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Evil Come, Evil Go
The newspapers called it the Crime of the Century. The extravagance was understandable. The crime would have made headlines had it happened to an ordinary citizen, but this blow had been struck at Andy Paxton. His Golden voice had made him an American institution. Lissa, his actress wife, was almost as successful. It was unbelievable that murder and an evil even worse than murder could have touched them.
Suspecting that Andy's enemy might be someone who knew him well, the police dug into the past lives of the members of his entourage. Even the most trustworthy employees had unsavory secrets. Afraid to enlist an ally who might be an adversary, Andy sets out alone to find an opponent. There was no one he trusted, not even the police. And, ironically, he learned that the police did not trust him.
Here is a taut, compelling mystery, set against the fascinating background of show business.
Suspecting that Andy's enemy might be someone who knew him well, the police dug into the past lives of the members of his entourage. Even the most trustworthy employees had unsavory secrets. Afraid to enlist an ally who might be an adversary, Andy sets out alone to find an opponent. There was no one he trusted, not even the police. And, ironically, he learned that the police did not trust him.
Here is a taut, compelling mystery, set against the fascinating background of show business.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
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About the author
Whit Masterson
44 books9 followersWhit Masterson is a pen name of authors, Robert Allison “Bob” Wade (1920-present) and H. Bill Miller (1920–61). The two also wrote under several other pseudonyms, including Wade Miller and Will Daemer.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
March 10, 2021
Wade Miller is actually the writing team of Robert Wade and Bill Miller. They also wrote under a number of other psuedonyms, including Whit Masterson. They were junior high school friends and began their writing partnership in their teenage years, going on to write dozens of pulp novels, many of which were made into movies. Evil Come, Evil Go was the last published work of the partnership since Bill Miller died of a heart attack at the young age of 41 in 1961.
Evil Come, Evil Go (not to be confused with the soft core porn horror movie of the same title) is a terrific paperback original and should appeal to a wide range of readers. It is a professional work and absolutely well crafted from beginning to end. It is a sort of remake of the Lindbergh kidnapping. A 1961 remake where the rich and famous man is not a famous aviator, but a pop idol, whose high-grossing tours were beset by thousands of screaming fans, clawing for a piece of him. Andy Paxton and his wife, Lissa, were the ultimate show business couple between his singing and her acting and the brutal kidnapping of their infant son captured every headline in the country and the cover of every newspaper. They were relentlessly pursued by the media to the point where a part of their house was turned into a twenty-four hour press room.
It is the story of a man who is a victim of a heinous crime, but because of his fame and position, is isolated. The police don’t trust him, accusing him of a media stunt for publicity purposes. Their marital difficulties are turning to a divorce just as the kidnapping occurs. The public distrusts him when he puts on a concert the very next night instead of combing the streets for his son. And, one by one, he begins to distrust his family and friends until he is alone and coming apart at the seams.
It is skillfully written so that the 200 pages feels quite short. Although not the hardboiled detective story one might have expected from the Wade Miller team, it is just a great read.
Evil Come, Evil Go (not to be confused with the soft core porn horror movie of the same title) is a terrific paperback original and should appeal to a wide range of readers. It is a professional work and absolutely well crafted from beginning to end. It is a sort of remake of the Lindbergh kidnapping. A 1961 remake where the rich and famous man is not a famous aviator, but a pop idol, whose high-grossing tours were beset by thousands of screaming fans, clawing for a piece of him. Andy Paxton and his wife, Lissa, were the ultimate show business couple between his singing and her acting and the brutal kidnapping of their infant son captured every headline in the country and the cover of every newspaper. They were relentlessly pursued by the media to the point where a part of their house was turned into a twenty-four hour press room.
It is the story of a man who is a victim of a heinous crime, but because of his fame and position, is isolated. The police don’t trust him, accusing him of a media stunt for publicity purposes. Their marital difficulties are turning to a divorce just as the kidnapping occurs. The public distrusts him when he puts on a concert the very next night instead of combing the streets for his son. And, one by one, he begins to distrust his family and friends until he is alone and coming apart at the seams.
It is skillfully written so that the 200 pages feels quite short. Although not the hardboiled detective story one might have expected from the Wade Miller team, it is just a great read.
April 8, 2023
Hero is a singer who has a few hits under his belt and is definitely on the rise. Sure his marriage is politely falling apart and he takes all his friendships for granted. But his future seems golden and secure. That is, until the violent kidnapping of his boy…
This is a good state of the art thriller from around 1960. The first half of the book — with our hero having his world collapse around him — is excellent. The second half — when the hero figures out who is behind everything and the root of all his troubles — is less interesting, as the plot then is just predictable.
This is a good state of the art thriller from around 1960. The first half of the book — with our hero having his world collapse around him — is excellent. The second half — when the hero figures out who is behind everything and the root of all his troubles — is less interesting, as the plot then is just predictable.
