Sunday, May 5, 2013

Paperback 638: Body of the Crime / Larry Heller (Pyramid F-751)

Paperback 638: Pyramid Books F-751 (1st ptg, 1962)

Title: Body of the Crime
Author: Larry Heller
Cover artist:  Ben Wohlberg

Yours for: $10

PyrF751

Best things about this cover:
  • This is one of those titles that has the familiar ring of Crime Novel, but actually makes no sense. 
  • This is not a bad scan. The book actually looks this odd and smeary. Really bad "black." 
  • Is he taking a pulse or casting a spell? 
  • I like the cop in the background, running right toward us. And the headlights. An the faint red of the police siren.

PyrF751bc

Best things about this back cover:
  • Ew, now I know my least favorite hyphenated word.
  • This book couldn't sound more generic if it tried.
  • I love a good cover artist credit. Clearly visible complete name. God bless Pyramid.

Page 123~

"I'd chew the ass off the man who as much as opened his mouth to a newspaper reporter," said Ewing flatly.

My favorite part of that sentence is "flatly."

~RP

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3 comments:

frilled_shark said...

I like how even though she's supposed to be "brutally mutilated" and "sprawled awkwardly in death", the victim looks like she's taking a nice nap.

Anonymous said...

I didn't know that police sirens had colors; I thought they just had sounds.

Marla said...

I'm kind of surprised that a book from 1962 used the word "rape" on both the front and back cover. They're usually more euphemistic.