Strip for Murder

By Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty

Colorful characters with murderous motives populate this illustrated mystery, which unfolds during the Broadway season of 1953. Former striptease artist Maggie Starr continues "stripping" by distributing comic strips through her late husband's newspaper syndicate. When the heated rivalry between a pair of her cartoonists ends in homicide, Maggie and her stepson, Jack, turn detective. Together they seek the killer among a rogues' gallery of loan sharks, jealous husbands, bitter artists, and other suspects.
Author Max Allan Collins was acclaimed by Mickey Spillane himself as "a terrific writer," and this fast-paced romp through a flavorful era in comic strip history is enriched by Terry Beatty's atmospheric illustrations.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Release date: Mar 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9780486803470

Max Allan Collins

MAX ALLAN COLLINS was the Mystery Writers of America (MWA)'s 2017 Grand Master. He is the bestselling author of the graphic novel Road to Perdition, the basis for the hit film starring Tom Hanks. He has won two Shamus Awards, for True Detective and Stolen Away, both from his series of Nathan Heller novels. A prolific writer, Collins' other works include mystery novels, screenplays, comic books, film novelizations, and historical fiction.

Reviews for Strip for Murder

[davewilde-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is a terrific historical mystery very much in the tradition of Collins' Nathan Heller series. It is hard boiled and filled with period references. It packs just the right amount of attitude and humor to be highly readable. Although the background of the story is certainly steeped in the comic book publishing world of the late forties, you don't have to know much about that industry to enjoy it.
Take a glad-handing, overweight publishing executive. Dress him in a superhero costume - Wonder Guy to be precise. And, have him drop dead while cutting the cake at his birthday party thrown at his mistress's suite at the Waldorf-Astoria with his wife in attendance as well as several comic writers who are bitter about their contracts. All of a sudden, it seems like you have the makings of a story.
Better yet, throw in a gorgeous world-famous ex-stripper who runs a comic syndicating service and her stepson, a private detective. Also, throw in s mobster or two, a homicide detective, a blonde whose blue eyes seem to hypnotize every man, and half a dozen others with murder motives and you've got a lot real good story brewing.
Nothing weak or flimsy about this story. This is a solid one.