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Shell Scott #38
The Sweet Ride
The mayor's daughter skinny-dipped...in front of strangers. The mayor pawed naked waitresses and used subnormal thugs as police. Something was wrong in the good town of Newton and Shell Scott was finding out about it the hard way — from corpses who gave half-clues and chicks who's do anything for the wrong reasons and the right rewards.
It was a mind-stoning case where double-crosses and dirty-dealing sex were only some of the snares — and for private eyes like Scott, just staying alive was the toughest thing to do in town...
It was a mind-stoning case where double-crosses and dirty-dealing sex were only some of the snares — and for private eyes like Scott, just staying alive was the toughest thing to do in town...
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1972
1 person is currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Richard S. Prather
94 books43 followersRichard Scott Prather was an American mystery novelist, best known for creating the "Shell Scott" series. He also wrote under the pseudonyms David Knight and Douglas Ring.
Prather was born in Santa Ana, California. He served in the United States Merchant Marine during World War II. In 1945 year he married Tina Hager and began working as a civilian chief clerk of surplus property at March Air Force Base in Riverside, California. He left that job to become a full-time writer in 1949. The first Shell Scott mystery, 'Case of the Vanishing Beauty' was published in 1950. It would be the start of a long series that numbered more than three dozen titles featuring the Shell Scott character.
Prather had a disagreement with his publisher in the 1970s and sued them in 1975. He gave up writing for several years and grew avocados. However in 1986 he returned with 'The Amber Effect'. Prather's final book, 'Shellshock', was published in hardcover in 1987 by Tor Books.
At the time of his death in 2007, he had completed his final Shell Scott Mystery novel, 'The Death Gods'. It was published October 2011 by Pendleton Artists.
Prather served twice on the Board of Directors of the Mystery Writers of America. Additionally Prather received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 1986.
Prather was born in Santa Ana, California. He served in the United States Merchant Marine during World War II. In 1945 year he married Tina Hager and began working as a civilian chief clerk of surplus property at March Air Force Base in Riverside, California. He left that job to become a full-time writer in 1949. The first Shell Scott mystery, 'Case of the Vanishing Beauty' was published in 1950. It would be the start of a long series that numbered more than three dozen titles featuring the Shell Scott character.
Prather had a disagreement with his publisher in the 1970s and sued them in 1975. He gave up writing for several years and grew avocados. However in 1986 he returned with 'The Amber Effect'. Prather's final book, 'Shellshock', was published in hardcover in 1987 by Tor Books.
At the time of his death in 2007, he had completed his final Shell Scott Mystery novel, 'The Death Gods'. It was published October 2011 by Pendleton Artists.
Prather served twice on the Board of Directors of the Mystery Writers of America. Additionally Prather received the Shamus Award, "The Eye" (Lifetime achievment award) in 1986.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 4, 2023
The Sweet Ride (1972), the 38th in the series, is one of the better Shell Scott novels, is set in an imaginary Northern California city (Newton) that had been birthed out of nothing and grown like weeds to half a million in no time at all. Scott, here, is practically a stranger alone in a strange town with a handful of friends (including one Martinique Monet -“the cool-hot-looking lovely with the provocative walk and eyes of goblins’-blood green had been phoning Mayor Fowler, and that, thank goodness, she was one of the good guys”) and up against a mountain of corruption in the form of a bad guy (Hugh Grimson) who has his fingers in every pie. “The violence, Mayor Fowler concluded, encompassed everything from mere threats of physical damage to persons or property, through mild-to-severe beatings including an assortment of broken arms and legs plus a concussion or two, to finally murder.”
Scott narrating tells us that corruption inevitably comes with development and with government grants and loans: “So, inevitably, with the boom had come the sticky-fingered citizens, the grafters and leeches, the operators and freeloaders along for the sweet ride. And crooks. Real, professional, hard-working, dedicated-to-the-job crooks. Or, in the mayor’s words, ‘corruption and malfeasance.’”
There are very few cute gimmicks in this one other than the Playboy-line Club Rogue on top of a new skyscraper where on opening night the cocktail waitresses don’t even have bunny tails, even one named Canada Southern, and his almost skinny-dipping with someone who appears to be the mayor’s daughter Melinda. And yes, there are comic scenes with Scott slipping on oil slicks in the middle of a gun battle and holding onto a car from the outside as it lurches around town. Prather’s writing has always been quite visual.
Mostly though, you get the sense that Scott is acting alone here without his usual safety net, particularly when he flies up there only to be fired on the spot and strangely told by his client, the mayor, Mayor Everson Fowler, that his services are no longer needed. Despite the series having lasted for over thirty years, Scott still tells us in his narration that he’s only thirty years old ( must take that ageless male formula you see on late night infomercials). And, the story is not set necessarily in 1972. It could have taken place any year and fits in solidly with lots of crime fiction stories where the narrator wanders into the wrong town on the wrong day with everyone standing against him.
