Stakeout by Robert Patrick Wilmot

Stakeout by Robert Patrick Wilmot
Short Story in Manhunt, May 1953

This 1953 issue of Manhunt Detective Story is packed with hardboiled stories from some of the best fictional crime authors from the era. Snuck in there is an action-packed little number by Robert Patrick Wilmot. In the early 50s, Wilmot created New York P.I. Steve Considine. The detective's first appearance was in the novel, Blood in Your Eye. The story was so hard and good, that two more quickly followed, Murder on Monday, and Death Rides a Painted Horse. In between Wilmot wrote a few short stories. "Stakeout" is not a Steve Caradine story, but it contains its fair share of twists and surprises that Wilmot's novels were known for.

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, hitting poor Marvin so hard. He's a mess of muscles, but he can't take it in the belly. No man can take it in the belly when he lives mostly on pastrami and beer and broads."

Denham is an ex-con who can use his fists. In a bar, he takes it out on a big Irish lug named Marvin Burke. A couple of observers witness his abilities and hire him as a bodyguard. But it's all for show and there turns out to be a crooked scheme brewing. We find the good guys are not so good, and we start wondering about the bad guys. (Denham included) The target is a blind ex-gangster with stolen gems and a sneaky wife making plans for herself. All tightly packaged up in a handful of pages, that spins and catches the reader off guard. Exceptionally good, with characters that interlocked together dangerously. Robert Patrick Wilmot sure was an author who had talent!

Check the heavy-hitters in this Manhunt issue:

"The Guilty Ones" (A Lew Archer story) by John Ross Macdonald
"Don't Go Near" (A John J. Malone story) by Craig Rice
"Now Die In It" (A Matt Cordell story) by Evan Hunter
"Cigarette Girl" by James M. Cain
"Old Willie" by William P. McGivern
"Graveyard Shift" by Steve Frazee
"Build Another Coffin" (A Scott Jordan story) by Harold Q. Masur
"Stakeout" by Robert Patrick Wilmot
"Nice Bunch of Guys" by Michael Fessier
"Services Rendered" by Jonathan Craig
"Assault" by Grant Colby

One of my favorite characters is in this issue, (besides Lew Archer) and that is Ed McBain's Matt Cordell. The ex-P.I. from the gutter, appeared in six Manhunt issues in the 1950s. They are all the way I like them, mean and hardboiled. In 1958, Gold Medal published all six in one paperback, "I Like 'Em Tough."(GM743 and again in GM 1120) For the GM paperback the character's name is changed to Curt Cannon, same as the pseud. , but the stories are the same. There was also a full length novel called "I'm Cannon for Hire." (GM 814 & GM 1325) In 2005, Hard Case Crime published it under the title "The Gutter and the Grave."

The novel was very good, but I've always enjoyed the Matt Cordell short stories more.

Flight to Nowhere by Charles Williams

Flight To Nowhere by Charles Williams
Short Story in Manhunt, Sept 1955

Charles Williams wrote many excellent crime suspense novels, some of which take place with a sailing setting as a backdrop. The same is true with this Manhunt short story. It's wildly exciting, keeps you on edge, and could be one of the finest tales he wrote.

Three-quarters of a million dollars was the prize. Brutality was their profession, I thought of it and felt chilly along the back.

The story involves the "flight" of diver Bill Manning who quickly is offered a proposition by lovely Shannon Wayne to recover a shotgun lost in a lake by her husband. A couple of thugs show up looking for the woman's husband and Manning discovers her real name is Shannon Macauley. She gives Manning another story about why she needs a diver, to recover stolen diamonds that are in a small plane at the bottom of the sea. Her husband was into some shady doings with the thugs and Manning believes the husband is now on the lam from the mob. Later, he learns that is not true. Manning needs the cash and accepts the offer and with it gets hooked into a deadly adventure. Lust and love spins Manning, who has the cops hunting him for a murder rap, into taking the risk against the two thugs. Williams has us tensely waiting to see if Manning and the girl come out of this one. It all ends gravely, at sea aboard the recovery sloop. Thrilling heart-pounding action on land and at sea in this story, and a mesmerizing plot. This one is up there with the best published in any Manhunt Magazine.
Charles Williams excels....

Note: Harry Whittington authored a short story in 1953 with the same title. A neat coincidence, both are fine writers and both stories are excellent.

There are many gems included in this Manhunt issue. One that stands out is a short five-pager called "The Muscle" by Philp Weck. It takes place in a dingy city diner through the eyes of the counter cook. The cook recognizes two hired killers, along with another guy, entering during the end of the lunch hour and they take a booth. We wait it out with the cook to find out which of the customers receives the "hit." It's hardboiled and creepy.

