Whitman Mystery Stories - Gene Autry and the Thief River Outlaws

This book is definitely a far cry from what I would normally read.  As I mentioned in a recent post about the Judge Colt comic book series (Judge Colt - Gold Key Comics), I am not a fan of westerns.  The only reasons I picked this book up is because (a) I have grown to realize that a number of these Whitman Authorized Editions actually contain some really good stories, (b) the book came with its original dust jacket in pretty good shape, and (c) the price was right.  I set it on my "to be read" pile some time ago and left it there.  Well, after enjoying the Judge Colt series from Gold Key comics, I thought I might as well give this book a try and see how it holds up.

 

Gene Autry and the Thief River Outlaws is one of two Whitman Authorized Editions about the western movie star, both written by Bob Hamilton. This book, copyright 1944, appears to be the first of the two, with the second being published two years later in 1946 (Gene Autry and the Redwood Pirates).  While the book uses Autry's name and likeness, and while the character is quite well-known to the people in the story, it is not the actual Gene Autry in the tale (which makes sense, since the story takes place in the 1800s and the Old West, and the actor was clearly not around then - he simply make films about that time!).  Autry is basically a drifter, going from town to town, sometimes serving as a special deputy for law enforcement, other times simply helping out those in need, such as takes place in this book.  Like the real Gene Autry, the book-Autry has a horse named Champ, clearly modeled after the real Autry's horse, Champion.  

 

The story is the typical western fare, which you would have likely seen on the big screen.  Autry has been asked to come to Thief River Canyon to help out a friend of a friend.  It seems Jim Farnsworth is have some difficulty with the construction of a bridge that is to cross the canyon, which would allow trains to save time by taking a direct route rather than going around the canyon.  But Farnsworth has been laid up after an accident has left him with an injured leg.  On top of that, strange accidents have been taking place - the workers were all made sick through food poisoning; necessary parts were delivered to the wrong place, delaying work; a nearby fire resulted in the men being called away to help put it out; and the donkey engine broke down, resulting in more lost time while they waited for a new part.  (And for those wondering, like me, what is a donkey engine?  well, that happens to be a steam or internal combustion engine with a winch and drums used for pulling cables to move heavy loads!)

 

Farnsworth and his right-hand man, Tennessee (his real name is never said) are certain someone is behind all of these mishaps, and Gene Autry has been called in to investigate.  Autry is concerned an old enemy of his, Trig Marsden, might be involved, but the workmen have to wonder if the new engineer, Dude Dudley, is not the cause.  (Man, you just gotta love these names!)  One of the workers winds up dead when the cables on the donkey engine snap, and Farnsworth has to struggle to keep men from walking off the job.  Autry starts to look into things, and he learns that if Farnsworth does not complete the job within a specified time, the government will take it away from him and turn it over to Mr. Hind, a competing engineer who is only ready to take the job (and the money that comes with it!) away.  But will he really sabotage the work being done just to make a buck?  What do you think....?

 

Surprisingly, there are no gunfights or showdowns at sunrise as one would expect in a western tale. However, there is plenty of kidnapping, brawls, and horseback riding to remind you that this is definitely an Old West tale.  Plus, we have the one obligatory woman thrown into the mix - Betty Jackson.  A not-so-near neighbor who has been coming over to cook and keep house for Farnsworth while he is down and out.  She has plenty of playful banter with Tennessee, and she's got quite the backbone, not being taken in by Dudley's plays for her.  Of course, as anyone with common sense can figure out, when a woman in a story like this is determined to keep a particular man away from her, it is pretty much a given she will end up with him by the end of the story ... and, wouldn't you know it, this book is no different.  

 

While the story was somewhat entertaining, I have to say that the climax is what I would consider the saving grace for this book (at least for those, like me, who don't really enjoy westerns). The villains have sabotaged the bridge itself on the night before the train is set to cross for the first time - just when they think they are going to win, Autry shows up with Hind in tow, forcing Hind on to the train to take the ride with them.  Well, you can pretty much guess what Hind's reaction will be, seeing as how he knows exactly what's been done to the bridge!  I found myself cheering Autry's ingenuity in turning the tables on the crooks and forcing them to reveal their own dirty work before any damage is done!

