The Phantom Detective has an ace up his sleeve when he sits in on the game of big-time gambling racketeers! Murder, fear, and bribery stalk a great city when the big money takes control.
The Phantom Detective, billed in his stories as the World’s Greatest Sleuth, proved time and again that he was indeed a highly skilled criminal investigator as well as a master of disguise and an excellent escape artist. Never once in the entire twenty-year series did Richard Curtis Van Loan display any sort of heightened senses, ala Doc Savage, or the ability to cloud anyone’s thoughts, as The Shadow could do at times.
When Pulp fans think of The Phantom Detective, they likely picture in their minds a handsome man wearing a domino mask in evening clothes and sporting, of all things, a top hat. This image is very deserved, as the editors of The Phantom Detective Magazine decided to portray their lead character in exactly this fashion on the cover of the magazine each and every month, top hat usually included. This was likely done in part to establish a signature look for the character, much like the red scarf and droop brimmed fedora of The Shadow. Even though the editors allowed for various writers to put their own spin on The Phantom Detective, it seems they were aware of a need for a consistent costume for such a character on the covers to perhaps visually appeal to readers, to make sure they were getting the right Hero. And, even though The Phantom Detective never appeared in such a costume within any of his original stories, it would appear that this editorial choice was a good one, as the magazine did indeed run for two decades!
Murder Millions was originally published in the Fall 1951 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: Rendezvous with Murder
Chapter 2: The Man From the Shadows
Chapter 3: Dying Man’s Deal
Chapter 4: Innocent Victim?
Chapter 5: Lady With a Secret
Chapter 6: Blue Jungle
Chapter 7: Gang Leader
Chapter 8: High Dive
Chapter 9: Forgotten Trail
Chapter 10: Promise to the Dead
Chapter 11: Bookie Joint
Chapter 12: Ambassador to Crime
Chapter 13: Ice!
Chapter 14: Mystery Girl
Chapter 15: The Phantom’s Theories
Chapter 16: Dead Man’s Past
Chapter 17: Home Town
Chapter 18: Surprise for the Deacon
Chapter 19: Cold Steel
Chapter 20: The Will to Live