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Johnny Liddell #3
Slay Ride
The girl's hand shook violently. She spilled some of the liquor on the table. "They cut his throat," she said. Just like Eve's. They're looking for me right now."
Johnny Liddell walked over, standing close.
"Who's looking for you, baby?"
She was breathing heavily. "You won't let them get me, will you?"
The detective shook his head.
The blonde slid her arms around his neck, found his mouth with hers. He felt her body pressed hard against his. "i'll make it worth your while," she whispered.
"I know you will," he told her.
Johnny Liddell walked over, standing close.
"Who's looking for you, baby?"
She was breathing heavily. "You won't let them get me, will you?"
The detective shook his head.
The blonde slid her arms around his neck, found his mouth with hers. He felt her body pressed hard against his. "i'll make it worth your while," she whispered.
"I know you will," he told her.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1950
2 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Frank Kane
218 books10 followersFrank Kane, Brooklyn-born and a lifetime New Yorker, worked for many years in journalism and corporate public relations before shifting to fiction writing. At the time he was selling crime stories to the pulps he was also sustaining a career writing scripts for such radio shows as Gangbusters and The Shadow.
In addition to the Johnny Liddells, Kane wrote several suspense novels, some softcore erotica, and (under the pen name of Frank Boyd) "Johnny Staccato", a Gold Medal original paperback based on the short-lived noir television series, starring John Cassavetes, about a Greenwich Village bebop pianist turned private detective.
In addition to the Johnny Liddells, Kane wrote several suspense novels, some softcore erotica, and (under the pen name of Frank Boyd) "Johnny Staccato", a Gold Medal original paperback based on the short-lived noir television series, starring John Cassavetes, about a Greenwich Village bebop pianist turned private detective.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 6, 2025
Plot
The girl’s hand shook violently. She spilled some of the liquor on the table. “They cut his throat,” she said. Just like Eve’s. They’re looking for me right now.” Johnny Liddell walked over, standing close. “Who’s looking for you, baby?” She was breathing heavily. “You won’t let them get me, will you?” The detective shook his head. The blonde slid her arms around his neck, found his mouth with hers. He felt her body pressed hard against his. “i’ll make it worth your while,” she whispered. “I know you will,” he told her.
My Analysis
Okay, the above excerpt doesn’t give a blurb about the plot. Johnny Liddell works for a private investigations agency. There’s been a series of jewel heists and the burglars want to sell back the latest cache to the insurance company. Liddell’s agency has handled the buybacks. This time, Johnny balks and his replacement is killed. Liddell is on the trail of the killer.
I love these pulp fiction novels. They’re easy, quick reads and just fun. This was published in 1950, when these types of books were hot and heavy.
The standards of these novels is to have smoking by every character, alcohol in every scene, a hard-nosed cop, at least one or two women who are gorgeous and sexy from the nightclub singer to the “girl next door.” Liddell calls everyone of the m “baby” and kisses all of them. Another common element is the hero gets knocked out at least once.
I liked the plot because it is a whodunit type of murder mystery. I’m pleased to have identified the killer…okay, highly suspected the individual, early on. Not because I had picked up on the clues (I hadn’t), just because I’ve read so many of these types of stories, I’ve learned to recognize the importance of giving a certain character the spotlight.
Anyway, you have great characters. The toughs are stereotypical. The sleazy nightclub owner is nice and oily. I loved the Dummy. He was a little different, but interesting.
Lots of good action and tension and you just enjoy the ride all the way to the end.
My rank:
Blue Belt
The girl’s hand shook violently. She spilled some of the liquor on the table. “They cut his throat,” she said. Just like Eve’s. They’re looking for me right now.” Johnny Liddell walked over, standing close. “Who’s looking for you, baby?” She was breathing heavily. “You won’t let them get me, will you?” The detective shook his head. The blonde slid her arms around his neck, found his mouth with hers. He felt her body pressed hard against his. “i’ll make it worth your while,” she whispered. “I know you will,” he told her.
My Analysis
Okay, the above excerpt doesn’t give a blurb about the plot. Johnny Liddell works for a private investigations agency. There’s been a series of jewel heists and the burglars want to sell back the latest cache to the insurance company. Liddell’s agency has handled the buybacks. This time, Johnny balks and his replacement is killed. Liddell is on the trail of the killer.
I love these pulp fiction novels. They’re easy, quick reads and just fun. This was published in 1950, when these types of books were hot and heavy.
The standards of these novels is to have smoking by every character, alcohol in every scene, a hard-nosed cop, at least one or two women who are gorgeous and sexy from the nightclub singer to the “girl next door.” Liddell calls everyone of the m “baby” and kisses all of them. Another common element is the hero gets knocked out at least once.
I liked the plot because it is a whodunit type of murder mystery. I’m pleased to have identified the killer…okay, highly suspected the individual, early on. Not because I had picked up on the clues (I hadn’t), just because I’ve read so many of these types of stories, I’ve learned to recognize the importance of giving a certain character the spotlight.
Anyway, you have great characters. The toughs are stereotypical. The sleazy nightclub owner is nice and oily. I loved the Dummy. He was a little different, but interesting.
Lots of good action and tension and you just enjoy the ride all the way to the end.
My rank:
Blue Belt
June 15, 2017
Frank Kane's Johnny Lidell is your prototypical hardboiled PI. He's
tough. He's clever. The ladies dig him. He likes his whiskey. This book
won't blow your mind, but it is a solid piece of old fashioned hardboiled
detective work. It is a well written tale that is easy to read. This is a
page turner. Lidell is sent to make a deal with the thieves on behalf of an insurance company. Lidell doesn't like this type of assignment and
likes it even less when the payoff goes sour. This one has murder,
blackmail, nightclubs, blondes, and thugs. I enjoyed it.
tough. He's clever. The ladies dig him. He likes his whiskey. This book
won't blow your mind, but it is a solid piece of old fashioned hardboiled
detective work. It is a well written tale that is easy to read. This is a
page turner. Lidell is sent to make a deal with the thieves on behalf of an insurance company. Lidell doesn't like this type of assignment and
likes it even less when the payoff goes sour. This one has murder,
blackmail, nightclubs, blondes, and thugs. I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews