Black Mask Detective, November 1952 (British Edition)

This November 1952 British edition of Black Mask Detective features six hardboiled detective stories. "Trap for a Tigress!" by John D. MacDonald follows Simon Pell, a Korean War veteran and amputee, aboard a transcontinental train where his cunning ex-wife Marj and her lawyer Hanneman pursue alimony payments. After a brief liaison with fellow passenger Skipper Moran, Pell is confronted by Marj in his compartment. She reveals she's been blackmailed for thirty thousand dollars—she unwittingly transported narcotics across the Mexican border under a receipt she signed, and a mysterious man now threatens exposure unless paid. She pressures Pell to fund her escape, claiming financial desperation. The narrative emphasizes Pell's hardened post-war cynicism and Marj's duplicitous, manipulative nature. Other featured stories include "Strictly Guilt-Edged" by Albert Simmons, "The Beautiful Miss Borgia" by Talmage Powell, "The Good Neighbors" by Philip Ketchum, "Here's Blood in My Eye!" by Richard Deming, and "Sing a Song of Murder" by Larry Holden.