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Peter Chambers #8
The Case of the Murdered Madame
A petulant blonde bombshell with a deadly taste for danger …
A ham actor who stars dramatically in his own murder …
A sharpshooting hoodlum who takes his killing casually …
And a lady Greek philosopher with “the longest, shapeliest legs in New York” …
These are only a few of the characters who mix it up with Peter Chambers, as fiction’s most eye-catching private eye vaults from one lighting-paced, hard-boiled adventure to another.
194 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1955
2 people are currently reading
16 people want to read
About the author
Henry Kane
227 books12 followersAuthor Henry Kane was a lawyer who seemed to prefer writing. In his career, wrote over 60 novels, including about 30 featuring Peter Chambers. Other short-lived series characters were PIs Marla Trent and retired NYPD detective inspector turned P.I. McGregor. He also wrote the movie adaptations for Ed McBain's 87th Precinct's Cop Hater and The Mugger. And, in light of his experience with Chambers, Kane was the perfect choice to pen an original novel starring television's Peter Gunn.
He also wrote under the pseudonyms Anthony McCall, Kenneth R. McKay, and Mario J. Sagola. He is the creator of Peter Chambers, a private eye in New York City, McGregor, an ex-cop turned private eye in New York City, and Maria Trent. Kane also contributed to the series of 'Ellery Queen' novels ghostwritten by other authors.
He also wrote under the pseudonyms Anthony McCall, Kenneth R. McKay, and Mario J. Sagola. He is the creator of Peter Chambers, a private eye in New York City, McGregor, an ex-cop turned private eye in New York City, and Maria Trent. Kane also contributed to the series of 'Ellery Queen' novels ghostwritten by other authors.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 4, 2012
This 1950's pulp comprises three cases involving PI Peter Chambers. While the Private Richard as he's known is prominent amongst all three, as is his police contact Lieutenant Parker - each of these stories felt compressed and disjointed. A lover who appeared in the second case 'The Candlestick' wasn't mentioned in the first nor the last despite holding a significant place in the PI's private life (or so it seemed). Another complaint of mine steams from the lackluster cast of suspects and their two dimensional personalities and non existent back-story - granted, I don't need to known an entire life story but a little substance would've been nice. Even Chambers is very surface orientated, especially in 'The Candlestick' where his lover's brother is murdered - his reaction is little more than investigating a case in which he has no personal involvement.
The collection includes the simplistic murder of an opera singer where the culprit had hoped to make off with a cool bundle of cash. The suspect list is kept to a minimum (a theme throughout) and is quickly solved through process of elimination and simple deduction. Nothing much really happens and the entertainment value is minimal. Apart from wanting to know who done it, 'The Case of the Murdered Madame' didn't do much for me.
Next up was 'The Candlestick' which was a vast improvement on Peter Chambers first case in which the PI investigates the murder of his lover's brother. This one actually had some decent back story and entertaining ensemble cast. The only thing that really lets it down is the distinct lack of continuity. As mentioned earlier, the events of this have no bearing on the other two cases. One of the real gems to this is the below quote, a perfect example of pulp in its golden age:
"She was a tall blonde with petulant eyes and a rose-bud mouth. She was stacked inside of a gold party-dress, and stacked is the proper word. The dress billowed on bottom and pouted on top. Her arms were bare, her back was bare, and most of her chest was bare, soft white, milk-white, and uptilted. The petulant eyes were blue, the blonde hair was piled-on-head in a complex shining coiffure, and the small rose-bud mouth was sucked in like a nervous schoolgirl's..."
Lastly, and the most enjoying of the trio was 'Precise Moment' which interlocked two separate events which came together at 'the precise moment'. Chambers becomes involved in a kidnapping after being hired to be the delivery boy in the ransom exchange while at the same time becoming the target of gangsters after failing to heed a not so subtle message to stay away from an attractive dame. Gangsters, hot dames, money, kidnapping, violence - this was what I had hoped the entire book was going to be like!
Had Henry Kane applied more of the Peter Chambers of 'Precise Moment' with the same attention to plot and characters for all three cases, then this collection would've bee a great find and an exciting read for pulp fans. Worth the price of admission for 'Precise Moment' along with some great lines of the era however, it's a shame you've got to read two thirds of the book to get to the good stuff - 2 stars.
The collection includes the simplistic murder of an opera singer where the culprit had hoped to make off with a cool bundle of cash. The suspect list is kept to a minimum (a theme throughout) and is quickly solved through process of elimination and simple deduction. Nothing much really happens and the entertainment value is minimal. Apart from wanting to know who done it, 'The Case of the Murdered Madame' didn't do much for me.
Next up was 'The Candlestick' which was a vast improvement on Peter Chambers first case in which the PI investigates the murder of his lover's brother. This one actually had some decent back story and entertaining ensemble cast. The only thing that really lets it down is the distinct lack of continuity. As mentioned earlier, the events of this have no bearing on the other two cases. One of the real gems to this is the below quote, a perfect example of pulp in its golden age:
"She was a tall blonde with petulant eyes and a rose-bud mouth. She was stacked inside of a gold party-dress, and stacked is the proper word. The dress billowed on bottom and pouted on top. Her arms were bare, her back was bare, and most of her chest was bare, soft white, milk-white, and uptilted. The petulant eyes were blue, the blonde hair was piled-on-head in a complex shining coiffure, and the small rose-bud mouth was sucked in like a nervous schoolgirl's..."
Lastly, and the most enjoying of the trio was 'Precise Moment' which interlocked two separate events which came together at 'the precise moment'. Chambers becomes involved in a kidnapping after being hired to be the delivery boy in the ransom exchange while at the same time becoming the target of gangsters after failing to heed a not so subtle message to stay away from an attractive dame. Gangsters, hot dames, money, kidnapping, violence - this was what I had hoped the entire book was going to be like!
Had Henry Kane applied more of the Peter Chambers of 'Precise Moment' with the same attention to plot and characters for all three cases, then this collection would've bee a great find and an exciting read for pulp fans. Worth the price of admission for 'Precise Moment' along with some great lines of the era however, it's a shame you've got to read two thirds of the book to get to the good stuff - 2 stars.
June 24, 2024
𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙢𝙪𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩. 𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙄 𝙫𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙛𝙮 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙎𝙥𝙮. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 100% 𝙛𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣. 𝙄 𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙃𝙞𝙜𝙝 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝘿𝙖𝙩𝙖 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙢𝙎𝙥𝙮. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙨𝙤 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙨𝙤. 𝙢𝙎𝙥𝙮 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙣𝙮𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙨𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙡𝙮, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙞’𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙤 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙮 𝙗𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙤𝙛𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨. 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙙𝙡𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙙, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮’𝙧𝙚 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙢𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙖𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙣𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 𝘿𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙄 𝙬𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙘𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛. 𝙄 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙎𝙥𝙮 𝙫𝙞𝙖 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙡𝙚 𝙢𝙎𝙥𝙮4@𝙝𝙤𝙩𝙢𝙖𝙞𝙡.𝙘𝙤𝙢
June 14, 2012
Three shorter stories in this collection from Prologue- the title story plus two others. All were good, tight detective tales, starring Peter Chambers, a private richard.
Highly recommend it if you're a fan of the genre.
Highly recommend it if you're a fan of the genre.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews