Author: Richard S. PratherPublisher: Berkley G241Year: 1959 Print: 4 Cover Price: $.35Condition: Book Grades. Very Good. Light wearGenre: Fiction/GGA/Mystery/Crime/PulpPages: 16080126032E The story serves as the 9th installment in Prather's popular Shell Scott Mysteries series. The Setup: Los Angeles private investigator Shell Scott is summoned south of the border to Mexico by his old friend, Amador Montalba. The Mission: He is tasked with protecting the much younger wife of a prominent anti-Communist leader, General Lopez, who is being heavily blackmailed. The Complications: As Shell dives into the case, he discovers a massive crime wave running rampant across Mexico. To make matters worse, local police elements are deeply entangled in the criminal corruption. The Tropes: True to the pulp fiction style of the era, the fast-paced plot weaves through deadly setups, corrupt officials, and a vaccine research subplot involving a scientist and beautiful women—specifically the scientist's daughter, Susan, and her friend, Monique. Shell must navigate a web of violence and dangerous encounters to stop the blackmail ring and deliver justice.
