The Green Hoods

The Shadow Pulp #156

by Walter B. Gibson

59 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2011

About the author

Walter Brown Gibson (September 12, 1897-December 6, 1985) was an American author and professional magician best known for his work on the pulp fiction character The Shadow. Gibson, under the pen-name Maxwell Grant, wrote "more than 300 novel-length" Shadow stories, writing up to "10,000 words a day" to satisfy public demand during the character's golden age in the 1930s and 1940s.

Reviews

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Green Hoods is one of the pulps where Walter B. Gibson has Kent Allard as the centerpiece. Allard was revealed as the real person behind The Shadow's assumed identity of Lamont Cranston, revealed by Gibson in 1937 in The Shadow Unmasks, but the real Cranston and the Cranston persona are either non-existent and only given a passing scene in this adventure that has the crime fighter investigating a criminal society (a society created for crime fighting rather than committing crime) and a battle for one of its inventions. There are murderes and a proxy heroine for a change of pace. The excellent cover by George Rozen features The Shadow and his proxy, Evelyn Rayle. The Green Hooods is one of three tales where story elements contributed to a screen adaptation, along with the second story in the Sanctum reprint.

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of 4 stories ( 3 novels and 1 radio script), the other novels being Silver Skull and The Lone Tiger, all of which are the basis for 1940's serial The Shadow. This novel has an organization made up of members who look for other ways to combat crime. One of the members kills another to get plans for the Truth Inducer. The good guys know one of the murderers is the killer, but have to figure out who. No one know who all of the members are as each member only know who they have asked to join. I.E., #1 asks #2 to join, #2 asks #3, etc. The members don't know who asked them to join.

[Little Timmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to pulp heroes there are 2 or 3 great standouts and the Shadow is one of those. The stories are fast paced and action filled. The mystery just adds to the excitement. With his army of agents to help the Shadow never lets you down for a great read. Highly Recommended