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One Deadly Dawn
As Public Relations Director for Twenty Grand Studios, Sam Howell knew that movie stars would do anything for their front-page write-up. So when Jack Roland got himself charged with murdering a scandal magazine publisher, Sam just groaned. It was so obviously a press-agent’s stunt.
Only one thing didn’t fit. The police were buying it, lock, stock and barrel. And then it suddenly hit Sam that as much as he knew about the antics of filmland, he was a novice to the vicious racket of the newsstand scandal-mongers. There were too many influential people who didn’t want the dead publisher’s confidential files aired. It was no longer a question of innocence or guilt; it was simply a matter of hushing the crime up quickly.
Sam Howell was right in the middle of that squeeze. If he backed out now, an innocent film star would take the rap. If he butted in, he would never live through ONE DEADLY DAWN.
Only one thing didn’t fit. The police were buying it, lock, stock and barrel. And then it suddenly hit Sam that as much as he knew about the antics of filmland, he was a novice to the vicious racket of the newsstand scandal-mongers. There were too many influential people who didn’t want the dead publisher’s confidential files aired. It was no longer a question of innocence or guilt; it was simply a matter of hushing the crime up quickly.
Sam Howell was right in the middle of that squeeze. If he backed out now, an innocent film star would take the rap. If he butted in, he would never live through ONE DEADLY DAWN.
133 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1957
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About the author
Harry Whittington
179 books42 followersHe also wrote under the names Ashley Carter, Harriet Kathryn Myers, and Blaine Stevens, Curt Colman, John Dexter, Tabor Evans, Whit Harrison, Kel Holland, Suzanne Stephens, Clay Stuart, Hondo Wells, Harry White, Hallam Whitney, Henri Whittier, J.X. Williams.
Harry Whittington (February 4, 1915–June 11, 1989) was an American mystery novelist and one of the original founders of the paperback novel. Born in Ocala, Florida, he worked in government jobs before becoming a writer.
His reputation as a prolific writer of pulp fiction novels is supported by his writing of 85 novels in a span of twelve years (as many as seven in a single month) mostly in the crime, suspense, and noir fiction genres. In total, he published over 200 novels. Seven of his writings were produced for the screen, including the television series Lawman. His reputation for being known as 'The King of the Pulps' is shared with author H. Bedford-Jones. Only a handful of Whittington's novels are in print today.
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Harry Whittington (February 4, 1915–June 11, 1989) was an American mystery novelist and one of the original founders of the paperback novel. Born in Ocala, Florida, he worked in government jobs before becoming a writer.
His reputation as a prolific writer of pulp fiction novels is supported by his writing of 85 novels in a span of twelve years (as many as seven in a single month) mostly in the crime, suspense, and noir fiction genres. In total, he published over 200 novels. Seven of his writings were produced for the screen, including the television series Lawman. His reputation for being known as 'The King of the Pulps' is shared with author H. Bedford-Jones. Only a handful of Whittington's novels are in print today.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 10, 2015
This one was disappointing for a couple of reasons. The murder and blackmail plot was on the thin side and rather than complicate things to get to the required word length, Whittington padded the text with a lot of extraneous and repetitive dialogue. The characterizations were also thin and I couldn't help but imagine what John D. MacDonald would have done with such a story line and cast of characters. This is set in Hollywood in the 1950s and I think readers with a better sense of who the real players were back then could probably pick up on who these fictional characters were meant to stand for. Anyway, not one of Whittington's best.
September 6, 2025
A Capable Whittington Whodunit
Set in Hollywood in the 1950s, this book begins with a frantic phone call from a man accused of murder to his wife’s ex-husband, who’s the only person he can think of who might help him prove he didn’t do it. We then follow the ex-husband - a publicity man at a big movie studio - as he tries to find the real murderer. It’s a well-written book that moves along quickly and has the requisite stock characters - gangsters, voluptuous starlets, powerful studio executives, hard boiled cops, etc. There are a few good twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, and the reveal of the murderer is both logical and satisfactory. It’s also a short book - perfect for a plane or train trip.
Set in Hollywood in the 1950s, this book begins with a frantic phone call from a man accused of murder to his wife’s ex-husband, who’s the only person he can think of who might help him prove he didn’t do it. We then follow the ex-husband - a publicity man at a big movie studio - as he tries to find the real murderer. It’s a well-written book that moves along quickly and has the requisite stock characters - gangsters, voluptuous starlets, powerful studio executives, hard boiled cops, etc. There are a few good twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, and the reveal of the murderer is both logical and satisfactory. It’s also a short book - perfect for a plane or train trip.
January 9, 2020
Harry Whittington was one of the top tier of pulp writers in his heyday and One Deadly Dawn proves just how good a writer he is. Whittington sets this tawdry pulp tale in the Hollywood studios and features a fading star up for murder and a studio PR man in the place of the classic hardboiled detective.
You have the usual hoods and slinkydames here, but what sets this terrific story apart from other Hollywood tales is Whittington's descriptions and the mood he sets. He gives us Julie designed by
someone with a yen for long pleasure cruises and they'd included lots of curves and hilly country. Lorna was the Luscious kind of lovely who had to watch her diet, but in her early thirties, she would have made some farmer a healthy stout wife. Marie got her kicks from watching
violence unfold around her. And Leo Ross had a face that showed all the evil in the world. Toni's scent was half something she bought, half something she was born with.
There are no palm trees, no ocean waves, no adoring crowds. It's a journey into a dark, deceitful, backstabbing world where everyone is after something and the main character, Sam Howell, is suspicious of
every slinky dame and what they are really after.
I enjoyed every page of this novel and it was just a ton of fun to read.
You have the usual hoods and slinkydames here, but what sets this terrific story apart from other Hollywood tales is Whittington's descriptions and the mood he sets. He gives us Julie designed by
someone with a yen for long pleasure cruises and they'd included lots of curves and hilly country. Lorna was the Luscious kind of lovely who had to watch her diet, but in her early thirties, she would have made some farmer a healthy stout wife. Marie got her kicks from watching
violence unfold around her. And Leo Ross had a face that showed all the evil in the world. Toni's scent was half something she bought, half something she was born with.
There are no palm trees, no ocean waves, no adoring crowds. It's a journey into a dark, deceitful, backstabbing world where everyone is after something and the main character, Sam Howell, is suspicious of
every slinky dame and what they are really after.
I enjoyed every page of this novel and it was just a ton of fun to read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews