The Cobra Kill

Title : The Cobra Kill

Author : Nick Carter

Cover art : photograph  

  [London : Tandem, 1971. Pseud. Manning Lee Stokes “A killmaster spy chiller.” Produced by Lyle Kenyon Engel. Originally published in the U.S., Universal, 1969. ] 

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As discussed elsewhere on this blog, the late 1960s and early 1970s more or less represented the ultimate in kitschy lows for paperback adventure/espionage covers, and I thought the present Nick Carter offering was fairly representative of the ultimate in sleaze. But a glance at the various versions of the same title suggests that the present entry is, if anything, on the mild side in tacky and tasteless. I must confess that the cover tableau of the half-naked, half caste(?) girl rather proudly displaying a skull in a box does get one’s attention.

Potiki

Title : Potiki

Author : Patricia Grace

Cover art : Ron Hampton  

  [Auckland, NZ; Middlesex, UK ... , Penguin, 1986.] 

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Review by Lisa Hill at ANA LitLovers LitBlog.

Erle A706 (1967)

Title : Kill Me in Yoshiwara

Author : Earl Norman

Cover art : Barye Phillips?  

  [Japan : Erle A706, 1967. Pseud. Norman Thompson. Burns Bannion No. 5].

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I must confess that until I came across this minor gem at a thrift store I hadn’t heard of the Earl Norman books. Apparently the hero is a kind of Mike Hammer who operates in exotic locales, most specifically Japan. Anyway, like the Hammer tomes the Norman books have appeared to decidedly mixed critical acclaim. The uncredited sleaze/cheesecake cover is executed in the Barye Phillips style, and at least one source lists Phillips as the artist. The semi-nude girl lying on bed looks back enticingly at our hero. Is she supposed to be Japanese/exotic? She actually seems to have quite Caucasian features. Whatever.

   Review by Tom Johnson at Pulpden.

Gold Medal 402

Title : French for Murder

Author : Bernard Mara

Cover art : Clark Hulings  

  [Greenwich, Conn. : Fawcett Gold Medal, 1954. Pseud. Brian Moore. Great low-keyed but nonetheless intense cover from far too infrequent vintage pb cover artist Clark Hulings.] 

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Review : Parisian French, not Québécois French