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Peter Chambers #16
Death Is the Last Lover
''Are you a ladykiller?'' the vision asked. She had skin like cream, hair like jet, and a body that could turn any male into an instant sex-maniac. With a wicked little smile, she moved closer to Peter Chambers. ''I devour ladykillers,'' she murmured.
A hot bout of serious slaughter and insincere sex in which Manhattan’s sleuth-about-town Peter Chambers investigates the early death of a dancehall hostess who would do anything for love . . . and much much more for money.
A hot bout of serious slaughter and insincere sex in which Manhattan’s sleuth-about-town Peter Chambers investigates the early death of a dancehall hostess who would do anything for love . . . and much much more for money.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1959
9 people want to read
About the author
Henry Kane
222 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 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 6, 2025
Like Erle Stanley Gardner, Henry Kane (the author) was a lawyer by trade who ended up writing quite a few books. In all, he wrote over 60 novels, including 28 in his Peter Chambers private eye series published from 1947 to 1970. Kane was perhaps best known for writing the Peter Gunn novel that went along with the hit television series. “Death is the Last Lover” is number 16 with a bullet (literally) in his Peter Chambers series set in New York City.
As the story opens, Chambers is lounging around in his apartment wearing only his unmentionables when the doorbell rings and, without thinking, he runs over to open it. At the door is one Sophia Sierra, wearing a close-fitting black dress with black stockings of jet black nylon and her flesh was cream-soft white. “She was tall, with an absurdly exaggerated figure, but not too absurd not to be taken most seriously: protruding breasts; tiny cinched-in waist; firm, round, ungirdled buttocks; long powerful strong thighs; sturdy calves and slender ankles. Snap judgment, she was either a neck-moving elbow-pointing modern-type dancer, or a rump-moving nipple-pointing specialty-type stripper, or a showgirl with Cadillacs waiting at the stage-door.” Sophia is all of those things and more because, as it turns out, she works in a dime or dollar-a-dance joint and is at his apartment merely as a messenger (and what a messenger she is) for a client who managed to get himself in a pickle.
What kind of pickle you might ask. Well, sixty-year-old millionaire Gordon Phelps it turns out likes to go to dive bars and dance-halls where he hopes to razzle-dazzle the young things with his charm and his bank account. After putting the moves on Sophia unsuccessfully, he has adopted Vivian Frayne as his mistress and given her keys to his hideaway apartment where few know he hangs out. Unfortunately, just this morning, Vivian, a lush blonde, was found murdered in her apartment in her lounging pajamas with five bullets penetrating her, two of them quite lethal. The news says they are seeking Gordon Phelps in connection. Gordon candidly admits that he was with Vivian that night, that she left around midnight, and that she had been blackmailing him and they had been arguing. In short, he is without question the prime suspect and that becomes even more certain when his gun is found in her apartment and it is the murder weapon. Gordon also concedes he wanted Vivian dead.
Chambers has a date that night with Sophia in the Nirvana Ballroom and she tells him she will where her red gown and he’ll die when he sees her in it. Gordon though tells Chambers that Sophia is a but a money-grubbing whore and, yes, he uses that language to describe her, telling of how she wanted a $10,000 “loan” for acting classes. “That baby doesn’t want to be an actress,” he confides. “All she wants is to garner a great big bankroll while she’s young enough and beautiful enough to garner same.”
Chambers now has a client wanted for good reason by the police who wants to hide out in a secret apartment and who looks more and more like the guy who killed his mistress. And, if Gordon is not the only suspect, the other one seems to be dear sweet Sophia. To make matters worse, while Gordon is hiding out, his wife hires Chambers to find Gordon.
Kane fills up the novel with the usual corpses (almost always discovered by Chambers with the suspicious police only one step behind him) as well as nightclubs and hoodlums. It may lack originality, but it is a fairly decent read and will keep you interested throughout.
As the story opens, Chambers is lounging around in his apartment wearing only his unmentionables when the doorbell rings and, without thinking, he runs over to open it. At the door is one Sophia Sierra, wearing a close-fitting black dress with black stockings of jet black nylon and her flesh was cream-soft white. “She was tall, with an absurdly exaggerated figure, but not too absurd not to be taken most seriously: protruding breasts; tiny cinched-in waist; firm, round, ungirdled buttocks; long powerful strong thighs; sturdy calves and slender ankles. Snap judgment, she was either a neck-moving elbow-pointing modern-type dancer, or a rump-moving nipple-pointing specialty-type stripper, or a showgirl with Cadillacs waiting at the stage-door.” Sophia is all of those things and more because, as it turns out, she works in a dime or dollar-a-dance joint and is at his apartment merely as a messenger (and what a messenger she is) for a client who managed to get himself in a pickle.
What kind of pickle you might ask. Well, sixty-year-old millionaire Gordon Phelps it turns out likes to go to dive bars and dance-halls where he hopes to razzle-dazzle the young things with his charm and his bank account. After putting the moves on Sophia unsuccessfully, he has adopted Vivian Frayne as his mistress and given her keys to his hideaway apartment where few know he hangs out. Unfortunately, just this morning, Vivian, a lush blonde, was found murdered in her apartment in her lounging pajamas with five bullets penetrating her, two of them quite lethal. The news says they are seeking Gordon Phelps in connection. Gordon candidly admits that he was with Vivian that night, that she left around midnight, and that she had been blackmailing him and they had been arguing. In short, he is without question the prime suspect and that becomes even more certain when his gun is found in her apartment and it is the murder weapon. Gordon also concedes he wanted Vivian dead.
Chambers has a date that night with Sophia in the Nirvana Ballroom and she tells him she will where her red gown and he’ll die when he sees her in it. Gordon though tells Chambers that Sophia is a but a money-grubbing whore and, yes, he uses that language to describe her, telling of how she wanted a $10,000 “loan” for acting classes. “That baby doesn’t want to be an actress,” he confides. “All she wants is to garner a great big bankroll while she’s young enough and beautiful enough to garner same.”
Chambers now has a client wanted for good reason by the police who wants to hide out in a secret apartment and who looks more and more like the guy who killed his mistress. And, if Gordon is not the only suspect, the other one seems to be dear sweet Sophia. To make matters worse, while Gordon is hiding out, his wife hires Chambers to find Gordon.
Kane fills up the novel with the usual corpses (almost always discovered by Chambers with the suspicious police only one step behind him) as well as nightclubs and hoodlums. It may lack originality, but it is a fairly decent read and will keep you interested throughout.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews