Collected Fiction (1940-1963) Read online

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  Table of Contents

  Chronological

  (custom book cover)

  Title Page

  Jerry eBooks

  About William McGivern

  Bibliography

  JOHN BROWN’S BODY

  THE VISIBLE INVISIBLE MAN

  THE DYNAMOUSE

  ADOPTED SON OF THE STARS

  KILLER’S TURNABOUT

  THE FATE OF ASTEROID 13

  DICTAGRAPHS OF DEATH

  THE MASTERFUL MIND OF MORTIMER MEEK

  THE QUANDARY OF QUINTAS QUAGGLE

  SIDNEY, THE SCREWLOOSE ROBOT

  SIDETRACK IN TIME

  DOORWAY OF VANISHING MEN

  MR. MUDDLE DOES AS HE PLEASES

  PETER FERENY’S DEATH CELL

  YELLOW MUD FOR COWARDS

  THE PERFECT HIDEOUT

  FLAME FOR THE FUTURE

  TINK TAKES A HAND

  THUNDER OVER WASHINGTON

  CONVOY TO ATLANTIS

  AL ADDIN AND THE INFRA-RED LAMP

  PLANET OF LOST MEN

  REWBARB’S REMARKABLE RADIO

  PEOPLE OF THE PYRAMIDS

  THE CONTRACT OF CARSON CARRUTHERS

  MYSTERY ON BASE 10

  REHEARSAL FOR DANGER

  KIDNAPED INTO THE FUTURE

  THE COSMIC PUNCH OF LEFTY O’ROURKE

  HOWIE LEMP MEETS AN ENCHANTRESS

  THE LADY AND THE VAMPIRE

  DOUBLE IN DEATH

  BERTIE AND THE BLACK ARTS

  DAUGHTER OF THE SNAKE GOD

  THE GIANT FROM JUPITER

  THEY FORGOT TO ‘REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR’

  THE AVENGERS

  CAPTAIN STINKY

  TINK TAKES A FLING

  THE BATTLE OF MANETONG

  SAFARI TO THE LOST AGES

  DUNCAN’S DREADFUL DOLL

  TINK TAKES COMMAND

  VENGEANCE ON VENUS

  CONVOY IN SPACE

  CAPTAIN STINKY’S LUCK

  GODDESS OF THE FIFTH PLANE

  WHEN DESTINY DEALT

  THE VOICE

  THE PICTURE OF DEATH

  PLOT OF GOLD

  THE TIRELESS LEG

  MONSOONS OF DEATH

  THE GHOST THAT HAUNTED HITLER

  LARSON’S LUCK

  DEATH MAKES A MISTAKE

  THE CHAMELEON MAN

  VISITOR TO EARTH

  SPAWN OF HELL

  THE WILLFUL PUPPETS

  THE MAN WHO CRIED “WEREWOLF”

  VICTORY FROM THE VOID

  ENCHANTED BOOKSHELF

  FLIGHT OF THE SIRIUS

  GENIE OF BAGDAD

  SILVER RAIDERS OF SIRIUS

  WORLD BEYOND BELIEF

  TINK FIGHTS THE GREMLINS

  THE NEEDLE POINTS OF DEATH

  PHANTOM CITY OF LUNA

  THE MAD ROBOT

  THE MUSKETEERS IN PARIS

  THE CURSE OF EL DORADO

  A HORSE ON THORNDYKE

  DOUBLE-CROSS ON MARS

  PROFESSOR THORNDYKE’S MISTAKE

  THE THINKING CAP

  MANCHU TERROR

  GODDESS OF THE GOLDEN FLAME

  VOICE FROM A STAR

  ORDERS FOR WILLIE WESTON

  DOUBLE CROSS IN DOUBLE TIME

  THE WANDERING SWORDSMEN

  THE DEATH OF ASTEROID 13

  DARK WISH

  THE RING OF FAITH

  DEATH COMES GIFT-WRAPPED

  THE GALAXY RAIDERS

  THE RELUCTANT GENJII

  SURVIVAL

  TINK TAKES OVER

  VANGUARD OF THE DOOMED

  NO MEDAL FOR CAPTAIN MANNING

  WHOM THE GODS DESTROY

  FIX ME SOMETHING TO EAT

  CONDITIONED REFLEX

  THERE’S NO WAY OUT!

  SOME WOLVES CAN’T KILL

  THE SECRET OF JOHN MARSH

  THE TRAVELLING BRAIN

  THE MAN WHO BOUGHT TOMORROW

  I’LL FOLLOW YOU TO HELL!

