The Ambulance Made Two Trips

by Murray Leinster

The Ambulance Made Two Trips appeared in the April 1960 issue of Astounding Science Fiction.

If you should set a thief to catch a thief, what does it take to stop a racketeer...?

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Audiobook, Fiction

38 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 1960

About the author

see 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.

Reviews

[Cindy B.]

Funny, short tale - made me smile. Well narrated by Phil Chenevert on Librivox.

[Dianne Owens]

This was the third Murray Leinster story that I have read. It was an odd change from the science fiction stories that I am more familiar with. His style changes from the science fiction pulp drama to a quirky and amusing fantasy story that brings to mind some of the humor stories by H.G. Wells. This is an odd comparison, but fits nonetheless. It was well-paced and the scenes were played out with enough chaos and silliness to make it a rather fun read/listen. Phil Chenevert got to throw in a few character voices, which added further flavor for this rather odd little gem. If you like an easy and fun little story about karma devices used for dealing with protection rackets, then this is the story for you!

[Jessica George]

I really enjoyed this book, it was well written. It was a fun read!

[Phil Giunta]

Humorous story about a cop named Fitzgerald who is desperate to bring down a mobster named Big Jake. Brink, the owner of a dry cleaning company seems to be impervious to Big Jake's attacks on his business. Brink explains to Fitzgerald that he has exceptional luck, which is tied to his study of psionics. He created machines that manipulate the "psi field" and keep him protected from violence, resulting in a hilarious series of catastrophes for Big Jake's goons when they show up and try to kill Brink and Fitzgerald.

[Deanna]

I enjoyed reading this short story. A fun read! I only wish Leinster had gone into more detail at the end because I would like to know exactly what happened to nasty Big Jake when Brink and Officer Fitzgerald showed up!

[Keith]

Librivox

[Jefferson Fortner]

A quick and fun little science fiction story.

[Brendon Fehre]

Just kind of rambled on, interesting characters but did not seem to go anywhere and finish abruptly without much happening - better short stories out there than this.

[Adhoc]

This is a somewhat interesting goofy story.

[Tatum]

3.5

[Brian]

A humourous short story in the same vein as other Leinster of the era. If cops, organized crime and PSI sound like a fun combination to you, then this is worth the read.

[Bonnie Zhang]

from audio book