The Mighty Blockhead

by Frank Gruber

For those who never heard of the two pals, Fletcher is the schemer, always coming up with a scam or two to put a few coins in their pockets. Cragg's the big lug, who gets to throw his muscle around, usually to protect Fletcher. At the start of most of the novels, the two are always on their last dime, planning a way to peddle copies of "Every Man A Samson." It's a how-to-book that Fletcher had printed and he looks for opportunities to pitch it (usually in NYC) with Cragg demonstrating his awesome strength. They usually get enough from that to get a diner meal in their bellies, but somehow a murder or two lands in their laps and that's when the adventure blooms.

Genres: Mystery

179 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1941

About the author

Librarian note:
There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name

Frank Gruber was an enormously prolific author of pulp fiction. A stalwart contributor to Black Mask magazine, he also wrote novels, producing as many as four a year during the 1940s. His best-known character was Oliver Quade, “the Human Encyclopedia,” whose adventures were collected in Brass Knuckles (1966), and will soon be republished in ebook format as Oliver Quade, the Human Encyclopedia,featuring brand-new material, from MysteriousPress.com, Open Road Integrated Media, and Black Mask magazine.

Reviews

[Ronald Koltnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Johnny Fletcher and Sam Cragg mysteries by Frank Gruber are among the most enjoyable reads of the golden age of pulp. This one is about murder in a hotel and a body that won't stay in one place. The suspects include a number of people in the comics industry, and it involves a Superman character who resembles Sam. Gruber is not as well known as some of his conteoraries, but this series holds up beautifully and has a comic charm. Any novel about a book rep is worth reading

[Blanquet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely love Johnny Fletcher and Sam Cragg

[Chris Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

These Gruber mysteries are pure lighthearted joy!
They really capture the quick whited humor of the time (1940s)
Not serious "mysteries" but silly adventures and capers.

[Crystal Melbourne · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh. nothing special.