  JINN AND TONIC

  OPERATION MIND-PICK

  AMPHYTRION 40

  NEVER MIND A MARTIAN

  THE CHASE

  STAR CHILD

  I LOVE LUCIFER

  LITTLE TIN SOLDIER

  MIRACLE IN MANHATTAN

  LOVE THAT POTION

  MR. DITTMAN’S MONSTERS

  THE MOON AND NONSENSE

  EQUATION OF DOOM

  MURDER ON THE TURNPIKE

  Table of Contents

  By Story Type

  SHORT STORIES

  JOHN BROWN’S BODY

  THE DYNAMOUSE

  ADOPTED SON OF THE STARS

  KILLER’S TURNABOUT

  THE FATE OF ASTEROID 13

  THE MASTERFUL MIND OF MORTIMER MEEK

  THE QUANDARY OF QUINTAS QUAGGLE

  SIDNEY, THE SCREWLOOSE ROBOT

  SIDETRACK IN TIME

  DOORWAY OF VANISHING MEN

  MR. MUDDLE DOES AS HE PLEASES

  PETER FERENY’S DEATH CELL

  YELLOW MUD FOR COWARDS

  THE PERFECT HIDEOUT

  FLAME FOR THE FUTURE

  TINK TAKES A HAND

  THUNDER OVER WASHINGTON

  PLANET OF LOST MEN

  REWBARB’S REMARKABLE RADIO

  PEOPLE OF THE PYRAMIDS

  THE CONTRACT OF CARSON CARRUTHERS

  MYSTERY ON BASE 10

  REHEARSAL FOR DANGER

  KIDNAPED INTO THE FUTURE

  THE COSMIC PUNCH OF LEFTY O’ROURKE

  HOWIE LEMP MEETS AN ENCHANTRESS

  THE LADY AND THE VAMPIRE

  DOUBLE IN DEATH

  BERTIE AND THE BLACK ARTS

  CAPTAIN STINKY

  TINK TAKES A FLING

  THE BATTLE OF MANETONG

  DUNCAN’S DREADFUL DOLL

  TINK TAKES COMMAND

  CAPTAIN STINKY’S LUCK

  WHEN DESTINY DEALT

  THE VOICE

  THE PICTURE OF DEATH

  PLOT OF GOLD

  MONSOONS OF DEATH

  LARSON’S LUCK

  DEATH MAKES A MISTAKE

  THE CHAMELEON MAN

  VISITOR TO EARTH

  SPAWN OF HELL

  THE MAN WHO CRIED “WEREWOLF”

  FLIGHT OF THE SIRIUS

  THE NEEDLE POINTS OF DEATH

  THE CURSE OF EL DORADO

  DOUBLE-CROSS ON MARS

  PROFESSOR THORNDYKE’S MISTAKE

  MANCHU TERROR

  VOICE FROM A STAR

  ORDERS FOR WILLIE WESTON

  DOUBLE CROSS IN DOUBLE TIME

  THE WANDERING SWORDSMEN

  THE DEATH OF ASTEROID 13

  DARK WISH

  THE RING OF FAITH

  DEATH COMES GIFT-WRAPPED

  THE RELUCTANT GENJII

  SURVIVAL

  TINK TAKES OVER

  NO MEDAL FOR CAPTAIN MANNING

  FIX ME SOMETHING TO EAT

  CONDITIONED REFLEX

  THERE’S NO WAY OUT!

  THE SECRET OF JOHN MARSH

  THE TRAVELLING BRAIN

  THE MAN WHO BOUGHT TOMORROW

  I’LL FOLLOW YOU TO HELL!

  JINN AND TONIC

  OPERATION MIND-PICK

  AMPHYTRION 40

  NEVER MIND A MARTIAN

  THE CHASE

  STAR CHILD

  I LOVE LUCIFER

  LITTLE TIN SOLDIER

  MIRACLE IN MANHATTAN

  LOVE THAT POTION

  MR. DITTMAN�
�S MONSTERS

  THE MOON AND NONSENSE

  EQUATION OF DOOM

  NOVELETTES

  THE VISIBLE INVISIBLE MAN

  DICTAGRAPHS OF DEATH

  AL ADDIN AND THE INFRA-RED LAMP

  THE GIANT FROM JUPITER

  THEY FORGOT TO ‘REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR’

  SAFARI TO THE LOST AGES

  VENGEANCE ON VENUS

  CONVOY IN SPACE

  GODDESS OF THE FIFTH PLANE

  THE TIRELESS LEG

  THE WILLFUL PUPPETS

  ENCHANTED BOOKSHELF

  GENIE OF BAGDAD

  SILVER RAIDERS OF SIRIUS

  WORLD BEYOND BELIEF

  TINK FIGHTS THE GREMLINS

  PHANTOM CITY OF LUNA

  THE MAD ROBOT

  THE MUSKETEERS IN PARIS

  A HORSE ON THORNDYKE

  THE THINKING CAP

  THE GALAXY RAIDERS

  VANGUARD OF THE DOOMED

  SOME WOLVES CAN’T KILL

  COMPLETE NOVELS

  [originally published in pulp magazines]

