Friday, August 30, 2013

The New Avengers

The Return Of The Legendary British TV Cult Classic


Starring

Patrick Macnee (1922 - )
as John Steed

Joanna Lumley (1946 - )
as Purdey

Gareth Hunt (1942-2007)
as Mike Gambit

Steed is back...and he's brought two new friends

After debonair British agent John Steed was blasted into orbit with his companion Tara King at the end of "Bizarre" in 1969, the classic British TV show The Avengers finally came to an end after eight years of international success. Patrick MacNee agreed to return and revive the character of Steed. Now past retirement age, and sadly looking it, he really takes the role of the absent Mother, and acts more as a guiding influence than the man at the center of the action. Two younger characters were created in order to maintain the high action content of the show and keep the traditional sexual chemistry between the leads alive. Gareth Hunt was cast as the rugged and handsome Mike Gambit and Joanna Lumley took the role of Purdey. For  Only 26 episodes were made and broadcast in two batches over 1976 and 1977 and then the Avengers really were over for good. 

Series 1 (1976–1977)

Episode # Original air date (UK) Episode title Guest cast
1-01 22 October 1976 "The Eagle's Nest" Peter Cushing, Derek Farr, Frank Gatliff, Trevor Baxter, Jerold Wells, Sydney Bromley, Peter Porteous
1-02 29 October 1976 "House of Cards" Peter Jeffrey, Mark Burns, Annette Andre, Jeremy Wilkin, Frank Thornton, Lyndon Brook, Derek Francis, Gordon Sterne, Anthony Bailey
1-03 5 November 1976 "The Last of the Cybernauts?" Robert Lang, Oscar Quitak, Basil Hoskins, Robert Gillespie, Gwen Taylor, Ray Armstrong, Martin Fisk
1-04 12 November 1976 "The Midas Touch" John Carson, Ronald Lacey, Ed Devereaux, Pik-Sen Lim, Geoffrey Bateman, Tim Condren, Chris Tranchell, David Swift
1-05 19 November 1976 "Cat Amongst the Pigeons" Vladek Sheybal, Basil Dignam, Paul Copley, Kevin Stoney, Hugh Walters, Brian Jackson, Gordon Rollings
1-06 26 November 1976 "Target" Keith Barron, Frederick Jaeger, Robert Beatty, Bruce Purchase, Roy Boyd, Deep Roy, John Paul, Malcolm Stoddard
1-07 3 December 1976 "To Catch a Rat" Ian Hendry, Barry Jackson, Edward Judd, Dallas Cavell, Jo Kendall
1-08 10 December 1976 "The Tale of the Big Why" Derek Waring, Jenny Runacre, Roy Marsden, George A. Cooper, Geoffrey Toone, Gary Waldhorn
1-09 17 December 1976 "Faces" David de Keyser, Edward Petherbridge, Richard Leech, Michael Sheard, Donald Hewlett, Neil Hallett, David Webb, J. G. Devlin
1–10 21 December 1976 "Gnaws" Julian Holloway, Peter Cellier, Jeremy Young, Patrick Malahide, W. Morgan Sheppard, Keith Marsh
1–11 7 January 1977 "Dirtier by the Dozen" John Castle, Shaun Curry, Alun Armstrong, Michael Barrington, Brian Croucher, Stephen Moore, John Forbes-Robertson, David Purcell
1–12 14 January 1977 "Sleeper" Keith Buckley, Sara Kestelman, Prentis Hancock, Mark Jones
1–13 21 January 1977 "Three-Handed Game" Stephen Greif, Tony Vogel, David Wood, Ronald Leigh-Hunt, Annie Lambert, Hugh Morton, John Paul

Series 2 (1977)

