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The Shadow Pulp #16
The Ghost Makers
120 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1932
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About the author
Maxwell Grant
652 books32 followersMaxwell Grant was a pseudonym often used by Walter B. Gibson to write stories of "The Shadow".
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 15, 2018
Spirits that carry daggers! The Ghost Makers is all about a criminal ring set up around the country, posing as mediums, scamming people out of money with phony seances. Only the Shadow knows! With the aid of Detective Joe Cardona, the Shadow begins tracking the villains, following the clues back to the leaders of the criminal ring. The crooks stop at nothing- not even murder!
This was a very early on Shadow story. Back at the start of the series, Walter wanted to keep the Shadow as much a mystery to us as to the other characters of the story. To do this, he used a plot device called proxy characters. Basically, Walter kept the Shadow more in the background, having him lead other main characters (his agents, or as in this story, Joe Cardona) through the story. The Shadow is there, but you get more of a substitute authorized to act for the Shadow. Eventually, a few years in to the series, Walter dropped the proxy character plot device and just had the story progress through the Shadow and or his more famous aliases, Lamont Cranston or Kent Allard.
I am not a big fan of the proxy character style. I get that the author wanted the Shadow to be more enigmatic, leaving you wanting more. But I want to see the Shadow. I want to know what the Shadow thinks and does, I don't want to see him only skulking around in the shadows and not doing anything but giving a sinister laugh. He is such a kick ass character, I want to see MORE of him, not LESS! Don't get me wrong, early Shadow stories are not bad stories. They are actually very entertaining. I just would prefer the Shadow being the main character, instead of one of his agents or the detective getting more focus.
Something unique about this novel, is that the Shadow actually travels outside of New York City. Normally, when the Shadow travels, he just goes over to New Jersey or New York state. But in this story, he actually travels to places like Chicago, St. Louis, and Philly.
While not my favorite Shadow novel I've ever read, The Ghost Makers was pretty entertaining. It had a unique crime element, instead of just your average gangster robbing a bank, or something like that. There were a few unexpected twists that left you saying "NO WAY!!! :O " It was a very quick read, with plenty of action.
January 2, 2021
Enjoyable but not the Shadow's best.
A murder at a seance, seemingly by a ghost sets Det. Cardona investigating shady goings on among phony mediums. It turns out that a mastermind has coordinated multiple con artists for greater effect (getting people all across the country to invest in fake stock, for instance), with nobody suspecting what's going on. But the Shadow knows ...
Unlike the last couple of adventures I read, this has none of the Shadow's agents except for Joe Cardona. And the Shadow's body count is surprisingly low here, with the Master of Darkness dropping several hoods with shots to the arm or hand rather than lethally.
A murder at a seance, seemingly by a ghost sets Det. Cardona investigating shady goings on among phony mediums. It turns out that a mastermind has coordinated multiple con artists for greater effect (getting people all across the country to invest in fake stock, for instance), with nobody suspecting what's going on. But the Shadow knows ...
Unlike the last couple of adventures I read, this has none of the Shadow's agents except for Joe Cardona. And the Shadow's body count is surprisingly low here, with the Master of Darkness dropping several hoods with shots to the arm or hand rather than lethally.
June 21, 2019
Fake mediums across America are swindling people out of millions with promises to contact dead people, and it is all controlled by one man. Anyone who tries to stop them dies. Detective Joe Cardona is put on the case and follows the clues left by The Shadow. There is a final confrontation, an exposure. Bad guys die and Cardona gets the fame while The Shadow vanishes into the mists again.
June 18, 2022
These kind of scams are still going on in the real world...
April 10, 2023
The Shadow takes on a phony medium ring. Not one of the best in the series, but fairly entertaining.
January 19, 2016
This is the 16th pulp story, appearing originally on October 15th, 1932.
In order to appreciate this story it helps to know a little about the spiritualist movement of the times. In today’s New Age movement we have people who “channel” other “entities”. Various programs are on TV about ghost hunting, communicating with the dead, etc.
Back in the Shadow’s time, though, there was no TV. There were people doing the same types of things they do now, but in a more “primitive” fashion. These people who claimed psychic ability would hold seances at their homes. They would claim to be able to communicate with departed spirits and sometimes would produce things like floating trumpets or even a “materialization,” where a spirit, or part of one, would physically appear to those at the seance.
The main problem was that a very large proportion of that group were really con artists. There were various tricks they would use, and people of the times were not quite as aware of the possible tricks as they are today, so they were fooled much easier.
This is the basis of this story. A group of criminals has set up a ring of phoney mediums in various cities. They obtain information on potential clients, then dupe the clients and eventually get them to turn over money, diamonds, etc. to them. In this story, of course, these crooks are not at all above using much more serious methods to get what they want, including killing those who get in their way.
What they don’t count on is the involvement of the Shadow, this time sending messages to Joe Cardona on where to check since it’s a multi-city operation and even the Shadow can’t be everywhere at once.
It’s a major racket the crooks have going and it’s interesting to read how they plan their crimes and what kinds of tricks they are using to fool the people attending the seances. This is a really good Shadow story, definitely one that should be high up on priority to read.
In order to appreciate this story it helps to know a little about the spiritualist movement of the times. In today’s New Age movement we have people who “channel” other “entities”. Various programs are on TV about ghost hunting, communicating with the dead, etc.
Back in the Shadow’s time, though, there was no TV. There were people doing the same types of things they do now, but in a more “primitive” fashion. These people who claimed psychic ability would hold seances at their homes. They would claim to be able to communicate with departed spirits and sometimes would produce things like floating trumpets or even a “materialization,” where a spirit, or part of one, would physically appear to those at the seance.
The main problem was that a very large proportion of that group were really con artists. There were various tricks they would use, and people of the times were not quite as aware of the possible tricks as they are today, so they were fooled much easier.
This is the basis of this story. A group of criminals has set up a ring of phoney mediums in various cities. They obtain information on potential clients, then dupe the clients and eventually get them to turn over money, diamonds, etc. to them. In this story, of course, these crooks are not at all above using much more serious methods to get what they want, including killing those who get in their way.
What they don’t count on is the involvement of the Shadow, this time sending messages to Joe Cardona on where to check since it’s a multi-city operation and even the Shadow can’t be everywhere at once.
It’s a major racket the crooks have going and it’s interesting to read how they plan their crimes and what kinds of tricks they are using to fool the people attending the seances. This is a really good Shadow story, definitely one that should be high up on priority to read.
August 11, 2015
Aside from a comic book mini-series or two in the '80s, this is really my introduction to The Shadow. Of all the pulp heroes I've read, The Shadow is probably the least interesting to me. I mean, I do see the potential in the character, but this book does little to inspire much interest. The Shadow exists largely as a plot device, showing virtually no personality trait. This is primarily because The Shadow is shown working vaguely behind the scenes of the action, acting in a largely cryptic manner. The story itself is fairly slight and feels like a rather by the numbers pulp tale. Nothing special here, just a mildly entertaining read.
February 2, 2016
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
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July 8, 2016read some time in 1984
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews