Sunday, July 02, 2023

Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Mystery Book Magazine, Summer 1948


This is a nice dramatic cover on this issue of MYSTERY BOOK MAGAZINE. I don't know the artist. When I spotted it while looking through the Fictionmags Index, I got excited for a minute because this issue features a Mike Shayne story I hadn't heard of, "Murder is a Habit". But a little investigation seems to indicate that it's actually a condensation of the novel BLOOD ON THE STARS. Any confirmation or other information will be much appreciated. Besides the Shayne story, this issue includes yarns by Judson P. Philips, Roy Vickers, Cyril Plunkett, O.B. Myers, Jules Archer, and house-name John L. Benton.

UPDATE: The cover artist is Rudolph Belarski. Thanks to Ed Hulse for that identification. The artwork was recycled for the cover of a Mike Shayne novel, fittingly enough, on BODIES ARE WHERE YOU FIND THEM, Popular Library #192.



2 comments:

Ed Hulse said...

The cover artist is Rudolph Belarski. The painting was recycled as the cover to a Popular Library paperback, but I can't remember which one.

James Reasoner said...

Thanks, Ed. With that info, I was able to look it up, and fittingly enough, it was recycled on a Mike Shayne novel, BODIES ARE WHERE YOU FIND THEM, Popular Library 192.