Richard Deming - The Second Richard Deming Mystery MEGAPACK®

The Second Richard Deming Mystery MEGAPACK is copyright 2016 by Wildside Press, LLC. All rights reserved.

The MEGAPACK ebook series name is a trademark of Wildside Press, LLC. All rights reserved.

Homicide, Inc. was originally published in F.B.I. Detective Stories, October 1949.

For Value Received was originally published in Ellery Queens Mystery Magazine, August 1952. Copyright 1952, renewed 1980 by Richard Deming.

Mugger Murder was originally published in Manhunt, April 1953. Copyright 1953, renewed 1981 by Richard Deming.

Strangers in the House was originally published in Detective Tales, June 1953. Copyright 1953, renewed 1981 by Richard Deming.

The Blonde in the Bar was originally published in Manhunt, May 1954. Copyright 1954, renewed 1982 by Richard Deming.

Hit and Run was originally published in Manhunt, December 1954. Copyright 1954, renewed 1982 by Richard Deming.

The Happy Marriage was originally published in Manhunt, August 1955. Copyright 1955, renewed 1983 by Richard Deming.

Sauce for the Gander was originally published in Manhunt, February 1956. Copyright 1956, renewed 1983 by Richard Deming.

A Little Sororicide was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, May 1957. Copyright 1957 by Richard Deming.

The Price of Fame was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, March 1964. Copyright 1964 by Richard Deming.

False Alarm was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, Feb 1965. Copyright 1965 by Richard Deming.

Errand Boy was originally published in The Saint Mystery Magazine, March 1965. Copyright 1965 by Richard Deming.

The Most Ethical Man in the Business was originally published in Ellery Queens Mystery Magazine, April 1965. Copyright 1965 by Richard Deming.

Honeymoon Cruise was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, October 1966. Copyright 1966 by Richard Deming.

The Monster Brain was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, November 1966. Copyright 1966 by Richard Deming.

The Jolly Jugglers, Retired was originally published in Ellery Queens Mystery Magazine, March 1967. Copyright 1967 by Richard Deming.

An Element of Risk was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, September 1972. Copyright 1972 by Richard Deming.

Maggies Grip was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, March 1975. Copyright 1975 by Richard Deming.

Premarital Agreement was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, July 1973. Copyright 1973 by Richard Deming.

Guardian of the Hearth was originally published in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, December 1979. Copyright 1979 by Richard Deming.

The Evils of Drink was originally published in Alfred Hitchcocks Mystery Magazine, April 1980. Copyright 1980 by Richard Deming.

Mother Love was originally published in Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, April 1981. Copyright 1981 by Richard Deming.

Friendly Witness was originally published in The Saint Magazine, July 1984. Copyright 1984 by Richard Deming.

Richard Deming (1915-1983) was an American pulp writer who specialised in mystery and detective fiction. In addition to original novels, he found a lucrative niche writing books based on movies TV series (such as Dragnet) and also ghost-wrote no less than ten Ellery Queen novels. In addition to numerous stand-alone books and stories, he created series featuring Manville (Manny) Moon and Matt Rudd. This volume provides a great sampling of his work. Enjoy!

Publisher, Wildside Press LLC

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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, Whos 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, Sam Cooper, Helen McGee and many of Wildsides authorswho often suggest stories to include (and not just their own!)

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Check out the list of MEGAPACK collections and anthologies available at the end of this ebook. We are experimenting with producing a few as paperbacks (in addition to ebook versions)let us know if theres one youd particularly like to see in a paper edition.

Originally published in F.B.I. Detective Stories, October 1949.

MacDonald Sprague sat sidewise at the bar, frankly admiring the grave-faced blonde who sat with an escort a few feet away. But the admiration was entirely a surface veneer covering his cold loathing for the woman.

She looks more like a kitten than a murderess, he thought, studying the grave oval face with its slightly upslanting eyes. It was a face that seemed constantly to hold the promise of a smile which never materialized, a poker face, concealing all that lay behind it, yet somehow suggesting that if the mask were lifted, only laughter and innocence would be revealed.

It was hard to imagine those soft lips tensed in a cruel line and that tiny hand deliberately pumping bullets into a man. So hard that a strange reluctance mixed with the loathing in Macs mind for the women he believed had killed his brother.

With his hat tilted back at a jaunty angle and with a glint of satanic humor in his eyes, no one would have suspected MacDonald Spragues thoughts were composed of anything but admiration. He had rehearsed his part until everything about him was carelessly jaunty: his dress, his speech, his expressioneven the way he moved in sudden controlled bounces. In physical appearance he only faintly resembled the deceased killer whose name he had assumed, but his personality was an almost exact copy.

The girl, though obviously aware of his scrutiny, seemed neither offended nor gratified, apparently accepting male admiration as a matter of course. But the man seated beside her did not share her indifference. Repeatedly he scowled at Mac, and once made as though to rise, but was stopped by the girls small hand touching his arm. Though it was the merest touch, he subsided immediately.

The movement re-emphasized to Mac that he was playing a game so dangerous, the slightest slip would make it fatal. For the girls scowling escort was Thomas Cougar, sometimes referred to as The Strangler because of his rumored proficiency with his pale, powerful hands.