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The Library Fuzz MEGAPACK ®: The Complete Hal Johnson Series
James Holding (1907-1997) was a prolific short story author in the mystery field. (He also wrote children's books -- including the Ellery Queen Jr. series -- but short stories were his true domain.) Among the many series he created, the "Library Fuzz" stories, about detective Hal Johnson who tracks down overdue library books (and often stumbles across bigger crimes) is one of the most unusual...and fun! This MEGAPACK(TM) collects all the "Library Fuzz" tales, plus several that feature secondary characters in their own stories...plus a (very different) alternate version of one story.
Included
LIBRARY FUZZ
MORE THAN A MERE STORYBOOK
THE BOOKMARK
THE ELUSIVE MRS. STOUT
HERO WITH A HEADACHE
STILL A COP
THE MUTILATED SCHOLAR
THE SAVONAROLA SYNDROME
THE HENCHMAN CASE
THE YOUNG RUNNERS
THE HONEYCOMB OF SILENCE
THE JACK O'NEAL AFFAIR
THE REWARD
THE SEARCH FOR TAMERLANE
SIDESWIPE
THE BOOK CLUE
THE VAPOR CLUE
THE MISOPEDIST
CAUSE FOR ALARM
HELL IN A BASKET
If you enjoy this volume of classic mysteries, don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see the 220+ other entries in this series, including mysteries, adventure, science fiction, fantasy, horror, westerns -- and much, much more!
Included
LIBRARY FUZZ
MORE THAN A MERE STORYBOOK
THE BOOKMARK
THE ELUSIVE MRS. STOUT
HERO WITH A HEADACHE
STILL A COP
THE MUTILATED SCHOLAR
THE SAVONAROLA SYNDROME
THE HENCHMAN CASE
THE YOUNG RUNNERS
THE HONEYCOMB OF SILENCE
THE JACK O'NEAL AFFAIR
THE REWARD
THE SEARCH FOR TAMERLANE
SIDESWIPE
THE BOOK CLUE
THE VAPOR CLUE
THE MISOPEDIST
CAUSE FOR ALARM
HELL IN A BASKET
If you enjoy this volume of classic mysteries, don't forget to search your favorite ebook store for "Wildside Press Megapack" to see the 220+ other entries in this series, including mysteries, adventure, science fiction, fantasy, horror, westerns -- and much, much more!
- GenresMystery
300 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 21, 2015
40 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
James Holding
134 books4 followersaka Ellery Queen Jr., Freeric Dannay, Manfred B. Lee, Clark Carlisle.
James Clark Carlisle Holding was born April 27, 1907, in Ben Avon, Pennsylvania. His parents were James Clark Carlisle, an engineer, and Laura May (Krepps) Holding. In 1931, he married Janet Spice, with whom he had two children.
Holding attended Yale University and was a member of Alpha Chi Rho. He graduated with an A.B. in 1928. Holding then took the next year to travel throughout Europe. When he returned, he took a job in Pittsburgh with Harbison Walker Co. as a firebrick salesman. After a short stay at Harbison Walker Co., he began as a junior copywriter at Batte, Barton, Durstine & Osborne in Pittsburgh. He was a copywriter from 1930 to 1944. In 1944, he moved to copy chief. During this time he created the advertising slogan for Fort Pitt beer: “Fort Pitt, That’s It.” He became vice-president after eight years and he remained in this position until 1958. While holding this high position in the company, Holding suffered the traumatic loss of his son, which eventually drove him to retire from the firm. At this point, though, Holding became a consultant, where he remained for the next ten years. Then, in 1959, he began freelance writing, which he continued until his death. Holding’s first juvenile book, The Lazy Little Zulu, was published in 1962, a few years after he began his freelance writing career.
Holding’s writing has established him in the field of mystery, as well as in children’s literature. He wrote 17 juvenile books. He was also the author of more than 160 mystery stories under the pseudonym of Ellery Queen and edited many other stories. Holding wrote short mystery stories for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, and Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, along with other similar periodicals. One of the more famous villains he created in his mysteries was Manuel Andradas, a Brazilian hitman who disguised himself as a photographer. He was also a contributor to travel magazines such as Clipper and Signature.
