Boston Blackie

by Jack Boyle

Whether he is fighting the police or the criminal underworld, Boston Blackie always stands up for what’s right  Sure, Boston Blackie is a jewel thief and a safecracker, but he’s a criminal with code. He ensures that the worst villains get what’s coming to them while the honorable ones stay out on the street—where, like Blackie, they do more good than harm. In this classic collection of adventures, with his dependable wife and getaway driver, Mary, by his side, Blackie gets into and out of a dizzying array of tight spots. He escapes from prison, saves a friend from the gallows, and pulls off the gold bullion heist of a lifetime. Later adapted into serials, movies, and TV shows, Boston Blackie’s exploits are some of the most thrilling in all of crime fiction. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Fiction, Thriller, Short Stories, Mystery Thriller, Amazon

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1919

About the author

Jack Boyle was the creator of the honorable criminal Boston Blackie, a popular character featured in radio serials, movies, and TV shows throughout the early twentieth century. After moving to San Francisco to work as a newspaperman, Boyle became addicted to opium and turned to a life of crime. He wrote the first Boston Blackie stories in San Quentin.

Reviews

[Zain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Criminal!

While in prison for one of a series of petty crimes, Jack Boyle began his writing career. Boston Blackie began as a magazine serial, which became so successful that it was developed into a television show.

In the stories, Boston Blackie is a “gentleman thief.” Maybe a Robin Hood figure at times.

I don’t know if I really feel this way, since the only people Blackie ever helps are other criminals. He is even loyal to a fault and so he believes everyone else should be. Especially women.

Every chapter is filled with the schemes and shenanigans of Boston Blackie and his criminal friends and Mary, his loyal, faithful, criminal wife.

Although Boston Blackie is a “lovable, honorable, hero,” you are still holding your breath throughout the book waiting and praying for his final capture and arrest. 🙏🏽

Unsurprisingly, Blackie manages to outwit and escape every cop in San Francisco.

When will he get his comeuppance, or does he continue to live under a lucky star?

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked-up this book because I really enjoy the radio show from the 40s of the same name. This book picks-up where the radio show ends (before the TV series, which I had no idea existed until a friend told me). It is really great to see the same characters again as well as have them placed in clever situations that were highly enjoyable to read. I didn't have much hope for this book when I started, but was pleasantly surprised after the first couple of chapters. This is a collection of short stories that are intertwined making me think they were released as a serial in a monthly magazine. Good writing and stories; makes me wish there was more from Jock Boyle, but I haven't been able to find anything else written by him except for this title.

[Elizabeth (Alaska) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is what I think of Pulp Fiction at its best (yes, capitalized!). Boston Blackie is a crook with a code of honor, if there is such a thing. A snitch gets what he deserves and turn about is fair play. If a man has been wrongfully convicted, pulling every trick to get him out of prison is the right action. The women are so loyal they'll do anything for their man - lie and steal, even confess to a crime they didn't commit if necessary.

Could I almost smell the cheap paper and ink with this? Yes. I wouldn't want a steady diet of pure pulp, no way. I feel so lucky that lately I've been given to read what exactly fits my reading needs at the moment. I know I won't go out and look for this genre in future, but I won't turn away should I find I've been drawn to it unthinkingly.

For pulp, this is probably 4-stars and I'll go out on a limb and color in that 4th star. But only because - for pulp - this is so good. But be fair-warned - I'm not trying to deceive you.

[Ron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gave up. Too 19th century ... in writing, plot, attitudes. Boring and semi-offensive. Not that some 19th century authors aren't very readable.

[Douglas Boren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book in the crime/mystery genre that is also a throwback to the mid to early 20th century. Boston Blackie is a reformed safe-cracker, and jewel thief, who has a strict code of honor. He will not snitch on anyone, even if it means it goes poorly for himself.

This is a very enjoyable read, and it made me look up some of the old movie and TV series from long ago about the famous Boston Blackie. I would recommend this to anyone who has a nostalgia for crime stories the way they used to be, before vulgarity and porn took over.

[Bill Groom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boston Blackie is a book, a radio show,movie, and tv show. This book gives you a hint of why they all state that this crook who live by a code " is a enamy to thouse who make him an enamy, and a friend who has no friend." this story written around 1919 is a great example of the values and speech of the time along with being a great read.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting look at the book that led to movies, books and classic radio shows. People who lived inthefirst half of the Twentieth century will find this book from 1919 interesting reading.

[Melvyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read! Keep in mind vintage 1919 and it will be most enjoyable!

[Ron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read. The adventures of Boston Blackie from the Radio show - so similar yet different.

