Richard S. Prather

Richard S. Prather

5 Series

Richard S. Prather (1921-2007) was an American author renowned for his hardboiled detective fiction, particularly the Shell Scott series. After serving in World War II and working at an Air Force base, he dedicated himself to writing full-time, often working 16 hours a day. Prather's prolific career solidified his place in the genre of detective fiction.

Richard S. Prather's "Ride a High Horse," also published as "Too Many Crooks," follows the adventures of private detective Shell Scott. In "Pattern for Murder," alternatively titled "The Scrambled Yeggs" and written under the pseudonym David Knight, Scott tackles a complex case involving multiple suspects. Both novels showcase Scott's wit and tenacity as he navigates dangerous and intricate criminal landscapes. The stories are filled with suspense, humor, and unexpected twists, keeping readers engaged from start to finish.

Shell Scott

The Case of the Vanishing Beauty

(1950)

Bodies in Bedlam

(1951)

Everybody Had a Gun

(1951)

Find This Woman

(1951)

Dagger of Flesh

(1952)

Darling, It's Death

(1952)

Way of a Wanton

(1952)

Pattern for Murder / The Scrambled Yeggs

(1952)

Always Leave 'em Dying

(1953)

Ride a High Horse / Too Many Crooks

(1953)

Pattern for Panic

(1954)

Strip for Murder

(1956)

The Wailing Frail

(1956)

Have Gat - Will Travel

(1957)

Three's a Shroud

(1957)

Slab Happy

(1958)

Take a Murder, Darling

(1958)

Over Her Dear Body

(1959)

Double in Trouble

(1959)(With: Stephen Marlowe)

Dance with the Dead

(1960)

Dig That Crazy Grave

(1961)

Shell Scott's Seven Slaughters

(1961)

Kill the Clown

(1962)

Dead Heat

(1963)

Joker in the Deck

(1964)

The Cockeyed Corpse

(1964)

The Trojan Hearse

(1964)

Dead Man's Walk

(1965)

Kill Him Twice

(1965)

The Meandering Corpse

(1965)

The Kubla Khan Caper

(1966)

Gat Heat

(1967)

The Cheim Manuscript

(1969)

Kill Me Tomorrow

(1969)

The Shell Scott Sampler

(1969)

Dead-Bang

(1971)

The Sweet Ride

(1972)

The Sure Thing

(1975)

The Amber Effect

(1986)

Shellshock

(1987)

The Death Gods

(2011)

Shell Scott Collections

Hot Rock Rumble & The Double Take

(1994)

Standalone Novels

Lie Down, Killer

(1952)

The Peddler

(1952)(As: Douglas Ring)

Dragnet: Case No.561

(1956)

Short Stories/Novellas

The Sleeper Caper

(2009)

Anthologies

The Comfortable Coffin

(1960)

Masters of Noir, Volume One

(2010)

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