Paperback Warrior

On this special episode, Paperback Warrior ranks the best reads of February, 2025. It's a countdown from worst to first as Eric offers capsule reviews and recaps for all 17 reads from the month of February. Listen here or watch the video presentation complete with book covers on the YT channel HERE .

It's another investigative Paperback Warrior episode! In this feature, Eric delves into the murky life and career of crime-fiction, science-fiction, and western writer Louis Trimble . The noir author wrote over 80 novels and dozens of stories for the pulp magazines in the 1940s, but was mostly known in Europe for a controversial book celebrated by the Soviets. Plus, Eric reviews a creepy 1959 Sout...

In this very special episode of the Paperback Warrior Podcast , Eric celebrates Black History Month with an exciting and education feature on Black Detectives in vintage fiction. In addition, Eric reviews the brand new issue of Men's Adventure Quarterly , specifically the UFO pop-culture in vintage magazines, comics, and film. Also, a look at one of Eric's favorite YouTube channels and much more....

In this episode, Eric heads out west to examine the career of Bill Gulick , a prolific western writer that contributed to the pulp western, adventure magazine, and paperback original market. In addition, Eric provides an emotional farewell to his friend, the late great Stephen Mertz , looks at the upcoming Hard Case Crime publications, and reviews a brand new crime-noir paperback from  Black Gat B...

Today's exciting episode reviews the life and career of a crime-fiction and pulp megastar named Stewart Sterling . He wrote over 400 pulp detective stories and is credited as the creator of the specialty detective formula. Sterling also wrote numerous paperbacks for publishers like Beacon, Fawcett Gold Medal, Dell, Ace, Pyramid, and Avon. Additionally, the fallout from the Brian G. Berry accusatio...

Today, Paperback Warrior introduces an exciting new segment to its video and podcast programming called Conversations . In this inaugural episode, Eric sits down with horror author Brian G. Berry to discuss his action-adventure , horror , and science-fiction novels, his unique writing style inspired by cult cinema and trash VHS, and the recent controversy surrounding his novel's removal from store...

On this episode Eric presents a feature on George Harmon Coxe , a prolific pulpster that wrote a number of series titles in the early 20th century before authoring full-length novels in both paperback and hardback. Additionally, a second feature is presented on vintage book publisher Hillman . Eric also reads an pulp story by legendary crime-noir writer John D. MacDonald . You can stream on YouTub...

In this last episode of 2024, Eric takes a breathtaking leap into the high-adventure, high-octane world of Alistair MacLean . He dives into MacLean's career with capsule reviews and descriptions of every single novel including commentary on the various films and screenplays spawned by the author's work. In addition, Eric remembers the late Robert Randisi and reviews a historical action-adventure n...

Into the woods we go! In this episode, Eric takes a journey through a popular niche genre of men's action-adventure novels - Deer Hunter Horror. Capsule reviews are presented for novels like Shoot , Open Season , Deer Hunt , High Hunt , and more. Also, a contemporary novel is reviewed titled East Indianman by Griff Hosker. Stream on any podcasting platform or at the Paperback Warrior Blog HERE . B...

Another exciting episode of the Paperback Warrior Podcast . In this episode, Eric discusses the life and work of legendary best-selling thriller writer Dean R. Koontz , complete with the numerous pseudonyms he used throughout his career and the many genres he contributed to. In addition, Eric reviews an iconic horror novel from the 1800s and reads a horrifying "when animals attack" story titled "W...

On this spook-filled episode, Eric takes listeners through the darkened hallways and staircases of gothic-romance novels. His feature today looks at the most prolific author of all-time, William Edward Daniel Ross . He wrote over 350 novels of gothic-romance , nurse-fiction, and short-stories. He also authored the 32-book series of Dark Shadows paperbacks that were tie-in novels to the popular sup...

In this episode, Eric delves into the career of author Jack Finney . He wrote science-fiction and crime-fiction novels that included time-travel, heists, and prison breaks. Eric reviews Finney's most famous novel, The Body Snatchers , which was the basis for the Invasion of the Body Snatchers film franchise. In addition, Eric discusses his antique mall paperback shopping and reviews a horror story...

Today's brand-new episode focuses on one of the most polarizing authors of the early to mid 20th century, Sydney Horler . He wrote 150 books and authored over 1,000 short stories while waging a headline war with his contemporaries. We dive into his life, his involvement in London's criminal underworld, and the many series titles and characters he created. Eric also reviews a private-eye novel from...

On this thrilling NEW episode, Eric takes listeners on an extensive bookstore tour throughout New England, including a stop at one of the largest buildings in the world dedicated to rare books . In addition, Eric visits the resting places for two astounding authors . You can view the companion visual feature of this segment HERE . It's also a double-feature with a look at the vintage stories starr...

Today's episode examines the intriguing police procedural sub-genre of crime-fiction. Eric presents an exciting feature on one of the genre's most iconic authors, Hillary Waugh. In addition, Eric reviews the first installment of the vintage detective series Neil Hockaday and discusses some new book aquisitions. The episode also includes an audible story by crime-noir writer Jimmy McKimmey. Stream...

The Paperback Warrior Podcast is back! On this episode, Eric explains the show's new format while also presenting features on pulp author and screenwriter William L. Chester and the history of vintage paperback publisher Handi Books. Tom checks in from the road after browsing the third best bookstore in America. In addition, Eric reviews the 1971 suspenseful mystery paperback Crawlspace by Herbert...

It's a new era as Paperback Warrior storms into the next 100 episodes. #101 features a look at western and action-adventure author Steve Frazee's life and career in the pulps and paperbacks. Tom explains to listeners his cash-grab scheme using his local library and Eric discusses his recent western paperback acquisitions. Additionally, horror author Ronald Malfi, crime-fiction author Lionel White,...

It's the 100th episode of the Paperback Warrior Podcast! Tom and Eric discuss their favorite moments from the show's past three years as well as the life and literary work of pulp and crime-fiction author Cleve Adams. Reviews include a Matthew Scudder installment by Lawrence Block and a 1957 vintage paperback called Sin Pit. Listen on any podcast app, paperbackwarrior.com or download directly: htt...

On this last double-digit episode of the Paperback Warrior Podcast, Tom and Eric delve into the life and career of an underrated crime-fiction author named James McKimmey. Tom talks about a new Day Keene reprint and Eric discusses two brand new Stark House Press editions. Reviews include a 1984 spy novel called The Girl from Addis by Ted Allbeury and House of Evil, a 1954 crime-noir by Clayre and...

Gil Brewer is a fixture of mid-20th century crime-fiction, and on this episode Eric and Tom discuss his life and career. Tom tells listeners about a new collection of short-stories by Robert Colby and Eric highlights the career of crime-noir writer James M. Fox. Reviews include a post-apocalyptic novel that was the basis for the 1979 film Ravagers and a Manning Lee Stokes classic. Listen on any po...

On Episode 97, Eric and Tom collaborate for a comprehensive feature on Jon Messmann, the prolific author and creator of The Trailsman series, The Revenger, The Handyman, and numerous Nick Carter: Killmaster novels. Eric also reviews Messmann's stand-alone action-adventure novel, Bullet for the Bride. Tom reviews a vintage crime-fiction paperback called The Mob Says Murder by author Marvin Albert a...

The boys are back in town! On Episode 96, Tom brings you all of the action at the Windy City Pulp and Paper Con from Lombard, Illinois and reviews a vintage Robert Colby paperback called Kim. Eric examines the birth of the Sword & Sorcery genre with Robert E. Howard's Kull character. He also delves into the Lancer paperbacks, Conan, graphic novels and magazines. Listen on any podcast app, paperbac...

On Episode 95, we explore author Steve Fisher's pulp titles like Captain Babyface, Sheridan Doome and Big Red Brennan. We also delve into Fisher's full-length novels and his transition into Hollywood. Tom reviews the new Stark House Press reprint of Lorenz Heller's 1959 novel Crime Cop. Eric gets Gothic-crazy in Sanford, Florida and talks about his shopping experience at the Daytona Beach Flea Mar...

Autumn has arrived and so has Episode 94! On this episode, Eric reviews Philip Ketchum, a prolific author that excelled in the pulps and western genres. Eric reviews Ketchum's "Captain John Murdoch" hard-boiled cop series as well as his short stories, westerns and fantasy offerings. In addition, Eric reviews a 2013 horror novel called Corrosion by Jon Bassoff and his book shopping experience in Po...

On Episode 93, Eric presents the life and literary work of Edgar Award-Winning author Clark Howard. Eric reviews many of Howard's novels, including his 1970 Fawcett Gold Medal paperback The Arm. Tom reviews the 1959 paperback debut of the Psi-Power series and Eric reveals an embarrassing debt. Listen on any podcast app, paperbackwarrior.com or download directly: https://bit.ly/3gELsUz