Black Mask Audio Magazine, Vol. 1: Classic Hard-Boiled Tales from the Original Black Mask (Hollywood Theater of the Ear)

by Yuri Rasovsky (Producer/Director), Hugh B. Cave, Paul Cain

Tough gumshoes, rotten yeggs, and dangerous dames

In the 1930s and '40s, Black Mask was the single most important magazine for the modern mystery field. In its pages writers such as Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Earl Stanley Gardner reshaped the established view of mystery fiction, creating the "hard-boiled" private eye. Now comes this series in which the toughest of tough detectives are resurrected from its pages in sonic dramatization from the award-winning Hollywood Theater of the Ear.

Stories included in this volume are “Lost and Found” by Hugh B. Cave, “Pigeon Blood” by Paul Cain, “Rough Justice” by Frederick Nebel, “Black” by Paul Cain, “The Missing Mr. Lee” by Hugh B. Cave, “Taking His Time” by Rueben J. Shay, “Trouble Chaser” by Paul Cain, "Waiting for Rusty" by William Cole, and “Too Many Have Lived” by Dashiell Hammett.

“Lost and Found”
Did a spoiled rich girl die in a plane crash or is she hiding with her homicidal lover in the Florida Keys? Whose body is that in the wreckage? Who put it there?

“Black”
A big-city tough guy comes to a small Minnesota town to settle a deadly fight between the local crime boss and his chief rival—his son.

“Pigeon Blood”
A society matron's life is threatened after she engineers the theft of her own priceless jewelry to pay off a gambling debt. Only a debonair connoisseur of crime can save her and recover her gems—for a price.

“Taking His Time”
In this comic vignette, a carnival barker's valuable watch gets stolen during an illegal poker game. The local sheriff seems in no hurry to apprehend the thief, until a reward is offered.

“Rough Justice”
Mississippi heat—A Manhattan gumshoe pursues a convict to St. Louis, where he gets mixed up in a cop killing and nearly loses his own life at the hands of a “B” girl.

“Trouble Chaser”
A starlet's plot to blackmail a film-studio executive results in her murder. Only the "trouble chaser" can clear her volatile lover and solve the crime.

“The Missing Mr. Lee”
An eccentric boarding-house denizen winds up dead; his presumed killer, a fellow boarder, has vanished. The baffling case unfolds through the testimony of witnesses, who are themselves suspects.

"Waiting for Rusty"
This account of a fugitive gun moll masterfully compresses the essence of "noir" fiction into three incredibly tense pages.

"Too Many Have Lived"
One of only three Sam Spade short stories, this one involves a blackmailing poet, a seductive chanteuse, her rough-hewn stage-door-johnny, and, of course, murder. Recorded before a live audience in New York.

Genres: Mystery, Audiobook, Fiction, Noir, Short Stories, Thriller, Action

1 pages, MP3 CD

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jim]

Paul Cain is one of the best early noir authors I've ever read. His stories were perfect for this medium where talented readers & some sound effects brought 6 or 8 stories to life. They were all good, but some were just superb. Grover Gardner introduced the stories & had a part in them all. As usual, he did a great job, but all of the others were every bit as good. I'm definitely going to look for more of these.

If you're not familiar with the magazine that started in 1920, read more about it here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_M...
or visit their web site here:
http://www.blackmaskmagazine.com/

If you like Paul Cain, the best collection of his stories was recently published by Centipede Press. It's called The Complete Slayers: Fast One and the Complete Short Stories of Paul Cain. Fantastic! I gave it 5 stars here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Malum]

Decent collection of pulp/noir stories from the '30s and '40s. Most were hardboiled, but a few humorous stories were mixed in here and there. The humorous stories all kind of fell flat for me but the hardboiled stories were all really good.

As for the quality of the recording and acting, it was about equal to Graphic Audio's stuff. The main complaint I have is that they either performed the Hammett story live or added a laugh/applause track. Either way, it was extremely distracting and out of place.

[Liz]

3.5 Listening to these old time noir stories performed like radio dramas is entertaining. The stories are hit and miss. The performances are good and the accompanying music is very good.
Rough Justice by Frederick Nebel . 1930, 2.5 stars. A typical noir with a tough P.I. looking for a missing ring. There's tough talk, and some slapping around.
Taking His Time by Reuben J. Shay. 1931, 1 star. A small town sheriff jerks around an employee from a travelling circus who has been robbed. Tries to be cute, but isn't particularly funny.
Black by Paul Cain. 1932, 3 stars. Black walks into town and a man dies in his arms, then he meets up with a female cabbie. A local crime boss and his son are competing to take over the town.
The Missing Mr. Lee by Hugh B. Cave.1940, 3.5 stars. The story follows a murder investigation at a boarding house with each character delivering their piece of the story.
Waiting for Rusty by William Cole. 1939, 4 stars. This would have made a good Twilight Zone episode. Bank robbers are holed up in a cafe waiting for their boss.
Pigeon Blood by Paul Cain. 1933, 3 stars. Guns, rubies, and a fixer inhabit this hard-boiled crime drama. A woman with a gambling problem is shot at while driving on the highway.
Trouble Chaser by Paul Cain. 1934, 3 stars. A red headed fixer named Black refuses to get involved in a blackmail scheme and ends up solving murder. Actresses, blackmail, jealousy, and murder; this story is jam packed with action.
Too Many Have Lived by Dashiell Hammett. 1932, 3 stars. This story starts out with some really good descriptive writing. Sam Spade is employed to find a missing man, by another man who is interested in the missing man's wife. Sam goes to meet the wife who works at a speakeasy and we are treated to a wonderful rendition of a torch song.
Lost and Found by Hugh B. Cave. 1940, 1 star. A former newspaper reporter has to track down the daughter of a millionaire in Florida because of some incriminating letters she has allegedly written. This just couldn't keep my interest. The intro music is the best part.

[Gwen - Chew & Digest Books -]

This was great fun if you like "hard-boiled" short stories acted out yet not over acted out like many audio versions of plays and the like that I've listened to. It's short and features some of the stories from the magazine, Black Mask, which is tough to get your hands on these days.

I am picky as I'll get out with short stories. They have to have an actual plot, developed characters and can not leave me wondering or wanting more. This fit the bill perfectly, especially since I've been on a Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler kick lately, it's nice to read/listen to some of the lower echelons of the genre. Funny thing was, they weren't really lower, they were as entertaining as the latest collection of short stories I've read from Chandler, The Simple Act of Murder.

[MYRON]

If you enjoy hardboiled detective fiction from the 20’s and 30’s this is a good listen.

The "Black Mask Audio Magazine, Vol. 1: Classic Hard-Boiled Tales from the Original Black Mask" is an extraordinary collection that brings the gritty, suspenseful world of classic noir fiction vividly to life. This Library Edition, produced by the Hollywood Theater of the Ear, is nothing short of a masterclass in audio storytelling.

From the moment you press play, you’re immersed in the dark, atmospheric world that defined the legendary Black Mask magazine. The production quality is superb, with a meticulous attention to detail that captures the essence of the original stories. The voice actors deliver performances with such intensity and nuance that each tale feels like a personal experience rather than a mere recounting of words. Their interpretations breathe life into the hard-boiled detectives, scheming villains, and complex characters that made the Black Mask stories so iconic.

The selection of tales is impeccable, showcasing some of the finest examples of the genre. Whether it’s the relentless pursuit of justice by a hard-bitten PI or the intricate plots that keep you guessing until the very end, each story is delivered with a level of craftsmanship that honors its literary origins. The gritty realism and sharp dialogue of the original texts are preserved, offering a rich, immersive experience that is as compelling today as it was when these stories first appeared.

In summary, "Black Mask Audio Magazine, Vol. 1" is a five-star triumph. It brilliantly captures the essence of the original Black Mask stories with exceptional audio production and performances. This collection is a must-have for anyone who appreciates the raw, unfiltered edge of hard-boiled noir and the enduring legacy of its greatest tales.

[William]

I love the noir genre, and I write noir so I’m always wanted to enjoy more to match that great style of the 20’ and 30s, guess I should add in the 1900s. Still these were fun read but nothing super outstanding. They are fun to listen to and get a feel for how people used to enjoy stories on the radio. Lots of great one liners, this one was not in this collection, but still my favorite of the genre: do you know who killed him. Yeah, someone with a gun. There are some good ones. And I can always do with more Sam Spade. 3.5 stars rounded down because it’s not a 4

[cypher]

such a great discovery, very atmospheric collection, had no clue this existed...it reminded me of why i liked "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"...old detective movies are great in the modern world, they have such flair.

[Zach]

If you know the name Murray Horwitz, you will probably enjoy this!

This is a fun listen. Feels very much like old time radio serials.

Some of these stories are especially suspenseful and even dark, impressive considering some of them are almost 100 years old!!

[Stephanie H]

I typically love old time radio but I found nothing in this collection stood out. Such a shame. I had high hopes.

[evie]

i love these old magazines reenactments! the stories are dated and that is part of the charm but the reenactments are always fantastic!

recommend as a good read!

[Rubin Carpenter]

A well done audio production the cast was superb great noir atmosphere a good listen

[Subjuntivo Subjuntivo]

❤❤❤❤❤

[Brig]

Just fun

[Joan Lloyd]

I quick, pulp read - several short tales of detective exploits.

[Pietro Rossi]

As with all anthologies, stories vary in quality. This is a good collection of the 'gunshoe' period.

[Sully Augustine]

Listened to it during drive times over the past week or so. It's a series of dramatizations rather then a reading of text. It held my interest well.

[James]

3.25

[Jeremy Vetock]

Classic pulp

[Ruth]

14 Noir, indeed.

[Carolyn]

It's fun listening to these stories as they were done on the radio. Reallygood stories!

[Cezar Black]

Voice acting and atmosphere added to the vibe of the stories.

[Caleb Welch]

3.25 - Overall, the stories were ok. But this was my first ever audio drama I’ve listen too so I loved that aspect.

[William P.]

I frickin' loved this. Not only is there a nice mixture of narration and full-on audio plays in this collection, but they're all done really well. It could have done with a couple more voice actors to mix it up a bit, but that's not really a valid complaint. The stories themselves are all classic hard-boiled yumminess and they're all very engaging. None of it is terribly thought-provoking, but I didn't really care because I was busy listening to people say things like "What are you doing with that gun!?" and grinning like an idiot at all the fun.

[Mad]

I keep trying to give Detective/Noir series a try ...

I enjoyed the Audio (Hollywood Theater of the Ear) version of this book a lot, unfortunately not the stories themselves. If this is the best of the best ... I'll pass.

[Benjamin Thomas]

Very enjoyable reproduction of old-time radio productions of crime short stories orginally published in Black Mask Magazine. Like all short story collections, some are better than others. It was great fun though to listen to the actors portray these stories from the 30's and 40's.

[Nate]

A great variety of noir genre stories, that were written from all parts of the 1930s. I found it fascinating to get a glimpse, albeit a seedy one, of life in the 1930's. It was well read, well produced and nice, short stories.

[Alexis]

Fantastic audio production for a solid set of hard boiled stories: five stars.

The final story ending with the male private dick stopping his car and taking the grown woman he just rescued *across his knee and spanking her* for being just a dummy: NEGATIVE ONE MILLION STARS.

[Deb]

I enjoyed experiencing the classics of a beginning genre. Not earthshakingly great literature, but fun. The narrators made the stories live.

[James]

I borrowed this from my digital library. While fun and harmless, this isn't Dashiell Hammett, and the voice actors can onvly do so much with the material.