The Creeping Death

The Shadow Pulp #22

by Maxwell Grant, Walter B. Gibson

From the back The lure of gold – that lust which has made men kill throughout the ages – had gripped the enemies of justice. The swindle of the century threatened to put the world at the mercy of either a power-hungry, underhanded financier and his cohorts, or an eccentric creator of synthetic gold. But the common purpose which brought Forster, Morales, and Armagnac to inventor Lucien Partridge did not stop them from cunningly plotting behind each others’ backs. Only The Shadow could halt the creation of a Gold Empire. Garbed in black, silently stalking the streets, he alone could triumph over evil. The insidious princes of the underworld would be crushed by this Master Crime-Fighter – The Shadow!

Genres: Mystery, Pulp, Adventure, Fiction

144 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published May 1, 1977

About the author

Maxwell Grant was a pseudonym often used by Walter B. Gibson to write stories of "The Shadow".

Reviews

[Craig]

This is the Shadow novel from the January 15, 1933 issue of the pulp magazine, reprinted in mass market paperback format by Pyramid Books in 1975 as the fourteenth in their series with a cool and creepy Steranko cover. The story is that of a master criminal who swindles his way into control of the country's gold supply. (And maybe a mad scientist alchemist who can make his own...) Good, noirish pulp crime fiction.... The story is told in an interesting fashion, with the viewpoint following the support characters and our main man operating much of the time off-stage.... out of the spotlight... in the shadows....BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

[Mh430]

I won't summarize the plot of this, the 22nd Shadow story penned by Walter B. Gibson, since it's easy enough to find on line. I will say this is one of those adventures where the agents are off screen for the most part. Vic Marquette of the Secret Service appears more than all the other aides combined and even his role is rather limited (investigate the criminal plot du jour, get captured, then rescued, etc). But The Shadow is on hand where and when needed, eavesdropping or shooting or manipulating his opponents into self-destructive actions as circumstances require. And so is The Shadow's shadow, projecting onto the scene in an almost supernatural manner. At one point it actually seems to linger in place after its owner has moved on. You could almost consider it another member of the cast. Like contact man Burbank but even more mysterious. And, to this reader at least, an always welcome presence in the series.

[Michael Hill]

Book number 22. There is a fake gold racket, good enough to fool nations and make endless millions. Vic Marquette of the Secret Service investigates. Criminals get greedy and Morales fights against Partridge, the inventor, who has also made a dust of death, whose mere touch will bring a quick, paralyzing death, which he intends to spread across the world, killing millions and making himself a dictator. The Shadow alone mostly handles this case, using Lamont Cranston at one point.

[Jeff]

The Shadow takes on a kind of modern day alchemist -- a creepy old man who manufactures fake gold -- and his henchmen. There is much double crossing, and the book has a noirish atmosphere (as do the best of the Shadow books). A fun read.

[J.L. Rallios]

It was a great Shadow novel in which he thwarts a mad scientist who has invented counterfeit gold in his attempt to take over the world and to kill anyone in the way with his exotic poison that brings on "The Creeping Death." Lots of action and melodrama! Great fun.

[Ronald]

straightforward, not as many characters in this one, so easier to keep everyone straight, an old man claims to have a formula that makes gold

[Peter Dizozza]

I wondered about the shadow as a character with character, with some development quality that allows us to identify with him, the way we do with the private eye. Here it is just the radical thinking of possible destruction, people thinking outside of the box being watched by the shadow.. Their greed blinds them to the subtleties of his atmospheric disturbance, which is at all times minimal. He wears a slouch hat, He is a mystery. He must have a backstory but it isn't here. All I could think is that he might be Orson Wells.

[Little Timmy]

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