  CONVOY TO ATLANTIS

  DAUGHTER OF THE SNAKE GOD

  THE AVENGERS

  THE GHOST THAT HAUNTED HITLER

  VICTORY FROM THE VOID

  GODDESS OF THE GOLDEN FLAME

  WHOM THE GODS DESTROY

  MURDER ON THE TURNPIKE

  WILLIAM PETER MCGIVERN was born in Chicago, Illinois, but grew up in Mobile, Alabama. After serving in the Army in World War II and studying at the University of Birmingham, McGivern returned to the US and worked for two years as a police reporter for the Philadelphia Bulletin and later as a writer for the Evening Bulletin in Philadelphia.

  In 1947 he married Maureen Daly one of four sisters Time Magazine referred to as “the celebrated Daly sisters,” who were known for their writing and work in, journalism, fashion and advertising. McGivern and his wife co-wrote Mention My Name in Mombasa: the Unscheduled Adventures of an American Family Abroad, which covered their times and adventures living oversees, including Africa, Torremolinos, Spain and Ireland.

  His first hardboiled novel appeared in 1948. He published more than 20 novels, mostly mysteries and crime thrillers, some under the pseudonym Bill Peters. His novels were adapted for a number of films, among them Odds Against Tomorrow (1959), a noir tale of three losers, The Big Heat (1953), starring Glenn Ford as a cop that will do anything to get his man, and Rogue Cop (1954), a film noir directed by Roy Rowland. The Big Heat received an Edgar Award in 1954 as Best Motion Picture, which McGivern shared as author of the original novel.

  While a successful novelist, McGivern moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s to write for television and film. His credits include the TV series Ben Casey, Adam-12, and Kojak and the William Castle film I Saw What You Did (1965).

  William P. McGivern died in Palm Desert, California in 1982.

  BIBLIOGRAPHY

  John Brown’s Body (1940)

  The Visible Invisible Man (1940)

  The Dynamouse (1941)

  Adopted Son of the Stars (1941)

  Killer’s Turnabout (1941)

  The Fate of Asteroid 13 (1941)

  Dictagraphs of Death (1941)

  The Masterful Mind of Mortimer Meek (1941)

  The Quandary of Quintus Quaggle (1941)

  Sidney, the Screwloose Robot (1941)

  Sidetrack in Time (1941)

  Doorway of Vanishing Men (1941)

  Mr. Muddle Does as He Pleases (1941)

  Peter Fereny’s Death Cell (1941)

  Yellow Mud for Cowards (1941)

  The Perfect Hideout (1941)

  Flame for the Future (1941)

  Tink Takes a Hand (1941)

  Thunder Over Washington (1941)

  Convoy to Atlantis (1941)

  Al Addin and the Infra-Red Lamp (1941)

  Planet of Lost Men (1941)

  Rewbarb’s Remarkable Radio (1941)

  People of the Pyramids (1941)

  The Contract of Carson Carruthers (1942)

  Mystery on Base Ten (1942)

  Rehearsal for Danger (1942)

  Kidnapped into the Future (1942)

  The Cosmic Punch of Lefty O’Rourke (1942)

  Howie Lemp Meets an Enchantress (1942)

  The Lady and the Vampire (1942)

  Double in Death (1942)

  Bertie and the Black Arts (1942)

  Daughter of the Snake God (1942)

  The Giant from Jupiter (1942)

  They Forgot to `Remember Pearl Harbor’ (1942)

  The Avengers (1942)

  Captain Stinky (1942)

  Tink Takes a Fling (1942)

  The Battle of Manetong (1942)

  Safari to the Lost Ages (1942)

  Duncan’s Dreadful Doll (1942)

  Tink Takes Command (1942)

  Vengeance on Venus (1942)

  Convoy in Space (1942)

  Captain Stinky’s Luck (1942)

  Goddess of the Fifth Plane (1942)

  When Destiny Dealt (1942)

  The Voice (1942)

  The Picture of Death (1942)

  Plot of Gold (1942)

  The Tireless Leg (1942)

  Monsoons of Death (1942)

  The Ghost That Haunted Hitler (1942)

  Larson’s Luck (1943)

  Death Makes a Mistake (1943)

  The Chameleon Man (1943)

  Visitor to Earth (1943)

  Spawn of Hell (1943)

  The Willful Puppets (1943)

  The Man Who Cried “Werewolf” (1943)

  Victory from the Void (1943)

  Enchanted Bookshelf (1943)

  Flight of the Sirius (1943)

  Genie of Bagdad (1943)

  Silver Raiders of Sirius (1943)

  World Beyond Belief (1943)

  Tink Fights the Gremlins (1943)

