Spy Killer

by L. Ron Hubbard Narrated by R.F. Daley, Lori Jablons, Shane Johnson, Jim Meskimen, Tait Ruppert

Overview

American sailor Kurt Reid is a hothead and a hard case-a man who hits first and asks questions later. Scrappy and rough around the edges, it's no wonder that when the ship's captain turns up dead, it's Reid who takes the rap.

Falsely accused and under the gun, Reid jumps ship and vanishes into Shanghai-only to get caught in a web of intrigue, betrayal and murder. In a world where nothing is what it seems and everything is for sale, he's soon out of his depth, drawn into a spy game in which the winner takes all ... and the loser takes a knife to the back.

Will Reid live up to his reputation as the Spy Killer? He'll have to learn the rules fast, because with players like sexy Russian agent Varinka Savischna in the hunt, the game is about to turn as seductive as it is sinister.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

This classic 1936 Hubbard tale takes listeners to pre-Communist China where a man named Kurt Reid has fled murder charges only to find himself thrust into the exotic world of foreign espionage. This multicast performance brings an air of the old radio theater shows of the '30s and '40s, transporting listeners to another time and place. An exceptional performance by Lori Jablons is a true highlight of this production, as she assumes the role of the mysterious and beautiful Russian rebel, Varinka Savischna. With the perfect blend of background sounds that are often as simple as crowd murmuring or distant animal noises, the result is a genuinely entertaining listening experience. A Galaxy Press paperback.(Sept.)

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Midwest Book Review

Offering the reader a true 'roller coaster' ride of intrigue, suspense, action and adventure, Spy Killer is pulp fiction at its best.

Library Journal

Hubbard wrote a ton of pulp stories in every genre during the 1930s and 1940s. Galaxy is reissuing all of them in paperback-80 books in all (told you it was a ton). Each book features a killer pulp cover along with other illustrations, a glossary (parts of a ship for the briny swashbucklers, etc.), and background on the author.

—Michael Rogers

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—"Kurt went to the back of the room and found the round-faced, slit-eyed proprietor." So goes the story of Kurt Reid, who has been accused of murder, and his adventures on "the Yellow Continent." Originally published in 1936, this is part of a series of stories by L. Ron Hubbard that have been recorded by a full cast, with music and sound effects. Like a lot of pulp fiction from that era, there are obvious stereotypes and distinct language that will make it a difficult sell to today's audiences. The narration is very dramatic, but the accents used for the Russian and Chinese characters border on ridiculous. Unless it is tied to a lesson on cultural stereotypes of the past or American pulp fiction, skip this title.—Genevieve Gallagher, Charlottesville High School, VA

From the Publisher

“Offering the reader a true ‘roller coaster’ ride of intrigue, suspense, action and adventure, Spy Killer is pulp fiction at its best.” —Midwest Book Review

“A superb storyteller with total mastery of plot and pacing.” —Publishers Weekly

OCT/NOV 08 - AudioFile

Tough guys, sexy girls, and vile villains: Yeah, it's the return of the pulps. Before he founded Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard wrote hundreds of stories in the 1930s-40s for pulp magazines. They’re being released on disc for the first time, and "Spy Killer" is one of the coolest. The full-cast recording combines skillful actors, music, sound effects, and handsome packaging that belies the $9.95 price point. Lori Jablons, R.F. Daley, Shane Johnson, Kim Meskimen (who also directed), and Tait Ruppert deliver the tale of a burly American who jumps a freighter when he’s framed for murder in pre-Communist China. Listeners hear every punch, gunshot, and scream and will be impressed at how well the story holds up. M.S. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

Product Details

BN ID:	2940171729103
Publisher:	Galaxy Press, LLC
Publication date:	03/15/2010
Series:	Golden Age Stories
Edition description:	Unabridged

Read an Excerpt

As he wrung the water from his clothes he discarded his memories one by one. As mate of the Rangoon, he had been known as a bucko sailor, a hard case who struck first and questioned afterward, renowned for a temper as hot and swift as a glowing rapier.

And the reputation had not helped him when the captain had been found dead in his cabin and when it was discovered that the safe was open and empty. Kurt Reid had been the last man to see the captain alive, so they thought.

Shanghai stretched before him, and behind it lay all of China. If he could not escape there, he thought, he deserved to die. His only regret now was the lack of money he had been accused of stealing. A man does not go far on a few American dollars.

—L. Ron Hubbard

Videos