Scott narrating tells us that corruption inevitably comes with development and with government grants and loans: “So, inevitably, with the boom had come the sticky-fingered citizens, the grafters and leeches, the operators and freeloaders along for the sweet ride. And crooks. Real, professional, hard-working, dedicated-to-the-job crooks. Or, in the mayor’s words, ‘corruption and malfeasance.’”
There are very few cute gimmicks in this one other than the Playboy-line Club Rogue on top of a new skyscraper where on opening night the cocktail waitresses don’t even have bunny tails, even one named Canada Southern, and his almost skinny-dipping with someone who appears to be the mayor’s daughter Melinda. And yes, there are comic scenes with Scott slipping on oil slicks in the middle of a gun battle and holding onto a car from the outside as it lurches around town. Prather’s writing has always been quite visual.
Mostly though, you get the sense that Scott is acting alone here without his usual safety net, particularly when he flies up there only to be fired on the spot and strangely told by his client, the mayor, Mayor Everson Fowler, that his services are no longer needed. Despite the series having lasted for over thirty years, Scott still tells us in his narration that he’s only thirty years old ( must take that ageless male formula you see on late night infomercials). And, the story is not set necessarily in 1972. It could have taken place any year and fits in solidly with lots of crime fiction stories where the narrator wanders into the wrong town on the wrong day with everyone standing against him.
May 27, 2011
Small town corruption sends Shell Scott to Newton California, a town north of San Francisco. He'd received a phone call from Mayor Fowler who needed his help in bringing down a hood named Hugh Grimson who was strangling his small city. An eyewitness had emerged to Grimson gunning down a man and it was the perfect opportunity.
Shell had to fly up, early the next morning, and was surprised when he met the Mayor at his home. Te whole thing was a mistake, the witness was an unreliable little man when the Mayor had found out his identity.
"Sorry about the trouble Mr Scott. We'll pay your plane fare and your time of course. You want to check the witness before you leave. Of course Mr, Scott."
The Mayor's assessment was correct of course. Shell met some friends for lunch before leaving, one of which had recommended him to the Mayor. The Mayor was supposed to attend as well, but seemed to have dropped out of sight.
Shell is asked to stay a few days, being paid for his time of course, and the next time he sees the Mayor, he's fondling a naked waitress in a private club.
He points him out to his friend and gets another surprise. That's not the Mayor, that's Hugh Grimson!
There sets off a chain of events as Shell pokes around, gets a few attempts on his life, while looking for the Mayor and the real witness to the murder.
As always, a Shell Scott mystery is a lot of fun with Prather's blend of humor and a bit of violence.
Shell had to fly up, early the next morning, and was surprised when he met the Mayor at his home. Te whole thing was a mistake, the witness was an unreliable little man when the Mayor had found out his identity.
"Sorry about the trouble Mr Scott. We'll pay your plane fare and your time of course. You want to check the witness before you leave. Of course Mr, Scott."
The Mayor's assessment was correct of course. Shell met some friends for lunch before leaving, one of which had recommended him to the Mayor. The Mayor was supposed to attend as well, but seemed to have dropped out of sight.
Shell is asked to stay a few days, being paid for his time of course, and the next time he sees the Mayor, he's fondling a naked waitress in a private club.
He points him out to his friend and gets another surprise. That's not the Mayor, that's Hugh Grimson!
There sets off a chain of events as Shell pokes around, gets a few attempts on his life, while looking for the Mayor and the real witness to the murder.
As always, a Shell Scott mystery is a lot of fun with Prather's blend of humor and a bit of violence.
August 14, 2025
Vždycky jednou za čas si za odměnu dám nového (tedy starého) Prathera. A ano, nedá se okecat, že je to vlastně pořád to samé a že to rozhodně nepatří mezi knížky, které by přišly se šokujícím finále. Obvykle je na začátku nějaký zločin, je představený šéf gangu, který za tím nejspíš stojí – a světě div se, on za tím skutečně stojí, a ve finále jde o to, jak ho dostat. No a mezi tím je nějaká akce a spousta hlášek a krásných koček, které si nepotrpí na oblečení.
