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DEVIL MAY CAREBiggo Venn doesn''t want to admit it but he''s getting too old for the mercenary soldier routine. Still, when an old friend comes to him with a small job down in Mexico that''s got an easy $20,000 payoff, he agrees to make the contact. Seems simple enough. But the small town of Ensenada is a lot more treacherous than he bargains for. First there''s Jinny, the deceitful blonde with an itch for his traveling cash; Len Hardesty, a long-time rival and soldier for hire who just happens to appear whenever he''s least wanted; and Pabla, the sweetest vision he can imagine, and possibly the most dangerous. When the bodies start piling up, Biggo knows he''s in for the fight of his life.SINNER TAKE ALLThey want him dead. General Gayoso knows that the only way to assassinate Bruno Lazar is to get the reclusive rebel out in the open. So he has Lazar''s best friend poisoned, and hires Jack Cox, a down-at-heel American sharpshooter, to plan Lazar''s murder at the funeral they know he will attend. The plan is brilliant in its simplicity. But it doesn''t take into account the mixed emotions of Lazar''s protégé, Dorlisa Von Ritter, who precedes him to Tijuana to make sure the way is safe. Nor does it take into account Cox''s fatal sense of conscience. Gayoso is not a man to be thwarted, but even he cannot know what will happen when the assassin and the protégé fall in love.

A hardboiled detective mystery from 1952, originally published by Gold Medal Books under the author's pseudonym, "Lee Roberts."

PREY BY NIGHT Bill Williams works for the Marquesa running contraband from Tangiers to the Spanish Coast. That is, until the Association decides to scuttle his boat one dark night, almost killing him and his mate Paco. Williams knows he has to fight back just to stay alive, but who and where is the Association? How do you find an enemy who operates even further outside the law than he does? Things become further complicated when Paco finds out that Williams has been seeing his sister, Maria, and feels he must protect her honor. And then there’s Lavinia Hatherton, a rich blonde with an expansive taste in men. And Blasco, a Spanish cop hot on a trail of blood. In a frantic night filled with assassins and temptations, Williams soon finds his greatest challenge is just to stay alive.  RAIN OF TERRORJake Abbott is a European reporter with a hell of an assignment. Piscoli is a small town in the Italian mountains south of Naples and it’s being flooded by torrential rains. Ralph Ellison, Jake’s boss, wants him to head up there and report back. Grace, Ralph’s wife, wants Jake to stay with her. But Jake has got other problems. He has inadvertently humiliated a local crime boss, and now he’s got Angelo on his tail with murder on his mind. And then there’s Leverett, part of the committee assigned to assess the damage; Harry Myers, Jake’s photographer; and Captain Luca, out for blood. They’re all heading up the mountain as the rain pours down, cascades of mud and sudden floods washing by. It’s a recipe for disaster, and that’s just what happens when Ralph turns up dead in the flooding—and all evidence points to Jake as the killer!

A RAGE AT SEAFrank Dixon has just lost his ship in a crap game, and is about to lose his woman as well, when Addams offers him a job captaining the Almacor. All he has to do is take the owner and his drunken guests around the Caribbean. Trouble is, Dixon hates Addams—doesn’t trust him, knows that Addams will sabotage him if he can. But Dixon only has this one chance to climb out of the bottle, one shot at redemption, and agrees to helm the yacht. Thank goodness he has young Wirt aboard. There’s one seaman he can trust. It’s not long before the drinking starts, the owner takes a swing at Wirt, and all hell breaks loose. Dixon knows that Addams is only waiting for his opportunity to stab him in the back, and this could be it. A PARTY EVERY NIGHTVance is the perfect bartender—tall, good-looking, funny, he charms them all. Particularly the waitress, Cora. But Vance only has eyes for Maddie. Unfortunately, Maddie is married to the town lush, Wes Elwood. Almost every night, you will find Maddie and Wes at Vance’s bar, belting down the Scotches and hating one another with a white heat. Tonight is different. Tonight Wes disappears in his car, and no one can find him. After closing, Vance takes Maddie out to all the after-hours bars looking for him, but all they get is one run-around after another, and no Wes. Then Wes is found drowned. And that’s when Durkin steps in, a cop who collects facts like some people collect stamps. Durkin has his own idea of what happened to Wes, and as far as he’s concerned, all those facts lead him back to Vance.

THE BODY ON THE SIDEWALKA body is found outside the Grady home, a man whom they all know, shot in the back. There is no getting around the fact that someone in the family must have done it. Then the murder weapon is found, with several different family fingerprints on it. And what was once a fairly stable group quickly dissolves into suspicion and distrust. The police decide to arrest the son, Don, who seems to be the most likely suspect. His sister Pauline believes the crime was committed by friends of Don’s, a couple she does not approve of. Peggy was the last to see the victim, and is wracked with guilt. The youngest sister, Maureen, just wants to be left alone. And their mother, Mamie, is torn between them all. But which one pulled the trigger? And who will pay the price? THE RELUCTANT MURDERERWe know that Vivian Haines intends to commit murder this weekend. She tells us so. But who is her intended victim? Could it be her wealthy aunt, who is supposed to leave her half her fortune one day? Or her frivolous sister and her seemingly penniless boyfriend? Or perhaps her aunt’s mousy companion, or her long-suffering chauffeur? Or Vivian’s own fiancé, the fastidious Cuthbert? All we know is what Vivian tells us as her efforts to plan and execute the perfect murder are constantly thwarted. Now Vivian is beginning to panic. Could one of them suspect her? Could one of them be planning to kill her before she can murder them first?

