The Carnival of Death

The Carnival of Death (Mystery/Suspense)

By L. Ron Hubbard

Galaxy Press www.goldenagestories.com

ISBN #978-1592122479

136 Pages

Price $9.95

Rating 5-Stars

This book actually contains two stories by L. Ron Hubbard: THE CARNIVAL OF DEATH, originally published in the 11/34 Popular Detective, and THE DEATH FLYER, originally published in the 4/36 Fantasy Magazine.

            In THE CARNIVAL OF DEATH, Henry Shreve contacts the government asking for help, as he believes his carnival, SHREVE’S MAMMOTH CARNIVAL is being used to distribute drugs. The Secret Service sends agent Robert W. Clark to act as the carnival detective, and discover the drug connection. Instead, Bob Clark discovers several murders. Men with their heads decapitated, and four African headhunters are missing from the show. Does this have anything to do with the drugs? And who is the young blond man that keeps getting in his way?

            In THE DEATH FLYER, civil engineer Jim Bellamy is returning to camp after working late one night. Following a set of railroad tracks, he’s suddenly caught in them as a train approaches. But the train stops and the train engineer tells him to get on board. But something is amiss. He’s among a train of ghosts. He doesn’t have a ticket, but a pretty young girl approaches and gives him one, then tells him she’s been waiting for him. Ten years ago this train ran off the tracks and fell into a river, killing all on board. It’s up to Jim to stop the train this time, if he can. If not, he might join the dead passengers.

            This was a fun book, both stories topnotch, and though I enjoyed the mystery, I loved the ghost story best. I just haven’t read a ghost story in years, and this one was so much fun, it made me want to read more of them. Guess I’ve been missing something in my reading. Regardless, I highly recommend this to mystery – and ghost – lovers.

Tom Johnson

Author of THE MIND MASTER

A Dark Redemption

A Dark Redemption (Detective Murder Mystery)

By Stav Sherez

ISBN #978-1609451172

Europa Editions

Price $17.00

345 Pages

Rating 5-Stars

“Gritty and Real.”

A young East African student from the university is found murdered in a London apartment. She had been raped and viciously mutilated, her dying words videotaped. Jack Carrigan, Detective-inspector of the Criminal Investigation Division, is assigned the case with an assistant, Detective-constable Geneva Miller. With their team of investigators assembled, Carrigan and Miller trace the girl’s background and studies as far as possible, though records are mysteriously blocked at the university, and there appears to be interference from both the African embassy and British Foreign Affairs. Who was the murdered girl, and why was she killed in such a brutal manner?

There is a back story concerning Jack Carrigan and two close friends who, twenty years previous had graduated from college together, and decided to vacation in East Africa before entering promising careers. Jack Carrigan was a musician on his way to the top already with an album. But something happened during that trip to Uganda that summer, and we get small hints throughout the story, but nothing concrete until the very end. Jack never continued his music career, but became a criminal investigator instead. Did that vacation have something to do with the murder of this girl?

A novel as powerful as this comes along rarely in the mystery field. The plot is gritty, real, and with strong characters moving the story from beginning to end. There is deep emotion driving the murderer, and the reader follows the investigators as they uncover clues and suspects. The story doesn’t bog down with the backstory, as we are only fed small bits occasionally, not all at once.  A thrilling mystery you will not want to put down.

Tom Johnson

Detective Mystery Stories

Early Paul Bishop

I thought it would be fun to post an old magazine with a Paul Bishop short story for his fans.  Here is Issue #2 of Detective Story Magazine, September 1988, from Gary Lovisi. Paul's story is "The Neighbor Hood". The issue also contains material by Michael Avallone and C.J. Henderson, as well as others. The cover is by Ron Wilber, who did a lot of the covers for our Fading Shadows magazines, including Detective Mystery Stories.