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Shell Scott
Shell Scott PI Mystery Series, Volume Three
Private Eye Writers of America Life Achievement Award winner, Richard S. Prather brings Shell Scott to life. Known for their arched humor, punchy dialogue, and sunny Southern California locale, the Shell Scott PI series is detective fiction at its finest.
I wasn't too happy to be looking down the barrel of every gunman in California's pistol and when I heard them humming murder music on their lips, the melody was sour and I knew it was being dedicated to only one man – me. My line of work has its perks – and it should when I lay my life on the line for dangerously daring women even if they are among the most luscious ladies I've ever met. But this time, they want me, Shell Scott, to be the headline in the obituaries section, and all I want to do is turn off that dancing music and run to save my life.
Contents:
• "Slab Happy"
• "Take a Murder Darling"
• "Over Her Dear Body"
• "Dance With the Dead":
• "Dig That Crazy Grave"
• "Shell Scott's Seven Slaughters"
• "Kill the Clown"
I wasn't too happy to be looking down the barrel of every gunman in California's pistol and when I heard them humming murder music on their lips, the melody was sour and I knew it was being dedicated to only one man – me. My line of work has its perks – and it should when I lay my life on the line for dangerously daring women even if they are among the most luscious ladies I've ever met. But this time, they want me, Shell Scott, to be the headline in the obituaries section, and all I want to do is turn off that dancing music and run to save my life.
Contents:
• "Slab Happy"
• "Take a Murder Darling"
• "Over Her Dear Body"
• "Dance With the Dead":
• "Dig That Crazy Grave"
• "Shell Scott's Seven Slaughters"
• "Kill the Clown"
1168 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2021
20 people are currently reading
2 people want to read
About the author
Richard S. Prather
94 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.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
March 1, 2023
Great Detective Thrillers
But really? Some of these books use the first ten pages to describe the woman that Sheldon Scott will, most surely, bed before the book gets older. That is, unless he has to hand her over to the police. It seemed like the books in the first boxset were primarily detective stories but here, well into the third boxset, it seems like detective stories with a little sexual innuendo have become sexual exploits with a little detective story. Don't get me wrong, I liked the writing, storyline and flow, like in the earlier books. I don't want to convey the notion that I didn't like the series. I found them exciting and enjoyable to read. I'm just not that into the gratuitous sex. Sorry, Mr. Prather, but it just got to be too much!
But really? Some of these books use the first ten pages to describe the woman that Sheldon Scott will, most surely, bed before the book gets older. That is, unless he has to hand her over to the police. It seemed like the books in the first boxset were primarily detective stories but here, well into the third boxset, it seems like detective stories with a little sexual innuendo have become sexual exploits with a little detective story. Don't get me wrong, I liked the writing, storyline and flow, like in the earlier books. I don't want to convey the notion that I didn't like the series. I found them exciting and enjoyable to read. I'm just not that into the gratuitous sex. Sorry, Mr. Prather, but it just got to be too much!
Displaying 1 of 1 review