What do you think?
Rate this book
Shell Scott #36
The Shell Scott Sampler
Shell Scott finds himself pressed up against seductive women in deadly situations like no other hard-boiled L.A. sleuth. This collection of five adventures delivers all the action and excitement Shell Scott readers know to anticipate. Follow him through entanglements with Hollywood killers, murderous thieves, and more gorgeous women than his pistol can handle--all at the same time! It's the perfect primer for one of sleuthing's most persistent and enduring character.
The Shell Scott Sampler is the 36th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
The Shell Scott Sampler is the 36th book in the Shell Scott Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.
160 pages, ebook
First published June 1, 1969
11 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Richard S. Prather
93 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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 21, 2021
For those who have never tried Richard Prather’s Shell Scott stories or novels, this is a perfect way to try him out. This slim volume contains three short stories and two novellas that feature the intrepid private investigator Shell Scott. The stories are nicely varied, not only in length but in style as well. They range from the fairly serious novella, “The Da Vinci Affair” to the very short and funny “The Bawdy Beautiful”. Shell is carved from the Mike Hammer mold, but the stories tend toward the lighter side, with less violence but plenty of sleuthing and case solving. They may not be for everyone in today’s reading audience due mostly to the protagonist’s constant womanizing, but they are always fun reads and frankly, the women that enter Shell’s orbit are always part of the case and key elements of the plot.
I enjoyed all five of the stories presented here, an unusual accomplishment for a collection like this.
Highly recommended.
I enjoyed all five of the stories presented here, an unusual accomplishment for a collection like this.
Highly recommended.
August 25, 2011
A collection of tales, three short stories and two novellas, of our favorite PI. Shell Scott lives the life most males fantasize about. Well, teenage males anyway.
In THE GUILTY PARTY, Shell is called upon by a beautiful young woman to help her out with a "bed bug" problem.
THE LIVE ONES finds our hero coming home to a dream. A naked blond on his couch, a second blond in the same state on his bed, and a third, a redhead this time, in the shower. The nightmare is the two thugs, one with a sap and the other a camera.
THE BAWDY BEAUTIFUL concerns a young woman who shows up at his home wearing only a wet coat and needing his help. She's witnessed a murder and ran.
The two novellas:
THE DA VINCI AFFAIR has a rich man wanting Shell to find his stolen drawing by the master. Some restrictions though: no police, the suspects must not know he's checking them out, and the identities of the thief and the buyer. For all that, he will get ten percent of the value.
THE CAUTIOUS KILLERS is a tale of a lawyer murdered as he comes out of a restaurant, his date almost murdered, and Shell received a burn on one hand from a close bullet. The prime suspect, a disgruntled client just out of prison that day, has a less than stellar alibi, one refuted by his wife, who'd wanted to hire Shell to find her husband, missing since he got out of prison.
A fun set of stories.
In THE GUILTY PARTY, Shell is called upon by a beautiful young woman to help her out with a "bed bug" problem.
THE LIVE ONES finds our hero coming home to a dream. A naked blond on his couch, a second blond in the same state on his bed, and a third, a redhead this time, in the shower. The nightmare is the two thugs, one with a sap and the other a camera.
THE BAWDY BEAUTIFUL concerns a young woman who shows up at his home wearing only a wet coat and needing his help. She's witnessed a murder and ran.
The two novellas:
THE DA VINCI AFFAIR has a rich man wanting Shell to find his stolen drawing by the master. Some restrictions though: no police, the suspects must not know he's checking them out, and the identities of the thief and the buyer. For all that, he will get ten percent of the value.
THE CAUTIOUS KILLERS is a tale of a lawyer murdered as he comes out of a restaurant, his date almost murdered, and Shell received a burn on one hand from a close bullet. The prime suspect, a disgruntled client just out of prison that day, has a less than stellar alibi, one refuted by his wife, who'd wanted to hire Shell to find her husband, missing since he got out of prison.
A fun set of stories.
June 8, 2017
A nice collection
It's a Whitman sampler of cases for the PI who's PDQ on the job. Shel is a man with a quick wit and quicker left. I like that he'd sooner talk his way out of a jam than shoot his way. But the dames are fetching and the bulls are useful.
It's a Whitman sampler of cases for the PI who's PDQ on the job. Shel is a man with a quick wit and quicker left. I like that he'd sooner talk his way out of a jam than shoot his way. But the dames are fetching and the bulls are useful.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews