Forged in war, The Phantom Detective wages a one-man battle on crime! Solving impossible mysteries and delivering his own justice, he is the underworld’s masked nightmare!
Follow the Phantom across the country as he tears down, piece by piece, an intricate structure of deadly crime — fighting against the grim reign of murder that holds sway over the oilfields when a ruthless schemer plans a sinister coup!
Lawrence Donovan began his writing career as a newspaperman. His experience as a reporter as well as his own hard living would inform his future work. His entry into pulp fiction came initially with work at Street and Smith, then eventually Thrilling Publications. Before making his way to Thrilling, Donovan created a character or two for Street and Smith and then was given the chance to contribute to the legacy of one of their greatest characters. Credited for creating The Whisperer, one of the first series where his newspaper reporter gritty style really comes into play, Donovan also penned nine Doc Savage novels under the traditional Kenneth Robeson house name. He also wrote stories featuring The Skipper, Pete Rice, ‘Boxcar’ Reilly and others. His time came to an end, however, at Street and Smith after a falling out with John Nanovic, Street and Smith editor, caused by Donovan’s drinking. This led to the author moving to Thrilling Publications.
Donovan’s skill with writing multiple characters came into play while at Thrilling as well. Among those which he contributed to were Dan Fowler, G-Man and The Black Bat, writing one of the character’s better-known novels, among many others. The Phantom Detective was one of those as well, and Donovan made a significant contribution to the Detective’s legacy, the addition of a popular trope at the time-a teenaged sidekick.
The Black Gold Killers was originally published in the November 1941 issue of The Phantom Detective Magazine and is read with pulse pounding intensity by award winning voice actor Milton Bagby.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Death From Above
Chapter 2: “Tell the Phantom”
Chapter 3: Bloodless Murder
Chapter 4: Death from a Box
Chapter 5: Vial of Annihilation
Chapter 6: Voice Beats Death
Chapter 7: A Girl Is Stubborn
Chapter 8: When a Man’s Done
Chapter 9: Strictly Legal Crime
Chapter 10: Death Reaches
Chapter 11: Jealous Hate Flares
Chapter 12: Grave of Scorpions
Chapter 13: Girl Murder Bait
Chapter 14: Stampede Hero
Chapter 15: A Gusher Blooms
Chapter 16: Gusher Trouble
Chapter 17: Steve’s Wildcat
Chapter 18: Score of Murder
Chapter 19: Death Rides Below
Chapter 20: Tarantula’s Revenge
Chapter 21: Rawhide Torture
Chapter 22: A Wrong-Way Raid
Chapter 23: Dead Man’s Boots
