A Ticket to Hell

by Harry Whittington

He was a tall and slender man in his early thirties with a bitter hunger in his face. There was a strength about him that the tailored jacket couldn’t conceal or soften, and a readiness about him that clashed with the expensive car and the hand-sawn luggage.

Ex-convict Ric Durazo was a man on a mission – well chosen for the job of saving someone’s life, even if it cost him his own.

A Ticket to Hell is a fast-paced noir ride through the cheap motels and desert canyons of New Mexico.

Praise for A Ticket to Hell:

"Tough, uncompromising and effective."
- New York Times

"...one of those short books that has more plot and action than most writers these days can get into 500 pages"
- Bill Crider, author of the Sheriff Dan Rhodes series

Genres: Noir, Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Novels

153 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1959

About the author

He 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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Reviews

[Jayakrishnan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A truly awful book written by a writer who seems to know nothing about the milieu. He is not even crafty enough to hide his lack of knowledge with witty dialog and twists like other talented crime fiction writers. An irritating femme fatale and a hero who continuously mouths banalities does not help matters. I bought this book at a premium because Tarantino wanted to make a movie based on it. However, the first 30 pages are quite interesting. Thanks to some nice descriptions about a few hours in a small town motel.

[Joe Nicholl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harry Whittington was part of the 2nd wave of noir/pulp writers along with David Goodis, Day Keene and other authors from mainly the '50's. Whittington wrote an incredible 170 novels...he's known as the master of 'plot'. A Ticket to Hell is considered one of his best...and it does move along at a whip-neck pace...I'd say 80% of the book takes place inside a car screaming down the New Mexico highways and back roads. The main character is Ric, a former convict searching for the kidnapped baby of the judge that sentenced him to prison years before...so it's kind of a story of redemption along with a lot of action...and cars, cars, cars! The only drawbacks to A Ticket to Hell is it's very schmaltzy....very lovely-dovely...it contrasts with the action too much...and for a 128 pages it's a lonnnng read...it reads more like 228 pages. -There is a long (20 pages) Introduction written by Whittington himself that is very interesting...it talks quite a bit about the art/craft of pulp-fiction writing. -A Ticket to Hell is a good book and I feel like I should score it higher than 3.0 stars...but there you go...a solid, strong 3.0 stars out of 5.0!

[Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harry Whittington was crowned the "King of the Paperbacks" and published as many as 200 mysteries, westerns, and pulps. "A Ticket To Hell" is a terrific fast moving story that's basically a pulpy man on the run tale set in the parched hills of New Mexico.

Whittington filled this one with all kinds of pulp cliches. Ric Durazo has driven cross country to make some kind of deal or exchange, but he just can't seem to keep a low profile. He's an Ex-con who had done three years hard time. His woman who he yearned for every day went and married the judge who sentenced him. The motel owner's wife doesn't want Ric to feel lonely. The couple in the cottage across the street are in a marital dispute and, against his better judgement, Ric butts in. And, the state police and the FBI are on his trail. And, oh yeah, on the way into town, Ric threw a hitchhiker out of a speeding car.

The writing is crisp, the plot flows smoothly And this is another pulp gem by Whittington.

[Kurt Reichenbaugh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Motel-noir, a good one too.

[Steven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn't quite bring myself to give this only one-star because there are some great scenes and the early chapters are full of promise and tension, but the rest of it annoyed me to no end, so, yes, this is a ticket to hell. Driving a low-slung Porsche off-road through the pines and boulders of a desert canyon? Makes you wonder if Whittington had ever seen a Porsche or a desert canyon, right? I love most everything I've read of Whittington's but this one's a clunker. After the great start, Whittington went into sit and spin mode, with repetitive teasing exposition suggesting just wait, wait, wait, there will eventually be something worth waiting for. Couldn't have been all of the empty dialog between Ric and Eve, could it? No, not that. Ends with some action scenes but I really didn't care any more at that point. The plot would make a good movie, but the screenwriter would need to ditch just about everything else. Both the Gold Medal originals and the Black Lizard reprints are easy to find in paperback, and there's an eBook version from 28o Steps, so give it a go if you must.

[Stephen J. Golds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harry Whittington was one of the pulp masters and this short novel is no exception.
A fast paced, twisting, noir story. I could taste the grit and smell the leather seats of the Porsche as it raced against the clock to escape the cops and save the kidnapped child.
5/5
Highly recommended

[AC · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well — it’s good hack work, but it really is soooo conventional.

[Piker7977 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was an ass-kicker. Loved it!

Everything I Know I Learned From A Gold Medal Paperback

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Ticket To Hell (1959) Ric is an ex-convict who was falsely convicted by a judge who wanted his wife Anne. When Ric is released, he agrees to take the ransom for Anne and the fifty year old judge’s kidnapped baby. While holding the quarter million in his car and staying at a motel cabin in New Mexico, he intervenes in a domestic violence incident that almost neutralizes him as a courier. In the end, he risks his life saving the baby. He is shot and we don’t know if he’ll make it at the end as he takes off with the young wife he rescued from domestic violence. This is a story of redemption, though exactly what sin Ric is being redeemed for is a bit unclear. Interesting story but awfully talky. It’s got a lot of heart.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whittington was hailed as "king of the paperback originals," and this novel is a one-sitting hell-ride through the cheap motels and desert canyons of New Mexico. At times overwritten, but with great energy, some tight dialogue, a dame to kill for, and a few narative twists along the way.

[Sloweducation · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fine one-sitting thriller with a clever plot.