Publishers Weekly
The four crime stories in this collection hark back to a time when the gangster's greatest enemy was an everyman with a righteous chip on his shoulder, and when pulpsmiths like Hubbard (The Phantom Patrol) reveled in writing up their dust-ups in Thrilling Detective, Phantom Detective, and other crime fiction magazines. In the title tale as well as in the arson extravaganza "Flame City," indignant sons single-handedly combat crooks who have discredited their fathers' reputations. "Calling Squad Cars!" is the tale of a disgraced police dispatcher who decides to clear his name by going after the mobster who set him up. "Grease Spot" tells of a wrecker who illegally accesses the police band to get the jump on tow jobs, and who then has to hold off the hoods for the boys in blue when his latest job detours into criminal territory. All four stories show Hubbard's grasp of the hardboiled idiom and his skill at slinging the lingo necessary to make these tales memorable until the next month's magazines replaced them at the newsstands.
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From the Publisher
"Hubbard is always a quick, fun read. Fans of pulp writing will eat these up. The audios feature full-casts and great sound effects. Listen to one and you'll be hooked." —Library Journal
"For fans of golden-era pulp fiction, a winner—four winners, actually." —Booklist
“All four stories in superb audio drama form are the perfect companion for anyone who loves a good mystery.”—Gil Wilson
"Each of these of these outstanding audio books are two hour productions characterized by talented multi-cast performances, which are enhanced with impressive special effects and thematic music. Flawless technical recordings, each and every one of these very special audio books provides the listener with a true 'theatre of the mind' experience and is enthusiastically recommended." —Midwest Book Review
“…one of the great pulp writers, with colorful prose, lively action writing, exotic locales, fresh variations on standard characters and situations, and well-constructed plots.” —Ellery Queen
MAY 2012 - AudioFile
The verbs are as muscular as the hoodlums in these four stories of pulp fiction. Lips twitch, threats jangle, guts spurt, and victims wail and squawk. One thug’s voice rasps “like a saw in mahogany.” The 1930s hard-boiled writing invites the colorful treatment of fully orchestrated sound effects, rich music, and enjoyably hammy acting. The team at Galaxy Audio misses no detail in bringing these stories to life. Their strategy of combining the flavor of old-time radio drama with that of golden-age detective fiction doubles the fun. The title story is followed by three more: “Flame City” (a four-chapter novella), “Calling Squad Cars!” and “The Grease Spot.” Thrills abound! G.H. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine
