Sunday, November 23, 2014

Paperback 835: Butcher's Dozen / John Bartlow Martin (Signet 909)

Paperback 835: Signet 909 (1st ptg, 1952)

Title: Butcher's Dozen
Author: John Bartlow Martin
Cover artist: Harry Schaare

Estimated value: $12-$18

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Best things about this cover:

  • "Larry, are you… are you even trying? I feel like I'm doing all the work here. Would you lift for real, please? My calves are freezing."
  • Larry's a sucker for a left boob. "She's dead, Larry. Give it a rest."
  • Oooh, the *authorized* abridgment! I've been looking everywhere for this. Said no one.
  • "Torso Murders!" It's about a guy who really hates Greek statuary.


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Best things about this back cover:

  • Never The Completely Sane Butcher. Not once. Unfair to butchers!
  • Whoa, "dismembered his victims in a sadistic, sex-crazed frenzy" is pretty gruesome stuff. Lady on cover appears to have all her limbs, so maybe she's not dead after all. You're off the hook, Larry. Sort of.
  • Dude looks like a lecherous psychologist.


Page 123~

On February 8 Klansmen and bootleggers clashed in the center of Herrin, and Caesar Cagle was killed. (Art Newman later claimed that one of the Shelton boys had put a pistol to Cagle's ear and, when he started to turn, said "Oops, too late," and shot him; this cannot have been quite true, since Cagle was shot in the chest.)

If by "cannot have been quite true" you mean "cannot have been true," then yes.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter and Tumblr]

3 comments:

Karl said...

Woo! that is one luurrr-id cover! (Not that I'm complaining.)

And finally! After seeing hundreds and hundreds of book covers that brag about being "complete and unabridged," here is one of the (apparently) vanishingly few books that actually IS abridged!

Anonymous said...

I believe this book is based on the Cleveland Torso Murderer back in the 20's or 30s. The murders were famous for being investigated by Eliot Ness. If it is, that would make it an interesting read.

DemetriosX said...

You'd think they would have at least taken off their overcoats. They took the time to roll up their pants. Larry's trenchcoat is just barely above the water. There's no way he's gonna keep it dry.