 

The interior art is provided by Dan Muller.  I can't say for certain, but it appears Muller is likely the same Dan Muller (1889- 1976) who was a real-life cowboy, known for his art depicting scenes of the American West.  It would only make sense that an artist such as Muller would be chosen to illustrate a book like this.  His line drawings give the reader a definite feel for the period and location, making it evident the artist was quite familiar with the subject matter.  His end pages provide a rather tame scene where Autry goes into town to see what he can find out about Trig Marsden, and it even accurately shows "Pete Lonergin's Cafe" as referenced in the story itself.  Unlike many of the end pages in Whitman books, this one does not spoil any of the action or surprises from the story.  The book came with two different dust jackets - one, which I have, showing a group of cowboys galloping across the plane with an inset of the actor, Gene Autry; the other is a full wrap around cover, which shows a full-figure of Autry, holding his gun and lasso on the front, and standing beside Champ on the back.  Not sure what prompted the change in covers, and honestly, I can't say which one came first (although some sellers online list what they call "first printings" of the book with the dust jacket I have, so perhaps that is the case).

 

While not exactly my cup of tea, I will say that the story was well-plotted and had its moments.

 

RATING:  7 orders of hydrochloric acid out of 10 for a western adventure filled with plenty of action and a bit of mystery, along with a few surprise twists at the end.

Mary and Marilyn: Double-Trouble Twins

I'm always on the look-out for series books that feature twins: from the more modern Scarlet & Ivy series to the vintage Bobbsey Twins and Hope Twins series.  I chanced upon this particular at the Atlanta Vintage Bookstore a few years back, and I picked it up, thinking perhaps it was a series I had never heard of before.  As it turns out, this is the only book published with these characters (that I am aware of!), written by Bess Ann Elliot and published in 1938 by Cupples & Leon, the same company that published the Kay Tracey series, as well as the Penny Parker series and many others back in the day.  I can find no real information online about Ms. Elliot, and it appears this is the only book written under this name.  Whether the name is the author's real name or a pseudonym is a mystery in and of itself!

 

Mary and Marilyn: Double-Trouble Twins, while a story of twin girls, is mostly the story of nine-year old Marilyn North Starr, who lives with her grandfather and her aunt, Sally Ann.  The reader quickly learns that Marilyn's father was presumed dead while serving in the war (that would be World War I, in light of the publication date of this book), and her mother died of a broken heart not long after.  As it turns out, Marilyn is one of two twin sisters who, after both their parents died, were separated by the court system when the fathers of both parents fought for custody.  Grandfather North (the mother's father) was given one child to raise, while Grandfather Starr (the father's father) was given the other.  North and Starr hated one another, blaming each other for the marriage of what they believed to be their mis-matched children, and once the two twins were separated, the men vowed never to allow them to see each other.  Starr went so far as to build a dividing fence between the properties, and Marilyn was raised to never try and cross over on to Starr property.  (Oh, and yes, it must be mentioned that the North family was not well-to-do, while the Starr family was more than wealthy!)

 

If anyone has ever watched any of the versions of Walt Disney's The Parent Trap, then you can pretty much see where this is going.  Interestingly, The Parent Trap was based upon a German's novel published in 1949, as well as resembles a 1945 film with a similar plot; however, this book, with the very same premise of separated twins switching places to fool their families, was published nearly a decade prior to either of those. It would be more proper to say this story was inspired by Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper, published back in the 1880s, in which an heir to the thrown switches places with a young peasant boy, and they experience each other's lives.  Elliot, however, in this book, reverses the fortunes - instead of the poor family being the abusive one, in this book, it is the wealthy grandfather who is distant and has shown no love or mercy on his granddaughter.  

 

As indicated above, the story focuses on Marilyn, the "poor" granddaughter, who is vibrant, full of life, and is the one who suggests the girls switch identities so that her sister can experience a family who loves her for once.  While we do get the story told from Mary's point-of-view on occasion, the majority of the book is seen through Marilyn's eyes, which is probably for the best, since she is the one who is thrilled with all of her experiences, yet, at the time, longing to return to her aunt and grandfather.  When the girls first make the switch, Marilyn accidentally injures herself (breaks her nose!) when Mary's dog Rex pulls roughly away from her to follow his mistress (it seems even though the twins look exactly alike, the dog can still tell which one is his true mistress).  Her grandfather, a famed surgeon, well known in the hospital and surrounding areas, takes her to the hospital, where Marilyn is stuck while Mary goes off on a vacation in her stead with Grandfather North and Sally Ann!  As one might expect, Marilyn's outgoing personality cannot help but shine through, and soon enough, she begins to melt the heart of her Grandfather Starr, who begins to not only suspect this is not the granddaughter he raised (albeit in boarding schools and without any familial love), but he starts to realize the mistakes he has made over the past nine years.

Elliot does not really introduce much mystery into the book, as much as she does the misadventures of Marilyn as she attempts to get to know her twin sister and share her life with her.  Elliot does, however, provide a sub-plot involving one Mr. Jones, a peculiar man who boards at the North's other neighbor's house.  Mr. Jones ultimately takes up residence in Grandfather North's houseboat, and he becomes a friend and confidant of both Marilyn and Mary.  Adult readers of the book will instantly figure out who Mr. Jones really is, but the audience for whom this story is actually intended will likely not realize his true identity and be in for a pleasant surprise when it is revealed at the end of the book.  

 

Regardless of the similarities to The Parent Trap and the obvious plot elements taken from The Prince and the Pauper, the story was a fun read in its own right.  Elliot breathed the right amount of playfulness, inquisitiveness, and family loyalty into young Marilyn that the reader cannot help but find no fault in all of her actions, and it seems only natural that she would be the one to warm Grandfather Starr's heart so as to open it for his in-laws and his own granddaughters.  The happy ending is definitely fairy-tale like in style, but it provides the reader a very satisfying conclusion (although it does leave the reader wanting for more, making me wish the author and publisher had continued this as a series, rather than just one-book offering). 

 

Something I did find odd is that after purchasing this book, I looked all over to try and find out what the dust jacket art looked like, but I found absolutely no image of the dust jacket anywhere online!  All copies I could find for sale with images had no dust jacket.  I finally located a copy on ABE that was selling with with a DJ for a relatively low price, but there were no pictures - so I took a chance and bought it.  So glad I did!  The dust jacket has some gorgeous cover art, in the same style as Mildred Wirt's Trailer Stories series.  There's no signature on the dust jacket, nor on the sole internal illustration at the front of the book, so I cannot identify who the artist is (if, indeed, the same artist did both the dust jacket and the frontis piece - it could have been two different artists).  Regardless, I am absolutely thrilled to have a copy with the dust jacket in beautiful shape. 

 

Oh, and I did discover in the back of my dust jacketed copy of the book that this book is from the "Junior Books for Boys and Girls" series from Cupples & Leon, with other books such as Rex: The Story of a Dog by Fullerton Waldo; One Boy Too Many by L.H. Mitchell; Here, Tricks, Here! by L.H. Mitchell; The Sea Dog by Arthur C. Bartlett; and others.  Based on this, I can assume this was never intended to be a series, but merely a one-off. 

 

I am glad I picked this book up, as it was worth the read and makes a nice addition to my collection of "twins" in series books.

 

RATING:  8 crayon-drawn sketches on a hospital room wall out of 10 for an adventurous tale of troublesome twins, mistaken identities, and family love and forgiveness! 

