by Rafael De Soto
If a knife’s wandering around, it probably means you’ve found yourself in a really dangerous Disney movie.
There’s been several different editions of this book. I think this Dell edition, with a cover from Rafael De Soto, came out in 1966.
by Clark Hulings
The edition of Waterfront Cop came out in 1956. The book was originally published, as The Darkest Hour, in 1955.
The menacing cover art was done by Clark Hulings.
Artist Unknown
That’s always good advice to take.
This edition came out in 1952. The cover artist is unknown. Whoever it was did a good job of capturing both an attitude and a setting.
by Saul Levine
“The inside story of a women’s prison!”
Female Convict was a popular book that was reissued several times. With each reissue, it got a new cover. This cover is from 1952 and I think it’s from the book’s first edition but I could be wrong. I have to admit that I started laughing as soon as I saw this cover, just because it featured so many typical pulp tropes. Between the tough trustee smoking a cigarette to the prisoner absent-mindedly fixing her stockings in the background, this cover is pretty much a master class in pulp imagery. Would you even be allowed to wear stockings in prison? The other reasons I laughed was just because of all the disgusted facial expressions. These ladies really don’t want to be in prison.
This cover was done by Saul Levine. Future covers would be by R.A. Osborne, Robert Maguire, and others.
by Ernest “Darcy” Chiriacka
This book was first published in 1962. Judging from the blurb, the main message seems to be that women should stay out of Las Vegas. Not only will it cause them to get a quickie divorce but the atmosphere was created to “stimulate their passions and play upon their need for men!” Divorce was still considered to be scandalous in 1962 so it should came as no surprise that it was the topic of several pulp novels during the era. Las Vegas, with its quickie weddings and quickie divorces, was the city of sin. I’m just wondering how they managed to find a beach in Nevada.
This cover was done by Ernest “Darcy” Chiriacka, much of whose work has been shared on this site in the past..
by Robert McGinnis
I’ve always loved horses. When I was growing up, no matter where we were living, I always searched for the nearest horse farm. Horses are wonderful creatures and I’ve always enjoyed riding them but I don’t think I would ever recommend trying to ride a horse while wearing a bikini and smoking a cigarette. Regardless of how nice the filly is, it’s a bad idea.
This book was originally published in 1966 and it was one of the many, many books to deal with the adventures private investigator Mike Shayne. Though the book is credited to Shayne’s creator, Brett Halliday, Halliday actually retired from writing in 1958. All subsequent Shayne books, including this one, were authored by a ghost writer.
Like many of the Shayne books, the cover was done by the legendary Robert McGinnis. We’ve featured many McGinnis covers in the past and we’ll feature many more in the future.
by F. R. Glass
No one can deny that he certainly looks startled!
This cover was for the March 1930 issue of Startling Detective Adventures and I think it might be one of my favorite things ever. Apparently, this issue featured Detective John P. Hoy explaining how he soled the Kent Murder Mystery. Hopefully, that’s not Detective Hoy falling through the trapdoor.
by Verne Tossey
This novel about Washington insiders and corruption was first published in 1958. Washington corruption has obviously been a popular topic for a very long time. It was written by Booth Money, which I’m assuming was a pseudonym. Whether it’s real or not, it’s a great name for a writer.
The cover art is by Verne Tossey, who I profiled back in 2017. It features a stereotypical corrupt pol (they’re always overweight and bald) and a woman who I assume is meant to be his mistress. While talking on the phone, she’s holding a newspaper that features headline about the Senate investigating a lobbyist. Influence is definitely about to be peddled in the shadow of the Capitol Dome!
by Hugh Joseph Ward
This is the cover of the July 1937 issue of Spicy Detective Stories. The cover was done and signed by the prolific Hugh Joseph Ward.
The lesson here is don’t try to cheat at cards if you’re only in your underwear.
(We teach valuable lessons here at Through the Shattered Lens.)
Artist Unknown
This mural, painted by an unknown artist, is located in Philadelphia.
Through the Shattered Lens 