Sixty-One Years of the Shell Scott Mystery Series by Richard S. Prather

It was in 1950 that Richard S. Prather's first Shell Scott mystery novel, The Case of the Vanishing Beauty, was published by Fawcett's Gold Medal Paperback Originals. His successful and best-selling Shell Scott series of thirty-six novels plus four short story collections, published between 1950 and 1987, have sold over 40 million copies in the United States and have enjoyed foreign language publication, selling millions more world-wide. In addition to the Shell Scott mysteries, Richard penned three novels under pseudonyms. He wrote the first Dragnet novel based on the television show, Dragnet, titled, Dragnet: Case No. 561, published under the name, David Knight; used that same pseudonym for the initial publication of Pattern for Murder, later republished by Gold Medal Books as The Scrambled Yeggs by Richard S. Prather; and used the pen name Douglas Ring for The Peddler, which was later republished under his own name by Gold Medal. He also published a number of short stories; and lent his name to the Shell Scott Mystery Magazine.

Richard S. Prather's book, Shellshock, was published in hardcover in 1987 by Tor. He received the Private Eye Writers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1986, and was twice on the Board of Directors of the Mystery Writers of America. His Shell Scott mysteries are now back in print with ereads.com and available as POD paperbacks and ebooks, and a number of his novels are at booksinmotion.com as unabridged audio books. The Peddler, a non-Shell Scott mystery, is now back in print, published by Hard Case Crime, November 2006.

I met Richard and his wife, Tina, in 1989, when my husband, Don Pendleton and I were vacationing in Sedona, AZ. Don and Richard had shared the same literary agent for a number of years, yet the two of them had never met. Don picked up the telephone and called Richard and we spent a delightful evening with them at their home.

About five years later, Don and I moved to Sedona, so we often got together with Richard and Tina.

Richard had given me a wonderful endorsement quote for my first Catherine Winter PI novel, Shattered Lens, and encouraged me to make it a series, which I have done. Fractured Image is the second book in the series and I hope there will be more Catherine Winter in the future.

In 2006, I asked Richard if I could do an interview with him. We did it by mail, and due to his declining health, it did take some time. I published the long interview in December 2006. During that time, Richard asked me to take his unpublished 1,000 page manuscript, The Death Gods, at his death and to do my best to market it. Following his death in February, 2007, I received the manuscript, all 1,000 pages, only a few of those pages typed, the balance, handwritten with lots of his blue felt pen notes squeezed between lines.

The task seemed overwhelming and due to the length, agents and publishers did not find it an attractive opportunity. But I did not give up on publishing Richard’s work, as I felt strongly that his fans and new readers should have the opportunity to read the last Shell Scott mystery.

So sixty-one, yes, Sixty-One years after Richard S. Prather’s tough, yet happy-go-lucky, Southern California detective, Shell Scott hit the pages of a book, the last Shell Scott mystery is now in print and in ebook formats. I am pleased with his story, with the book and with the cover I designed with Judy Bullard. I hope readers will enjoy Richard S. Prather’s last creation.

Read more here

Blog, Richard S. Prather, The Death Gods, Shell Scott

Exclusive Interview with Richard S. Prather by Linda Pendleton, at Kindle

~Linda

Book Trailer, Fractured Image: Catherine Winter, Private Investigator

Fractured Image: Catherine Winter, Private Investigator Series

My Second Novel in the Catherine Winter Series
Now at Kindle and Smashwords. In print in a few days.

“Whenever I am confronted with death, I cannot help but be aware how fragile life is and how vulnerable we are. Everything can change in a split second.”
~Catherine Winter, Private Investigator


Private Investigator, Catherine Winter has seen it all in her many years as a Southern California PI. Widowed and in her sixties, she has no desire to retire. She frequently says she will not give it up as long as she can hit a target with a .357 slug. Determined, and dedicated, she often works alongside the Los Angeles police in investigating crimes.

On an early spring morning in Los Angeles, the badly beaten body of USC professor of astronomy, Frederick Holloway is found outside Griffith Park Observatory. In their hunt for his killer, Homicide Commander John Anderson and his detectives must determine if the professor is the victim of a hate crime, a random attack, or a premeditated killing. Found in Holloway’s wallet is a business card belonging to Catherine Winter, Private Investigator. Catherine does not know why this stranger has her card. The mystery surrounding his death begins to unravel as his significant-other, bestselling author Andrew Bartain hires Catherine Winter to locate Frederick Holloway’s son, and to find his killer. In the search for truth and justice, the images of the victim and persons of interest become fractured and must be meticulously and precisely put together into a solid pattern to find his killer.

“Linda Pendleton’s first private-eye novel is a brilliant debut. Shattered Lens is good enough I hope it becomes a series.” ~Richard S. Prather, Author of the Shell Scott Mystery Series

(Thanks Richard for the suggestion. At the time I did not know if there would be a series. Now there is.) ♥

~Linda

Interview of Author, Linda Pendleton by Brian Drake

Brian Drake interviewed me about my novel, Shattered Lens: Catherine Winter, Private Investigator on his Blog: “Where an independent author talks about books, writing, and anything else that comes to mind.” Brian is the author of three books, Show No Mercy, Justified Sins, and Reader’s Dozen, 12 tales of Crime & Suspense. I really enjoyed reading his Intro to my interview and he asked me some great questions about writing.