Contents in this Manhunt issue:

"Flight To Nowhere" by Charles Williams
'The War" by Richard Deming (Clancy Ross story)
"The Big Day" by Richard Marsten
"Side Street" by James T. Farrell
"Pickup" by Hal Ellson
"Uncle Tom" by David Alexander
"Cast Off, A Police Files Story" by Jonathan Craig
'The Muscle" by Philip Weck
"Mass Production" by Andrew J. Burris

I thought Philip Weck was a pseud., but digging I discovered not. Actually he was an accomplished short story author and journalist. Here is a listing of his work. ( I'll gladly read more stories by Philip Weck)

Welcome Home, Sucker! (nv) Detective Tales Mar 1947
I Love You Dead! (ss) Detective Tales Jan 1948
Poor, Dead Charlie! (ss) Detective Tales Jul 1948
Don’t Kid with Morrissey! (ss) Detective Tales Oct 1948
Hot-Hate Alley (ss) Dime Detective Magazine Jan 1949
Vicious Circle (ss) Detective Tales May 1949
Leave It to the Little Men! (ss) Dime Mystery Magazine Aug 1949
No Time for Death! (ss) Dime Mystery Magazine Dec 1949
No-Know Nora (ss) Detective Tales Jan 1950
A Body on the House (ss) Detective Tales Feb 1950
Eyes to Kill With (nv) Detective Tales Mar 1950
You Can’t Run Away (ss) Suspense Magazine Fll 1951
Murder with Onions (ss) Popular Detective Jan 1952
City of Strangers (na) Popular Detective Nov 1952
Love Me - Love My Corpse! (nv) Popular Detective Mar 1953
Murder Bait (ss) Triple Detective Spr 1953
The Cop War (nv) Popular Detective May 1953
The Corpse Came Back (ss) Triple Detective Sum 1953
Deadlier Than the Male (ss) Popular Detective Fll 1953
Terror Street (ss) Fifteen Detective Stories Dec 1953
The Devil’s Judge (ss) Fifteen Detective Stories Apr 1954
The Muscle (ss) Manhunt Sep 1955
Thanks for the Drink, Mac (ss) Manhunt Aug 1956
One Day of Fear (ss) Trapped Detective Story Magazine May 1961

She's Nothing But Trouble by Glenn Canary

She's Nothing But Trouble by Glenn Canary
Short Story in Manhunt, August 1960.

Another excellent crime story that was published in Manhunt magazine. It take place in a seedy bar, and puts the characters in an indifferent situation where afterwards the reader will wonder... "what would I have done?"

"The girl was crying and swaying woodenly. She tried to cover herself with her hands."
"What do we do with her now?"
"That's a dumb question."

Hap Carter tries to take a stand to protect a tramp from five men who enter a bar. He's unsuccessful at first, but he gets a second chance. Does he take it? This short story is wonderfully written and captures the dark atmosphere of city bars in those days. But it's the outstanding ending, when Hap and the bartender are alone, that slams this story in your gut.

More on Glenn Canary













In a posting I wrote months ago, I commented on an exceptional novel I read by Glenn Canary, called "The Prefect Plot." Recently, his daughter Jessica Canary, informed me that her father passed away on May 7, 2008. Mr. Canary was an excellent writer of crime/suspense fiction, which included stories in Manhunt and AHMM. His 1963 Manhunt short story "Interference," was one of the best stories the magazine published in the early 60s. As an author, he left a very favorable impression on me. I will always hold high esteem for Glenn Canary's printed material; all you have to do is read "The Prefect Plot"and stories like "She's Nothing But Trouble" or "Interference." to fully appreciate the quality of his work.

Jessica mentioned to me how much her father truly loved writing and story telling. Corresponding with Jessica, I discovered the family is looking for copies of his work. (Glenn Canary's past work has become difficult to find) I happily sent her my copy of "The Prefect Plot" and volunteered to mention in this post that the family would be pleased if anyone else has pieces of his published works to contact Jessica. (Payment will be sent if anyone wishes)

You can contact Jessica Canary at jessica33176@gmail.com (she's a very nice person)

To all fellow readers: Below is an incomplete list of Glenn Canary's published material. (Novels and Short Stories) I would love to expand the listing of his fine work and get a complete documented list on the web for all to have knowledge of. Please send me titles of any other writings that are known to have been published. My hope is to finalize the list in the near future.

