In The Hour Before Midnight by Jack Higgins

Stacey Wyatt was a gifted piano player and a soldier of fortune, and escaped prisoner from an Egyptian prison. He was on his way to a second chance at life. Or was it death?

Stacey Wyatt knows the power of the Mafia. He has seen what its brutal vengeance and sinister corruption can do. But when he is broken out of prison and brought to Sicily, his only choice is to enter the Mafia's shadowy world of treachery and death. His was a simple job, rescue the daughter of a wealthy businessman from the Sicilian bandit who had kidnapped her. The money was big, and the risk was worth it. But it's only when he's in too deep that he realizes the tables have turned, the job was a setup, and the only person left to trust is himself.

Printing History

written by Harry Patterson (1929-)

copyright 

1969 by Jack Higins

Fawcett Gold Medal Books

P3355

November 1975

G.P. Putnam's Sons
2000

Bonus Cover

Carter Brown Triple Play

Stark House Mystery Classics 

The First 3 Al Wheeler Mysteries

Stark House Press brings back a true classic writer from down under.

 Carter Brown was the pen name for Alan Geoffery Yates (1923-1985). He worked as a salesman, a film sound recordist, and an encyclopedia salesman before becoming a publicity write for Qantas Airlines. During his time with Qantas he started writing and in 1951 began writing full time with Horwtiz Publishing House. Mr Yates turned out more than 300 Carter Brown Mysteries from 1951 until 1984. He passed away on May 5th 1985. He was posthumously awarded a "Ned Kelly" in 1997.

Printing History

Written by Alan G Yates (1923-1985)

Stark House Press

October 2017

ISBN 781944 520335

Wench Is Wicked

1955 by Horwitz Publications

Blond Verdict

1956 by Horwitz Publications

1960 by Signet Books (as The Brazen)

Delilah Was Deadly

1956 by Horwitz Publications 

Bonus Covers

Check Force: The Peking Plot by Ralph Hayes

 China was the oldest civilization in the world and was about to become extinct

 

An angry Chinese general, stewing over land currently controlled by the Soviets but, in his opinion, historically belonging to the Chinese, has a plan for taking back the region by force. This plan is backed solidly by Force III, knowing that such a conflict would soon escalate into war and could even extend to a World War.

20th Century Warlord 

The revolution in China was not over. General Sheng-Tse was clawing his way into power, pledged to recover lands lost to the Russians. And the war like general was backed by Force III, a secret organization dedicated to world destruction.  

Force III

Put an entire arsenal at his disposal, knowing the Chinese general would suck both Russia and the U.S. into the final war.

Chane: a fugitive CIA agent and

Karlov: a disaffected Russian spy

They were the only ones who could stop the coming crisis. For while the world celebrated detente, it would soon be mourning a devastated planet. 

Printing History

Written by Ralph E Hayes

Manor Books

12348

1975

Marked For Murder by Brett Halliday

When a crime wave grips Miami, Mike Shayne comes home to fight

Robert McGinnis Cover

 In the city room of the Courier, a reporter blocks out the clatter of typewriters to tell Miami the truth. In the past week, three murders have been committed in Miami Beach, and Timothy Rourke is the only person who sees the connection. As the mayor and the chief of police deny rumors of a crime wave, Rourke hollers from page one: Organized crime has taken over Miami, and the bloodshed has only just begun. Rourke is beaten to a pulp for exposing the mob's dirty dealings, and then he discovers a hot-eyed blonde in his apartment packing a .32. The situation is spinning out of control, and only one man can save the city from itself: Mike Shayne. He left Miami for New Orleans after the death of his beloved, and he will return with all the fury of an avenging angel. 

 Bonus Covers

Robert McGinnis Cover

Robert McGinnis Cover

Printing History

Written by Davis Dresser (1904-1977) 

Dodd Mead & Company 

1945

Dell Publishing Company

#222  1948

D291 1959 

#5386 June 1968

#5386 1970

Trivia

Originally published as “The Vanishing Blonde,” Mystery Book Magazine, December 1945

The Assassination Bureau, Ltd by Jack London and Robert L. Fish

A secret organization, The Assassination Bureau, Ltd., headed by Ivan Dragomiloff,  will assassinate evildoers, for example, corrupt police commissioners, legislators, politicians, etc.; but will not act unless convinced that the target truly is worthy of assassination. In a twist of fate, Dragomiloff finds himself pitted against the secret assassination agency he founded.

 Bonus Covers

 Printing History

Written by Jack London (1876-1916)

based on an unfinished novel

Finished by Robert Lloyd Fish (1912-1981)

McGraw-Hill

1963

The Film

 1969

 

 Cast

Oliver Reed as Ivan Dragomiloff
Diana Rigg as Sonya Winter
Telly Savalas as Lord Bostwick
Curd Jürgens as General von Pinck
Philippe Noiret as Monsieur Lucoville
Warren Mitchell as Herr Weiss
Beryl Reid as Madame Otero 

Clive Revill as Cesare Spado

Kenneth Griffith as Monsieur Popescu

Vernon Dobtcheff as Baron Muntzof

Annabella Incontrera as Eleanora Spado

Jess Conrad as Angelo

George Coulouris as Swiss Peasant

Directed by

Basil Dearden

Nice Girls Finish Last by Sparkle Hayter

Robin Hudson, a reporter for the All News Network, overcomes a loathsome boss and a dead-end career when she discovers that the murder of her gynecologist may be connected to random shootings at her network. 

At 37 with one filed marriage and several lousy dates behind her, Robin Hudson is working on a new attitude/ A positive Mental Attitude. Sure she will still be toiling away in the tabloid Special Reports Unit at the All News Network for her loathsome boss Jerry Spurdle. But amidst the cutbacks she thinks a good attitude might improve her karma. Besides, she's added to her personal defense system a new weapon. A hot glue gun with two settings, steam and spray. So what could go wrong? Then her gynecologist is murdered, and her boss sends her to investigate a link with the S&M sex club underworld. In the meantime, someone is taking potshots at ANN's male talent. Are the shootings connected to the murder of the doctor? To Robin? Her Positive Mental Attitude hanging by a thread, robin must solve the mystery, or she may never have another date.

Printing History

Written by Sparkle Hayter

Penguin Books

ISBN 14-024516

April 1997