December 10, 2023
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Evil Come, Evil Go is a 1961 crime novel by Whit Masterson.
Andy Paxton is a popular screen, TV and recording star, his celebrity rising. Not quite Sinatra, more in the Bobby Darin range. We enter as he presents sold out shows at the El Dorado, a California nightclub where top acts try new material. Along for the ride is his wife, son, and entourage: Bake (his best friend), Lanny from the record company, press agent Ed Thornburg, and 'Hub', his ex-cop bodyguard and driver.
Andy has risen fast from being an administrative cop, when his turn in a local talent show turned the world on to his voice. Meeting seasoned actress Lissa Deane on a TV show lead to a whirlwind romance, and their star roles in a technicolor epic solidified them as Hollywood's Golden Couple, complete with a newborn son. Little matter they are indifferent to each other, and their constant talk of divorce from this marriage of convenience is more about schedule timing than feelings.
"We have your Son. He is safe as long as you behave. Do not call the cops. We will contact you. Code word is Canary."
The bombshell note arrives as Andy takes the stage - the child was taken, and the babysitter killed. Andy's world collapses around him. The police are called in, the hounding reporters call out "Do you think your baby is still alive?". The media circus is held at bay and a vigil for the next phone call begins, although Homicide Lieutenant Bonner must wonder if it is all a publicity stunt. Andy is certain - the ransom of $100,000 will be paid. Everyone in Andy's inner circle is questioned, especially those heavy in debt. Dark secrets are revealed and there is another death (a probable suicide, or a certain murder?).
Andy and Hub lead their own investigations which turn off into shady roadside bars and burlesque houses, fake ransom seekers come out of the woodwork, and Andy's mother turns to astrology for answers. The culprit is revealed just three pages before the end, in an exciting rooftop chase and the discovery that the person closest to you could have been the vile kidnapper all along.
This is a taut novel moving from the backstage world of entertainment to a desperate search. The writing is dark and sharp with a driving tempo. There is mystery, however, the tone of stark panic plays more like a crime novel in The Desperate Hours style. Andy can trust no one in his world, not even the police, for he quickly finds out, the police do not trust him.
A very enjoyable page-turner, this was filmed as The Yellow Canary in 1963.
Whit Masterson is a psuedonym for the writing team of Robert Wade and H. Bill Miller, who also wrote popular fiction under the name Wade Miller (Branded Woman). Many of their titles have been adapted to film, including Orson Welles Touch of Evil, Kitten With A Whip, and Guilty Bystander.
Evil Come, Evil Go is a 1961 crime novel by Whit Masterson.
Andy Paxton is a popular screen, TV and recording star, his celebrity rising. Not quite Sinatra, more in the Bobby Darin range. We enter as he presents sold out shows at the El Dorado, a California nightclub where top acts try new material. Along for the ride is his wife, son, and entourage: Bake (his best friend), Lanny from the record company, press agent Ed Thornburg, and 'Hub', his ex-cop bodyguard and driver.
Andy has risen fast from being an administrative cop, when his turn in a local talent show turned the world on to his voice. Meeting seasoned actress Lissa Deane on a TV show lead to a whirlwind romance, and their star roles in a technicolor epic solidified them as Hollywood's Golden Couple, complete with a newborn son. Little matter they are indifferent to each other, and their constant talk of divorce from this marriage of convenience is more about schedule timing than feelings.
"We have your Son. He is safe as long as you behave. Do not call the cops. We will contact you. Code word is Canary."
The bombshell note arrives as Andy takes the stage - the child was taken, and the babysitter killed. Andy's world collapses around him. The police are called in, the hounding reporters call out "Do you think your baby is still alive?". The media circus is held at bay and a vigil for the next phone call begins, although Homicide Lieutenant Bonner must wonder if it is all a publicity stunt. Andy is certain - the ransom of $100,000 will be paid. Everyone in Andy's inner circle is questioned, especially those heavy in debt. Dark secrets are revealed and there is another death (a probable suicide, or a certain murder?).
Andy and Hub lead their own investigations which turn off into shady roadside bars and burlesque houses, fake ransom seekers come out of the woodwork, and Andy's mother turns to astrology for answers. The culprit is revealed just three pages before the end, in an exciting rooftop chase and the discovery that the person closest to you could have been the vile kidnapper all along.
This is a taut novel moving from the backstage world of entertainment to a desperate search. The writing is dark and sharp with a driving tempo. There is mystery, however, the tone of stark panic plays more like a crime novel in The Desperate Hours style. Andy can trust no one in his world, not even the police, for he quickly finds out, the police do not trust him.
A very enjoyable page-turner, this was filmed as The Yellow Canary in 1963.
Whit Masterson is a psuedonym for the writing team of Robert Wade and H. Bill Miller, who also wrote popular fiction under the name Wade Miller (Branded Woman). Many of their titles have been adapted to film, including Orson Welles Touch of Evil, Kitten With A Whip, and Guilty Bystander.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews