by John Roeburt
Contents
COPYRIGHT INFO
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
The MEGAPACK™ Ebook Series
THE HOLLOW MAN, by John Roeburt
MODEL FOR MURDER, by Stephen Marlowe
BLONDE BAIT, by Ed Lacy
BEAUTY CAN KILL, by Michael McCretton
COPYRIGHT INFO
The Hardboiled Mystery MEGAPACK™ is copyright © 2015 by Wildside Press, LLC. All rights reserved.
* * * *
The MEGAPACK™ ebook series name is a trademark of Wildside Press, LLC. All rights reserved.
* * * *
The Hollow Man, by John Roeburt is copyright © 1954 by John Roeburt. Model for Murder, by Stephen Marlowe is copyright © 1955 by Graphic Publishing Co., Inc. Blonde Bait, by Ed Lacy is copyright © 1959 by Ed Lacy. Beauty Can Kill, by Michael McCretton is copyright © 1962 by Michael McCretton.
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
The Hardboiled Mystery MEGAPACK™ presents 4 classic crime novels from the era when hardboiled detectives ruled the American newsstands. Included are:
The Hollow Man, by John Roeburt (1954)
Model for Murder, by Stephen Marlowe (1955)
Blonde Bait, by Ed Lacy (1959)
Beauty Can Kill, by Michael McCretton (1962)
Enjoy!
—John Betancourt
Publisher, Wildside Press LLC
www.wildsidepress.com
ABOUT THE SERIES
Over the last few years, our MEGAPACK™ ebook series has grown to be our most popular endeavor. (Maybe it helps that we sometimes offer them as premiums to our mailing list!) One question we keep getting asked is, “Who’s the editor?”
The MEGAPACK™ ebook series (except where specifically credited) are a group effort. Everyone at Wildside works on them. This includes John Betancourt (me), Carla Coupe, Steve Coupe, Shawn Garrett, Helen McGee, Bonner Menking, Colin Azariah-Kribbs, A.E. Warren, and many of Wildside’s authors…who often suggest stories to include (and not just their own!)
RECOMMEND A FAVORITE STORY?
Do you know a great classic science fiction story, or have a favorite author whom you believe is perfect for the MEGAPACK™ ebook series? We’d love your suggestions! You can post them on our message board at http://movies.ning.com/forum (there is an area for Wildside Press comments).
Note: we only consider stories that have already been professionally published. This is not a market for new works.
TYPOS
Unfortunately, as hard as we try, a few typos do slip through. We update our ebooks periodically, so make sure you have the current version (or download a fresh copy if it’s been sitting in your ebook reader for months.) It may have already been updated.
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THE GOLDEN AGE OF PULP FICTION
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The Great Book of Wonder, by Lord Dunsany (it should have been called “The Lord Dunsany MEGAPACK™”)
The Wildside Book of Fantasy
The Wildside Book of Science Fiction
Yondering: The First Borgo Press Book of Science Fiction Stories
To the Stars—And Beyond! The Second Borgo Press Book of Science Fiction Stories
Once Upon a Future: The Third Borgo Press Book of Science Fiction Stories
Whodunit?—The First Borgo Press Book of Crime and Mystery Stories
More Whodunits—The Second Borgo Press Book of Crime and Mystery Stories
X is for Xmas: Christmas Mysteries
THE HOLLOW MAN, by John Roeburt
Copyright © 1954 by John Roeburt.
CHAPTER ONE
Part 1.
There was a great hush, and then the red button flashed on the big studio clock. It was eight o’clock in the evening, show time, and the whole complex of men and gadgets went into motion.
The Number One camera dollied in to hold a medium shot of Johnny Devereaux. On Director’s cue, a Youth with a pulsing muscle in his neck spoke into a standing microphone. His opening announcement was cold; there was no musical backing. What he said was reproduced on show cards on the Monitor’s screen. The Youth said: “The Star Television Playhouse Presents Crack-Up, an Authentic Crime Series from Confidential Files!”
A man with a spray of whiskers under his chin crooked a finger at his galaxy, and there was a crash of music. The fanfare, the several bars of melody that had become the familiar signature of this television show. The Youth with the pulsing neck muscle said, “And now, here is your Host, Tough Cop Johnny Devereaux!”
