Movie Review: The Amazing Mr. X

Alexis and Chris contemplate a crystal ball.

Movie Review: The Amazing Mr. X (1948) directed by Bernard Vorhaus (aka The Spiritualist) Christine Faber (Lynn Bari) is not dealing well with the death of her husband Paul (Donald Curtis). He died in an automobile accident two years ago, burnt so badly that the corpse was unidentifiable. It seems impossible that he’s really gone, and… Continue reading Movie Review: The Amazing Mr. X

Book Review: The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror Volume 16

Book Review: The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror Volume 16 edited by Stephen Jones Let’s go back to 2004 for what at least one editor considered excellent short horror fiction. As with the later volume I have reviewed, there’s a lot of ancillary material. It opens with an extended look at horror and horror-adjacent… Continue reading Book Review: The Mammoth Book of Best New Horror Volume 16

Movie Review: Key Largo

Nora and Steve discuss their pre-War lives.

Movie Review: Key Largo (1948) directed by John Huston Frank McCloud (Humphrey Bogart) was a major in the United States Army during World War Two. During the Italian campaign, one of his men (and a friend), George Temple, perished in combat. While initially an idealist, the violence of the war left Frank disillusioned, and the America… Continue reading Movie Review: Key Largo

Comic Strip Review: Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon 1948

Comic Strip Review: Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon 1948 by Milton Caniff Prior to World War Two, Milton Caniff’s primary claim to fame had been his popular adventure comic strip, Terry and the Pirates. Due to recurring phlebitis, Mr. Caniff was rejected from military service, and while having his characters joint the war effort, he also… Continue reading Comic Strip Review: Milton Caniff’s Steve Canyon 1948

Book Review: Doomstar

Book Review: Doomstar by Edmond Hamilton Johnny Kettrick used to have it good. As a human of Earth heritage born and raised in the Hyades Cluster, and gifted with a friendly nature, he’d become a top trader between the many cultures in that crowded part of the galaxy. Unfortunately, he’d also developed a healthy disregard… Continue reading Book Review: Doomstar

Book Review: Case File: FBI

Book Review: Case File: FBI by Mildred & Gordon Gordon, as “The Gordons” When FBI agent Zack Stewart is murdered, it’s a sure bet that it’s connected to one of the cases he was working. So it’s up to his old partner John “Rip” Ripley to take over the cases and figure out which one… Continue reading Book Review: Case File: FBI

Book Review: Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

Book Review: Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney In the small rural community of Badgertown, there is a little brown house where the Pepper family lives. Mr. Pepper passed some years ago, so Mary “Mamsie” Pepper takes in sewing and mending to feed her five children. From oldest to youngest, they… Continue reading Book Review: Five Little Peppers and How They Grew

Book Review: The Last Séance

Book Review: The Last Séance by Agatha Christie Agatha Christie is best remembered for her tales of mystery and detection, but she didn’t confine herself to that field. She also wrote stories with elements of the supernatural, and this new volume collects twenty of them in one place, rather than in scattered anthologies. The title… Continue reading Book Review: The Last Séance

Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post

This cover is by Stevan Dohanos, who often did covers for the Post, and illustrates a conversation he had with a mailman. Note the two red stars on the sleeve for twenty years' service.

Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post edited by Ben Hibbs For many years, the Saturday Evening Post was one of America’s most popular magazines. Every week, it would show fascinating photographs, interesting non-fiction articles and a selection of short stories and serialized fiction. With more than 200 short stories being printed in… Continue reading Book Review: Great Stories from the Saturday Evening Post

Book Review: The Jayhawkers

Book Review: The Jayhawkers by Saul Cooper They called it “Bloody Kansas” as pro- and anti-slavery gangs terrorized the Kansas Territory Cam Bleeker organized some men to defend their homes, but got careless and wound up in Topeka Prison. He still has some loyal followers, and they managed to break him out. Upon arriving wounded… Continue reading Book Review: The Jayhawkers