[Charles H Berlemann Jr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a collection of the short stories that Jack Boyle, himself a crook and who wrote these while in prison in California, wrote of a crook named Boston Blackie. The radio and movies that were using these short stories as basis for a character seem to sell the character of Blackie as a Robin Hood who was turning his life around, a modern day heroes who helped the down trodden. The reality is that these stories were sort of about the crook doing on to other crooks and saving folks that seem to have run afoul of major syndicates, the long arm of the law or those that were just found to be needing some help and somehow turned Blackie's heart.
Most of the stories are from Pre-WW1 and show a pulp feel in both the stilted phrasing and the quick resolutions to a couple of the stories, or the cliff hangars that seem to run from chapter to chapter in the longer stories. In the end, they weren't great, but they weren't totally bad. It just went and showed me that yet again what Hollywood gets their hands on a popular character they totally rearrange that character to help sell the movie, tv or radio version.
This is really for a fan of pulp detective or action stories and those that know what sort of hack like or even trope like writing they are getting into. Anyone who has read modern action or detective stories would find these dull and the language hard to read, to which I would say you aren't missing much if you pass this up.

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boyle, Jack. Boston Blackie. 1919. MysteriousPress.com/Open Road, 2014.
I first encountered Boston Blackie in old films on 1950s TV and Saturday matinees. He never impressed me as a kid, but the name stuck with me. I could never figure out from the films why he was called Blackie or what he had to do with Boston, because the filmmakers had cleaned up and so downplayed the character’s back story that one could easily confuse him and his wife Mary with Nick and Nora Charles of Thin Man fame. Boyle, who had done time in prison for crimes committed to feed a substance abuse habit, intended him as a cat burglar and jewel thief, whose crimes often serve to right injustices. He saw the police as often corrupt and the prison system as unfair and cruel. Blackie was a figure in the Boston underworld who did time in San Quentin and moved his operation to San Francisco. The novel, a cobbled together set of short stories from Red Book, have a hardboiled edge tempered with some sentimentality and overwrought prose that would be at home in a Dickens story. We Americans love to make heroes of our bad guys, but we also like to sand down their rough edges. By the time the movies got him, Blackie was a wise-cracking amateur detective and his cops comic foils. Nevertheless, Blackie had an almost forty-year run in popular culture, testimony to the endurance of the formula.

[Georgia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Because of naustalia,

I tried this book as I remember seeing a movie of Boston Blackie when I was young. The book, however, is not for me. It's almost like Robin Hood paying retribution upon those breaking the criminal code of ethics. He is a thief no less. The book is like short stories of different instances involving crooks or when Blackie is successful on a heist.

[Michael Bierbaum · Rating 5 out of 5]

As Good As You're Gonna Get!

San Francisco, a hundred years ago. The fog conceals the crook lurking in the dripping shadows. The City sleeps. Another jewel heist, another impenetrable safe cracked, another robber baron separated from his ill-gotten gains. A movement in the gloom, the pearlescent glow momentarily illuminates a flinty determined face: Boston Blackie. . .

[Maura DeJaynes · Rating 4 out of 5]

The detail in these older works is refreshing. The protagonist in this novel reminds me of someone such as Red in the blacklist. He's a criminal yet you find yourself wanting him to succeed because hes not all that bad.

[John Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got no use for Coppers!

This i a wonderful Read! It's from the Old Days, when life and how you lived it, mattered. When you loved and you lived like you knew your love was important, to you, to your people, yeaa, even to strangers. And it made you strong, lovely, rich, alive.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written in 1919 it's very colorful but also a bit dated. A bit vanilla with it's dialog to be sure. I can see why Hollywood made 13 Boston Blackie serial films in the 1940's. It was a fun read. Check it out.

[Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is he a criminal?

Yes, I guess he is. But, he has a heart and a conscience. I don’t think I can guarantee you’ll like this book, BUT I sure did.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining mystery listening

I listened to this as part of The Victorian Rogues Megpack, it was a number of stories each different and very entertaining.

I would reconmend to teaders of mystery novels. 2023

[Paula · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a typical Boston Blackie story. Jail breaks, a burglary on a ship (gold!), and his kindness toward other criminals. You root for the bad guys even though you know they're bad guys. The kind of bad guy who has a big heart.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this tale of post WWI cops and robbers..

[Sue J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Glad I read it. I remember Boston Blackie from when I was very young. Good to catch up to him.

[Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the Livrovox recording of this book by Winston Tharp. He did a fabulous rendition which harkened back to the old radio shows. I highly recommend both the book and the recording.

[Jerry Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Boston Blackie in this book is certainly different than the movie character. But, still a good read where you keep wondering how Blackie is going to get out of each predicament.

[Jeremiah Horner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable potboiler. I listened to the Librevox version, well read by Winston Tharp.

[Jennifer Booth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reads like a page from Guys & Dolls

It's tells yous guys the review, I like it! It reads like a page from Guys & Dolls with people!!!!!

[Anthony Yvonnica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cool, old style crime book in the style of the old radio show. Quick fun read.

[Sally Spoelstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining

While Boston Blackie and his wife Mary are the main characters, there are many short stories with other characters dominating. Very well written.

[Joseph Hodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was great to learn where the radio show and television series started from! I love Boston Blackie!

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Step back in time

And enjoy an oldie. Boston Blackie the safecracker is a special kind of man. The stories are diverse and very enjoyable.

[ShanDizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An honorable thief?? Indeed, yes!