V téhle knize se Shell Scott, tohle ustavičně nadržené a nečekaně přátelské soukromé očko, dostává do města, které ovládají zločinci. Má za úkol v něm udělal pořádek. Tedy… měl. Po příjezdu se zdá, že starosta, který ho tím pověřil, změnil názor a teď chce hlavně, aby Scott zase zmizel. Ale detektiv se nedá zastavit a poté, co ho gangsteři zkusí zlikvidovat, vyráží do boje. Ale bacha, tohle není žádná Rudá žeň. Prather tohle oblíbené pojednává dost atypicky – hlavní hrdina v celé knize vůbec nikoho nezabije… a ve finále dokonce ani nedostane příležitost vykopnout dveře. Musím přiznat, že tady ta přiznaná antiklimatičnost je mi dost blízká, stejně tak jako autorovo nutkání hrdinovi heroické akce co nejvíc komplikovat a kazit. Vyloženě si užívá a hledá, co by se ještě mohlo podělat, co by hrdinovi mohlo nevyjít… ale pořád tak, aby Soctt nepůsobil jako neschopný idiot. (Čehož dosahuje tím, že to sám hrdina ironicky glosuje.) Asi jeden z nejzábavnějších momentů je v okamžiku, kdy Shell Scott předstírá, že je mrtvý, ale nějak mu to nejde – a gauneři, kteří ho sledují, přemýšlejí, jestli je to u mrtvol normální, že mrkají a trhají sebou. Obvykle, když někoho zastřelili, okamžitě zmizeli z místa činu, nikdy neměli příležitost výsledek své práce déle pozorovat, tak je to třeba naprosto běžné.
Tohle je už jedna z pozdějších prací, v pořadí třicátá osmá kniha ze série zvící dvaačtyřiceti dílů (ale poslední díl vyšel už po autorově smrti). Je to sice už trochu řidší a ne tak nadupaný jako jeho jiné knížky, ale zase je tam už větší nadhled a ironické pohrávání s žánrem. Nedá se nic dělat, sedí mi to.
V téhle knize se Shell Scott, tohle ustavičně nadržené a nečekaně přátelské soukromé očko, dostává do města, které ovládají zločinci. Má za úkol v něm udělal pořádek. Tedy… měl. Po příjezdu se zdá, že starosta, který ho tím pověřil, změnil názor a teď chce hlavně, aby Scott zase zmizel. Ale detektiv se nedá zastavit a poté, co ho gangsteři zkusí zlikvidovat, vyráží do boje. Ale bacha, tohle není žádná Rudá žeň. Prather tohle oblíbené pojednává dost atypicky – hlavní hrdina v celé knize vůbec nikoho nezabije… a ve finále dokonce ani nedostane příležitost vykopnout dveře. Musím přiznat, že tady ta přiznaná antiklimatičnost je mi dost blízká, stejně tak jako autorovo nutkání hrdinovi heroické akce co nejvíc komplikovat a kazit. Vyloženě si užívá a hledá, co by se ještě mohlo podělat, co by hrdinovi mohlo nevyjít… ale pořád tak, aby Soctt nepůsobil jako neschopný idiot. (Čehož dosahuje tím, že to sám hrdina ironicky glosuje.) Asi jeden z nejzábavnějších momentů je v okamžiku, kdy Shell Scott předstírá, že je mrtvý, ale nějak mu to nejde – a gauneři, kteří ho sledují, přemýšlejí, jestli je to u mrtvol normální, že mrkají a trhají sebou. Obvykle, když někoho zastřelili, okamžitě zmizeli z místa činu, nikdy neměli příležitost výsledek své práce déle pozorovat, tak je to třeba naprosto běžné.
Tohle je už jedna z pozdějších prací, v pořadí třicátá osmá kniha ze série zvící dvaačtyřiceti dílů (ale poslední díl vyšel už po autorově smrti). Je to sice už trochu řidší a ne tak nadupaný jako jeho jiné knížky, ale zase je tam už větší nadhled a ironické pohrávání s žánrem. Nedá se nic dělat, sedí mi to.
April 13, 2025
I love the way Prather builds suspense and keeps you guessing until the very end.The characters are so well-developed, and the plots are always so clever. I also love the way he incorporates elements of humor and romance into his stories.I think it's a great combination. What did you think of the ending?
January 3, 2020
Over 250 pounds, burly, hard drinking, and fearless, Shel Scotte must have beautiful women around him – including the large painting of a nude in his living room. He can’t wait to get back to it each night, even just hours after a Mack truck has tried to squash in in his sport car. Bigger than each of his sensual and often-satisfied yearnings is his all-American optimism. Prather puts acute observations about racketeering and corporate greed into this novel.
August 21, 2024
Remarkably well-written and sexy (and sexist) - with a fascinating premise and great follow-through. This book is the male fantasy.
May 17, 2012
Richard S. Prather was a 50's and 60's author of racy detective novels featuring Shell Scott, his bawdy (only suggestively vulgar however) , ex-Marine sole proprietor of Sheldon Scott Investigations. As with all Prather's novels, they are funny and clever. This one was no exception. You have to visit old bookstores to find these pulp fiction novels, but I think they're gems worth prospecting for. I have 20 in my collection.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews