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Murder Madness
Mystery And Adventure In South America? Murder Madness! Seven Secret Service men had completely disappeared. Another had been found a screaming, homicidal maniac, whose fingers writhed like snakes.
So Bell, of the secret "Trade," plunges into South America after The Master- the mighty, unknown octopus of power whose diabolical poison threatens a continent.
So Bell, of the secret "Trade," plunges into South America after The Master- the mighty, unknown octopus of power whose diabolical poison threatens a continent.
298 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1930
3 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Murray Leinster
898 books121 followerssee also:
Will F. Jenkins
William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Murray Leinster was a nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins, an award-winning American writer of science fiction and alternate history. He wrote and published over 1,500 short stories and articles, 14 movie scripts, and hundreds of radio scripts and television plays.
An author whose career spanned the first six decades of the 20th Century. From mystery and adventure stories in the earliest years to science fiction in his later years, he worked steadily and at a highly professional level of craftsmanship longer than most writers of his generation. He won a Hugo Award in 1956 for his novelet “Exploration Team,” and in 1995 the Sidewise Award for Alternate History took its name from his classic story, “Sidewise in Time.” His last original work appeared in 1967.
Will F. Jenkins
William Fitzgerald Jenkins
Murray Leinster was a nom de plume of William Fitzgerald Jenkins, an award-winning American writer of science fiction and alternate history. He wrote and published over 1,500 short stories and articles, 14 movie scripts, and hundreds of radio scripts and television plays.
An author whose career spanned the first six decades of the 20th Century. From mystery and adventure stories in the earliest years to science fiction in his later years, he worked steadily and at a highly professional level of craftsmanship longer than most writers of his generation. He won a Hugo Award in 1956 for his novelet “Exploration Team,” and in 1995 the Sidewise Award for Alternate History took its name from his classic story, “Sidewise in Time.” His last original work appeared in 1967.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 21, 2025
Murder Madness is a grand and pulpy pulp novel from the pulps. It's longer than the typical novels of its time and was serialized in four installments in Astounding Stories from May through August of 1930. The editor was Harry Bates, long before F. Orlin Tremaine took over, much less John W. Campbell. The story is set in South America and is about a mad genius known as The Master (Honest!), who has gained dominance over the political and scientific leaders of the day through use of a narcotic drug. His goal, naturally, is global domination. He's opposed by an American secret agent named Charles Bell, and it's a fun and fast-paced jungle adventure with plenty of action-packed spy-thriller suspense. Drugs are bad, but the good guy gets the girl, who's named Paula. The Fantasy Publishing Co., Inc. reprinted it in book form in 1949, and it's one of the very early sf novels to transition from pulp to hardback. The FPCI edition, which retailed for the princely sum of $2.75, has a very surreal purple cover by William Benulis that would've been a great choice for a 1960's album cover. The flap of the dust jacket states that Leinster has "...a rare knowledge of the character and psychology of Latin American types...," so if ethnic stereotyping is a TW, stay away. Otherwise, Indiana Jones' music will serve as a good background.
February 14, 2020
After listening spellbound to two Librivox recordings of Murray Leinster's groundbreaking Radium-Age scifi short stories, "Tanks" and "The Runaway Skyscraper," I decided to give one of his novels a chance. What better place to start than with his first?
Perhaps I may be a bit generous with this rating, as this was not the most memorable of reads, but it sure was a fun ride. Also, you can really see in this early effort the inner talents of Leinster as a screenwriter. Though originally published in serial form in 1930, the pacing seems more modern, reminiscent of action adventure and thriller films of the 80s to the present day. Yes, just like with Indiana Jones or James Bond, you know the challenges faced by the hero will ultimately be overcome, but that is part of the point of reading this book, to be whisked away by their world and live a life of bravery and adventure vicariously through the exploits depicted in its pages. What feels more modern about the action in this novel compared to other pulps I've read from this era is the non-stop onslaught of perils within a greater threat. Take a more contemporary classic action film like "Jurassic Park." You don't just have the terror of a monstrous T-rex trying to eat people in one scene, you have kids stuck in a truck getting smashed, then getting stuck in a tree, then the tree starts collapsing, and the truck from which our heroes escaped starts falling menacingly towards them branch by branch. In other words, just when you think our heroes are safe, they land into yet another threat. These techniques are employed with gusto in "Murder Madness," and this is one of the earliest examples I've read where this has been done.
