The Private Eye

John J. Shannon Mysteries #1

by Cleve F. Adams

Detective John J. Shannon mixes with two copper magnates, murder, Mexican nightclub entertainers, and a few smart, lusty dames in this murder mystery.

Genres: Pulp

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

The missing link between Dashiell Hammett and James Ellroy, Cleve F. Adams wrote rambunctious, violent, corrosively cynical private eye fiction from the mid-1930s until his untimely death from pneumonia in 1949 at the age of 54. He also wrote as Franklin Charles and John Spain.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adams offers us his take on the corrupt small town, popular in classic crime fiction such as Dashiell Hammett’s classic Red Harvest (1929). Adams sets his corruption tale in Las Cruces, New Mexico, far enough off the beaten path that Los Angeles private eye Shannon flies to Phoenix to catch a bus to the windy roads of this parched copper mining town. The mines are controlled by two warring mining companies, Consolidated and Resurrection. The mine owners are locked in battle with unions. The mayor is a union boss collecting on insurance from dead miners. The police are crooked cops shuffled out of Los Angeles to the boonies with one blaming his exit on Shannon and bearing him a grudge.

Shannon is asked by his ex-flame Wynn Thorelson, whose husband supposedly suicided, but she thought it was murder and wanted Shannon to look into it. He sends Vogel as his agent, but Vogel quickly is made by the corrupt cop from Los Angeles and beaten up and so Shannon has to hot foot it out there. And before he can do much of anything, his bus is shot up, his entrance dynamited, and shots are fired wherever he goes. The town gets tough on him, but Shannon gets rough right back. With everyone scheming against everyone, Shannon has his work cut out for him. Adams offers a dark hard boiled town where it’s every man and woman for his or herself.

[Victoria Mixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know what I like? An unpredictable protagonist. Cleve Adams' John J. Shannon doesn't talk when he can yell, "God damn it, Fran!" and the thorn in his side, Fran McGowen, is even better than he is: "Oooh, what you said."

Page one, and I'm definitely on board for this ride!

1930s mining town politics, a figurehead mayor running a questionable Polish Relief Fund, a chief of police with way too nice of clothes, crooked cops, crooked miners, crooked father & daughter, an ex-girlfriend named Wynn, and a hilarious crooked British drunk---I'm telling you, Shannon's over-the-top Irish figure of blustering outrage is the most volatile, entertaining detective I've met in years.

[Ace McGee · Rating 2 out of 5]

A smart mouthed protagonist we can all love but such a convoluted plot. I mean, really difficult to keep straight.