Comic Book Review: The King in Yellow

Comic Book Review: The King in Yellow original stories by Robert W. Chambers, adaptation and art by I.N.J. Culbard The King in Yellow was a book containing linked short stories by Robert W. Chambers. Within these stories, “The King in Yellow” is a play bound in book format, the full details of which are never… Continue reading Comic Book Review: The King in Yellow

Book Review: The Case of the Bludgeoned Teacher

Book Review: The Case of the Bludgeoned Teacher by Jim Hollis Miss Celeste Aubin is the French teacher at Rainey High School. Physically, she’s very attractive, and knows how to exploit her appearance to manipulate men. Personality-wise though, she’s manipulative and grasping, and plays favorites with the students. So when she turns up dead, hit… Continue reading Book Review: The Case of the Bludgeoned Teacher

Book Review: The Further Adventures of Solar Pons

Book Review: The Further Adventures of Solar Pons by Basil Copper Wisconsin teenager August Derleth was a huge Sherlock Holmes fan. When he learned that there would apparently be no further Holmes stories forthcoming from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, he wrote a letter to the great man asking if he could write the stories from… Continue reading Book Review: The Further Adventures of Solar Pons

Movie Review: Meeting at Midnight

Frances and Charlie Chan discover a skeleton in the basement.

Movie Review: Meeting at Midnight (1944) directed by Phil Rosen World War Two still rages, but Charlie Chan (Sidney Toler) has been given permission to take a vacation from his government work to visit his family in Honolulu. He won’t need his driver Birmingham Brown (Mantan Moreland) for a while, so that worthy has used a… Continue reading Movie Review: Meeting at Midnight

Magazine Review: The Phantom Detective September 1935

Magazine Review: The Phantom Detective September 1935 Quick recap: The Phantom is Richard Curtis Van Loan, a wealthy man-about-town. While he started fighting crime out of boredom and a chance to get thrills, he soon developed a burning hatred of crime and major criminals that allow him to carry on a crusade. A master of… Continue reading Magazine Review: The Phantom Detective September 1935

Movie Review: The Black Room (1935)

Gregor and Anton reunite for the first time in a decade.

Movie Review: The Black Room (1935) directed by Roy William Neill In the Tyrol region of Austria, twin sons are born to Baron Frederick de Berghman (Henry Kolker). He is not pleased by this turn of affairs, as there is a prophecy about his family line. The first Baron de Berghman was stabbed to death by… Continue reading Movie Review: The Black Room (1935)

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine August 1953

Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine August 1953 edited by Ellery Queen If you’re not picky about condition, you can find a lot of cool old magazines for very reasonable prices, like say a dollar for this 1950s EQMM. At this time, editor Frederic Dannay still used his pen name of Ellery Queen on the… Continue reading Magazine Review: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine August 1953

Book Review: Wives to Burn

Book Review: Wives to Burn by Lawrence G. Blochman William Shakespeare Gabriel may have bitten off more than he can chew when he accepted an assignment to go to India and track down Fred Oaks. Bill’s past as a reporter may make him an excellent investigator for the Five Continents Detective Agency, but India’s a… Continue reading Book Review: Wives to Burn

Magazine Review: Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine December 1978

Magazine Review: Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine December 1978 edited by Sam Merwin Jr. Private eye Michael “Mike” Shayne was created in 1939 by David Dresser, writing under the name “Brett Halliday”. The books were long-running and popular, and in 1956 Dresser licensed the character to a puiblishing company to be the headliner of a digest-sized… Continue reading Magazine Review: Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine December 1978

Movie Review: Blackmail (1929)

Movie Review: Blackmail (1929) directed by Alfred Hitchcock  Alice White, who works in her father’s tobacco shop, is bored with her police detective boyfriend Frank. She acts obnoxiously during a date with him, causing Frank to cancel. But Frank hesitates long enough outside the restaurant to see Alice leave with handsome artist Mr. Crewe, who’d… Continue reading Movie Review: Blackmail (1929)