Holding won the John Masefield Poetry Prize and the John Hubbard Curtis Poetry Prize twice.
James and Janet Holding moved to Sarasota, Florida, in 1971, but returned in 1991 when their health began to fail. Holding spent his last years living with his wife Janet at the Sherwood Oaks Retirement Home in Cranberry. Holding died March 29, 1997, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- This biography was prepared by Anastasia Cortez and Alicia Bott, Spring 2002.
James Clark Carlisle Holding was born April 27, 1907, in Ben Avon, Pennsylvania. His parents were James Clark Carlisle, an engineer, and Laura May (Krepps) Holding. In 1931, he married Janet Spice, with whom he had two children.
Holding attended Yale University and was a member of Alpha Chi Rho. He graduated with an A.B. in 1928. Holding then took the next year to travel throughout Europe. When he returned, he took a job in Pittsburgh with Harbison Walker Co. as a firebrick salesman. After a short stay at Harbison Walker Co., he began as a junior copywriter at Batte, Barton, Durstine & Osborne in Pittsburgh. He was a copywriter from 1930 to 1944. In 1944, he moved to copy chief. During this time he created the advertising slogan for Fort Pitt beer: “Fort Pitt, That’s It.” He became vice-president after eight years and he remained in this position until 1958. While holding this high position in the company, Holding suffered the traumatic loss of his son, which eventually drove him to retire from the firm. At this point, though, Holding became a consultant, where he remained for the next ten years. Then, in 1959, he began freelance writing, which he continued until his death. Holding’s first juvenile book, The Lazy Little Zulu, was published in 1962, a few years after he began his freelance writing career.
Holding’s writing has established him in the field of mystery, as well as in children’s literature. He wrote 17 juvenile books. He was also the author of more than 160 mystery stories under the pseudonym of Ellery Queen and edited many other stories. Holding wrote short mystery stories for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine, and Mike Shayne’s Mystery Magazine, along with other similar periodicals. One of the more famous villains he created in his mysteries was Manuel Andradas, a Brazilian hitman who disguised himself as a photographer. He was also a contributor to travel magazines such as Clipper and Signature.
Holding won the John Masefield Poetry Prize and the John Hubbard Curtis Poetry Prize twice.
James and Janet Holding moved to Sarasota, Florida, in 1971, but returned in 1991 when their health began to fail. Holding spent his last years living with his wife Janet at the Sherwood Oaks Retirement Home in Cranberry. Holding died March 29, 1997, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
- This biography was prepared by Anastasia Cortez and Alicia Bott, Spring 2002.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 14, 2016
I gathered the stories, processed and edited this collection for my day job. An interesting series character: a retired cop who works for the library tracking down missing and overdue books, which always leads him into some short mystery or crime story. Dug through a lot of old ELLERY QUEEN and the like mystery magazines to gather them into this complete package, even discovered a slightly rewritten variant of a story, so it was nice to put them all in one place. Enjoy!
May 11, 2025
In the mood to read something gamier than elderly Englishwomen discussing the local murder in genteel tones over high tea? Want something less depressing than Chandler's 1930's LA? Like stories that have the patina of age but don't have the detective arriving in a horse-drawn carriage?
You're in luck. This publisher has gathered wonderful stories from the Golden Age of American mystery magazines - Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and Mike Shane Mystery Magazine. Before there were 500 television channels and personal computers and video games, people entertained themselves by reading and a good writer could make a respectable living cranking out short stories.
James Holding wrote children's books, but he also wrote YA mysteries under the name "Ellery Queen, Jr." and he did some adult mysteries. Sixteen of the twenty stories in this book feature "Library Fuzz" Hal Johnson, a former homicide cop who's now employed by the public library to collect over-due books and fines. And if you think investigating violent crime gets rough, wait until you see some of the messes Hal gets into.