TEARS ARE FOR ANGELSWhen Jean finds Harry London, there isn’t much left of the man. He lives alone in a shack, spends all his time drunk on moonshine. He’s forgotten about shaving, washing. All he does is shoot at empty cans of beans…and pretends he’s shooting Dick Stewart…Jean is there to find out what happened to her friend, Lucy. The last letter she received from her, she was happily married to Harry, living on his farm, settling into her new life. Now she’s dead, a suicide. What happened to Lucy? And what has turned her loving husband into this brooding wreck of a man, whose sole reason for living is to take revenge against a man who once did him wrong…?

HOME IS THE PRISONERJim Singley has served his time. Accused of killing his business partner, he left a lot of bad feelings in Athena—but now he’s back. Back to a wife who hates him, a son who has been raised to despise him, and a town full of folks who wish he were dead. But Jim has some unfinished business. There is his former partner’s wife, Audrey, now married to someone else. And her daughter, Cleo, the only one who spoke up for him at the trial, corroborating his defense when no one else would. There’s Matt, his only real friend, harboring a long-kept secret. And Wayne, the son who has been raised to hate, ready to explode with unanswered questions. Athena is a town that can never forgive, but Jim won’t leave until he’s confronted them all. THE LITTLE LIEEveryone knows that Dee and Chad will eventually get married. They’re such a perfect couple. So when boarder Mr. Fly overhears them having an argument that results in Chad’s moving out, he assumes that they will soon make up. But Dee knows that it’s over. She just can’t stand the public humiliation. So she lies about it. Just a little lie. She tells everyone that Chad has moved to the city to pursue a new job. Then she tells everyone he’s headed for California, where she will no doubt soon join him. She even convinces herself that it’s all true. Still, when the plane that Chad is supposedly on crashes, and someone with his last name is listed as a passenger, Dee breathes a sigh of relief. Her secret is now safe. But is it…?

DEAD HORSEFrom The New York Herald, European Edition, May 26, 1935:OBITUARIES“WHITFIELD, Emily Davies Vanderbilt Thayer“…On July 19, 1933, in New York City, she married Mr. Raoul Whitfield, the popular American mystery novelist. Together, they moved to the American southwest, where they constructed a luxurious ranch near the town of Las Vegas, New Mexico. They hosted elaborate parties, their guests arriving from New York, Los Angeles, and various European capitals. In February of 1935, to the surprise of their friends, they separated. Mr. Whitfield moved to Los Angeles and Mrs. Whitfield filed for divorce, which had not become final at the time of her death.“On the morning of May 24, Mrs. Whitfield was found dead on her bed, her outstretched right hand holding a Colt .45 revolver. She had been shot in her left side. A coroner's jury brought in a verdict of suicide…”Or was it? Sheriff Tom Delgado thinks otherwise. Now he’s got to prove it.

THE ANGEL OF TERROR It all begins with a murder. James Meredith is a very rich man, but he is found guilty of shooting his fiance’s suitor in a crime of passion. Meredith’s lawyer, Jack Glover, suspects that the fiancé is the guilty one, and indeed, Jean Briggerland—Meredith’s first cousin and bride-to-be—is a true heartless beauty. Jean is after Meredith’s fortune, but Glover is one step ahead of her, and finds a new bride for Meredith. Then Meredith, too, is murdered. Now the fortune which Jean thought to inherit belongs to a young newspaper artist named Lydia Beale. Jean and her father are practiced in the art of murder, however, and they are soon making plans for the early death of Lydia. Only the old man named Jaggs, hired by Glover to protect her, stands between her and the beautiful angel of death.  KATE PLUS 10 Kate Westhanger has been raised by her uncle, the Colonel, into a life of crime. For him, there is always the next job, the big payoff, and retirement. Crime is a way of life. For Kate, crimes are a puzzle that need to be solved, with each detail offering its own particular challenge. For Inspector Michael Pretherston, Kate herself is a bit of a puzzle. There is no question but that she’s good at what she does. Her latest caper involves a variety of disguises that bring her in contact with two of London’s top financiers. Pretherston has no idea what Kate’s up to, but he seems to keep running into her, first as personal secretary to Lord Flanborough, and later as a Polish princess. Whatever Kate has planned, it will definitely be the scheme of the century. If only he can figure it out before it’s too late.    

THE LIVING ENDEddie Marlon is just a kid with a song he wants published, another city kid with dreams of being in the music business. His song is nothing special, but Eddie gets a tip that a local radio station needs help on the early morning shift. Marty Allen hires him to line up the records for his show. But the way Eddie sees it, Marty is a square—he doesn’t go for the bucks that are to be had charging A&R guys to get their tunes on the air.Eddie must have been born lucky because one night Marty needs Eddie to help him get the station boss out of a jam. Then they owe him. And when it’s time to collect, Eddie is right there with a plan. He wants his own time slot and he wants to put on free shows with all the big talent, who will naturally play for free to get the air time. Eddie’s got big plans alright. Because now it’s his shot at the top—and if you want to be on Eddie’s show, you’re going to pay for it!

STAIRWAY TO AN EMPTY ROOM Monica Marshall’s sister Biddy has been murdered by her husband. Biddy has a daughter, Winifred, and with the husband on death row, Monica agrees to take charge of her. Winifred is anxious to leave the house where she has been living with Biddy. The house and the woman who runs it seem so unpleasant to Monica. But nothing prepares her for Stevens. He is managing a mountain retreat where Monica takes her new charge for a getaway--she hates him immediately. Strangely enough, Winifred recognizes the couple in another cabin. Soon Monica realizes that there is something very strange going on here. Her brakes fail … later she almost drowns in the lake. And Stevens is becoming very protective of young Winifred. What do all these people have to do with Biddy’s death, and what is really going on here?...      TERROR LURKS IN DARKNESS Kitty has the fright of her life one night when she takes what she is told is a short cut and ends up  on a dead end street in the rain. And to make matters worse, there is a savage dog outside her car, causing her to wreck the front end trying to avoid it. Fortunately, the owner of the dog appears and calms the dog, then drives her home. But imagine Kitty’s shock when she finds out that Sunny, the woman who told her about the short cut, is found dead later that night on the same road, her throat savaged. Of course, everyone hated Sunny, but that doesn’t explain her strange death. And now Kitty’s roommate, Ardis, has gone missing … and two of her friends are asking her to lie about what she knows. No wonder inspector Doyle doesn’t believe her story—she has no idea what to believe herself! 

MARIJUANA GIRLIt's the striptease in the gymnasium that gets Joyce suspended from school right before graduation. She had just been acting out. But the dean is not amused. It's not Joyce's fault that she looks for love and attention in all the wrong places. Her parents have been bouncing her from relative to relative all her life while they travel around the world. At least she has Tony. Or did. When Joyce takes a job at the local newspaper and starts seeing her boss Frank, Tony blows up and deserts her. But that's okay because Frank takes her into the city and introduces her to the world of jazz musicians, jive talk and marijuana. It's all happening so fast for Joyce-and all she really wants is to be loved. CALL SOUTH 3300: ASK FOR MOLLY!Slade Martin is a womanizer and a heavy drinker, but he's the shining star of the sales department at All-Channel TV. His job is to sell sets, so when he meets Ann Frank, he immediately corrals her into helping him land the biggest client at the convention, Mortimer Kane. How she accomplishes this task is her own business. But Ann has a secret of her own. Besides working for All-Channel, she is also a high class prostitute working for Molly, the local madam. Unaware of this, Slade falls for Ann in a big way. Ann would like nothing more than to fall for Slade, too, but the feeling just isn't there. Instead, she's in love with Eric, who only uses her for her money-if only he weren't so good in bed. THE SEX CUREJustin Riley has to admit that his troubles always have something to do with women. What he really wants is someone who believes in him, who believes he's the best doctor on earth. Someone young, eager and exciting. There's Betty, pregnant with his child and suffering a botched abortion; Misty, a failure at marriage but not sex; and unattainable Marge Miles. His wife Olivia is quick to point out that her money and father's influence got him where he is. But Justin is tired of pretending-pretending to love the women he just wants to sleep with, pretending that his marriage is respectable and good when he knows deep down that he is nothing but a liar and a cheat. A man ruled by sex… and fear.

NEW MAN IN THE HOUSERoger Garland has made a career out of pleasure. He is, in fact, the perfect butler-discreet, deferential and ready to please the family, particularly the women of the house. His new employer is banker Matthew Hornaday. But Garland is much more interested in Hornaday's teenage daughter, Lorna. Lorna is just discovering sex, and Garland is certain that he can be the perfect teacher. But there is also Mrs. Hornaday to consider. She may be married to a banker, but she was once a Broadway star, and has lost none of her lust for life-or for Garland. If only Mr. Hornaday didn't distrust him so much, this could be the perfect set-up for seduction. HER HIGH-SCHOOL LOVERLaura Vaughn has fallen out of love with her second husband. Her first husband, Pierre, taught her all about life when they were young in France, but archeologist Robert makes her feel like an obligation. While Laura writes letters to Pierre, her teenage son Tony seethes with rage and confusion, resentful of his mother, disdainful of his step-father, mad at the world. And Tony's friend, Tad Howard, has problems of his own-his parents hate each other, and use him as their punching bag. Each one them is seeking something and someone to make the pain go away. It is only a matter of time before Laura and Tad find each other.