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Matthew Corbett #6.5
The Pale Pipesmoker
“The Pale Pipesmoker” features Katherine Herrald and Minx Cutter in a tale that takes place during the timeframe of Freedom of the Mask.
49 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2019
459 people want to read
About the author
Robert McCammon
168 books5,766 followersPseudonyms: Robert R. McCammon; Robert Rick McCammon
Robert McCammon was a full-time horror writer for many years. Among his many popular novels were the classics Boy's Life and Swan Song. After taking a hiatus for his family, he returned to writing with an interest in historical fiction.
His newest book, Leviathan, is the tenth and final book in the Matthew Corbett series. It was published in trade hardcover (Lividian Publications), ebook (Open Road), and audiobook (Audible) formats on December 3, 2024.
McCammon resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
Robert McCammon was a full-time horror writer for many years. Among his many popular novels were the classics Boy's Life and Swan Song. After taking a hiatus for his family, he returned to writing with an interest in historical fiction.
His newest book, Leviathan, is the tenth and final book in the Matthew Corbett series. It was published in trade hardcover (Lividian Publications), ebook (Open Road), and audiobook (Audible) formats on December 3, 2024.
McCammon resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
June 14, 2025
Great fun!
June 16, 2021
4.5 stars out of 5! Robert R McCammon treats us too another, absolutely free, short story taking place in the world of Matthew Corbett. Yes, you can go on to his personal website and download it and it won't cost you a penny (or a cent if your Stateside). This one is set in-between books six and seven and gives us something a little bit different.
Corbett has disappeared to England and his colleague Hudson Greathouse and sweetheart Berry Grigsby are in hot pursuit. But what is going on back in New York city? This story gives us an entertaining caper that focuses on the characters of Minx Cutter and Katherine Herald. It's short, sweet and got a nasty undertone. Just what the doctor ordered.
Sally Almond, the proprietor of one of the local taverns, has got a mysterious customer and our girls at the Herald agency are on the case. We have some interesting characters, a sadistic and intriguing villain and of course great writing from McCammon. It certainly grabs your attention for such a short piece of work and its great to spend some time with some of the side characters.
It's such a short piece of work so the pacing is absolutely spot on. You'll fly through it in one go.
The only negative is that it leaves you wanting more and for Matthew Corbett it's an appetizer as oppose to a main course. But for free you'd be a fool to pass this up.
Thanks to Robert McCammon for this little present to keep us going until his next release, the King of Shadows, hits the shelves. You're a top man and one of the reasons I love reading so much.
July 19, 2019
Nice little interlude from the Mayhew Corbett series. I really like Minx, I hope she gets a lot more page time in future stories.
November 6, 2024
This Robert McCammon short story fits in as part of his Matthew Corbett series, this time focusing on Kathleen Herrold and Minx Cutter representing the investigative firm of The Herrold Agency in New York. Local tavern and eatery owner, Sally Almond, hires The Herrold Agency to talk to a man who has been making a nightly appearance for a three-hour dinner period. She gives Kathleen and Minx a sum of money to pay the man in question to stop coming to Sally's tavern for dinner. While the man has not accosted anyone or violated any established rules of behavior, his presence is unsettling and he is scaring off customers. He is a pale, ghoulish looking man with strange behaviors and a hand which remains gloved at all times and appears to be handicapped in some way. He constantly smokes a pipe, and hence is to be known as The Pale Pipesmoker.
Kathleen and Minx accept the assignment and much to the consternation of the man in question, seat themselves at his table at Sally's for dinner the following evening. Before they have a chance to state their business, The Pale Pipesmoker begins his tale, and a woeful tale it is. He is from England and has only recently arrived in New York. In England he had been a constable for years and was happily married. Things were fine until a serial killer hit his district. His wife became a victim of the gruesome killer and he had been brutally attacked and all but killed himself, before a neighbor had scared off the killer. Eventually the constable received a letter from the killer challenging him to come to New York and finish their business and listed Sally Almond's establishment as their rendezvous point. Hence, here he was and here he would remain until the killer showed himself and they had their final showdown.
Kathleen and Minx abandon their assignment of demanding that he leave Sally's tavern and instead turn their attentions to trying to track down the serial killer who is apparently mingling among the population of the city. The Pale Pipesmoker has disappeared from his room at the inn where he is lodged and as they try to find him, they come face to face with the killer himself.
McCammon's writing is very good and this short story is a must read for his fans and for those reading the Matthew Corbett series. I would recommend it to everyone!
Kathleen and Minx accept the assignment and much to the consternation of the man in question, seat themselves at his table at Sally's for dinner the following evening. Before they have a chance to state their business, The Pale Pipesmoker begins his tale, and a woeful tale it is. He is from England and has only recently arrived in New York. In England he had been a constable for years and was happily married. Things were fine until a serial killer hit his district. His wife became a victim of the gruesome killer and he had been brutally attacked and all but killed himself, before a neighbor had scared off the killer. Eventually the constable received a letter from the killer challenging him to come to New York and finish their business and listed Sally Almond's establishment as their rendezvous point. Hence, here he was and here he would remain until the killer showed himself and they had their final showdown.
Kathleen and Minx abandon their assignment of demanding that he leave Sally's tavern and instead turn their attentions to trying to track down the serial killer who is apparently mingling among the population of the city. The Pale Pipesmoker has disappeared from his room at the inn where he is lodged and as they try to find him, they come face to face with the killer himself.
McCammon's writing is very good and this short story is a must read for his fans and for those reading the Matthew Corbett series. I would recommend it to everyone!
February 24, 2020
I have been on such an audiobook kick that it felt strange to be reading text again (but some hours in a cabin in winter with no internet connection or audiobooks will do that to you). I had downloaded this months ago back when I was on around Matthew Corbett's trip to England but had gone by it and had almost forgotten Minx and her skills with knives and such. I do enjoy his writing style and ability to draw one into a time period, city, pub and chair with just enough description of sights and smells to put you there but not belabor the point. Oddly gruesome as many of his novels are there is also some humanity and usually a lesson to be learned (kill the guy when you have the chance Minx would be this lesson). He usually ties up loose ends well but for some reason we never do find out the fate of the titular character , though as ghosty apparition he does make his presence known. Perhaps Mr Kent will apparate into a future novel, pipe in hand and blue smoke following his progress as he haunts bad doctor Billy Shears.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 5, 2020
Sally Almond, the owner of Corbett's favorite dining tavern came to the Herrald's Agency to ask Katherine and Minx to pay~off a sinister looking customer who had been regularly coming to the tavern from 6 to 9 in the evenings and spooking both staff and patrons. What both women got instead was a Constable's story (who was also a victim aside from his dead wife) who was taunted by the killer to a manhunt that started from London to New York involving a man tagged by the London broadsheets as Billy Shears (and by the Limehouse police as the Snipper) who cut his victims' throats then snips~off their fingers. I really do not like such horrifying tales and this author has a Gift of truly giving or injecting an atmosphere of terror... of tense anticipation of something dark and evil that must be in the next corner barely covered by the swirling mist or fog... Not a good feeling, that. Give me Matthew Corbett and his calming presence... for somehow when he is around despite the horrors that we encountered in Mister Slaughter and the rest of the books... he represents an anchor of 'goodness'... of humanity... of sanity... of reason... or a semblance of normalcy. He makes the bad things bearable and gives balance to everything. That is the Matthew Corbett Mystique... empowered by his own kind of Magic.
October 28, 2019
Nemokamai dalinama apysaka, besišliejanti prie mano karštai mylimo Matthew Corbetto ciklo. Teoriškai reikėjo skaityti tarp 6 ir 7 ciklo knygų, bet kažkaip pražiopsojau jos egzistavimą. Ne bėda. Juolab praktiškai – pagrindiniam ciklui įtakos jokios neturi, tai skaityti galima bet kada.
Kol Corbettas blaškosi Londone, jo bosė Katherine Herrald reikalų neapleidžia ir sprendžia problemas Niujorke. Truputį Poe, šiek tiek Conan Doyle. Persiskaitė smagiai, bet jei ciklo neskaitėt – nepradėkit nuo šitos.
Tvirti keturi iš penkių. Kodėl ne penki? Nes Matthew nėr, nu.
Kol Corbettas blaškosi Londone, jo bosė Katherine Herrald reikalų neapleidžia ir sprendžia problemas Niujorke. Truputį Poe, šiek tiek Conan Doyle. Persiskaitė smagiai, bet jei ciklo neskaitėt – nepradėkit nuo šitos.
Tvirti keturi iš penkių. Kodėl ne penki? Nes Matthew nėr, nu.
September 30, 2023
#6.5 in the Matthew Corbett series. This short story takes place between Freedom of the Mask and Cardinal Black. The focus this time is on Katherine and Minx rather than Matthew and Hudson.
A pale and very intense fellow has been hanging around Sally Almond's tavern and he's making everyone nervous. She asks Katherine to intervene, and Minx goes along with her. He tells them the reason for his continued and uncomfortable presence...
This was very good, and it was a free download from the author's website.
A pale and very intense fellow has been hanging around Sally Almond's tavern and he's making everyone nervous. She asks Katherine to intervene, and Minx goes along with her. He tells them the reason for his continued and uncomfortable presence...
This was very good, and it was a free download from the author's website.
June 28, 2020
A nice short story in the series. It has mystery, murder, blood, justice, vengeance...
And, although it seems very clear, it keeps me thinking. (What did I miss, is it really that simple :) ).
Thanks mr. McCammon!
And, although it seems very clear, it keeps me thinking. (What did I miss, is it really that simple :) ).
Thanks mr. McCammon!
March 13, 2019
A fun short story. You kind of have to know all the characters in the Corbett series to understand it.
March 12, 2019
Whetting my appetite for Cardinal Black.
April 6, 2019
This is a great short story for those who enjoy the Matthew Corbett series. As far as quality this fit in with Doyle and Poe as a cross between mystery and macabre.
November 20, 2019
Shame on me for quibbling about a free download from McCammon's website. That was very generous, but Pale Pipesmoker just wasn’t much fun. :/
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews