Private Eye

John J. Shannon Mysteries #1

by Cleve F. Adams, Robert McGinnis (Illustrator)

Book by Adams, Cleve F.

Genres: Pulp

Paperback

First published January 1, 1942

About the author

The missing link between Dashiell Hammett and James Ellroy, Cleve F. Adams wrote rambunctious, violent, corrosively cynical private eye fiction from the mid-1930s until his untimely death from pneumonia in 1949 at the age of 54. He also wrote as Franklin Charles and John Spain.

Reviews

[Victoria Mixon · Rating 3 out of 5]

You know what I like? An unpredictable protagonist. Cleve Adams' John J. Shannon doesn't talk when he can yell, "God damn it, Fran!" and the thorn in his side, Fran McGowen, is even better than he is: "Oooh, what you said."

Page one, and I'm definitely on board for this ride!

1930s mining town politics, a figurehead mayor running a questionable Polish Relief Fund, a chief of police with way too nice of clothes, crooked cops, crooked miners, crooked father & daughter, an ex-girlfriend named Wynn, and a hilarious crooked British drunk---I'm telling you, Shannon's over-the-top Irish figure of blustering outrage is the most volatile, entertaining detective I've met in years.

[Ace McGee · Rating 2 out of 5]

A smart mouthed protagonist we can all love but such a convoluted plot. I mean, really difficult to keep straight.