Short Lived Comic Series #33 - Judge Colt (Gold Key Comics)

I am by no means a fan of westerns, whether it be television, movies, books or comics.  I remember watching The Rifleman with my mom every Saturday afternoon, and I can remember being bored to tears, waiting desperately for the episode to be over so we could watch Alfred Hitchcock Presents.  Back in the '80s, when comics increased in price from 40 cents to 50 cents, and DC Comics added those 8-extra page stories, I did pick up Jonah Hex, mainly because at the time, I was trying out pretty much everything.  I did not buy a lot of issues, as the western tales could not keep my interest.  Flash forward 40 years (yowza!  has it really been that long?), and while at a local comic convention, I stumbled across three issues of a Gold Key title about a "hangman judge" in the Old West.  They were cheaply priced for the good condition they were in, so I picked them up, figuring I could find the fourth issue at some point.  And that I did.  So, with all four issues in hand, I sat down to read them, wondering if they would hold my interest any better than past westerns had done...

 

Judge Colt was published back from 1969 to 1970, with cover dates of October 1969, February 1970, May 1970, and September 1970.  While the indicia indicated a quarterly schedule, as one can see from the cover dates, that schedule was very flexible.  Cover priced at just 15 cents, with beautifully painted covers by Steve Grass (first issue only) and Richard Green (possibly for issues two, three, and four), the comic was promoted as the story of "The Hangman Judge" - following the adventures of Mark Colt, a judge who is reknowned for issuing harsh sentences and hanging criminals more often than not.  But, as is made clear in the first issue, Judge Colt harbors a secret - he has a reason for the decisions he makes, and his travels have a purpose other than just dispensing justice throughout the towns of the American frontier.  All four issues were written by Leo Dorfman, who authored a number of Superman-related titles for DC Comics, but also writing some stories for Dell, Fawcett, and Gold Key comic companies.

 

ISSUE 1 - "The Hangman Judge" is told in two chapters, Part I being "Trial by Sixgun" and Part II being "The Justice of the Noose."  According to the Grand Comic Database, the story was written by Leo Dorfman, with art possibly provided by John Celardo.  The issue opens with Judge Colt traveling west in the 1870s, drifting across the Arkansas territory.  He happens across a fierce gun battle between a gang of thieves and military men safeguarding the army payroll.  The leader of the gang is the Tattoo Kid, and Colt takes it upon himself to track him down and bring him to justice.  He ultimately brings the criminal, along with several others, to justice, sentencing them to death by hanging.  Throughout this first issue, there is a subplot, as Colt unmasks every criminal, obviously looking for someone specific.  Plus every time Colt is forced to use his gun for any reason, his hands shake uncontrollably, and he seems incredibly frightened.  I rather liked the fact they did not reveal all in that first issue, but dangled some plot threads for the reader to learn about in future issues (which, thankfully, there were...).

 

ISSUE 2 -  "Death Writes the Verdict" is another two-part story, with Part I as "Justice Stands Trial" and Part II as "Twilight of the Chiefs."  This issue is one again written by Leo Dorfman, but the artist is identified as either Jose Delbo or John Celardo.  Oddly enough, Judge Colt looks considerably older in the art of this issue, from a young man of maybe 30 or so in the first issue to a man who appears to be in his late 40s in this issue.  The story finds Judge Colt in Indian territory, where he rescues an Indian accused of stealing from being hanged. He quickly learns there is a war brewing among the Indian tribes, and when Colt works to aid the Indian he rescued, he makes enemies of a warring tribe. In the end, though, Judge Colt sees justice served and heads on his way.  While we do not learn anything more about the man he is searching for, we do see him continue to shake every time he is forced to use his gun.

 

ISSUE 3 - "Time of the Assassin" features yet another two-parter, with Part I titled "A Man with a Mission" and Part II titled "The End of the Masquerade."  Written by Leo Dofrman, this issue is said to have art by Jose Delbo, although like the previous issues, it is unsigned and uncredited.  This time around Judge Colt helps a missionary group, who is being threatened and robbed by a group of criminals posing as actors.  It is finally revealed that Colt is searching for the men who killed his wife Maria on their second wedding anniversary - "I'll remember their faces! I'll hunt them down, Maria, if it takes a lifetime" he promises his dying wife.  And I was pleasantly surprised by the twist ending, which really caught me off-guard - and made for a great read!