  The Needle Points to Death (1944)

  Phantom City of Luna (1944)

  The Mad Robot (1944)

  The Musketeers in Paris (1944)

  The Curse of El Dorado (1944)

  A Horse on Thorndyke (1944)

  Double-Cross on Mars (1944)

  Professor Thorndyke’s Mistake (1944)

  The Thinking Cap (1944)

  Manchu Terror (1946)

  Goddess of the Golden Flame (1947)

  Voice from a Star (1947)

  Orders for Willie Weston (1948)

  Double Cross in Double Time (1948)

  The Wandering Swordsmen (1948)

  The Death of Asteroid 13 (1948)

  Dark Wish (1948)

  The Ring of Faith (1948)

  The Galaxy Raiders (1950)

  The Reluctant Genii (1950)

  Survival (1950)

  Tink Takes Over (1951)

  Vanguard of the Doomed (1951)

  No Medal for Captain Manning (1951)

  Whom the Gods Destroy (1951)

  Fix Me Something to Eat (1951)

  Conditioned Reflex (1951)

  There’s No Way Out! (1951)

  Some Wolves Can’t Kill! (1951)

  The Secret of John Marsh (1951)

  The Travelling Brain (1952)

  The Man Who Bought Tomorrow (1952)

  Roman Holiday (1952)

  The Machine That Knew Too Much (1952)

  He Played with Dolls (1952)

  I’ll Follow You to Hell (1952)

  Jinn and Tonic (1953)

  Operation Mind-Pick (1953)

  Amphytrion 40 (1953)

  Never Mind a Martian (1953)

  The Chase (1953)

  Star Child (1953)

  I Love Lucifer (1953)

  Mr. Dittman’s Monsters (1954)

  The Moon and Nonsense (1954)

  Little Tin Soldier (1954)

  Miracle in Manhattan (1954)

  Love That Potion (1955)

  Equation of Doom (1957)

  Murder on the Turnpike (1961)

  The Sound of Murder (1963)

  JOHN BROWN’S B
ODY

  First published in the May 1940 issue of Amazing Stories.

  A strange thing happened when John Brown and his boss fell into the giant washer—a very strange thing indeed . . .

  “THROCKMORTON making an inspection—this morning!” John Brown uttered the words in a horrified tone. His hands fluttered nervously. He looked helplessly around the washing machine department of Throckmorton’s Department Store, then back at his fellow salesman, suddenly trembling.

  “Oh, dear,” he gasped, “I just know something will go wrong. I never was lucky on Mondays.”

  Thaddeus Throckmorton, owner and president of the store, would make one of his surprise tours of inspection this morning, and when Thaddeus Throckmorton “toured” there wasn’t a department, section, or counter that was safe from his pompous, if none too nimble-witted, speeches and suggestions.

  Mr. Brown had reason to tremble. For he had worries. Overdue payments to the Acme Loan Company, the interdepartment sales contest, and now, to top it all off, the visit from President Throckmorton himself. John Brown prayed fervently that the collector from the loan company wouldn’t come barging into the store while the Boss was around.

  As he heard Mr. Throckmorton’s booming voice coming down the aisle, he even thought of running madly from the store. But instead his watery blue eyes darted nervously over the familiar shining line of washers, swung to the middle of the floor, and rested I on the giant model washing machine I that had just been installed for advertising purposes.

  A huge affair—six feet high and six feet wide—it had been the result of a brainstorm by Thaddeus Throckmorton himself. On his last visit to John Brown’s department, Mr. Throckmorton, after “tsking” at the lamentable lack of sales, hit upon the idea of a colossal, glorified washer to lure customers closer to John Brown’s wares.

  Even John Brown was forced to admit the idea was a honey. And as the sounds of Mr. Throckmorton’s voice grew closer, the little washing machine salesman stepped closer to the gigantic display machine and with his handkerchief flicked a microscopic atom of dust from one of the steel braces.

  Exactly three seconds later John Brown’s heart plummeted to his heels, then promptly shot upward to catch somewhere in the region of his throat. Mr. Throckmorton had arrived!

  The president and owner of Throckmorton’s Department Store did not enter the washing machine sector—he invaded it. A general at the head of his legions could not have impressed John Brown more than the portly Mr. Throckmorton, followed by subalterns, did at that moment.

  John Brown coughed, almost strangling, then blurted a squeaky “Good morning.” Then, hastily in afterthought; “—sir!”

  Mr. Throckmorton’s large, expensively clad body turned to face the stooped, drab little salesman. The president was dignified, pompous, and impressive. But no one could say he was not democratic. He said, “Good morning, Brown.”

  Then, with a firm, searching, uncompromising eye, Mr. Throckmorton surveyed the section in which he stood. An almost paternal gleam shot into his eye as he spied the colossal display machine.