Episode # Original air date (UK) Episode title Guest cast
2-01 9 September 1977 "Dead Men Are Dangerous" Clive Revill, Gabrielle Drake, Trevor Adams, Roger Avon
2-02 16 September 1977 "Angels of Death" Dinsdale Landen, Terence Alexander, Michael Latimer, Caroline Munro, Pamela Stephenson, Anthony Bailey
2-03 23 September 1977 "Medium Rare" Jeremy Wilkin, Jon Finch, Neil Hallett, Sue Holderness, Maurice O'Connell
2-04 30 September 1977 "The Lion and the Unicorn" Maurice Marsac, Gerald Sim
2-05 7 October 1977 "Obsession" Martin Shaw, Lewis Collins, Tommy Boyle, Roy Purcell
2-06 14 October 1977 "Trap" Terry Wood, Ferdy Mayne, Robert Rietti, Stuart Damon, Larry Lamb, Bruce Boa, Kristopher Kum
2-07 21 October 1977 "Hostage" William Franklyn, Simon Oates, Michael Culver, Anna Palk, Richard Ireson, Barry Stanton, George Lane Cooper
2-08 28 October 1977 "K Is for Kill Part One: The Tiger Awakes" Pierre Vernier, Maurice Marsac, Diana Rigg (archival footage), Kenneth Watson, Tony Then
2-09 4 November 1977 "K Is for Kill Part Two: Tiger by the Tail" Pierre Vernier, Maurice Marsac, Kenneth Watson, Tony Then
2–10 11 November 1977 "Complex" Cec Linder, Harvey Atkin
2–11 18 November 1977 "Forward Base" Jack Creley, Marilyn Lightstone, Maurice Good, David Calderisi
2–12 25 November 1977 "The Gladiators" Louis Zorich
2–13 17 December 1977 "Emily" Jane Mallett
Note
"K is for Kill" is titled "The Dragon Awakes"("Der Drache erwacht") in Germany and "The Long Sleep"("Le Long Sommiel") in France.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Blood Raid by Jack Canon

Agent N3 versus a death-for-sale band of super-terrorists 
George Gross Cover
  Killmaster #226 
The One Hundred Eyes. Murderers for hire, terrorists for profit. They claim allegiance to no country. Now these international hit men have set their sights on an entire continent. Nick Carter has seen their kind before, but never on such a grand or ambitious scale. Even the Russians are stymied. And only Agent N3 can cancel their campaign of terror......

Printing History
Written by Jack Canon

Berkley Publishing Group
Charter Books
Published by arrangement with The Conde Nast Publications, Inc.
ISBN 441 57295
June 1987

Monday, August 26, 2013

The Devil To Pay by Glen Chase

The All New Cherry Delight


A Babe In Brittany
Cherry Delight, agent of DU.E., is sent to France to investigate a cult of devil worshipers. Extortionists who murder, rape, and maim for pleasure and profit. The Devil presides over the Black Mass and orgies. But he and his perverted group were in for a surprise, when Cherry came on the scene she would really raise hell. 

Printing History
written by Gardner F Fox (1911-1986)

All New Cherry Delight #1
Nordon Publications, Inc
Leisure Books
LB473DK (1977)

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Crime Fiction Alphabet 2013: The Letter U

The Crime Fiction Alphabet keeps rolling along in the home stretch. We are currently in week 21 with the letter U. Kerrie over at her blog Mysteries in Paradise is kind enough to host this community meme. The rules a quite simple. By Friday of each week participants write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week. The post must be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname, or even maybe a crime fiction "topic". But above all, it has to be crime fiction. This time around I will be featuring a Carter Brown title for each letter of the alphabet.

Carter Brown: U is for The Unorthodox Corpse
 
Grant Roberts Cover
Police Lieutenant Al Wheeler and a school of sexy coeds play 
hide and seek with a corpse who just won't stay dead


The corpse made his social debut in the finishing schools gym astride a horse. A knife protruded from his back. Then he departs only to reappear later stretched out flat in a padded leather box. When Police Lieutenant Al Wheeler is assigned to cover a ceremony at a local stylist girls school, he walks into the strangest caper of his offbeat career. First a hired magician turns into a corpse before he even can whisk a hat out of a rabbit and then a blonde coed is murdered in front of sixty witnesses. 

Printing History
Written by Alan G Yates (1923-1985)

Horwitz Publications, Inc
Numbered Series #54 December 1957
International Edition Series #11 December 1961
International Edition Series #11 (Reprint) March 1965

New American Library
Signet Books
S1950 July 1961
P4197 1970

Other Covers
Australia
Horwitz Publications, Inc
1957, 1965


Russia
n/d, 2001


Netherlands
Middernacht 
1962
 
Japan
Hayakawa Pocket Mystery Series  
1962

France
Gallimard
 1957, 1970, 1973

Germany
Ullstein Bucher  
1976

Finland
Valpar-Mainos
1967

Sweden
Wennerberg
1974

United States
New American Library
1970
Robert McGinnis Cover
   Note
This title was published in a slightly different form on  December 22, 2010.

Trivia
The first Russian title looks like Leslie Nielson (1926-2010) on the cover.

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Failure To Appear by J.A.Jance

J.P. Beaumont is back
Tracking a trail of broken hearts and shattered dreams


J.P. Beaumont's teenaged daughter Kelly has run off and her tracks have led the sober-but-struggling sleuth to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. But in addition to once very headstrong offspring, there is something else waiting for Beau backstage. A case of cold-blooded murder. The victim is an acquaintance, a sleazy rival P.I. brutally butchered, supposedly by the Festival's current young Juliet. Though J.P. has his doubts. But the Second Act is about to open with a second corpse and a touch of kiddie porn. Leaving Beau center stage in a heart stopping tragedy of revenge, deception, and death.

Printing History
Written by Judith Ann Jance (1944- )

William Morrow and Company, Inc
copyright 1993

The Hearst Corporation
Avon Books, Inc
ISBN 380 75839
 September 1994

Friday, August 23, 2013

The Civil War: Blood And Honor

The Glory And The Heartache Of The Battles 
That Changed War Forever


The American Civil War is one of the most studied military conflicts the world over.
Through personal letters, official reports and diaries, viewers will come to understand not only the battle but also the political and personal reasons why our nation took up arms.

3 DVD Set
2006

Thursday, August 22, 2013

The Vanishers by Donald Hamilton

When prominent people disappear without a trace, there's only one man to call. Matt Helm


Norseland Intrigue
The disappearances are baffling. The victim rate is mounting. And the next likely target is Mac, the wily old spymaster an Matt Helm's boss. Only Matt can stop the dirty work of the Vanishers. Matt follows the trail of two women, both treacherous and beautiful, to chilly Scandinavia, ancestral home of the Helm clan. Facing a coup from within the agency and a terrorist threat from without, Matt may well join his ancestors sooner than he had hoped.

Printing History
Written by Donald Hamilton (1916-2006)

Copyright
1986

Random House, Inc
Ballantine Books
Fawcett Gold Medal Books

ISBN 449 12967

August 1986

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Eager Beaver by Troy Conway

Can Adventurer Rod Damon
The Coxeman
hold up against an all out Asian assault?

Cover Photo by Paul Weller
 The Asian Position
The indefatigable Rod is put into the most sensitive position of his life. Can his knowledge, skill, and prodigious prowess restore the mind of a girl victimized by Tengo, a Japanese Militant Conspiracy? The answer to that question takes Rod into the best of Japan's pleasure houses have to offer. And before Rod goes down for the count he stumbles into a sense blowing lust lab. And a power crazed dictator with the ultimate in erotic warfare. The lushest torture ever devised.

Coxeman #33
Printing History
Written by Michael Avallone (1924-1999)

Warner Books, Inc.
Warner Paperback Library
75-058
May 1973

Monday, August 19, 2013

Crime Fiction Alphabet 2013: The Letter T

The Crime Fiction Alphabet keeps rolling along in the home stretch. We are currently in week 20 with the letter T. Kerrie over at her blog Mysteries in Paradise is kind enough to host this community meme. The rules a quite simple. By Friday of each week participants write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week. The post must be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname, or even maybe a crime fiction "topic". But above all, it has to be crime fiction. This time around I will be featuring a Carter Brown title for each letter of the alphabet.

Carter Brown: T is for Terror Comes Creeping
 
Barye Phillips Cover
  The beautiful brunette's mother had made her a millionaire. 
 Now her father wanted to make her a corpse.


The brunette was very beautiful and very scared. She looked private Danny Boyd in the eye and shuddered once. Then she calmly told him that her father was planning on killing her. She claimed he had murdered her brother and was trying to get rid of her sister. And that she was third on the list. She had no proof to back her story, only cold green cash. She might be crazy, but she was also crazy rich. She was Danny's favorite kind of client. So Danny decided to take the lovely lady's case. And tag her father a killer. 

  Printing History
Written by Alan G Yates (1923-1985)

Horwitz Publications Inc
Numbered Series #81 November 1959
Long Story Magazine # 17 December 1960
International Edition #14 February 1962
International Edition #67 October 1970

New American Library
Signet Books (USA)
1st (1750) December 1959
Reprint (D2934) June 1966

Signet Books (Canada)
1st (1750) February 1960
2nd (D2934) June 1966
 
 Other Editions
 New English Library (UK)
 Four Square Books
April 1967  #1806

 United States/Canada
 Signet Books
1966
Robert McGinnis Cover
  Australia
Horwitz Publications Inc
1962

Australia
Horwitz Publications Inc
1970

Germany
Ullstein Bucher
1968

Russia
2008
w/Lover Don't Come Back

France
Gallimard
1972

Netherlands
 Middernacht
1962

Mexico
Diana
1961

Finland
Valpar-Mainos
1962

Japan
Hayakawa Pocket Mystery Series 
1964

Brazil
Publicado Pela Edicoes De Ouro
n/d

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Holy War by Jack Garside

Agent N3 hunts down a cult of assassins!