 

ISSUE 4 -  "Trial by Fury" is the final story, with Part I ("Medals of Death") and Part II ("The Final Reckoning") providing readers with the last adventure of Judge Mark Colt.  The art is once again provided by Jose Delbo.  In this final tale, Judge Colt must track down a serial killer who leaves a Civil War medal pinned to the chest of each of his victims.  Colt uncovers a list of victims and races to save the next person on the list, coming face-to-face with the killer - the last person he would have suspected!  After sentencing the man to justice (death by hanging, of course), Col rides off into the sunset, wondering, "Am I any better...? Is it justice I'm handing our, or retribution?  Maybe someday I'll find the answer."

 

Unfortunately, neither Judge Colt nor readers of the comic got that answer, as the series came to an end with that fourth issue.  I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed reading the series.  Perhaps that is because Judge Colt was not your typical western lawman, and while there were certainly some stand-offs and some gunfights, it was clear that the character only turned to violence as a last resort.  The underlying plot thread of Colt searching for his wife's killers added some depth to the character, and to the stories, and gave it a near soap opera feel to the story.  While each issue featured a different location, different villains, and a different supporting cast, one almost got a feel of "David Banner" from The Incredible Hulk television show - a loner, wandering from town to town, facing criminals and ne'er-do-wells while at the same time trying to resolve his own internal struggles.  The western aspect of the series was merely the setting.  Dorman's storytelling is what made the series a good read.

 

I would have to say this is probably a very underrated series.  Gold Key is probably more popularly known for its Walt Disney comics, as well as its Twilight Zone and Boris Karloff horror titles, as well as a number of licensed properties, such as Buck Rogers, Dark Shadows, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Star Trek, Battle of the Planets, and others; however, the exceptional writing of this book, along with the art of comic great Jose Delbo, definitely serve to make this book more than just a typical Old West title.  Even for those, like me, who are not fans of the western genre, I would recommend picking up this title, if you can find inexpensive copies.  The stories are well-plotted and perfectly paced, the characters are far more than the stereotypical, cardboard cut-outs - they have depth, and Judge Mark Colt especially tugs at your heart strings as you keep hoping he is going to find those men who forever changed his life.

 

More and more, I'm discovering that Gold Key comics, from Western Publishing Company, was way more than a sub-par comic company.  They offered up some fantastic titles, such as this, that far surpass the stories that are being told in today's comics (I mean, let's be realistic - each of these single story issues would be dragged out over six-issued each in today's market!).  I'm glad now that I picked up these issues, and I certainly will take a closer look at other Gold Key titles I happen to run across while combing through back issue bins as comic conventions!

 

RATING:  8 ever-tightening hangman nooses out of 10 for offering up way more than just western action in through-provoking, moving stories about a man with a broken heart and a true sense of justice! 

The Secret of the Devil's Cave - a Magnum Gothic original

This is now the second Gothic novel I've read that was written by Jennifer Hale (otherwise known as Frank E. Smith (1919-1984), the previous one being Ravensridge, published in 1971, just two years prior to this one.  The plots of both books are entirely different, but the stories are both exceptionally suspenseful and filled with mystery and drama.  I am still, to this day, awed at the ability of these male authors, back in the day, writing so well books aimed at a female audience, capturing so nicely the strength of their female protagonists without making them helpless (but giving them just enough danger to need a man to assist in their journey through the Gothic tropes).  While this book was also written in a first-person perspective (which I am not a fan of at all!), just like the previous book, I will still able to thoroughly enjoy and get caught up in the story. 