Thank you, August........

The Novels:
The Sadist -Monarch 280 (1962)
The Trailer Park Girls - Monarch 248 (1962)
The Damned and the Innocent -Monarch 486 (1964)
The Prefect Plot -Pinnacle (1974) as Glen Canary
A Walk in the Jungle -Pinnacle (1975)

Short Stories:
A Winter's Tale - Dude (Sept 1960)
She's Nothing But Trouble - Manhunt (Aug 1960)
unknown title - Manhunt (April 1961)
The Guilty Flee -Rogue (Feb 1962)
unknown title - Manhunt (April 1962)
Madison Avenue I Left You - Mr. (Mar 1963) article
No Escape - Manhunt (June 1963)
Interference - Manhunt (Oct 1963)

Numerous stories written for AHMM, only found one (title unknown) in the book collection called: Alfred Hitchcock - Killers At Large, edited by Alfred Hitchcock, Dell 1978.

Also believe that a story of Glenn Canary's was adapted for a teleplay during the first season of Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Available on DVD.

Prognosis Negative by Floyd Mahannah

Prognosis Negative by Floyd Mahannah
Short Story in Manhunt March 1953

I always enjoy the PI stories that Manhunt published and this one is excellent. It's a story of a "two-bit dick" who finally shows some guts before he "punches out."

Jim Makin is a California PI, who was just informed that he has an inaccessible tumor in his brain and has about a year to live. He's in a middle of a case in which his client, a female illegal immigrant, has taken $60,000 from the racket boss-Ernie Fidako. The big guy wants the dough back, and knows Makin is hiding her. Makin is a bit scared of Ernie and his boys, but after his negative prognosis he musters up some courage and a "what the hell" attitude. He goes after Ernie. Eventually, Makin stubbles, and Ernie nabs him and the tamale. Ernie roughs both up, before Jim Makin makes his move and violently takes on the four of them.

"I'd crossed Ernie Fidako, and in this town that was poison. He left it lying there-the alternative-the slug in the back, the concrete coffin, the long sleep under the Bay."

I love these Manhunt short stories and this one is definitely hardboiled. Hell, Ernie Fidako even sets the girl's hair on fire to make her talk. A top-notch story, with an ending that is rough, violent and the bullets are flying. Jim Makin is an interesting PI character and too bad he only had a year left-would of loved to see him in a whole novel. The transition from a guy who yesterday would of been running scared, to the nothing-to-lose attitude Makin has now, is ingeniously handled by the author. A fine little noir short story.

As for Floyd Mahannah, a fine writer that wrote some excellent novels for Signet in the 50s. Bill Crider wrote a fine review for The Broken Body. (Signet 957)

As for this issue of Manhunt, check who else is inside:
Mickey Spillane (Part III of "Everybody's Watching Me")
Richard Prather (Scott Shell story)
Leslie Charteris (A Saint story)
Craig Rice (John J. Malone story)
Bruno Fischer
Frank Kane (Johnny Liddell story)
William Lindsay Gresham
Harold Masur (Scott Jordan story)
Evan Hunter (Matt Cordell story)
Robert Patrick Wilmot
Richard Marsten

So Dark for April by John Evans

So Dark for April by John Evans
Short Short in Manhunt Feb. 1953

John Evans of course is the pseudonym for Howard Browne and he created on the the best PIs in literature-Paul Pine. Pine is more than your girls, guns, and guts PI, he cares about the people he gets involved with and the reader cares about him. He eats at the drugstore lunch counters, fires up the smokes and takes his lumps along the way.

"So Dark for April" came out in Manhunt in 1953. Browne published three Paul Pine novels before that: Halo in Blood (1946), Halo for Satan (1947), Halo in Brass. (1949) After the short story in Manhunt was published, Browne wrote the fourth and last Pine novel The Taste of Ashes (1957). All four novels are highly recommended.

As for "So Dark for April", Pine has to find a murderer to clear his name as the suspect. The short story is a gem that reads like one of Browne's Pine novels. I found it more hardboiled than the novels and I enjoyed that. As Pine finishes the case, the reader wonders why people do these things and risk losing so much. Few short stories can capture this. Manhunt had many great short stories throughout its publishing years and "So Dark for April" is one of the best.

I'm not one to recommend what others may want to read, but the Paul Pine series is excellent and classic noir literature. There is a line in Halo for Satan, "Whoever was behind the blackjack must have been an old hand at the game. I never heard a thing."
Well Mr. Browne I heard -loud and clear.....