The Lover by Carter Brown

The bearded Prophet might be a phoney but the nude corpse on his alter was very real

1958 Horwitz Edition

The Prophet wore a loincloth and a deep tan. He was the pet of the society set who flipped over his doctrines of sun worship, fertility rites and sacrifices. The religious kick netted him a pretty profit until one of his sun loving followers left an offering on his alter. A very beautiful, very nude and very dead blonde. The corpse sends free wheeling California police Lieutenant Al Wheeler on a whirlwind chase, A chase that brings him into close contact with a torrid blonde, a sizzling brunette, and a cold killer.

New American Library Editions

The Prophet was the guy in the loincloth who was assisted by.....Eloise, the brunette who sent the shrine donations rolling in even faster for........Ralph Bennett, who was the Prophet's business manager. he figured he owed something to.....Charlie Elliot, the lush whose whole world was centered in the nearest unopened bottle and turned up at the party given by........... Stella Gibb, the blonde who loved men. All men except her husband.......Cornelius Gibb, the only sun worshiper who thought the Prophet was a screwball, not like......Edgar Romair, the retired Broadway actor, who could not find an audience in......Peter Pines, the poet whose talents were chained to a faucet sending....Al Wheeler to Candy Logan, the gorgeous brunette widow. She was having trouble with.....Harry Weisman, the sharp man, too sharp for his world.

New English Edition

Printing History

Horwitz Editions

Numbered Series #72 1958

International Edition #3 1960

International Edition #60 1969

Double Edition #6a 1980

New American Editions

Signet #1620 (1st) January 1959

 Signet (2nd Canada) unkn

Signet #2742 (3rd) 1964

New English Editions

Four Square Books #790 1963

Cover by Martelmans

The Lover was first published by Horwitz Publications in 1958 as #72 in the Numbered Series.