After all, library "patrons" (as we were taught to call them when I worked in libraries as a teen) live in the same world as non-readers. They can become victims of crimes and (brace yourself) they can commit crimes, too. And as his former boss Lieutenant Randall points out, Johnson's still a cop. A "sissy" cop, but a cop. The old instincts are still there, as well as the urge to protect the public and to collar the bad guys.
These are delightful stories and they have the charm of age. To someone who grew up in the 1950's, it's hard to think of the 60's and 70's as "old times" but these stories make you realize how much has changed in only a few decades. No PC's, no cell phones, no fancy forensics. Just a guy with a good cop's suspicion and curiosity. And you remember what curiosity did to the cat, don't you?
Holding wrote at a time when sex, violence, and profanity weren't used as substitutes for good writing. There's not a lot of opportunity for character development in a short story, but his characters are well-drawn and realistic. He delivers all the ingredients of an excellent mystery - a puzzling plot with an action-filled conclusion and a side order of off-beat humor.
Hal takes his job seriously, but he never takes himself too seriously. His sense of humor mirrors that of his creator. In a tight spot with a gun pointed at his kidneys, he has to name the book he came to collect and blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. CATO THE KIWI BIRD sounds improbable, but it was one of Holding's kiddie-lit books and old copies are still available. Never begrudge an author the occasional insider joke. Writing is hard work.
A kind reviewer commented on my review of an old book of mystery stories. I checked out his profile page and discovered the new-to-me author James Holding and his deceptively easy-going detective Hal Johnson. Thank you.
Some people are reluctant to buy the Megapack series because it's notorious for typos. I'm happy to put up with a few typos in exchange for access to fine old stories from the "Pulps." Didn't find many in this one, but you know your business best.
You're in luck. This publisher has gathered wonderful stories from the Golden Age of American mystery magazines - Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, and Mike Shane Mystery Magazine. Before there were 500 television channels and personal computers and video games, people entertained themselves by reading and a good writer could make a respectable living cranking out short stories.
James Holding wrote children's books, but he also wrote YA mysteries under the name "Ellery Queen, Jr." and he did some adult mysteries. Sixteen of the twenty stories in this book feature "Library Fuzz" Hal Johnson, a former homicide cop who's now employed by the public library to collect over-due books and fines. And if you think investigating violent crime gets rough, wait until you see some of the messes Hal gets into.
After all, library "patrons" (as we were taught to call them when I worked in libraries as a teen) live in the same world as non-readers. They can become victims of crimes and (brace yourself) they can commit crimes, too. And as his former boss Lieutenant Randall points out, Johnson's still a cop. A "sissy" cop, but a cop. The old instincts are still there, as well as the urge to protect the public and to collar the bad guys.
These are delightful stories and they have the charm of age. To someone who grew up in the 1950's, it's hard to think of the 60's and 70's as "old times" but these stories make you realize how much has changed in only a few decades. No PC's, no cell phones, no fancy forensics. Just a guy with a good cop's suspicion and curiosity. And you remember what curiosity did to the cat, don't you?
Holding wrote at a time when sex, violence, and profanity weren't used as substitutes for good writing. There's not a lot of opportunity for character development in a short story, but his characters are well-drawn and realistic. He delivers all the ingredients of an excellent mystery - a puzzling plot with an action-filled conclusion and a side order of off-beat humor.
Hal takes his job seriously, but he never takes himself too seriously. His sense of humor mirrors that of his creator. In a tight spot with a gun pointed at his kidneys, he has to name the book he came to collect and blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. CATO THE KIWI BIRD sounds improbable, but it was one of Holding's kiddie-lit books and old copies are still available. Never begrudge an author the occasional insider joke. Writing is hard work.
A kind reviewer commented on my review of an old book of mystery stories. I checked out his profile page and discovered the new-to-me author James Holding and his deceptively easy-going detective Hal Johnson. Thank you.
