Strange Witness (LIN)

by Day Keene

a seven letter word that stood for every year that Hart Jackson had spent in jail. The moment of his release, Jackson went straight for Flip Evans who had framed him. In a heart-stopping trial across Chicago, Jackson became entangled witha gang of cold-blooded killers. If Flip's gang didn't get him first, the cops would.

291 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

Day Keene, whose real name was Gunnar Hjerstedt, was one of the leading paperback mystery writers of the 1950s. Along with writing over 50 novels, he also wrote for radio, television, movies, and pulp magazines. Often his stories were set in South Florida or swamp towns in Louisiana, and included a man wrongly accused and on the run, determined to clear his name.

Reviews

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

Published 1953 by Graphic. Jackson Hart was once an emcee and a ventriloquist, but his little brother was framed for a murder and Jackson took the heat for him to the tune of seven years behind bars. Upon leaving the penitentiary though he is accosted by a beautiful woman Thelma, a nightclub singer, determined to marry him right then and there. None of this makes much sense to Jackson, but Thelma sells him on it until five minutes after their vows she is gunned down by hoods who Jackson thinks were after him. But, the way it goes down the eyewitnesses think ex-con Jackson gunned her down. Suddenly the chase is on and both the hoods and the police are after Jackson who has barely been out for a few hours and now has the whole city on high alert for him. It then gets even dicier when Jackson picks up Thelma’s seven year old sister and her giant stuffed bunny and now it’s the three of them on the run with an occasional ventriloquist trick with the rabbit thrown in.

Keene dies a great job with this 1953 paperback original. He draws the reader in with the innocent guy who did time on a frame up and has this innocent guy on the run. The story is fast-paced action all throughout. Jackson, through whose eyes we see this story, never has a moment to relax. Every move he makes is matched by a set of rather clever hoods who he can’t shake. While many of these themes were not necessarily original such as the guy on the run from the law and the hoodlums, Keene makes it feel fresh and new.

[Kurt Reichenbaugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent page turner from Day Keene about a ventriloquist out for vengeance from a seven-year stretch in prison for murder he didn't commit. His first day out he lets everyone know he's gunning for the bad guy who sent him up. Instead he marries a gun moll, escapes county lockup, eludes armed thugs, rescues a 10-year-old kid and throws his voice when opportunity demands. And that's only the first day out of the joint. Did I mention there are some stretches in credibility? Hey, sometimes it comes with the territory.

[Jure · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of a kid witnessing a murder is not bad at all. But the whole thing is 190 pages long, and there's no actual story development or tension build-up. Hardly a page-turner...

One just never knows with Keene. None of his stuff is terrible, and some is brilliant. I think this is the first one of his that I'm just gonna file in my memory as simply forgettable.

More here (review includes spoilers!):
https://a60books.blogspot.com/2023/01...

[Larry Webber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A ventriloquist who just got out of prison is hell-bent on revenge against the ruthless crime boss who sent him there when he falls for a dame in distress... Day Keene writes an entertaining page-turner with plenty of action and suspense amid the 50's Chicago night life/criminal sleaze.

[Kit Goode · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh dear. That's... that's pretty much all I can say about Strange Witness. Oh dear.