*Crime, Spies & Sleaze: We’re continuing to introduce the new layout for our books categories, with an image for each book. This week, we return to our Crime, Spies and Sleaze category, and the detective novels of Carter Brown. Alan Geoffrey Yates was a British born Australian who wrote under that pseudonym between 1954 and 1984. He was extremely prolific in this and other genres, turning out over 300 novels in his career. His work was hard-boiled in the style of Raymond Chandler, without the plot complexity, but with an entertaining sense of humour and laconic noir feel. The novels were written in the first person in the guise of one of several detective protagonists he used, examples being Lt Al Wheeler, tough cop, Rick Holman, Hollywood trouble-shooter to the stars and Mavis Seidlitz, whose IQ was lower than her bust size (allegedly). (We have detailed which detective features in which novel in our listings). Originally published in Australia (but all set in America, because “his readers preferred it”), Brown became internationally famous when they were published in first the USA and then the UK. The earlier American Signets were cover-illustrated by Barye Phillips and the later ones by Robert McGinnis, two highly talented artists who captured the spirit of the books beautifully. Most scenes featured sexy women, but inside the sex was always suggested rather than explicit. The cover art for the Passionate (see below) was used for the cover of Glamour International 25 (see our Book Art Books entry this week). A few highlights from our extensive stock are shown here, including two books new in.
PICTURED: All by Carter Brown
THE DESIRED VG £8 1960 1st US PB (NEW IN)
THE GIRL FROM OUTER SPACE VG £8 1966 1st UK PB SOLD
THE LADY IS AVAILABLE VG £5 1960s 3rd US PB
LAMENT FOR A LOUSY LOVER GD £6 1960 1st US PB
THE PASSIONATE VG £8 1959 1st US PB (NEW IN)