Some people are reluctant to buy the Megapack series because it's notorious for typos. I'm happy to put up with a few typos in exchange for access to fine old stories from the "Pulps." Didn't find many in this one, but you know your business best.
October 7, 2016
Who could be a more unlikely hero of a book than a former homicide detective turned library cop? The premise it outlandish but it works if you like books and mysteries and vintage crime fiction.
Hal Johnson retired from police work to land a cushy job at a public library. Now, instead of tracking down criminals, he tracks down overdue books. In each story he inevitably gets caught up in a crime. Part of the reason I loved this book is because I'm fond of Old-Time Radio shows from the 40s and 50s that feature wise-cracking detectives.
These stories were written a few decades later and are a spoof on their predecessors with their laugh-out-loud-ridiculous similes ("The men's room was as empty as a sleep-walker's eyes."), the gorgeous women, and the uneasy relationship of the unconventional crime solver with the "real" police. I particularly enjoyed Hal's laments over Ellen's frequent refusals of his marriage proposals.
This is not great literature. It's sprinkled with light profanity. But when you come home at night too tired to read something deep, and want to read something all in one gulp before bedtime, these amusing short stories fit the bill.
Hal Johnson retired from police work to land a cushy job at a public library. Now, instead of tracking down criminals, he tracks down overdue books. In each story he inevitably gets caught up in a crime. Part of the reason I loved this book is because I'm fond of Old-Time Radio shows from the 40s and 50s that feature wise-cracking detectives.
These stories were written a few decades later and are a spoof on their predecessors with their laugh-out-loud-ridiculous similes ("The men's room was as empty as a sleep-walker's eyes."), the gorgeous women, and the uneasy relationship of the unconventional crime solver with the "real" police. I particularly enjoyed Hal's laments over Ellen's frequent refusals of his marriage proposals.
This is not great literature. It's sprinkled with light profanity. But when you come home at night too tired to read something deep, and want to read something all in one gulp before bedtime, these amusing short stories fit the bill.
March 17, 2020
This was a lot of fun, especially seeing just how many ways murder and mayhem could be tied in with collecting overdue library books!
Want to read
February 3, 2020Synopsis: about detective Johnson who tracks down overdue library books and stumbles onto bigger crimes. From the 1960s and 70s.
May 2, 2022
It's a decent read.
Nothing breathtaking, but certainly a pleasant collection of short stories centred around a former cop turned library worker, who just keeps stumbling into crimes. I like the premise, wonder whether something like a library cop really exists - let me tell you, from the PoV of a person that worked in a library, it would certainly be quite useful. I had a kick when the MC described certain readers' habits, because yeah, I've seen that all, even worse in RL. So that amused me a lot.
I grew fond of the MC - Hal Johnson - within the first story, because he has that slightly sarcastic, pulpy way of narrating (some of the phrases are real gold - "The men's room was as empty as a sleep-walker's eyes."), and during the course of the collection he made some character development, nothing full-fledged, mind you, but he fleshed out, which is always nice.
The last 4 stories switched focus onto Hal's former boss - Lieutenant Randall - and were not as enjoyable to me as the rest. Hal didn't even made a cameo, more's the pity.
Nothing breathtaking, but certainly a pleasant collection of short stories centred around a former cop turned library worker, who just keeps stumbling into crimes. I like the premise, wonder whether something like a library cop really exists - let me tell you, from the PoV of a person that worked in a library, it would certainly be quite useful. I had a kick when the MC described certain readers' habits, because yeah, I've seen that all, even worse in RL. So that amused me a lot.
I grew fond of the MC - Hal Johnson - within the first story, because he has that slightly sarcastic, pulpy way of narrating (some of the phrases are real gold - "The men's room was as empty as a sleep-walker's eyes."), and during the course of the collection he made some character development, nothing full-fledged, mind you, but he fleshed out, which is always nice.
The last 4 stories switched focus onto Hal's former boss - Lieutenant Randall - and were not as enjoyable to me as the rest. Hal didn't even made a cameo, more's the pity.
July 15, 2020
This was a great collection! So interesting to see the crimes that could be solved by an ex cop who now works collecting overdue books for the library a so-called library fuzz. Although his former colleagues make fun of him he’s often called on or involved in crimes with his old Lieutenant Randall. It’s amazing to see what the author is able to do in the short story form. The last few stories are detective stories featuring Randall himself. There’s quite a bit of witty humor in the collection and the stories will Definitely keep you guessing.
July 24, 2020
Interesting concept - homicide cop Hal Johnson turned library fuzz. Most stories followed a very similar story line but with a unique twist on the end. Typical objectification of women from detective fiction of this era.
I would have enjoyed this collection more if it had been copy edited - many errors in the Kindle edition, although I noted too late that there was an update available - perhaps these were corrected. Also disappointed that the last quarter or so of the stories were about Hal Johnson's former boss Lt. Randall.
I would have enjoyed this collection more if it had been copy edited - many errors in the Kindle edition, although I noted too late that there was an update available - perhaps these were corrected. Also disappointed that the last quarter or so of the stories were about Hal Johnson's former boss Lt. Randall.
September 30, 2021
Let’s say 3.5 stars. It’s not quite like some of the better noir detective short stories, but they were rather pleasant diversions. I mean who thinks of stories about a library “cop” who chases down overdue books and associated fines, yet stumbles upon murders and mayhem along the way? James Holding apparently. They were written for mystery magazines each story at least a year apart from the next, so reading consecutively there’s some redundancy in information about characters and such, but for me, this didn’t distract.
September 9, 2022
This book was a series of stories depicting a library cop trying to solve mysteries, find missing books, and collect overdue fines. It was a fun and fast read, but felt a little dated. For a nice rainy day read, I recommend this book.
March 4, 2023
Library crime
Fun crime stories about a former homicide cop who now tracts down overdue books for the library. It's goofy but it works. The stories try to find library related crimes and it mostly works but there is a need for a lot of suspension of disbelief
Fun crime stories about a former homicide cop who now tracts down overdue books for the library. It's goofy but it works. The stories try to find library related crimes and it mostly works but there is a need for a lot of suspension of disbelief
January 16, 2017
Megapack worth reading!
James Holding stories of The Library Fuzz is worth reading for a good old fashion mystery. I am recommending for anytime reading.
James Holding stories of The Library Fuzz is worth reading for a good old fashion mystery. I am recommending for anytime reading.
August 13, 2018
Very Entertaining
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of Library Cop stories. They had a rarity and humour which was refreshing and witty.
I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of Library Cop stories. They had a rarity and humour which was refreshing and witty.
January 14, 2019
Before there were librarian sleuths and their cats, there was this guy....
April 15, 2020
I loved it. I wish he would write more.
September 22, 2025
I enjoyed Hal Johnson so much. It's bittersweet reading the last story because it means I have no more Hal stories to look forward to.
October 7, 2023
An ex-cop who takes a job collecting overdue books for the library but keeps running into real thieves and murderers is the story here. James Holding is one of the hundreds of writers who eked out a living in the pulps. Good stories, short and amusing, more about crime than books or libraries, but entertaining all the same.
March 1, 2016
This book was very enjoyable. Being the library cop, is finding a murderer ever other week and meeting a lot of new people. Some are very dead. This is a interesting book, don't think we have any library fuzz around here, but it would be a pretty good job.
March 3, 2022
Read this collection for the second time now and enjoyed it as much as I did the first time. A likeable hero searching out overdue library books comes across various crimes, major and minor, going on among the borrowers -- and sometimes involving the library books themselves.
January 1, 2016
Library police! Great mini mysteries with a job I would love.
March 12, 2016
This was a light, enjoyable read. Who knew overdue library books could lead an observant library worker into such danger and adventure?
May 9, 2016
Who knew overdue library books could lead to robbery, kidnapping, and murder in the 1970s? That's where the library cop comes in. As hard-boiled as library fiction can get!
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews