Wednesday, January 20, 2010

57 Books from the University Book Sale: Book 40

Title: Out of the Dark (Ace G-557, ca. 1965)
Author: Ursula Curtiss
Cover artist: Schinella (?!) [he couldn't decide betw. "scintilla" and "shinola," so split the difference...]

Yours for: $5


  • Looks like someone got angry and took it out on lavender.
  • So ... a headless snow queen in a purple fur coat / dress is preparing to bowl the freshly severed head of a pretty blonde down some unseen runway, while Peter Falk looks on ...
  • God, that hand. It's gonna haunt me.


  • That militaristic font simply doesn't work in hot pink.
  • "[Ring ... Ring...] ... Uh, hi boss, about that "Outta the Dark" novel: we can't think of nothin' to say so we found this quote from some guy named Boucher and we're just gonna fill up the back cover with that, OK? ... Yeah, he summarizes the book and everything. We don't gotta do nothin'. ... awesome. Thanks [click]."

Page 123~

Erect, even majestic with his flowing hair, Sip set out blindly for his sister's house.

To recap: this book has a character named "Sip." He apparently looks like Fabio.

~RP

[Follow Rex Parker on Twitter]

9 comments:

RodeoToad said...

I dunno, the madcap adventures of a bunch of unsupervised kids messing around with murderers sounds promising. Plus, if you say "Ursula Curtiss has surpassed herself" really fast three times you find yourself shortening it to "Ursula Curtiss has, sir, pissed herself."

Brian Busby said...

Erect, he sets out for his sister's house?

Doesn't sound like the kind of book I want to read.

Elaine said...

Rex, Brian Busby made me choke on a sip of water. Can he be sent to the principal's office??
I apologize for the Anonymous posting on the last novel (the etiquette of murder--must be invited!) My Google-self was not logged in and apparently I could not remember my Name. (That sounds better than "aimed mouse at wrong circle.")

capewood said...

And I though calling strangers and asking them if they had Prince Albert in a can was fun.

Tulse said...

Does anyone know if this is the first use of the 'telling a stranger "I know who you are and know what you did?"' trope?

And wow, this book was actually made into a Joan Crawford movie.

JamiSings said...

I'm sorry, I can't get past her. The way she's drawn - it looks like she has a very large, hairy right shoulder. It scares me. Will someone hold me until the fear passes?

Ms Avery said...

Is she wearing her dress over her fur coat? That's just uncomfortable.

Deb said...

OMG, I've been left HOME ALONE with a head and a hand from different bodies...but not to worry, I'm sure I'll have some delightfully mapcap adventures making prank phone calls!

Random White Guy said...

Wouldn't it be interesting if the freaky furry female was actually the "undetected murderer" and poor, innocent Peter Falk - just standing on a bridge, minding his own business, waiting for a cab - is the victim?

Or wait - with that majestic flowing hair, how do we know she isn't Sip, heading for his/her sister's house. And now that Peter Falk knows Sip's dirty little secret, Columbo must die.