 

The Secret of Devil's Cave is a book I would have picked up on the title alone, as it invokes memories of all those children's series book titles from back in the day (The Mystery of ... / The Clue in ... / The Secret at ... / etc.).  The story centers around young Beth Nolan, whose father has died and left her property in the Ozarks of Missouri, on which is located not only a rather large mansion, but also some cave that goes by the name "Devil's Cave."  Beth is shocked, as her father never mentioned this property, and although Beth knows they moved from Missouri when she was three years old, she was unaware he had no sold all of the property the family owned at that time.  It seems her father had some secrets to keep, one of which is a mysterious photograph of a gravestone that is not engraved.  Who would bury someone, place a headstone at the grave, and then not inscribe it?  Having no other choice, Beth temporarily closes the antique shop she and her father ran and travels to Devil's Cave to claim her inheritance.

 

Hale (a/k/a Smith) sets the mood of the story right from the get-go, with Beth driving through some extremely dense fog, lost within the Ozarks as she tries to make her way to the cave.  When she finally comes across a small gas station / general store, she is met with some hesitation when she asks directions to her destination. From the owner of the store, Beth learns the cave is said to be haunted, with people hearing voices calling out in the cave.  She also learns that two girls have died in the cave - one by accident (supposedly), but the other murdered.  And the alleged murderer was never convicted and still lives on the property that neighbors her own!  On top of all that, Beth also learns the Bratcher family lives on her property, having been there ever since her own family left, and everyone thought the family owned the land.  The store owner warns her the family will not be happy when she stakes her claim.  And, boy, he wasn't wrong!

 

Earl Bratcher and his wife are definitely none-too-pleased at Beth's sudden appearance.  Earl insists he has a signed contract with Beth's father, allowing him to manage the property and tourist attraction, yet he persistently makes excuses why he cannot show it to her.  The Bratchers' two sons - Walt and Mark - run hot and cold: Walt is sarcastic and clearly does not welcome Beth's presence, while Mark is a bit more reserved and takes Beth under his wing to try and protect her a bit from his family's harsh attitudes.  The Bratchers' daughter, Leda, is a bit of a wild child, one who happens to be in love with Charles Woodward - the very man accused of killing the young girl in the cave!  Then there is poor Flossie, Walt's wife.  She is not quite all there (being the product of inbreeding, as Earl so bluntly puts it), but Beth feels sympathy for her and tries to become her friend ... until she learns that some years back, Flossie killed her brother's dog and dumped it down the "bottomless" well inside the cave, all because her husband liked the dog better than her ... and she won't let her husband like anything, or anyone better than her ... including Beth!

 

There is definitely plenty of suspense and mystery in this book - who really killed those girls in the cave?  Why did the Bratchers close the cave, and what happened to the guest who disappeared while exploring the cave some weeks ago?  Is there really a hidden treasure somewhere within the cave?  Why does the father of a local artist have a painting of Beth in his house?  What is the secret behind the photo of that tombstone, and how will the answer to that question change Beth's life forever?  What surprising revelations are being held within the old trunk in the basement of the great house?  And just why does that old woman who claims to be a witch think that Beth is a dead woman come back to life?  What knowledge does she have about Beth, the Devil's Cave, and the Bratcher family that will reveal a past so dark and filled with lies and secrets that no one will come out unscathed?

 

This book proved to be a fantastic read, a page-turner that I literally could not put down until I had finished it.  The cover artist is not identified, and while I do like it, I have to admit it has some oddities to it.  Beth's hair flying up like that makes it seem like there's an air draft coming from beneath her (makes me think of that famous image of Marilyn Monroe trying to keep her dress down as the air blows up from below), and those lamp posts are all leaning inward, pointing toward the mansion behind Beth - not sure why the artist chose that kind of perspective, but it seems just a bit off.  However, the barren trees, the coloring of that sky behind the house, and Beth's expression definitely create a sense of terror that fits the story within.

 

That's two for two with the Jenifer Hale Gothics I have read, so it gives me strong reason to find the rest of her (his) Gothics and read them as well!

 

RATING:  10 glass coffins on display out of 10 for a superb Gothic mystery with just the right touches of supernatural suspense and hellish horror!