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!
Death beats the Phantom to the punch when he smashes out at a gigantic crime conspiracy — but the world’s greatest sleuth counters with an ingenious defense that makes his enemies scurry for cover! Richard Curtis Van Loan tackles a million dollar mystery of grim doom!
Although he found his chosen extracurricular vocation of crimefighter largely due to a lack of direction, Richard Curtis Van Loan set himself apart from other Pulp Heroes and later comic book heroes in the way he went about training. Instead of seeking out a mentor or traveling the world, the stories lead readers to believe, at least in the early stories, that Van Loan was largely a self-made man as The Phantom Detective. After solving a crime police couldn’t crack at the suggestion of newspaper publisher Frank Havens, Van Loan determined he’d found his mission in life and set out to teach himself the skills he felt he’d need in his fight on crime. These included but were in no way limited to various forms of fighting and martial arts, disguise, criminology, psychology, and more. This concept made it convenient for authors to give The Phantom Detective whatever skills he might need to get through any situation. He was also not above utilizing his wealth to outfit himself with transportation and weapons suited to his chosen activities, such as a fully armored speed boat. Later tales would say The Phantom Detective indeed did travel overseas and around to study amongst experts, but it is the fact that at least initially he taught himself all he needed to know that adds another layer of relatability between the fictional character and his readers.
The Booby-Trap Murders was originally published in the August 1944 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: A Frightened Man
Chapter 2: An End to Fear
Chapter 3: The Phantom Answers
Chapter 4: The First Mine Trap
Chapter 5: Gathering of Suspects
Chapter 6: Dead Man’s Diary
Chapter 7: The Silent Attack
Chapter 8: Bargain in Darkness
Chapter 9: A Clue Takes Shape
Chapter 10: Letters From the Dead
Chapter 11: House in Darkness
Chapter 12: A Breath of Air
Chapter 13: Escape!
Chapter 14: Two Threats of Murder
Chapter 15: Murder Again
Chapter 16: Money Maker
Chapter 17: Checkmate by Bishop
Chapter 18: Trail’s End
