Death Rides The Valkyrie

One of pulpdom's most popular characters is back in a new adventure! Stalwart District Attorney Tony Quinn fought for justice in the courtroom until he was blinded in an attempt to save vital evidence. His remaining senses were heightened while his world remained dark. But then fate intervened and he was able to obtain the eyes of a dying policeman in a secret operation. Quinn could see again! Now to the world he remains a merely a blind, former DA but, to the criminal underworld, he is the BLACK BAT! A force for justice against the criminals the court can't touch.

On the eve of World War Two, Germany's greatest zeppelin, The Valkyrie, is on a good will tour across the US.

But there's trouble on board and disaster on the horizon if Tony Quinn, the Black Bat, and his crew can't solve the mystery of a stolen jewel in time. And why did a reformed thief suddenly commit suicide? Or did he? The clock is ticking and peace hangs in the balance!

Death Rides The Valkyrie (Pulp Adventure)

By Andrew Salmon

Timepiece Press

ASIN #B012AA52O6

Price $.99 (Kindle)

68 Pages

Rating 4-Stars

The Valkyrie, Germany’s greatest zeppelin is flying over America showing their superiority over our air space. In New York it takes on Tony Quinn and his aides, as well as Captain McGrath, who is publicizing the rehabilitation of a career criminal. This is to give plausibility to the plot. The trip plans stops in Chicago and L.A. While en route to Chicago a valuable ruby is stolen from a countess, and prints on the safe are revealed as those of the career criminal. But other things are happening. There appears to be a mysterious German team aboard, and one of them has a cloak of invisibility.

The whole story takes place on the airship, which gives it a fun read. The theft of the ruby is a red herring, however, and the real plot is the destruction of the zeppelin, with thousands of deaths, and clues to America causing the disaster.

The author switches roles with the aides a bit. Butch doesn’t get to bang any heads together, and it’s Silk who does the fisticuffs, while lovely Carol does the shooting (yeah, inside a gas bag). Plus, I didn’t think the setting was a good choice for The Black Bat, though the story was well written and plotted. The magic cloak was a bit odd for the pulp character, too, though Germany was sure into the occult at the time; though the pulps usually tried to give explanations to the reader for mysteries like invisibility. And we’re told that when the career criminal was rehabilitated, he was given new fingerprints. Really? That one I really wanted explained. But in the end, this was a fun read, and the author kept me involved in the story. Highly recommended.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE BLACK BAT’S WAR