Peters slips, and Grant grabs hold of his wrist. As the killer closes in, Cary's grip begins to falter. The job began simply. Grant hired the Hollywood detective as a bagman in a blackmailing hand-off. He gives Toby a satchel full of cash, to be exchanged for an envelope of the leading man's secrets -- not sexual or financial, but details of his work for the British crown. When the envelope bearer winds up dead, Toby and Cary dive into a complex plot of murder, money, and Nazi spies, which ends with them trapped in an all-too-literal cliffhanger.