The book is part spy thriller, part jungle adventure, part scifi, part medical thriller, and part horror story. There is something to please almost every taste. You can definitely see the seeds of 007 in this entry, as well as appreciate the influence that predecessors like "Fu Manchu" had on this work. I even picked up early vibes of 70s and 80s Italian jungle exploitation horror in certain parts.
Leinster as a writer is often considered a "hack" by readers and critics today, as he was willing to work in any genre and turn in any script for a buck, but darn if he wasn't good at what he did.
I am surprised that several Goodreads reviewers commented they couldn't finish it. Maybe some readers were expecting something a little darker from a book entitled "Murder Madness," like a creaky mystery, or a crime procedural, or a serial slasher thriller. But ultimately it all boils down to your individual taste and personality, though I would think this book should have rather broad appeal for fans of fast-paced entertainment, students of early science fiction, and any reader young at heart.
Perhaps I may be a bit generous with this rating, as this was not the most memorable of reads, but it sure was a fun ride. Also, you can really see in this early effort the inner talents of Leinster as a screenwriter. Though originally published in serial form in 1930, the pacing seems more modern, reminiscent of action adventure and thriller films of the 80s to the present day. Yes, just like with Indiana Jones or James Bond, you know the challenges faced by the hero will ultimately be overcome, but that is part of the point of reading this book, to be whisked away by their world and live a life of bravery and adventure vicariously through the exploits depicted in its pages. What feels more modern about the action in this novel compared to other pulps I've read from this era is the non-stop onslaught of perils within a greater threat. Take a more contemporary classic action film like "Jurassic Park." You don't just have the terror of a monstrous T-rex trying to eat people in one scene, you have kids stuck in a truck getting smashed, then getting stuck in a tree, then the tree starts collapsing, and the truck from which our heroes escaped starts falling menacingly towards them branch by branch. In other words, just when you think our heroes are safe, they land into yet another threat. These techniques are employed with gusto in "Murder Madness," and this is one of the earliest examples I've read where this has been done.
The book is part spy thriller, part jungle adventure, part scifi, part medical thriller, and part horror story. There is something to please almost every taste. You can definitely see the seeds of 007 in this entry, as well as appreciate the influence that predecessors like "Fu Manchu" had on this work. I even picked up early vibes of 70s and 80s Italian jungle exploitation horror in certain parts.
Leinster as a writer is often considered a "hack" by readers and critics today, as he was willing to work in any genre and turn in any script for a buck, but darn if he wasn't good at what he did.
I am surprised that several Goodreads reviewers commented they couldn't finish it. Maybe some readers were expecting something a little darker from a book entitled "Murder Madness," like a creaky mystery, or a crime procedural, or a serial slasher thriller. But ultimately it all boils down to your individual taste and personality, though I would think this book should have rather broad appeal for fans of fast-paced entertainment, students of early science fiction, and any reader young at heart.
May 9, 2020
From 1930: A proto-James Bond agent of a super-secret government organization foils The Master, who is using the drug yagué (AKA yage AKA ayahuasca that has become fashionable among the higher consciousness crowd) to enslave people and make them into homicidal maniacs to help him to conquer South America, and then the world. Mentions yage before William S. Burroughs. What is lack in character it makes up for with rip-snorting action and exotic local color.
June 5, 2021
Great listening 🎧
Due to eye issues and damage Alexa reads to me.
An interesting will written thriller adventure mystery novel. The characters are interesting and will developed. The story line is fast moving, violent, and full of misdirection. I would recommend this book to readers of mysteries. Enjoy the adventure of reading 2021 🎉✨😎
Due to eye issues and damage Alexa reads to me.
An interesting will written thriller adventure mystery novel. The characters are interesting and will developed. The story line is fast moving, violent, and full of misdirection. I would recommend this book to readers of mysteries. Enjoy the adventure of reading 2021 🎉✨😎
September 5, 2017
Classic mystery/ romance and horror. Not a short read but well narrated by Richard Kilmer (TX). Sometimes repetitive.
Librivox version
Librivox version
August 26, 2013
A pseudo-medical science fiction adventure, that features a mad genius who manipulates all those around him through the use of a drug which drives people murderously insane before killing them. It is an adequate read, although the plot offers little in the way of surprising twists and there is a sense of fatalistic success throughout in which even the most dangerous situations seem moot because as a reader you know from the start that the hero will find a way to overcome even the most ridiculous odds.
Read
August 10, 2013Well that was pretty silly. And bad. Really really bad.
November 29, 2019
Non-stop action chasing down and running away from The Master - the man who has made most of the continent of South America addicted to his controlling poison.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews