Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Paperback 267: The Man Who Said No / Walt Grove (Gold Medal 120)

Paperback 267: Gold Medal 120 (PBO, 1950)

Title: The Man Who Said No
Author: Walt Grove
Cover artist: uncredited

Yours for: $12


Best things about this cover:
  • Despite the fact that the man appeared to be happily enjoying a cigarette, Rachel could not find a heartbeat, and so pronounced him dead at 7:45 a.m. EDT.
  • "Oh Steve, let's get out of this squalid basement flat and run away together." Steve did not answer "Yes." [actually, he tried to reply "No," but since he was a character in a mystery that was "faster than sound" (!?) the story was over before Rachel ever heard his response]
  • I love that her blouse matches the matchbook. All the detail in the lower left corner of the cover is awesome.

Best things about this back cover:

  • "There was a warm liquid feeling in his legs" — that's one letter away from saying he was drenched in his own urine. Nice.
  • What did he say 'No' to? He clearly never said 'No' to a drink.

Page 123~

"Stand by for the fireworks," McMahan said. "I'm going to go off like a roman candle."

And then there was a warm liquid feeling [o]n her legs...

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]

5 comments:

Eunice said...

I love the look on his face. It clearly says, "What do you think you're doing?" It takes a real man to wear a country blue tie with white polka dots.

She's smelling his shirt, "Do you use Gain? It smells divine!" Or "Teehee, your tummy makes gurgling noises!"

Is it just me, or does this sound like a "very special" after school pulp mystery about the dangers of taking mysterious drinks from people and date rape. "I said 'no,' Darlene! I'm not your play thing!"

Joking aside, her hair is gorgeous. And I like his suspenders. And... well actually I dig this whole cover.

Dirt Diggler said...

Lane was a one-way street kind of gal with sexual fireworks on her mind constantly .... too bad McMahan had shot off his roman candle already and had to rebuff her. Nancy "just say no" Reagan would be proud ...

The semen stain by her left wrist told her he was a self-made man.

(The semen stain symbol represents the most exiting writing to be found anywhere.)

Nicole "Gidget" Kalstein said...

The girl is gorgeous!!! Her face is perfect. I wish I looked like her.

Also, call me strange, but do any other girls out there find the man kind of...hot? In an asshole-ish kind of way? Maybe it's just because I have a thing for suspenders and flippy side-parted hair. Hmm...

>_>

<_<

Don't judge me! *runs away*

Alix said...

She's gorgeous! Let's all remember how pretty she looked before his cigarette set fire to her hair.

Lisa in Oz said...

The back cover copy is kind of dipshitty, but I have to say that I love the cover art - great foreshortening on the man's face (lol my fine art degree is coming back to haunt me now!), not something you see that often on these books. Also a great job on the arms (all three that you can see) and her face - love it!