Brian is also a member of Jon Guenther’s Blog, Ctrl+Alt+Pub: "A blog for independent authors interested in self-publishing, alternative publishing, and non-traditional publishing."

You may read my Interview here at Brian’s Blog.

~Linda

SHATTERED LENS: Catherine Winter, Private Investigator Novel

I spent the weekend making book trailers to post at my new youtube channel.

Don Pendleton's Last Novel, Roulette

I see Amazon has dropped the price of my Kindle edition of our crime novel, Roulette by Don and Linda Pendleton. This turned out to be Don Pendleton's last novel. Also our first fiction collaboration. It's also available in paper at amazon and other online bookstores.

Review of Roulette: “Great story. I could hardly put it down. So real, so credible, a delightful page turner.” ~Ken M., California



Roulette by Don and Linda Pendleton

Husband and wife police detectives, both married more to the badge than each other, have inevitable conflict within their marriage and their careers are put to the test when a psychopathic killer invades their community.

In the early morning hour of a spring day, Helen Carter, twenty four-year-old housewife and mother of two small children, is awakened by a ski-masked intruder at her bedside. Paralyzed by fear, she works desperately to steel herself against the inevitable rape and harrowing attack that is already in progress. Helen Carter is to become only the first victim of the Sunrise Rapist. She is a very lucky young woman. Following the brutal attack of the second victim of the Sunrise Rapist, the perpetrator is immediately tagged the Sunrise Killer, and the quiet and peaceful community of San Remo, California, becomes a hotbed of fear and outrage.

The San Remo Police Department, already caught up in a difficult political climate, now has its hands full with a killer in their midst. Detective Rebecca Storm, the only woman in the detective bureau, and the sole member of the Sex Crimes Unit, finds that the Sunrise Killer will not only challenge her career, her marriage, but her very life.

Her husband, and fellow officer, veteran Detective Sergeant Peter Storm, already caught up in the infighting of the police department and city management, is drawn deeper into his career battles and challenges as the Sunrise Killer makes his appearance in San Remo.

What is ahead for the San Remo Police Department, and especially for two of its detectives, is many sleepless nights as the Sunrise Killer increases his maniacal assault on the innocent women and children of San Remo. But the killer’s reach goes far beyond his actual victims and their families. The lives of those dedicated to preserving peace within the city and pursuing the serial killer are challenged to the limits, both in their personal lives and in their professional careers.

The story is fast-moving, often riveting, often disturbing, as the cops are repeatedly challenged by a psychotic serial killer who has them all in his grip.

Copyright © 2010 by Linda Pendleton.

Don Pendleton's (Joe) Copp on Fire, Now at Kindle

"Pendleton emphasizes fast-moving, gritty action."
–Library Journal

All six novels of Don Pendleton's Joe Copp Mystery Trillers are now available at Amazon's Kindle.

The last one to become available is Copp on Fire:

From Hollywood's corporate halls to the famous back-lots, Private Investigator, Joe Copp acts his way through someone else's script until he's face to face with the ruthless star of the whole bloody show. Copp writes his own script and turns the production on its head in his search for truth and justice.

The Joe Copp series is also available as trade paper.

Don Pendleton is creator of The Executioner, Mack Bolan series of action/adventure and is known as "the father of the action/adventure literary genre.

He is also known for the phrase "Live Large!" --a theme of his Mack Bolan character. The Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Volume II (H-O) gives derivation credit for "live large" to Don Pendleton and his Executioner Series.

Typical of Don Pendleton's writing style, the Joe Copp stories are hard-hitting, fast-moving, gritty, filled with authentic dialogue, and capture keen insight into the inner-workings of the characters.

~Linda

Shattered Lens, Catherine Winter, Private Eye novel at Amazon

I'm pleased to announce my latest novel is now available.



SHATTERED LENS

“Hollywood is glitter and gutter. Some make it to the top and stay there, basking in the splendor of it, while others hit bottom and are engulfed by the ugliness of it.” ~Catherine Winter, Private Investigator

The stalking of two young professional print models leads private investigator Catherine Winter into the dark and dirty shadows of Hollywood's entertainment elite. Portraits of these people become distorted and out of focus as murder, pornography, illicit drugs, and blackmail, color the view while Catherine searches for truth and justice.

Catherine, now widowed and in her early sixties, insists, “As long as arthritis doesn’t lock up my joints or cataracts don’t keep my eyes from hitting the bulls-eye with a .357 slug then my shingle will stay on my door—C. Winter, Private Investigator.”

In her long career Catherine has seen it all and does not flinch when up against the criminal world. She is determined, open minded, and relies on her intuition in investigative work.


“Linda Pendleton’s first private-eye novel is a brilliant debut.”
~Richard S. Prather, Author of the Shell Scott Mystery Series



Linda Pendleton writes fiction and nonfiction. She coauthored the crime novel Roulette with her late husband, Don Pendleton, and her suspense novel, The Dawning is about a mysterious government agency, UFOs, and the paranormal.


Now available at amazon.com in trade paper and Kindle Reader.





Linda