George Gross Cover

Killmaster #225
The Dehli Strike: Five CIA agents spirited out of the U.S. Embassy tortured and murdered by an ancient Indian clan of killers.

The assassins were in it for blood lust and money. Kremlin money. The trail of terror leads Nick Carter straight to Rogov, KGB master spy, and his deadly ally, the voluptuous, power-crazed Maharanee of Sardar. Nick had one shot, before the world's largest democracy goes up in bright red flames. 

Printing History
Written by Jack Garside

Berkley Publishing Group
Charter Books
Published by arrangement with The Conde Nast Publications, Inc.
ISBN 441 57294
May 1987

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court


A Yankee engineer from the state of Connecticut is accidentally transported back in time to the court of King Arthur, where he fools the inhabitants of that time into thinking he is a magician. And soon uses his knowledge of modern technology to become a "magician" in earnest, stunning the English of the Early Middle Ages with such feats as demolitions, fireworks and the shoring up of a holy well. He attempts to modernize the past, but in the end he is unable to prevent the death of King Arthur and an interdict against him by the Catholic Church of the time, which grows fearful of his power.

Written by Samuel L Clemens (1835-1910)
published in 1889

Note
I enjoyed reading this in high school.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Crime Fiction Alphabet 2013: The Letter S

The Crime Fiction Alphabet keeps rolling along. We are currently in week 19 with the letter S. Kerrie over at her blog Mysteries in Paradise is kind enough to host this community meme. The rules a quite simple. By Friday of each week participants write a blog post about crime fiction related to the letter of the week. The post must be related to either the first letter of a book's title, the first letter of an author's first name, or the first letter of the author's surname, or even maybe a crime fiction "topic". But above all, it has to be crime fiction. This time around I will be featuring a Carter Brown title for each letter of the alphabet.

Carter Brown: S is for The Savage Salome

Danny Boyd tries for an encore with a sizzling soprano while the chorus auditions for murder

Cover By Grant Roberts
 Murder Goes To The Dogs
Finding a pet Pekinese's killer is not Danny Boyd's usual style. But when the owner is a gorgeous blonde opera star the romantic private eye gladly changes his tune. What starts out as a dog of a case soon turns into a three ring circus.

 

With
A midget manager trying to tame a six foot redhead

A muscle bound baritone doing somersaults for a wildcat soprano

And Danny Boyd juggling the triple-threat combo of danger, dames, and death.


 Printing History
Written by Alan G Yates (1923-1985)

Horwitz Publications, Inc
Numbered Series #91 March 1961
Long Story Magazine #20 March 1961
International Edition Series #26 December 1962
Double Edition Series #9a 1981

New American Library
Signet Books
copyright 1960
S1896 January 1961
T4423 November 1969
E9776 May 1981
  
Other Various Covers
 Italy
n/d
   
Germany
Ullstein Bucher  
1968, 1978

 Japan
Hayakawa Pocket Mystery Series  
1965

United States
Signet Books
1969
Robert McGinnis Cover
   Australia
Horwitz Publications
1961

United States
Signet Books
1981

Netherlands
Middernacht 
1962

 Trivia
 This title was originally published as Murder Is My Mistress
With a different lead character (Jillian Cross)

 

Horwitz Publications, Inc
Associated General Publications December 1954
Numbered Series #8 1955
 Reprint By Demand Series #19 1960


Notes
 Read More Here From January 2011
Murder Is My Mistress

And Here From February 2012
Long Story Magazine

Still More Here From December 2012
Selvaggia Salome


Saturday, August 10, 2013

Up In Mamies Diary by John Colleton

A scandalous novel of outrageous sexual appetites


Printing History
written by Robert W Marks (1908-1993)

New American Library 
Signet Books
ISBN 451 W6541
July 1975
ISBN 451 13134
7th Printing

Friday, August 9, 2013

100,000 Visitors

Earlier today this site hit 100,000 visitors. 
Thank you for the continued patronage. 
Next month will be our 3rd Anniversary